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treaty of Vienna； this explains why 〃a pension of 6；000 livres is
given to his niece； Mme。 de Castellane； and another of 10；000 to his
daughter； Mme。 de Beuvron； who is very rich。〃 … 〃M。 de Puisieux
enjoys about 76；000 or 77；000 livres income from the bounty of the
king； it is true that he has considerable property； but the revenue of
this property is uncertain； being for the most part in vines。〃 … 〃A
pension of 10；000 livres has just been awarded to the Marquise de Lède
because she is disagreeable to Mme。 Infante； and to secure her
resignation。〃 … The most opulent stretch out their hands and take
accordingly。 〃It is estimated that last week 128；000 livres in
pensions were bestowed on ladies of the court； while for the past two
years the officers have not received the slightest pension： 8；000
livres to the Duchesse de Chevreuse； whose husband has an income of
500；000 livres； 12；000 livres to Mme。 de Luynes； that she may not be
jealous； 10；000 to the Duchesse de Brancas； 10；000 to the dowager
Duchesse de Brancas； mother of the preceding；〃 etc。 At the head of
these leeches come the princes of the blood。 〃The king has just given
1；500；000 livres to M。 le Prince de Conti to pay his debts； 1；000；000
of which is under the pretext of indemnifying him for the injury done
him by the sale of Orange； and 500；000 livres as a gratuity。〃 〃The Duc
d'Orléans formerly had 50；000 crowns pension； as a poor man； and
awaiting his father's inheritance。 This event making him rich； with an
income of more than 3；000；000 livres； he gave up his pension。 But
having since represented to the king that his expenditure exceeded his
income； the king gave him back his 50；000 crowns。〃 … Twenty years
later； in 1780； when Louis XVI。； desirous of relieving the treasury；
signs 〃the great reformation of the table； 600；000 livres are given to
Mesdames for their tables。〃 This is what the dinners； cut down； of
three old ladies； cost the public！ For the king's two brothers；
8；300；000 livres； besides 2；000；000 income in appanages； for the
Dauphin； Madame Royale； Madame Elisabeth； and Mesdames 3；500；000
livres； for the queen； 4；000；000： such is the statement of Necker in
1784。 Add to this the casual donations； admitted or concealed； 200；000
francs to M。 de Sartines； to aid him in paying his debts； 200；000 to
M。 Lamoignon； keeper of the seals； 100；000 to M。 de Miromesnil for
expenses in establishing himself； 166；000 to the widow of M。 de
Maurepas； 400；000 to the Prince de Salm； 1；200；000 to the Duc de
Polignac for the pledge of the county Fenestranges； 754；337 to
Mesdames to pay for Bellevue。＇19＇ M。 de Calonne；〃 says Augeard； a
reliable witness；＇20＇ 〃scarcely entered on his duties； raised a loan
of 100；000；000 livres； one…quarters of which did not find its way into
the royal treasury； the rest was eaten up by people at the court； his
donations to the Comte Artois are estimated at 56；000；000； the portion
of Monsieur is 5；000；000； he gave to the Prince de Condé； in exchange
for 300；000 livres income； 12；000；000 paid down and 600；000 livres
annuity； and he causes the most burdensome acquisition to be made for
the State； in exchanges of which the damage is more than five to one。〃
We must not forget that in actual rates all these donations； pensions；
and salaries are worth double the amount。 … Such is the use of the
great in relation to the central power； instead of constituting
themselves representatives of the people； they aimed to be the
favorites of the Sovereign； and they shear the flock which they ought
to preserve。
IV。
Isolation of the Chiefs … Sentiments of subordinates… Provincial
nobility … The Curates。
The fleeced flock is to discover finally what is done with its
wool。 〃Sooner or later；〃 says a parliament of 1764；＇21＇ 〃the people
will learn that the remnants of our finances continue be wasted in
donations which are frequently undeserved； in excessive and multiplied
pensions for the same persons； in dowries and promises of dowry； and
in useless offices and salaries。〃 Sooner or later they will thrust
back 〃these greedy hands which are always open and never full； that
insatiable crowd which seems to be born only to seize all and possess
nothing； and pitiless as it is shameless。〃 … And when this day
arrives the extortioners will find that they stand alone。 For the
characteristic of an aristocracy which cares only for itself is to
live aloof in a closed circle。 Having forgotten the public； it also
neglects its subordinates； after being separated from the nation it
separates itself from its own adherents。 Like a group of staff…
officers on furlough； it indulges in Sports without giving itself
further concern about inferior officers； when the hour of battle comes
nobody will march under its orders； and chieftains are sought
elsewhere。 Such is the isolation of the seigniors of the court and of
the prelates among the lower grades of the nobility and the clergy；
they appropriate to themselves too large a share； and give nothing； or
almost nothing； to the people who are not of their society。 For a
century a steady murmur against them rising； and goes on expanding
until it becomes an uproar； which the old and the new spirit； feudal
ideas and philosophic ideas； threaten in unison。 〃I see；〃 said the
bailiff of Mirabeau；＇22＇ 〃that the nobility is demeaning itself and
becoming a wreck。 It is extended to all those children of
bloodsuckers； the vagabonds of finance； introduced by La Pompadour；
herself the spring of this foulness。 One portion of it demeans itself
in its servility to the court； the other portion is amalgamated with
that quill…driving rabble who are converting the blood of the king's
subjects into ink； another perishes stifled beneath vile robes； the
ignoble atoms of cabinet…dust which an office drags up out of the mire
；〃 and all； parvenus of the old or of the new stock； form a band
called the court； 'The court！〃 exclaims D'Argenson。 〃The entire evil
is found in this word； The court has become the senate of the nation；
the least of the valets at Versailles is a senator； chambermaids take
part in the government； if not to legislate； at least to impede laws
and regulations； and by dint of hindrance there are no longer either
laws； or rules； or law…makers。 。 。 。 Under Henry IV courtiers remained
each one at home； they had not entered into ruinous expenditure to
belong to the court； favors were not thus due to them as at the
present day。 。 。 The court is the sepulcher of the nation。〃 Many noble
officers； finding that high grades are only for courtiers； abandon the
service； and betake themselves with their discontent to their estates。
Others； who have not left their domains； brood there in discomfort；
idleness； and ennui； their ambition embittered by their powerlessness。
In 1789； says the Marquis de Ferrières； most of them 〃are so weary of
the court and of the ministers； they are almost democrats。〃 At least；
〃they want to withdraw the government from the ministerial oligarchy
in whose hands it is concentrated；〃 there are no grand seigniors for
deputies； they set them aside and 〃absolutely reject them； saying that
they would traffic with the interests of the nobles；〃 they themselves；
in their registers； insist that there be no more court nobility。
The same sentiments prevail among the lower clergy； and still more
actively； for they are excluded from the high offices； not only as
inferiors； but also as commoner。＇23＇ Already； in 1766； the Marquis de
Mirabeau writes： 〃It would be an insult to most of our pretentious
ecclesiastics to offer them a curacy。 Revenues and honors are for the
abbés…commendatory； for tonsured beneficiaries not in orders； for the
numerous chapters （of nobility）。〃 On the contrary； 〃the true pastors
of souls； the collaborators in the holy ministry； scarcely obtain a
subsistence。〃 The first class 〃drawn from the nobility and from the
best of the bourgeoisie have pretensions only； without being of the
true ministry。 The other； only having duties to fulfill without
expectations and almost without income 。 。 。 can be recruited only
from the lowest ranks of civil society；〃 while the parasites who
despoil the laborers 〃affect to subjugate them and to degrade them
more and more。〃 〃I pity；〃 said Voltaire； 〃the lot of a country curate；
obliged to contend for a sheaf of wheat with his unfortunate
parishioner； to plead against him； to exact the tithe of peas and
lentils； to waste his miserable existence in constant strife。 。 。 。 I
pity still more the curate with a fixed allowance to whom monks；
called gros decimateurs＇24＇ dare offer a salary of forty ducats； to
go about during the year； two or three miles from his home； day and
night； in sunshine and in rain； in the snow and in the ice； exercising
the most trying and most disagreeable functions。〃 Attempts are made
for thirty years to secure their salaries and raise them