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purpose of raising low…priced provisions suitable for his own
nourishment； such as buckwheat； radishes； etc。 His enjoyment consists
only of his own idleness and sluggishness； hoping for a good chestnut
year and doing nothing voluntarily but procreate；〃 unable to hire
farming hands he begets children。 …
The rest； ordinary laborers； have a few savings； 〃living on the
herbage； and on a few goats which devour everything。〃 Often again；
these； by order of Parliament； are killed by the game…keepers。 A
woman； with two children in swaddling clothes； having no milk； 〃and
without an inch of ground；〃 whose two goats； her sole resource； had
thus been slain； and another； with one goat slain in the same way； and
who begs along with her boy； present themselves at the gate of the
chateau； one receives twelve livres； while the other is admitted as a
domestic； and henceforth； '' this village is all bows and smiling
faces。'' … In short； they are not accustomed to kindness； the lot of
all these poor people is to endure。 〃As with rain and hail； they
regard as inevitable the necessity of being oppressed by the
strongest； the richest； the most skillful； the most in repute；〃 and
this stamps on them； 〃if one may be allowed to say so； an air of
painful suffering。〃
In Auvergne； a feudal country； covered with extensive ecclesiastic
and seigniorial domains； the misery is the same。 At Clermont…
Ferrand；＇43＇ 〃there are many streets that can for blackness； dirt and
scents only be represented by narrow channels cut in a dunghill。〃 In
the inns of the largest bourgs； 〃closeness； misery； dirtiness and
darkness。〃 That of Pradelles is 〃one of the worst in France。〃 That of
Aubenas； says Young； 〃would be a purgatory for one of my pigs。〃 The
senses； in short； are paralyzed。 The primitive man is content so long
as he can sleep and get something to eat。 He gets something to eat；
but what kind of food？ To put up with the indigestible mess a peasant
here requires a still tougher stomach than in Limousin； in certain
villages where； ten years later； every year twenty or twenty…five hogs
are to be slaughtered； they now slaughter but three＇44＇。 … On
contemplating this temperament； rude and intact since Vercingetorix；
and； moreover； rendered more savage by suffering； one cannot avoid
being somewhat alarmed。 The Marquis de Mirabeau describes
〃the votive festival of Mont…Dore： savages descending from the
mountain in torrents；＇45＇ the curate with stole and surplice； the
justice in his wig； the police corps with sabers drawn； all guarding
the open square before letting the bagpipers play； the dance
interrupted in a quarter of an hour by a fight； the hooting and cries
of children； of the feeble and other spectators； urging them on as the
rabble urge on so many fighting dogs； frightful looking men； or rather
wild beasts covered with coats of coarse wool； wearing wide leather
belts pierced with copper nails； gigantic in stature； which is
increased by high wooden shoes； and making themselves still taller by
standing on tiptoe to see the battle； stamping with their feet as it
progresses and rubbing each other's flanks with their elbows； their
faces haggard and covered with long matted hair； the upper portion
pallid； and the lower distended； indicative of cruel delight and a
sort of ferocious impatience。 And these folks pay the taille！ And now
they want to take away their salt！ And they know nothing of those they
despoil； of those whom they think they govern； believing that； by a
few strokes of a cowardly and careless pen； they may starve them with
impunity up to the final catastrophe！ Poor Jean…Jacques； I said to
myself； had any one dispatched you； with your system； to copy music
amongst these folks； he would have had some sharp replies to make to
your discourses！〃
Prophetic warning and admirable foresight in one whom an excess of
evil does not blind to the evil of the remedy！ Enlightened by his
feudal and rural instincts； the old man at once judges both the
government and the philosophers； the Ancient Regime and the
Revolution。
IV。 THE PEASANT BECOMES LANDOWNER。
How the peasant becomes a proprietor。 … He is no better off。 …
Increase of taxes。 … He is the 〃mule〃 of the Ancient Regime。
Misery begets bitterness in a man； but ownership coupled with
misery renders him still more bitter。 He may have submitted to
indigence but not to spoliation … which is the situation of the
peasant in 1789； for； during the eighteenth century； he had become the
possessor of land。 But how could he maintain himself in such
destitution？ The fact is almost incredible； but it is nevertheless
true。 We can only explain it by the character of the French peasant；
by his sobriety； his tenacity； his rigor with himself； his
dissimulation； his hereditary passion for property and especially for
that of the soil。 He had lived on privations； and economized sou after
sou。 Every year a few pieces of silver are added to his little store
of crowns buried in the most secret recess of his cellar； Rousseau's
peasant； concealing his wine and bread in a pit； assuredly had a yet
more secret hiding…place； a little money in a woollen stocking or in a
jug escapes； more readily than elsewhere； the search of the clerks。
Dressed in rags； going barefoot； eating nothing but coarse black
bread； but cherishing the little treasure in his breast on which he
builds so many hopes； he watches for the opportunity which never fails
to come。 〃In spite of privileges；〃 writes a gentleman in 1755；＇46＇
〃the nobles are daily being ruined and reduced； the Third…Estate
making all the fortunes。〃 A number of domains； through forced or
voluntary sales； thus pass into the hands of financiers； of men of the
quill； of merchants； and of the well…to…do bourgeois。 Before
undergoing this total dispossession； however； the seignior； involved
in debt； is evidently resigned to partial alienation of his property。
The peasant who has bribed the steward is at hand with his hoard。 〃It
is poor property； my lord； and it costs you more than you get from
it。〃 This may refer to an isolated patch； one end of a field or
meadow； sometimes a farm whose farmer pays nothing； and generally
worked by a métayer whose wants and indolence make him an annual
expense to his master。 The latter may say to himself that the
alienated parcel is not lost； since； some day or other； through his
right of repurchase； he may take it back； while； in the meantime； he
enjoys a cens； drawbacks； and the lord's dues。 Moreover； there is on
his domain and around him； extensive open spaces which the decline of
cultivation and depopulation have left a desert。 To restore the value
of this he must surrender its proprietorship。 There is no other way by
which to attach man permanently to the soil。 And the government helps
him along in this matter。 Obtaining no revenue from the abandoned
soil； it assents to a provisional withdrawal of its too weighty hand。
By the edict of 1766； a piece of cleared waste land remains free of
the taille for fifteen years； and； thereupon； in twenty…eight
provinces 400；000 arpents are cleared in three years＇47＇。
This is the mode by which the seigniorial domain gradually crumbles
away and decreases。 Towards the last； in many places； with the
exception of the chateau and the small adjoining farm which brings in
2 or 3000 francs a year； nothing is left to the seignior but his
feudal dues；＇48＇ the rest of the soil belongs to the peasantry。
Forbonnais already remarks； towards 1750； that many of the nobles and
of the ennobled 〃reduced to extreme poverty but with titles to immense
possessions；〃 have sold off portions to small cultivators at low
prices； and often for the amount of the taille。 Towards 1760； one…
quarter of the soil is said to have already passed into the hands of
farmers。 In 1772； in relation to the vingtième； which is levied on the
net revenue of real property； the intendant of Caen； having completed
the statement of his quota； estimates that out of 150；000 〃there are
perhaps 50；000 whose liabilities did not exceed five sous； and perhaps
still as many more not exceeding twenty sous。〃＇49＇ Contemporary
observers authenticate this passion of the peasant for land。 〃The
savings of the lower classes； which elsewhere are invested with
individuals and in the public funds； are wholly destined in France to
the purchase of land。〃 〃Accordingly the number of small rural holdings
is always on the increase。 Necker says that there is an immensity of
them。〃 Arthur Young； in 1789； is astonished at their great number and
〃inclines to think that they form a third of the kingdom。〃 This
already would be our actual estimate； and we still find；
approximately； the actual figures； on estimating the number of
proprietors in comparison with the number of inhabitants。
The small cultivator； however； in becoming a possessor of the soil
ass