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expanding into skirts measuring twenty…four feet in circumference；
easily find room on the steps of the staircases。＇7＇ Those verdant
cabinets afford shade for a princely collation。 Under that circular
portico； all the seigniors enjoying the privilege of entering it
witness together the play of a new jet d'eau。 Their counterparts greet
them even in the marble and bronze figures which people the paths and
basins； in the dignified face of an Apollo； in the theatrical air of a
Jupiter； in the worldly ease or studied nonchalance of a Diana or a
Venus。 The stamp of the court； deepened through the joint efforts of
society for a century； is so strong that it is graven on each detail
as on the whole； and on material objects as on matters of the
intellect。
II。 The King's Household。
Its officials and expenses。 … His military family； his stable；
kennel； chapel； attendants； table； chamber； wardrobe； outhouses；
furniture； journeys。
The foregoing is but the framework； before 1789 it was completely
filled up。 〃You have seen nothing；〃 says Chateaubriand； 〃if you have
not seen the pomp of Versailles； even after the disbanding of the
king's household； Louis XIV was always there。〃＇8＇ It is a swarm of
liveries； uniforms； costumes and equipages as brilliant and as varied
as in a picture。 I should be glad to have lived eight days in this
society。 It was made expressly to be painted； being specially designed
for the pleasure of the eye； like an operatic scene。 But how can we of
to day imagine people for whom life was wholly operatic？ At that time
a grandee was obliged to live in great state； his retinue and his
trappings formed a part of his personality； he fails in doing himself
justice if these are not as ample and as splendid as he can make them；
he would be as much mortified at any blank in his household as we with
a hole in our coats。 Should he make any curtailment he would decline
in reputation； on Louis XVI undertaking reforms the court says that he
acts like a bourgeois。 When a prince or princess becomes of age a
household is formed for them； when a prince marries； a household is
formed for his wife； and by a household it must be understood that it
is a pompous display of fifteen or twenty distinct services： stables；
a hunting…train； a chapel； a surgery； the bedchamber and the wardrobe；
a chamber for accounts； a table； pantry； kitchen； and wine…cellars； a
fruitery； a fourrière； a common kitchen； a cabinet； a council；＇9＇ she
would feel that she was not a princess without all this。 There are 274
appointments in the household of the Duc d'Orléans； 210 in that of
Mesdames； 68 in that of Madame Elisabeth； 239 in that of the Comtesse
d'Artois； 256 in that of the Comtesse de Provence； and 496 in that of
the Queen。 When the formation of a household for Madame Royale； one
month old； is necessary； 〃the queen；〃 writes the Austrian ambassador；
〃desires to suppress a baneful indolence； a useless affluence of
attendants； and every practice tending to give birth to sentiments of
pride。 In spite of the said retrenchment the household of the young
princess is to consist of nearly eighty persons destined to the sole
service of her Royal Highness。〃＇10＇ The civil household of Monsieur
comprises 420 appointments； his military household； 179； that of the
Comte d'Artois 237 and his civil household 456。 … Three…fourths of
them are for display； with their embroideries and laces； their
unembarrassed and polite expression； their attentive and discreet air；
their easy way of saluting； walking and smiling； they appear well in
an antechamber； placed in lines； or scattered in groups in a gallery；
I should have liked to contemplate even the stable and kitchen array；
the figures filling up the background of the picture。 By these stars
of inferior magnitude we may judge of the splendor of the royal sun。
The king must have guards； infantry； cavalry； body…guards； French
guardsmen； Swiss guardsmen； Cent Suisses； light…horse guards；
gendarmes of the guard； gate…guardsmen； in all； 9；050 men；＇11＇ costing
annually 7；681；000 livres。 Four companies of the French guard； and two
of the Swiss guard； parade every day in the court of the ministers
between the two railings； and when the king issues in his carriage to
go to Paris or Fontainebleau the spectacle is magnificent。 Four
trumpeters in front and four behind； the Swiss guards on one side and
the French guards on the other； form a line as far as it can
reach。＇12＇ The Cent Suisses march ahead of the horsemen in the costume
of the sixteenth century； wearing the halberd； ruff； plumed hat； and
the ample parti…colored striped doublet； alongside of these are the
provost…guard with scarlet facings and gold frogs； and companies of
yeomanry bristling with gold and silver。 The officers of the various
corps； the trumpeters and the musicians； covered with gold and silver
lace； are dazzling to look at； the kettledrum suspended at the saddle…
bow； overcharged with painted and gilded ornaments； is a curiosity for
a glass case； the Negro cymbal…player of the French guards resembles
the sultan of a fairy…tale。 Behind the carriage and alongside of it
trot the body…guards； with sword and carbine； wearing red breeches；
high black boots； and a blue coat sewn with white embroidery； all of
them unquestionable gentlemen； there were twelve hundred of these
selected among the nobles and according to size； among them are the
guards de la manche； still more intimate； who at church and on
ceremonial occasions； in white doublets starred with silver and gold
spangles； holding their damascene partisans in their hands； always
remain standing and turned towards the king 〃so as to see his person
from all sides。〃 Thus is his protection ensured。 Being a gentleman the
king is a cavalier； and he must have a suitable stable；＇13＇ 1；857
horses； 217 vehicles； 1；458 men whom he clothes； the liveries costing
540；000 francs a year； besides these there were 20 tutors and sub…
tutors； almoners； professors； cooks； and valets to govern； educate and
serve the pages； and again about thirty physicians； apothecaries；
nurses for the sick； intendants； treasurers； workmen； and licensed and
paid merchants for the accessories of the service； in all more than
1；500 men。 Horses to the amount of 250；000 francs are purchased
yearly； and there are stock…stables in Limousin and in Normandy to
draw on for supplies。 287 horses are exercised daily in the two
riding…halls； there are 443 saddle…horses in the small stable； 437 in
the large one； and these are not sufficient for the 〃vivacity of the
service。〃 The whole cost 4；600；000 livres in 1775； which sum reaches
6；200；000 livres in 1787。＇14＇ Still another spectacle should be seen
with one's own eyes； … the pages；＇15＇ the grooms； the laced pupils；
the silver…button pupils； the boys of the little livery in silk； the
instrumentalists and the mounted messengers of the stable。 The use of
the horse is a feudal art； no luxury is more natural to a man of
quality。 Think of the stables at Chantilly； which are palaces。 To
convey an idea of a well…educated and genteel man he was then called
an accomplished cavalier；〃 in fact his importance was fully manifest
only when he was in the saddle； on a blood…horse like himself。 …
Another genteel taste； an effect of the preceding； is the chase。 It
costs the king from 1；100；000 to 1；200；000 livres a year； and requires
280 horses besides those of the two stables。 A more varied or more
complete equipment could not be imagined： a pack of hounds for the
boar； another for the wolf another for the roe…buck； a cast （of hawks）
for the crow； a cast for the magpie； a cast for merlins； a cast for
hares； a cast for the fields。 In 1783； 179；194 livres are expended for
feeding horses； and 53；412 livres for feeding dogs。＇16＇ The entire
territory； ten leagues around Paris； is a game…preserve； 〃not a gun
could be fired there；＇17＇ accordingly the plains are seen covered with
partridges accustomed to man； quietly picking up the grain and never
stirring as he passes。〃 Add to this the princes' captaincies；
extending as far as Villers…Cotterets and Orleans； these form an
almost continuous circle around Paris； thirty leagues in
circumference； where game； protected； replaced and multiplied； swarms
for the pleasure of the king。 The park of Versailles alone forms an
enclosure of more than ten leagues。 The forest of Rambouillet embraces
25；000 arpents （30；000 acres）。 Herds of seventy…five and eighty stags
are encountered around Fontainebleau。 No true hunter could read the
minute…book of the chase without feeling an impulse of envy。 The wolf…
hounds run twice a week； and they take forty wolves a year。 Between
1743 and 1744 Louis XV runs down 6；400 stags。 Louis XVI writes； August
30th； 1781： 〃Killed 460 head to day。〃 In 1780 he brings down 20；534
head； in 1781； 20；291； in fourteen years； 189；251 head； besides 1；254