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director of them； when the piece contains a ballet the Marquis de
Courtenvaux； the Duc de Beuvron； the Comtes de Melfort and de Langeron
are the titular dancers。＇72＇ 〃Those who are accustomed to such
spectacles；〃 writes the sedate and pious Duc de Luynes； 〃agree in the
opinion that it would be difficult for professional comedians to play
better and more intelligently。〃 The passion reaches at last still
higher； even to the royal family。 At Trianon； the queen； at first
before forty persons and then before a more numerous audience；
performs Colette in 〃Le Devin de Village；〃 Gotte； in 〃La Gageure
imprévue；〃 Rosine in 〃Le Barbier de Seville；〃 Pierette in 〃Le Chasseur
et la Laitière；〃＇73＇ while the other comedians consist of the
principal men of the court； the Comte d'Artois； the Comtes d'Adhémar
and de Vaudreuil； the Comtesse de Guiche； and the Canoness de
Polignac。 A theater is formed in Monsieur's domicile； there are two in
the Comte d'Artois's house； two in that of the Duc d'Orléans； two in
the Comte de Clermont's； and one in the Prince de Condé's。 The Comte
de Clermont performs serious characters； the Duc d'Orléans represents；
with completeness and naturalness； peasants and financiers； M。 de
Miromesnil； keeper of the seals； is the smartest and most finished of
Scapins； M。 de Vaudreuil seems to rival Molé； the Comte de Pons plays
the 〃Misanthrope〃 with rare perfection。＇74＇ 〃More than ten of our
ladies of high rank；〃 writes the Prince de Ligne； 〃play and sing
better than the best of those I have seen in our theaters。〃 By their
talent judge of their study； assiduity and zeal。 It is evident that
for many of them it is the principal occupation。 In a certain chateau；
that of Saint…Aubin； the lady of the house； to secure a large enough
troupe； enrolls her four chambermaids in it； making her little
daughter； ten years old； play the part of Zaire； and for over twenty
months she has no vacation。 After her bankruptcy； and in her exile；
the first thing done by the Princess de Guéménée was to send for
upholsterers to arrange a theater。 In short； as nobody went out in
Venice without a mask so here nobody comprehended life without the
masqueradings； metamorphoses； representations and triumphs of the
player。
The last trait I have to mention； yet more significant； is the
afterpiece。 Really； in this fashionable circle； life is a carnival as
free and almost as rakish as that of Venice。 The play commonly
terminates with a parade borrowed from La Fontaine's tales or from the
farces of the Italian drama； which are not only pointed but more than
free； and sometimes so broad that they cant be played only before
princes and courtesans；〃＇75＇ a morbid palate； indeed； having no taste
for orgeat； instead demanding a dram。 The Duc d'Orléans sings on the
stage the most spicy songs； playing Bartholin in 〃Nicaise；〃 and Blaise
in 〃Joconde。〃 〃Le Marriage sans Curé；〃 〃Leandre grosse；〃 〃L'amant
poussif；〃 〃Leandre Etalon；〃 are the showy titles of the pieces
composed by Collé 〃for the amusement of His Highness and the Court。〃
For one which contains salt there are ten stuffed with strong pepper。
At Brunoy； at the residence of Monsieur； so gross are they＇76＇ the
king regrets having attended； 〃nobody had any idea of such license；
two women in the auditorium had to go out； and； what is most
extraordinary； they had dared to invite the queen。〃 … Gaiety is a
sort of intoxication which draws the cask down to the dregs； and when
the wine is gone it draws on the lees。 Not only at their little
suppers； and with courtesans； but in the best society and with ladies；
they commit the follies of a bagnio。 Let us use the right word； they
are blackguards； and the word is no more offensive to them than the
action。 〃For five or six months；〃 writes a lady in 1782；〃＇77＇ 〃the
suppers are followed by a blind man's buff or by a draw…dance； and
they end in general mischievousness； （une polissonnerie générale）。〃
Guests are invited a fortnight in advance。 〃On this occasion they
upset the tables and the furniture； they scattered twenty caraffes of
water about the room； I finally got away at half…past one； wearied
out； pelted with handkerchiefs； and leaving Madame de Clarence hoarse；
with her dress torn to shreds； a scratch on her arm； and a bruise on
her forehead； but delighted that she had given such a gay supper and
flattered with the idea of its being the talk the next day。〃 … This
is the result of a craving for amusement。 Under its pressure； as under
the sculptor's thumb； the face of the century becomes transformed and
insensibly loses its seriousness； the formal expression of the
courtier at first becomes the cheerful physiognomy of the worldling；
and then； on these smiling lips； their contours changed； we see the
bold； unbridled grin of the scamp。＇78＇
___________________________________________________________________
Notes：
＇1＇。 〃LA VIE DE SALON〃 is Taine's title。 In Le Robert & Collins'
Dictionary salon is translated as 〃lounge〃 （Brit。） sitting room；
living room； or （cercle littéraire） salon。
＇2＇。 De Loménie； 〃Beaumarchais et son temps；〃 I。 403。 Letter of
Beaumarchais； （Dec。 24； 1764。） … The travels of Mme。 d'Aulnoy and
the letters of Mme。 de Villars。 … As to Italy see Stendhal； 〃Rome；
Naples et Florence。〃 … For Germany see the 〃Mémoires〃 of the Margrave
of Bareith； also of the Chevalier Lang。 … For England see my
〃Histoire de la litérature Anglaise；〃 vols。 III。 IV。
＇3＇。 Volney； 〃Tableau du climat et du sol des Etats…Unis
d'Amérique。〃 The leading trait of the French Colonist when compared
with the colonists of other nations； is； according to this writer； the
craving for neighbors and conversation
＇4＇。 Mme。 de Caylus； 〃Souvenirs；〃 p。 108。
＇5＇。 St。 Simon； 461。
＇6＇。 Duc de Lévis； p。 321。
＇7＇。 Mme。 de Genlis； 〃Souvenirs de Félicie；〃 p。 160。 … It is
important； however； to call attention to the old…fashioned royal
attitude under Louis XV and even Louis XVI。 〃Although I was advised；〃
says Alfieri； 〃that the king never addressed ordinary strangers； I
could not digest the Olympian…Jupiter look with which Louis XV
measured the person presented to him； from head to foot； with such an
impassible air； if a fly should be introduced to a giant； the giant；
after looking at him； would smile； or perhaps remark。 … 'What a
little mite！' In any event； if he said nothing； his face would express
it for him。〃 Alfieri； Mémoires；〃 I。138； 1768。 （Alfieri； Vittorio； born
in Asti in 1749 … ？ Florence 1803。 Italian poet and playwright。 （SR。）
… See in Mme。 d'Oberkirk's 〃Mémoires。〃 （II。 349）； the lesson
administered by Mme。 Royale； aged seven and a half years； to a lady
introduced to her。
＇8＇。 Champfort； 26； 55； Bachaumont； I。 136 （Sept 7；1762）。 One month
after the Parliament had passed a law against the Jesuits； little
Jesuits in wax appeared； with a snail for a base。 〃By means of a
thread the Jesuit was made to pop in and out from the shell。 It is all
the rage … here is no house without its Jesuit。〃
＇9＇。 On the other hand； the song on the battle of Rosbach is
charming。
＇10＇。 〃Correspondance secrète；〃 by Métra； Imbert； etc。； V。 277
（Nov。 17； 1777）。 … Voltaire； 〃Princesse de Babylone。〃
＇11＇。 Baron de Bezenval； 〃Mémoires；〃 II。 206。 An anecdote related
by the Duke。
＇12＇。 Archives nationales； a report by M。 Texier （1780）。 A report
by M。 Mesnard de Chousy （01； 738）。
＇13＇。 〃Marie Antoinette；〃 by d'Arneth and Geffroy； I。 277 （February
29。 1772）。
＇14＇。 De Luynes； XVII。 37 （August； 1758）。 … D'Argenson； February
11； 1753。
＇15＇。 Archives nationales； 01； 738。 Various sums of interest are
paid： 12；969 francs to the baker； 39；631 francs to the wine merchant；
and 173；899 francs to the purveyor。
＇16＇。 Marquis de Mirabeau； 〃Traité de Population；〃 60。 … 〃Le
Gouvemement de Normandie；〃 by Hippeau； II。 204 （Sept。 30； 1780）。
＇17＇。 Mme。 de Larochejacquelein； 〃Mémoires；〃 p。 30。 … Mme。
d'Oberkirk； II。 66。
＇18＇。 D'Argenson； January 26； 1753。
＇19＇。 George Sand； 〃Histoire de ma vie；〃 I。78。
＇20＇。 〃Marie Antoinette；〃 by d'Arneth and Geffroy； I。 61 （March 18；
1777）。
21。 D'Argenson； January 26； 1753。
＇22＇。 〃Marie Antoinette；〃 III。 135； November 19； 1777。
＇23＇。 Barbier； IV。； 155。 The Marshal de Soubise had a hunting lodge
to which the king came from time to time to eat an omelet of
pheasants' eggs； costing 157 livres； 10 sous。 （Mercier； XII 192；
according to the statement of the cook who made it。）
＇24＇。 Mme。 d'Oberkirk； I。 129； II。 257。
＇25＇。 Mme。 de Genlis； 〃Souvenirs de Félicie；〃 80； and 〃Théatre de
l'Education；〃 II。 367。 A virtuous young woman in ten months runs into
debt to the amount of 70；000 francs： 〃Ten louis for a small table； 15
louis for another； 800 francs for a bureau； 200 francs for