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oracle and much consulted。 〃He greatly increased the beauty of his
house and gardens at Saint…Ouen。 At the moment of his death；〃 says the
Duc de Luynes； 〃he had just added twenty…five arpents to it which he
had begun to enclose with a covered terrace。 。 。 。 He had quite a
large household of gentlemen； pages； and domestic of various kinds；
and his expenditure was enormous。 。 。 。 He gave a grand dinner every
day。 。 。 。 He gave special audiences almost daily。 There was no one at
the court； nor in the city； who did not pay his respects to him。 The
ministers； the royal princes themselves did so。 He received company
whilst still in bed。 He wrote and dictated amidst a large assemblage。
。 。 。 His house at Paris and his apartment at Versailles were never
empty from the time be arose till the time he retired。〃 2 or 300
households at Paris； at Versailles and in their environs； offer a
similar spectacle。 Never is there solitude。 It is the custom in
France； says Horace Walpole； to burn your candle down to its snuff in
public。 The mansion of the Duchesse de Gramont is besieged at day…
break by the noblest seigniors and the noblest ladies。 Five times a
week； under the Duc de Choiseul's roof； the butler enters the drawing
room at ten o'clock in the evening to bestow a glance on the immense
crowded gallery and decide if he shall lay the cloth for fifty； sixty
or eighty persons；＇59＇ with this example before them all the rich
establishments soon glory in providing an open table for all comers。
Naturally the parvenus； the financiers who have purchased or taken the
name of an estate； all those traffickers and sons of traffickers who；
since Law； associate with the nobility； imitate their ways。 And I do
not allude to the Bourets； the Beaujons； the St。 Jameses and other
financial wretches whose paraphernalia effaces that of the princes；
but take a plain associé des fermes； M。 d'Epinay； whose modest and
refined wife refuses such excessive display。＇60＇ He had just completed
his domestic arrangements； and was anxious that his wife should take a
second maid； but she resisted； nevertheless； in this curtailed
household；
〃the officers； women and valets； amounted to sixteen。 。 。 。 When M。
d'Epinay gets up his valet enters on his duties。 Two lackeys stand by
awaiting his orders。 The first secretary enters for the purpose of
giving an account of the letters received by him and which he has to
open； but he is interrupted two hundred times in this business by all
sorts of people imaginable。 Now it is a horse…jockey with the finest
horses to sell。 。 。 。 Again some saucy girl who calls to bawl out a
piece of music； and on whose behalf some influence has been exerted to
get her into the opera； after giving her a few lessons in good taste
and teaching her what is proper in French music。 This young lady has
been made to wait to ascertain if I am still at home。 。 。 。 I get up
and go out。 Two lackeys open the folding doors to let me make it
through this eye of a needle； while two servants bawl out in the ante…
chamber； 'Madame； gentlemen； Madame！' All form a line； the gentlemen
consisting of dealers in fabrics； in instruments； jewellers； hawkers；
lackeys； shoeblacks； creditors； in short everything imaginable that is
most ridiculous and annoying。 The clock strikes twelve or one before
this toilet matter is over； and the secretary； who； doubtless； knows
by experience the impossibility of rendering a detailed statement of
his business； hands to his master a small memorandum informing him
what he must say in the assembly of fermiers。〃
Indolence； disorder； debts； ceremony； the tone and ways of the
patron； all seems a parody of the real thing。 We are beholding the
last stages of aristocracy。 And yet the court of M。 d'Epinay is a
miniature resemblance of that of the king。
So much more essential is it that the ambassadors； ministers and
general officers who represent the king should display themselves in a
grandiose manner。 No circumstance rendered the ancient régime so
brilliant and more oppressive； in this； as in all the rest； Louis XIV
is the principal originator of evil as of good。 The policy which
fashioned the court prescribed ostentation。
〃A display of dress； table； equipages； buildings and play was made
purposely to please； these afforded opportunities for entering into
conversation with him。 The contagion had spread from the court into
the provinces and to the armies； where people of any position were
esteemed only in proportion to their table and magnificence。〃＇61＇
During the year passed by the Marshal de Belle…Isle at Frankfort；
on account of the election of Charles VI； he expended 750；000 livres
in journeys； transportations； festivals and dinners； in constructing a
kitchen and dining…hall； and besides all this； 150；000 livres in
snuff…boxes； watches and other presents； by order of Cardinal Fleury；
so economical； he had in his kitchens one hundred and one
officials。＇62＇ At Vienna； in 1772； the ambassador； the Prince de
Rohan； had two carriages costing together 40；000 livres； forty horses；
seven noble pages； six gentlemen； five secretaries； ten musicians；
twelve footmen； and four grooms whose gorgeous liveries each cost
4；000 livres； and the rest in proportion。＇63＇ We are familiar with the
profusion； the good taste； the exquisite dinners； and the admirable
ceremonial display of the Cardinal de Bernis in Rome。 〃He was called
the king of Rome； and indeed he was such through his magnificence and
in the consideration he enjoyed。 。 。 。 His table afforded an idea of
what is possible。 。 。 In festivities； ceremonies and illuminations he
was always beyond comparison。〃 He himself remarked； smiling； 〃I keep a
French inn on the cross…roads of Europe。〃＇64＇ Accordingly their
salaries and indemnities are two or three times more ample than at the
present day。 〃The king gives 50；000 crowns to the great embassies。 The
Duc de Duras received even 200；000 livres per annum for that of
Madrid； also； besides this； 100；000 crowns gratuity； 50；000 livres for
secret service； and he had the loan of furniture and effects valued at
400；000 and 500；000 livres； of which he kept one…half。〃＇65＇ The
outlays and salaries of the ministers are similar。 In 1789； the
Chancellor gets 120；080 livres salary and the Keeper of the Seals
135；000。 〃 M。 de Villedeuil； as Secretary of State； was to have had
180；670 livres； but as he represented that this sum would not cover
his expenses； his salary was raised to 226；000 livres； everything
included。〃＇66＇ Moreover； the rule is； that on retiring from office the
king awards them a pension of 20；000 livres and gives a dowry of
200；000 livres to their daughters。 This is not excessive considering
the way they live。 〃They are obliged to maintain such state in their
households； for they cannot enrich themselves by their places。 All
keep open table at Paris three days in the week； and at Fontainebleau
every day。〃＇67＇ M。 de Lamoignon being appointed Chancellor with a
salary of 100；000 livres； people at once declare that he will be
ruined；＇68＇ 〃for he has taken all the officials of M。 d'Aguesseau's
kitchen； whose table alone cost 80；000 livres。 The banquet he gave at
Versailles to the first council held by him cost 6；000 livres； and he
must always have seats at table； at Versailles and at Paris； for
twenty persons。〃 At Chambord；＇69＇ Marshal de Saxe always has two
tables； one for sixty； and the other for eighty persons； also four
hundred horses in his stables； a civil list of more than 100；000
crowns； a regiment of Uhlans for his guard； and a theater costing over
600；000 livres； while the life he leads； or which is maintained around
him； resembles one of Rubens's bacchanalian scenes。 As to the special
and general provincial governors we have seen that； when they reside
on the spot； they fulfill no other duty than to entertain； alongside
of them the intendant； who alone attends to business； likewise
receives； and magnificently； especially for the country of a States…
General。 Commandants； lieutenants…general； the envoys of the central
government throughout； are equally induced by habit and propriety； as
well as by their own lack of occupation； to maintain a drawing…room；
they bring along with them the elegance and hospitality of Versailles。
If the wife follows them she becomes weary and 〃vegetates in the midst
of about fifty companions； talking nothing but commonplace； knitting
or playing lotto； and sitting three hours at the dinner table。〃 But
〃all the military men； all the neighboring gentry and all the ladies
in the town；〃 eagerly crowd to her balls and delight in commending
〃her grace； her politeness； her equality。〃＇70＇ These sumptuous habits
prevail even among people of secondary position。 By virtue of
established usage colonels and captains entertain their subordinates
and thus expend 〃much beyond their sala