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contingent； the repairs of the church； the summoning and presiding
over a parish assembly； the making of roads； the establishment of
charity workshops； all this is the intendant's business or that of the
communal officers whom the intendant appoints or directs。＇14＇ Except
through his justiciary rights； so much curtailed； the seignior is an
idler in public matters。＇15＇ If； by chance； he should desire to act in
an official capacity； to make some reclamation for the community； the
bureaus of administration would soon make him shut up。 Since Louis
XIV； the higher officials have things their own way； all legislation
and the entire administrative system operate against the local
seignior to deprive him of his functional efficiency and to confine
him to his naked title。 Through this separation of functions and title
his pride increases； as he becomes less useful。 His vanity deprived of
its broad pasture…ground； falls back on a small one； henceforth he
seeks distinctions and not influence。 He thinks only of precedence and
not of government。＇16＇ In short； the local government； in the hands of
peasants commanded by bureaucrats； has become a common； offensive lot
of red tape。 〃His pride would be wounded if he were asked to attend to
it。 Raising taxes； levying the militia； regulating the corvées； are
servile acts； the works of a secretary。〃 He accordingly abstains；
remains isolated on his manor and leaves to others a task from which
he is excluded and which he disdains。 Far from protecting his
peasantry he is scarcely able to protect himself or to preserve his
immunities。 Or to avoid having his poll…tax and vingtiémes reduced。 Or
to obtain exemption from the militia for his domestics； to keep his
own person； dwelling； dependents； and hunting and fishing rights from
the universal usurpation which places all possessions and all
privileges in the hands of 〃Monseigneur l'intendant〃 and Messieurs the
sub…delegates。 And the more so because he is often poor。 Bouillé
estimates that all the old families； save two or three hundred； are
ruined。＇17＇ I Rouergue several of them live on an income of fifty and
even twenty…five louis； （1000 and 500 francs）。 In Limousin； says an
intendant at the beginning of the century； out of several thousands
there are not fifteen who have twenty thousand livres income。 In
Berry； towards 1754； 〃three…fourths of them die of hunger。〃 In
Franche…Comté the fraternity to which we have alluded appears in a
humorous light； 〃after the mass each one returning to his domicile；
some on foot and others on their Rosinantes。〃 In Brittany 〃lots of
gentlemen found as excisemen； on the farms or in the lowest
occupations。〃 One M。 de la Morandais becomes the overseer of an
estate。 A certain family with nothing but a small farm 〃attests its
nobility only by the pigeon…house； it lives like the peasants； eating
nothing but brown bread。〃 Another gentleman； a widower； 〃passes his
time in drinking； living licentiously with his servants； and covering
butter…pots with the handsomest title…deeds of his lineage。〃 All the
chevaliers de Chateaubriand；〃 says the father； 〃were drunkards and
beaters of hares。〃 He himself just makes shift to live in a miserable
way； with five domestics； a hound and two old mares 〃 in a chateau
capable of accommodating a hundred seigniors with their suites。〃 Here
and there in the various memoirs we see these strange superannuated
figures passing before the eye； for instance； in Burgundy； 〃gentlemen
huntsmen wearing gaiters and hob…nailed shoes； carrying an old rusty
sword under their arms dying with hunger and refusing to work。〃＇18＇
Elsewhere we encounter 〃M。 de Pérignan； with his red garments； wig and
ginger face； having dry stone wails built on his domain； and getting
intoxicated with the blacksmith of the place；〃 related to Cardinal
Fleury； he is made the first Duc de Fleury。…Everything contributes to
this decay； the law； habits and customs； and； above all； the right of
primogeniture。 Instituted for the purpose of maintaining undivided
sovereignty and patronage it ruins the nobles since sovereignty and
patronage have no material to work on。 〃In Brittany；〃 says
Chateaubriand； 〃the elder sons of the nobles swept away two…thirds of
the property； while the younger sons shared in one…third of the
paternal heritage。〃＇19＇ Consequently； 〃the younger sons of younger
sons soon come to the sharing of a pigeon； rabbit； hound and fowling…
piece。 The entire fortune of my grandfather did not exceed five
thousand livres income； of which his elder son had two…thirds； three
thousand three hundred livres； leaving one thousand six hundred and
sixty…six livres for the three younger ones； upon which sum the elder
still had a préciput claim。〃＇20＇ This fortune； which crumbles away and
dies out； they neither know how； nor are they disposed； to restore by
commerce； manufactures or proper administration of it； it would be
derogatory。 〃High and mighty seigniors of dove…cote； frog…pond and
rabbit…warren；〃 the more substance they lack the more value they set
on the name。…Add to all this winter sojourn in town； the ceremonial
and expenses caused by vanity and social requirements； and the visits
to the governor and the intendant。 A man must be either a German or an
Englishman to be able to pass three gloomy； rainy months in a castle
or on a farm； alone； in companionship with peasants； at the risk of
becoming as awkward and as fantastic as they。＇21＇ They accordingly run
in debt； become involved； sell one piece of ground and then another
piece。 A good many alienate the whole； excepting their small manor and
their seigniorial dues； the cens and the lods et ventes； and their
hunting and justiciary rights on the territory of which they were
formerly proprietors。＇22＇ Since they must support themselves on these
privileges they must necessarily enforce them； even when the privilege
is burdensome； and even when the debtor is a poor man。 How could they
remit dues in grain and in wine when these constitute their bread and
wine for the entire year？ How could they dispense with the fifth and
the fifth of the fifth （du quint et du requint） when this is the only
coin they obtain？ Why； being needy should they not be exacting？
Accordingly； in relation to the peasant； they are simply his
creditors； and to this end come the feudal régime transformed by the
monarchy。 Around the chateau I see sympathies declining； envy raising
its head； and hatreds on the increase。 Set aside in public matters；
freed from taxation； the seignior remains isolated and a stranger
among his vassals； his extinct authority with his unimpaired
privileges form for him an existence apart。 When he emerges from it；
it is to forcibly add to the public misery。 From this soil； ruined by
the tax…man； he takes a portion of its product； so much it； sheaves of
wheat and so many measures of wine。 His pigeons and his game eat up
the crops。 People are obliged to grind in his mill； and to leave with
him a sixteenth of the flour。 The sale of a field for the sum of six
hundred livres puts one hundred livres into his pocket。 A brother's
inheritance reaches a brother only after he has gnawed out of it a
year's income。 A score of other dues； formerly of public benefit； no
longer serve but to support a useless private individual。 The peasant；
then as today； is eager for gain； determined and accustomed to do and
to suffer everything to save or gain a crown。 He ends by looking
angrily on the turret in which are preserved the archives； the rent…
roll； the detested parchments by means of which a Man of another
species； favored to the detriment of the rest； a universal creditor
and paid to do nothing； grazes over all the ground and feeds on all
the products。 Let the opportunity come to enkindle all this
covetousness； and the rent…roll will burn； and with it the turret； and
with the turret； the chateau。
III。 Absentee Seigniors。
Vast extent of their fortunes and rights。…Possessing greater
advantages they owe greater services。…Reasons for their absenteeism。…
Effect of it。 Apathy of the provinces。…Condition of their estates。…
They give no alms。…Misery of their tenants。…Exactions of their
agents。…Exigencies of their debts。 … State of their justiciary。 …
Effects of their hunting rights。 … Sentiments of the peasantry towards
them。
The spectacle becomes still gloomier； on passing from the estates
on which the seigniors reside to those on which they are non…
residents。 Noble or ennobled； lay and ecclesiastic； the latter are
privileged among the privileged； and form an aristocracy inside of an
aristocracy。 Almost all the powerful and accredited families belong to
it whatever may be their origin and their date。＇23＇ Through their
habitual or frequent residence near the court； through their alliances
or mutual visits； through their habits and their luxuries； through the
influence which they exercis