the origins of contemporary france-1-第17章

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sap　was　too　evidently　derivative　for　it　to　stand　by　itself　and　provide

the　people　with　an　independent　shelter。　　Other　bodies；　surviving；

although　stunted；　the　assembly　of　the　clergy　and　the　provincial

assemblies；　still　protect　an　order；　and　four　or　five　provinces；　but

this　protection　extends　only　to　the　order　itself　or　to　the　province；

and；　if　it　protects　a　special　interest　it　is　commonly　at　the　expense

of　the　general　interest。



II。　　The　Clergy



Assemblies　of　the　clergy。　　…　They　serve　only　ecclesiastical

interests。　　…　The　clergy　exempted　from　taxation。　　…　Solicitation　of　its

agents。　　…　Its　zeal　against　the　Protestants。



　　　Let　us　observe　the　most　vigorous　and　the　best…rooted　of　these

bodies；　the　assembly　of　the　clergy。　　It　meets　every　five　years；　and；

during　the　interval；　two　agents；　selected　by　it；　watch　over　the

interests　of　the　order。　　Convoked　by　the　government；　subject　to　its

guidance；　retained　or　dismissed　when　necessary；　always　in　its　hands；

used　by　it　for　political　ends；　it　nevertheless　continues　to　be　a

refuge　for　the　clergy；　which　it　represents。　　But　it　is　an　asylum　solely

for　that　body；　and；　in　the　series　of　transactions　by　which　it　defends

itself　against　fiscal　demands；　it　eases　its　own　shoulders　of　the　load

only　to　make　it　heavier　on　the　shoulders　of　others。　　We　have　seen　how

its　diplomacy　saved　clerical　immunities；　how　it　bought　off　the　body

from　the　poll…tax　and　the　vingtièmes；　how　it　converted　its　portion　of

taxation　into　a　〃free　gift；〃　how　this　gift　is　annually　applied　to

refunding　the　capital　which　it　has　borrowed　to　obtain　this　exemption；

by　which　delicate　art　it　succeeds；　not　only　in　not　contributing　to　the

treasury；　but　in　withdrawing　from　it　every　year　about　1；500；000

livres；　all　of　which　is　so　much　the　better　for　the　church　but　so　much

the　worse　for　the　people。　　Now　run　through　the　file　of　folios　in　which

from　one　period　of　five　years　to　another　the　reports　of　its　agents

follow　each　other；　…　so　many　clever　men　thus　preparing　themselves　for

the　highest　positions　in　the　church；　the　abbés　de　Boisgelin；　de

Périgord；　de　Barral；　de　Montesquiou；　at　each　moment；　owing　to　their

solicitations　with　judges　and　the　council；　owing　to　the　authority

which　the　discontent　of　the　powerful　　　order　felt　to　be　behind　them

gives　to　their　complaints；　some　ecclesiastic　matter　is　decided　in　an

ecclesiastical　sense；　so　feudal　right　is　maintained　in　favor　of　a

chapter　or　of　a　bishop；　some　public　demand　is　thrown　out。＇1＇　　In　1781；

notwithstanding　decision　of　the　Parliament　of　Rennes；　the　canons　of

St。　　Malo　are　sustained　in　their　monopoly　of　the　district　baking　oven。

This　is　to　the　detriment　of　the　bakers　who　prefer　to　bake　at　their　own

domiciles　as　well　as　of　the　inhabitants　who　would　have　to　pay　less　for

bread　made　by　the　bakers。　　In　1773；　Guénin；　a　schoolmaster；　discharged

by　the　bishop　of　Langres；　and　supported　in　vain　by　inhabitants；　is

compelled　to　hand　his　place　over　to　a　successor　appointed　by　the

bishop。　　In　1770；　Rastel；　a　Protestant；　having　opened　a　public　school

at　Saint…Affrique；　is　prosecuted　at　the　demand　of　the　bishop　and　of

clerical　agents；　his　school　is　closed　and　he　is　imprisoned。　　When　an

organized　body　keeps　purse　strings　in　its　own　hands　it　secures　many

favors；　these　are　the　equivalent　for　the　money　it　grants。　　The

commanding　tone　of　the　king　and　the　submissive　air　of　the　clergy

effect　no　fun　mental　change；　with　both　of　them　it　is　a　bargain；＇2＇

giving　and　taking　on　both　sides；　this　or　that　law　against　the

Protestants　going　for　one　or　two　millions　added　to　the　free　gift。　　In

this　way　the　revocation　of　the　Edict　of　Nantes　is　gradually　brought

about；　article　by　article；　one　turn　of　the　rack　after　another　turn；

each　fresh　persecution　purchased　by　a　fresh　largess；　the　clergy

helping　the　State　on　condition　that　the　State　becomes　an　executioner。

Throughout　the　eighteenth　century　the　church　sees　that　this　operation

continues。＇3＇　　In　1717；　an　assemblage　of　seventy…four　persons　having

been　surprised　at　Andure　the　men　are　sent　to　the　galleys　and　the　women

are　imprisoned。　　In　1724；　an　edict　declares　that　all　who　are　present　at

any　meeting；　or　who　shall　have　any　intercourse；　direct　or　indirect；

with　preachers；　shall　be　condemned　to　the　confiscation　of　their

property；　the　women　to　have　their　heads　shaved　and　be　shut　up　for

life；　and　the　men　to　sent　to　the　galleys　for　life。　　In　1745　and　1746；

in　Dauphiny；　277　Protestants　are　condemned　to　the　galleys；　and　numbers

of　women　are　whipped。　　Between　1744　and　1752；　in　the　east　and　in　the

south；　six　hundred　Protestants　are　imprisoned　and　eight　hundred

condemned　to　various　penalties。　　In　1774；　the　two　children　of　Roux；　a

Calvinist　of　Nimes；　are　carried　off。　　Up　to　nearly　the　beginning　of　the

Revolution；　in　Languedoc；　ministers　are　hung；　while　dragoons　are

dispatched　against　congregations　assembled　to　worship　God　in　deserted

places。　　The　mother　of　M。　Guizot　here　received　shots　in　the　skirts　of

her　dress。　　This　is　owing　to　the　fact　that；　in　Languedoc；　through　the

provincial　States…Assembly　〃the　bishops　control　temporal　affairs　more

than　elsewhere；　their　disposition　being　always　to　dragoon　and　make

converts　at　the　point　of　the　bayonet。〃　In　1775；　at　the　coronation　of

the　king；　archbishop　Loménie　of　Brienne；　a　well…known　unbeliever；

addresses　the　young　king：　〃You　will　disapprove　of　the　culpable　systems

of　toleration。。。　　Complete　the　work　undertaken　by　Louis　the　Great。　　To

you　is　reserved　the　privilege　of　giving　the　final　blow　to　Calvinism　in

your　kingdom。〃　In　1780；　the　assembly　of　the　clergy　declares　〃that　the

altar　and　the　throne　would　equally　be　in　danger　if　heresy　were　allowed

to　throw　off　its　shackles。〃　Even　in　1789；　the　clergy　in　its　registers；

while　consenting　to　the　toleration　of　non…Catholics；　finds　the　edict

of　1788　too　liberal。　　They　desire　that　non…Catholics　should　be　excluded

from　judicial　offices；　that　they　should　never　be　allowed　to　worship　in

public；　and　that　mixed　marriages　should　be　forbidden。　　And　much　more

than　this；　they　demand　preliminary　censure　of　all　works　sold　by　the

bookshops；　an　ecclesiastical　committee　to　act　as　informers；　and

ignominious　punishment　to　be　awarded　to　the　authors　of　irreligious

books。　　Lastly　they　claim　for　their　body　the　direction　of　public

schools　and　the　oversight　of　private　schools。　　…　There　is　nothing

strange　in　this　intolerance　and　selfishness。　　A　collective　body；　as

with　an　individual；　thinks　of　itself　first　of　all　and　above　all。　　If；

now　and　then；　it　sacrifices　some　one　of　its　privileges　it　is　for　the

purpose　of　securing　the　alliance　of　some　other　body。　　In　that　case；

which　is　that　of　England；　all　these　privileges；　which　compound　with

each　other　and　afford　each　other　mutual　support；　form；　through　their

combination；　the　public　liberties。　　…　In　this　case；　only　one　body

being　represented；　its　deputies　are　neither　directed　nor　tempted　to

make　concession　to　others；　the　interest　of　the　body　is　their　sole

guide；　they　subordinate　the　common　interest　to　it　and　serve　it　at　any

cost；　even　to　criminal　attacks　on　the　public　welfare。







III。　　Influence　of　the　Nobles。。



Regulations　in　their　favor。　　…　Preferment　obtained　by　them　in　the

Church。　　…　Distribution　of　bishoprics　and　abbeys。　　…　Preferment　obtained

from　them　from　the　State。　　…　Governments；　offices；　sinecures；　pensions；

gratuities。　　…　Instead　of　being　useful　they　are　an　expense。



　　Thus　do　public　bodies　work　when；　instead　of　being　associated

together；　they　are　separate。　　The　same　spectacle　is　apparent　on

contemplating　castes　and　associations；　their　isolation　is　the　cause　of

their　egoism。　　From　the　top　to　the　bottom　of　the　scale　the　legal　and

moral　powers　which　should　represent　the　nation　represent　themselves

only；　while　each　one　is　busy　in　its　own　behalf　at　the　expense　of　the

nation。　　The　nobility；　in　default　of　the　right　to　meet　together　and　to

vote；　exercises　its　influence；　and；　to　know　how　it　uses　this；　it　is

sufficient　to　read　over　the　edicts　and　the　Almanac。　　A　regulation

imposed　on　Marshal　de　Ségur＇4＇has　just　restored　the　old　barrier；　which

excluded　commoners　from　military　rank；　and　thenceforward；　to　be　a

captain；　it　is　necessary　to　prove　four　degrees　of　nobility。　　In　like

manner；　in　late　days；　one　must　be　a　noble　to　be　a　master　of　requests；

and　it　is　secretly　determined　that　in　future　〃all　ecclesiastical

property；　from　the　humblest　priory　to　the　richest　abbeys；　shall　be

reserved　to　the　nobility。〃　In　fact；　all　the　high　places；　ecclesiastic

or　laic；　are　theirs；　all　the　sinecures；　ecclesiastic　or　laic；　are

theirs；　or　for　their　relations；　adherents；　protégés；　and　servitors。

France＇5＇　　is　like　a　vast　stable　in　which　the　blood…horses　obtain

double　and　triple　rations　for　doing　nothing；　or　for　only　half…work；

whilst　the　draft…horses　perform　full　service　on　half　a　ration；　and

that　often　not　supplied。　　Again；　it　must　be　noted；　that　among　these

blood…horses　is　a　privileged　circle　which；　born　near　the　manger；　keeps

its　fellows　away　and　feeds　bountifully；　fat；　shining；　with　their　skins

polished；　and　up　to　their　bellies　in　litter；　and　with　no　other

occupation　than　that　of　appropriating　everything　to　themselves。　　These

are　the　court　nobles；　who　live　within　reach　of　favors；　brought　up　from

infancy　to　ask　for　them；　to　obtain　and　to　ask　again；　solely　attentive

to　royal　condescension　and　frowns；　for　whom　the　OEil　de　boeuf＇6＇

forms　the　universe。　　They　are　as　〃indifferent　to　the　affairs　of　the

State　as　to　their　own　affairs；　allowing　one　to　be　governed　by

provincial　intendants　as　they　allowed　he　other　to　be　governed　by　their

own　intendants。〃



Let　us　contemplate　them　at　work　on　the　budget。　　We　know　how　large

that　of　the　church　is；　I　estimate　that　they　absorb　at　east　one…half　of

it。　　Nineteen　chapters　of　male　nobles；　twenty…five　chapters　of　female

nobles；　two　hundred　and　sixty　commanderies　of　Malta　belong　to　them　by

institution。　　They　occupy；　by　favor；　all　the　archbishoprics；　and；

except　five；　all　the　bishoprics。＇7＇　　They　furnish　three　out　of　four

abbés…commendatory　and　vicars…general。　　If；　among　the　abbeys　of　females

royally　nominated；　we　set　apart　those　bringing　in　twenty　thousand

livres　and　more；　we　find　that　they　all　have　ladies　of　rank　for

abbesses。　　One　fact　alone　shows　the　extent　of　these　favors：　I　have

counted　eighty…three　abbeys　of　men　possessed　by　the　almoners；

chaplains；　preceptors　or　readers　to　the　king；　queen；　princes；　and

princesses；　one　of　them；　the　abbé　de　Vermont；　has　80；000　livres　income

in　benefices。　　In　short；　the　fifteen　hundred　ecclesiastical　sinecures

under　royal　appointment；　large　or　small；　constitute　a　flow　of　money

for　the　service　of　the　great；　whether　they　pour　it　out　in　golden　rain

to　recompense　the　assiduity　of　their　intimates　and　followers；　or　keep

it　in　large　reservoirs　to　maintain　the　dignity　of　their　rank。　　Besides；

according　to　the　fashion　of　giving　more　to　those　who　have　already

enough