按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
but more grandly； because he is the greatest lord in France； I shall
describe his court presently； and further on we shall see by what
exactions this pomp is made possible。 In the meantime let us note two
or three details。 According to authentic statements； Louis XV expended
on Mme。 de Pompadour thirty…six millions of livres； which is at least
seventy…two millions nowadays＇40＇ According to d'Argenson；＇41＇ in
1751； he has 4；000 horses in his stable； and we are assured that his
household alone； or his person； 〃cost this year 68；000；000；〃 almost a
quarter of the public revenue。 Why be astonished if we look upon the
sovereign in the manner of the day； that is to say； as a lord of the
manor enjoying of his hereditary property？ He constructs； he
entertains； he gives festivals； he hunts； and he spends money
according to his station。 Moreover； being the master of his own funds；
he gives to whomsoever he pleases； and all his selections are favors。
Abbé de Vermond writes to Empress Maria Theresa＇42＇
〃Your Majesty knows better than myself； that； according to
immemorial custom； three…fourths of the places honors and pensions are
awarded not on account of services but out of favor and through
influence。 This favor was originally prompted by birth； alliance and
fortune； the fact is that it nearly always is based on patronage and
intrigue。 This procedure is so well established； that is respected as
a sort of justice even by those who suffer the most from it。 A man of
worth not able to dazzle by his court alliances； nor through a
brilliant expenditure； would not dare to demand a regiment； however
ancient and illustrious his services； or his birth。 Twenty years ago；
the sons of dukes and ministers； of people attached to the court； of
the relations and protégés of mistresses； became colonels at the age
of sixteen。 M。 de Choiseul caused loud complaints on extending this
age to twenty…three years。 But to compensate favoritism and absolutism
he assigned to the pure grace of the king； or rather to that of his
ministers； the appointment to the grades of lieutenant…colonel and
major which； until that time； belonged of right to priority of
services in the government； also the commands of provinces and of
towns。 You are aware that these places have been largely multiplied；
and that they are bestowed through favor and credit； like the
regiments。 The cordon bleu and the cordon rouge are in the like
position； and abbeys are still more constantly subject to the régime
of influence。 As to positions in the finances； I dare not allude to
them。 Appointments in the judiciary are the most conditioned by
services rendered； and yet how much do not influence and
recommendation affect the nomination of intendants； first presidents〃
and the others？
Necker； entering on his duties； finds twenty…eight millions in
pensions paid from the royal treasury； and； at his fall； there is an
outflow of money showered by millions on the people of the court。 Even
during his term of office the king allows himself to make the fortunes
of his wife's friends of both sexes； the Countess de Polignac obtains
400；000 francs to pay her debts； 100；000 francs dowry for her
daughter； and； besides； for herself； the promise of an estate of
35；000 livres income； and； for her lover； the Count de Vaudreil； a
pension of 30；000 livres； the Princess de Lamballe obtains 100；000
crowns per annum； as much for the post of superintendent of the
queen's household； which is revived on her behalf； as for a position
for her brother。＇43＇ The king is reproached for his parsimony； why
should he be sparing of his purse？ Started on a course not his own； he
gives； buys； builds； and exchanges； he assists those belonging to his
own society； doing everything in a style becoming to a grand seignior；
that is to say； throwing money away by handfuls。One instance enables
us to judge of this： in order to assist the bankrupt Guéménée family；
he purchases of them three estates for about 12；500；000 livres； which
they had just purchased for 4；000；000； moreover； in exchange for two
domains in Brittany； which produce 33；758 livres income； he makes over
to them the principality of Dombes which produces nearly 70；000 livres
income。＇44＇ … When we come to read the Red Book further on we shall
find 700；000 livres of pensions for the Polignac family； most of them
revertible from one member to another； and nearly 2；000；000 of annual
benefits to the Noailles family。 … The king has forgotten that his
favors are mortal blows； 〃the courtier who obtains 6；000 livres
pension； receiving the taille of six villages。〃＇45＇ Each largess of
the monarch； considering the state of the taxes； is based on the
privation of the peasants； the sovereign； through his clerks； taking
bread from the poor to give coaches to the rich。 … The center of the
government； in short； is the center of the evil； all the wrongs and
all the miseries start from it as from the center of pain and
inflammation； here it is that the public abscess comes to the head；
and here will it break。＇46＇
VI。 Latent Disorganization in France。
Such is the just and fatal effect of privileges turned to selfish
purposes instead of being exercised for the advantage of others。 To
him who utters the word； 〃Sire or Seignior〃 stands for the protector
who feeds； the ancient who leads。〃＇47＇ With such a title and for this
purpose too much cannot be granted to him； for there is no more
difficult or more exalted post。 But he must fulfill its duties；
otherwise in the day of peril he will be left to himself。 Already； and
long before the day arrives； his flock is no longer his own； if it
marches onward it is through routine； it is simply a multitude of
persons； but no longer an organized body。 Whilst in Germany and in
England the feudal régime； retained or transformed； still composes a
living society； in France＇48＇ its mechanical framework encloses only
so many human particles。 We still find the material order； but we no
longer find the moral order of things。 A lingering； deep…seated
revolution has destroyed the close hierarchical union of recognized
supremacies and of voluntary deference。 It is like an army in which
the attitudes of chiefs and subordinates have disappeared； grades are
indicated by uniforms only； but they have no hold on consciences。 All
that constitutes a well…founded army； the legitimate ascendancy of
officers； the justified trust of soldiers； the daily interchange of
mutual obligations； the conviction of each being useful to all； and
that the chiefs are the most useful all； is missing。 How could it be
otherwise in an army whose staff…officers have no other occupation but
to dine out； to display their epaulettes and to receive double pay？
Long before the final crash France is in a state of dissolution； and
she is in a state of dissolution because the privileged classes had
forgotten their characters as public men。
_____________________________________________________________________
Notes：
＇1＇。 〃Rapport de l'agence du clergé；〃 from 1775 to 1780； pp。 31…
34。 … Ibid。 from 1780 to 1785； p。 237。
＇2＇。 Lanfrey； 〃L'Eglise et les philosophes；〃 passim。
＇3＇。 Boiteau； 〃Etat de la France en 1789；〃 pp。 205； 207。 …
D'Argenson 〃Mémoires；〃 May 5； 1752； September 3； 22； 25； 1753；
October 17； 1753； and October 26； 1775。 … Prudhomme； 〃Résumé général
des cahiers des Etats…Généraux；〃 1789； （Registers of the Clergy）。
〃Histoire des églises du désert；〃 par Charles Coquerel； I。 151 and
those following。
＇4＇。 De Ségur； 〃Mémoires；〃 vol。 I。 pp。 16； 41。 … De Bouillé；
〃Mémoires；〃 p。 54。 … Mme。 Campan； 〃Mémoires；〃 V。 I。 p。 237； proofs in
detail。
＇5＇。 Somewhat like the socialist societies including the welfare
states where a caste of public pensionaries； functionaries； civil
servants and politicians weigh like a heavy burden on those who
actually do the work。。 （SR。）
＇6＇。 An antechamber in the palace of Versailles in which there was
a round or bull's…eye window； where courtiers assembled to await the
opening of the door into the king's apartment。 … TR。
＇7＇。 〃La France ecclésiastique；〃 1788。
＇8＇。 Grannier de Cassagnac； 〃Des causes de la Rèvolution
Fran？aise；〃 III。 58。
＇9＇。 Marmontel； 〃Mémoires；〃 。 II。 book XIII。 p。 221。
＇10＇。 Boiteau； 〃Etat de la France en 1789；〃 pp。 55； 248。 …
D'Argenson； 〃Considérations sur le gouvermement de la France；〃 p。 177。
De Luynes； 〃Journal；〃 XIII。 226； XIV。 287； XIII。 33； 158； 162； 118；
233； 237； XV。 268； XVI。 304。 … The government of Ham is worth 11；250
livres； that of Auxerre 12；000； that of Brian？on 12；000； that of the
islands of Ste。 Marguerite 16；000 ； that of Schelestadt 15；000； that
of Brisach from 15 to 16；000 ； that of Gravelines 18；000。 … The
ordinance of 1776 had reduced these various places as follows：
（Warroquier； II； 467）