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but as well as a queen can sing； whose fine voice is ever only half in
tune。 But they make no pretensions。 The thing is to amuse oneself and
nothing more； high spirits and the amenities of the hour cover all。
Rather read this capital fact of Madame de Lauzun at Chanteloup： 〃Do
you know；〃 writes the abbé； 〃that nobody possesses in a higher degree
one quality you would never suspect of her； that of preparing
scrambled eggs？ This talent has been buried in the ground； she cannot
recall the time she acquired it； I believe that she had it at her
birth。 Accident made it known； and immediately it was put to test。
Yesterday morning； an hour for ever memorable in the history of eggs；
the implements necessary for this great operation were all brought
out； a heater； some gravy； some pepper and eggs。 Behold Madame de
Lauzun； at first blushing and in a tremor； soon with intrepid courage；
breaking the eggs； beating them up in the pan； turning them over； now
to the right； now to the left； now up and now down； with unexampled
precision and success！ Never was a more excellent dish eaten。〃 What
laughter and gaiety in the group comprised in this little scene。 And；
not long after； what madrigals and allusions！ Gaiety here resembles a
dancing ray of sunlight； it flickers over all things and reflects its
grace on every object。
VI。 GAIETY。
Gaiety in the 18th Century。 … Its causes and effects。 … Toleration
and license。 … Balls； fêtes； hunts； banquets； pleasures。 … Freedom of
the magistrates and prelates。
The Frenchman's characteristic；〃 says an English traveler in 1785；
〃is to be always gay；〃＇56＇ and he remarks that he must be so because；
in France； such is the tone of society and the only mode of pleasing
the ladies； the sovereigns of society and the arbiters of good taste。
Add to this the absence of the causes which produce modern dreariness；
and which convert the sky above our heads into one of leaden gloom。
There was no laborious； forced work in those days； no furious
competition； no uncertain careers； no infinite perspectives。 Ranks
were clearly defined； ambitions limited； there was less envy。 Man was
not habitually dissatisfied； soured and preoccupied as he is nowadays。
Few free passes were allowed where there was no right to pass； we
think of nothing but advancement； they thought only of amusing
themselves。 An officer； instead of raging and storming over the army
lists； busies himself in inventing some new disguise for a masked
ball； a magistrate； instead of counting the convictions he has
secured； provides a magnificent supper。 At Paris； every afternoon in
the left avenue of the Palais…Royal； 〃fine company； very richly
dressed； gather under the large trees；〃 and in the evening 〃on leaving
the opera at half…past eight； they go back there and remain until two
o'clock in the morning。〃 They have music in the open air by moonlight；
Gavat singing； and the chevalier de Saint…George playing on the
violin。＇57＇ At Moffontaine； 〃the Comte de Vaudreuil； Lebrun the poet；
the chevalier de Coigny； so amiable and so gay； Brongniart； Robert；
compose charades every night and wake each other up to repeat them。〃
At Maupertuis in M。 de Montesquiou's house； at Saint…Ouen with the
Marshal de Noailles； at Genevilliers with the Comte de Vandreuil； at
Rainay with the Duc d'Orléans； at Chantilly with the Prince de Condé；
there is nothing but festivity。 We read no biography of the day； no
provincial document； no inventory； without hearing the tinkling of the
universal carnival。 At Monchoix；＇58＇ the residence of the Comte de
Bédé； Chateaubriand's uncle； 〃they had music； dancing and hunting；
rollicking from morning to night； eating up both capital and income。〃
At Aix and Marseilles； throughout the fashionable world； with the
Comte de Valbelle； I find nothing but concerts； entertainment； balls；
gallantries； and private theatricals with the Comtesse de Mirabeau for
the leading performer。 At Chateauroux； M。 Dupin de Francueil
entertains 〃a troop of musicians； lackeys； cooks； parasites； horses
and dogs； bestowing everything lavishly； in amusements and in charity；
wishing to be happy himself and everybody else around him；〃 never
casting up accounts； and going to ruin in the most delightful manner
possible。 Nothing arrests this gaiety； neither old age； exile； nor
misfortune ； in 1793 it still subsists in the prisons of the Republic。
A man in place is not then made uncomfortable by his official coat；
puffed up by his situation； obliged to maintain a dignified and
important air； constrained under that assumed gravity which democratic
envy imposes on us as if a ransom。 In 1753；＇59＇ the parliamentarians；
just exiled to Bourges； get up three companies of private theatricals
and perform comedies； while one of them； M。 Dupré de Saint…Maur；
fights a rival with the sword。 In 1787；＇60＇ when the entire parliament
is banished to Troyes the bishop； M。 de Barral； returns from his
chateau de Saint…Lye expressly to receive it； presiding every evening
at a dinner of forty persons。 〃There was no end to the fêtes and
dinners in the town； the president kept open house；〃 a triple quantity
of food being consumed in the eating…houses and so much wood burned in
the kitchens； that the town came near being put on short allowance。
Feasting and jollity is but little less in ordinary times。 A
parliamentarian； like a seignior； must do credit to his fortune。 See
the letters of the President des Brosses concerning society in Dijon；
it reminds us of the abbey of Thélème； then contrast this with the
same town today。＇61＇ In 1744； Monseigneur de Montigny； brother of the
President de Bourbonne； apropos of the king's recovery； entertains the
workmen； tradesmen and artisans in his employ to the number of eighty；
another table being for his musicians and comedians； and a third for
his clerks； secretaries； physicians； surgeons； attorneys and notaries；
the crowd collects around a triumphal car covered with shepherdesses；
shepherds and rustic divinities in theatrical costume； fountains flow
with wine 〃as if it were water；〃 and after supper the confectionery is
thrown out of the windows。 Each parliamentarian around him has his
〃little Versailles； a grand hotel between court and garden；〃 This
town； now so silent； then rang with the clatter of fine equipages。 The
profusion of the table is astonishing； 〃not only on gala days； but at
the suppers of each week； and I could almost say； of each day。〃 …
Amidst all these fête…givers； the most illustrious of all； the
President des Brosses； so grave on the magisterial bench； so intrepid
in his remonstrances； so laborious；＇62＇ so learned； is an
extraordinary stimulator of fun （boute…entrain）； a genuine Gaul； with
a sparkling； inexhaustible fund of salacious humor： with his friends
he throws off his perruque； his gown； and even something more。 Nobody
dreams of being offended by it； nobody conceives that dress is an
extinguisher； which is true of every species of dress； and of the gown
in particular。 〃When I entered society； in 1785；〃 writes a
parliamentarian； 〃I found myself introduced in a certain way； alike to
the wives and the mistresses of the friends of my family； passing
Monday evening with one； and Tuesday evening with the other。 And I was
only eighteen； and I belonged to a family of magistrates。〃＇63＇ At
Basville； at the residence of M。 de Lamoignon； during the autumnal
vacation and the Whitsuntide holidays； there are thirty persons at the
table daily； there are three or four hunts a week； and the most
prominent magistrates； M。 de Lamoignon； M。 Pasquier； M。 de Rosambo； M。
and Mme。 d'Aguesseau； perform the 〃Barber of Seville 〃 in the chateau
theater。
As for the cassock； it enjoys the same freedom as the robe。 At
Saverne； at Clairvaux； at Le Mans and at other places； the prelates
wear it as freely as a court dress。 The revolutionary upheaval was
necessary to make it a fixture on their bodies； and； afterwards； the
hostile supervision of an organized party and the fear of constant
danger。 Up to 1789 the sky is too serene and the atmosphere too balmy
to lead them to button it up to the neck。 〃Freedom； facilities；
Monsieur l'Abbé；〃 said the Cardinal de Rohan to his secretary；
〃without these this life would be a desert。〃＇64＇ This is what the good
cardinal took care to avoid； on the contrary he had made Saverne an
enchanting world according to Watteau； almost 〃a landing…place for
Cythera。〃 Six hundred peasants and keepers； ranged in a line a league
long； form in the morning and beat up the surrounding country； while
hunters； men and women； are posted at their stations。 〃For fear that
the ladies might be frightened if left alone by themselves； the man
whom they hated least was always left with them to make them feel at
ease；〃 and as nobody was allowed to leave his post before the signal
〃it was impossible to be surprised。〃 … About one p。m。 〃the