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defense。 By subordinating all interests to the necessities of living；
in such a way as to protect the soil by fixing on the soil； through
property and its enjoyment； a troop of brave men under the leadership
of a brave chieftain。 The danger having passed away the structure
became dilapidated。 For a pecuniary compensation the seigniors allowed
the economical and tenacious peasant to pick off it a good many
stones。 Through constraint they suffered the king to appropriate to
himself the public portion。 The primitive foundation remains； property
as organized in ancient times； the fettered or exhausted land
supporting a social conformation that has melted away； in short； an
order of privileges and of thralldom of which the cause and the
purpose have disappeared。 ＇30＇
V。 They may be justified by local and general services。
All this does not suffice to render this order detrimental or even
useless。 In reality； the local chief who no longer performs his
ancient service may perform a new one in exchange for it。 Instituted
for war when life was militant； he may serve in quiet times when the
régime is pacific； while the advantage to the nation is great in which
this transformation is accomplished； for； retaining its chiefs； it is
relieved of the uncertain and perilous operation which consists in
creating others。 There is nothing more difficult to establish than a
government； that is to say； a stable government： this involves the
command of some and the obedience of all； which is against nature。
That a man in his study； often a feeble old person； should dispose of
the lives and property of twenty or thirty million men； most of whom
he has never seen； that he should order them to pay away a tenth or a
fifth of their income and they should do it； that he should order them
to go and slaughter or be slaughtered and that they should go； that
they should thus continue for ten years； twenty years； through every
kind of trial； defeat； misery and invasion； as with the French under
Louis XIV； the English under Pitt； the Prussians under Frederick II。；
without either sedition or internal disturbances； is certainly a
marvelous thing。 And； for a people to remain free it is essential that
they should be ready to do this always。 Neither this fidelity nor this
concord is due to sober reflection （la raison raisonnante）； reason is
too vacillating and too feeble to bring about such a universal and
energetic result。 Abandoned to itself and suddenly restored to a
natural condition； the human flock is capable only of agitation； of
mutual strife until pure force at length predominates； as in barbarous
times； and until； amidst the dust and outcry； some military leader
rises up who is； generally； a butcher。 Historically considered it is
better to continue so than to begin over again。 Hence； especially when
the majority is uncultivated； it is beneficial to have chiefs
designated beforehand through the hereditary custom by which people
follow them； and through the special education by which they are
qualified。 In this case the public has no need to seek for them to
obtain them。 They are already at hand； in each canton； visible；
accepted beforehand； they are known by their names； their title； their
fortune； their way of living； deference to their authority is
established。 They are almost always deserving of this authority； born
and brought up to exercise it they find in tradition； in family
example and in family pride； powerful ties that nourish public spirit
in them； there is some probability of their comprehending the duties
with which their prerogative endows them。
Such is the renovation； which the feudal régime admits of。 The
ancient chieftain can still guarantee his pre…eminence by his
services； and remain popular without ceasing to be privileged。 Once a
captain in his district and a permanent gendarme； he is to become the
resident and beneficent proprietor； the voluntary promoter of useful
undertakings； obligatory guardian of the poor； the gratuitous
administrator and judge of the canton； the unsalaried deputy of the
king； that is to say； a leader and protector as previously； through a
new system of patronage accommodated to new circumstances。 Local
magistrate and central representative； these are his two principal
functions； and； if we extend our observation beyond France we find
that he exercises either one or the other； or both together。
Notes：
＇1＇。 See note 1 at the end of the volume
＇2＇。 One league （lieu） ca。 4 km。 （SR。）
＇3＇。 Suger 〃Vie de Louis VI。；〃 chap。 VIII。 … Philippe I。 became
master of the Chateau de Montlhéry only by marrying one of his sons to
the heiress of the fief。 He thus addressed his successor： 〃My child；
take good care to keep this tower of which the annoyances have made me
grow old； and whose frauds and treasons have given me no peace nor
rest'。
＇4＇。 Léonce de Lavergne； 〃Les Assemblées Povinciales；〃 p。 19。 …
Consult the official statement of the provincial assemblies； and
especially the chapters treating of the vingtièmes （an old tax of one…
twentieth on incomes。…TR。）
＇5＇。 A report made by Treilhard in the name of the ecclesiastic
committee； （Moniteur； 19th December； 1789）： The religious
establishments for sale in Paris alone were valued at 150 millions。
Later （in the session of the 13th February； 1791）； Amelot estimates
the property sold and to be sold； not including forests； at 3；700
millions。 M。 de Bouillé estimates the revenue of the clergy at 180
millions。 （Mémoires； p。44）。 ＇French currency is so well known to
readers in general it is not deemed necessary to reduce statements of
this kind to the English or American standard； except in special
cases。…TR。）
＇6＇ A report by Chasset on Tithes； April； 1790。 Out of 123
millions 23 go for the costs of collection： but； in estimating the
revenue of an individual the sums he pays to his intendants； overseers
and cashiers are not deducted。 … Talleyrand （October l0； 1789）
estimates the revenue of real property at 70 millions and its value at
2；100 millions。 On examination however both capital and revenue are
found considerably larger than at first supposed。 （Reports of
Treilbard and Chasset）。 Moreover； in his valuation； Talleyrand left
out habitations and their enclosures as well as a reservation of one…
fourth of the forests。 Besides this there must be included in the
revenue before 1789 the seigniorial rights enjoyed by the Church。
Finally； according to Arthur Young； the rents which the French
proprietor received were not two and a half per cent。 as nowadays but
three and three quarters per cent … The necessity of doubling the
figures to obtain a present money valuation is supported by
innumerable facts； and among others the price of a day's labor； which
at that time was nineteen sous。 （Arthur Young）。 （Today； in 1999； in
France the minimum legal daily wage is around 300 francs。 20 sous
constituted a franc。 So the sums referred to by Taine under the
Revolution must be multiplied with at least 300 in order to compare
them with 1990 values。 To obtain dollars multiply with 50。 SR。）
＇7＇。 National archives； among the papers of the ecclesiastical
committee； box （portfolios） 10； 11； 13； 25。 … Beugnot's Memoirs； I。
49； 79。 … Delbos； 〃L'Eglise de France；〃 I。 399。 … Duc de Lévis；
〃Souvenirs et Portraits；〃 p。156。
＇8＇。 Léonce de Lavergne； 〃économie Rurale en France；〃 p。24。 …
Perin； 〃La Jeunesse de Robespierre；〃 （Statements of grievances in
Artois）； p。317。 （ In French 〃cahiers des doleances〃 … statements of
local complaints and expectations … prepared all over France for use
by their delegates for the ètats Generaux。 SR。）
＇9＇。 Boiteau； 〃état de la France en 1789；〃 p。47。 Voltaire；
〃Politique et Legislation；〃 the petition of the serfs of St。 Claude。
＇10＇。 Necker； 〃De l'Administration des Finances；〃 II。 272。
＇11＇。 De Bouillé； 〃Mémoires；〃 p。41。 It must not be forgotten that
these figures must be doubled to show corresponding sums of the
present day。 10；000 livres （francs） rental in 1766 equal in value
20；000 in 1825。 （Madame de Genlis； 〃Memoirs；〃 chap。 IX）。 Arthur
Young； visiting a chateau in Seine…et…Marne； writes： 〃I have been
speaking to Madame de Guerchy； and I have learned from this
conversation that to live in a chateau like this with six men
servants； five maids； eight horses； a garden and a regular table； with
company； but never go to Paris； might be done for 1；000 louis per
annum。 It would in England cost 2；000。 At the present day in France
24；000 francs would be 50；000 and more。〃 Arthur Young adds： 〃There are
gentlemen （noblesse） that live in this country on 6；000 or 8000 and
keep two men； two maids； three horses and a cabriolet。〃 To do this
nowadays would require from 20；000 to 25；000。 … It has become much
more expensive； especially due to the rail…ways； to live i