the origins of contemporary france-1-第29章

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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　salaries。〃＇71＇　This　is　one　of　the

reasons　why　regiments　are　reserved　for　the　sons　of　the　best　families；

and　companies　in　them　for　wealthy　gentlemen。　　The　vast　royal　tree；

expanding　so　luxuriantly　at　Versailles；　sends　forth　its　offshoots　to

overrun　France　by　thousands；　and　to　bloom　everywhere；　as　at

Versailles；　in　bouquets　of　finery　and　of　drawing　room　sociability。



VII。　　PROVINCIAL　NOBILITY。



Prelates；　seigniors　and　minor　provincial　nobles。　　…　The　feudal

aristocracy　transformed　into　a　drawing　room　group。



Following　this　pattern；　and　as　well　through　the　effect　of

temperature；　we　see；　even　in　remote　provinces；　all　aristocratic

branches　having　a　flourishing　social　life。　　Lacking　other　employment；

the　nobles　exchange　visits；　and　the　chief　function　of　a　prominent

seignior　is　to　do　the　honors　of　his　house　creditably。　　This　applies　as

well　to　ecclesiastics　as　to　laymen。　　The　one　hundred　and　thirty…one

bishops　and　archbishops；　the　seven　hundred　abbés…commendatory；　are　all

men　of　the　world；　they　behave　well；　are　rich；　and　are　not　austere；

while　their　episcopal　palace　or　abbey　is　for　them　a　country…house；

which　they　repair　or　embellish　with　a　view　to　the　time　they　pass　in

it；　and　to　the　company　they　welcome　to　it。＇72＇　At　Clairvaux；　Dom

Rocourt；　very　affable　with　men　and　still　more　gallant　with　the　ladies；

never　drives　out　except　with　four　horses；　and　with　a　mounted　groom

ahead；　his　monks　do　him　the　honors　of　a　Monseigneur；　and　he　maintains

a　veritable　court。　　The　chartreuse　of　Val　Saint…Pierre　is　a　sumptuous

palace　in　the　center　of　an　immense　domain；　and　the　father…procurator；

Dom　Effinger；　passes　his　days　in　entertaining　his　guests。＇73＇　At　the

convent　of　Origny；　near　Saint…Quentin；＇74＇　〃the　abbess　has　her

domestics　and　her　carriage　and　horses；　and　receives　men　on　visits；　who

dine　in　her　apartments。〃　The　princess　Christine；　abbess　of　Remiremont；

with　her　lady　canonesses；　are　almost　always　traveling；　and　yet　〃they

enjoy　themselves　in　the　abbey；〃　entertaining　there　a　good　many　people

〃in　the　private　apartments　of　the　princess；　and　in　the　strangers'

rooms。〃＇75＇　The　twenty…five　noble　chapters　of　women；　and　the　nineteen

noble　chapters　of　men；　are　as　many　permanent　drawing…rooms　and

gathering　places　incessantly　resorted　to　by　the　fine　society　which　a

slight　ecclesiastical　barrier　scarcely　divides　from　the　great　world

from　which　it　is　recruited。　　At　the　chapter　of　Alix；　near　Lyons；　the

canonesses　wear　hoopskirts　into　the　choir；　〃dressed　as　in　the　world

outside；〃　except　that　their　black　silk　robes　and　their　mantles　are

lined　with　ermine。＇76＇　At　the　chapter　of　Ottmarsheim　in　Alsace；　〃our

week　was　passed　in　promenading；　in　visiting　the　traces　of　Roman　roads；

in　laughing　a　good　deal；　and　even　in　dancing；　for　there　were　many

people　visiting　the　abbey；　and　especially　talking　over　dresses。〃　Near

Sarrebuis；　the　canonesses　of　Loutre　dine　with　the　officers　and　are

anything　but　prudish。＇77＇　Numbers　of　convents　serve　as　agreeable　and

respectable　asylums　for　widowed　ladies；　for　young　women　whose　husbands

are　in　the　army；　and　for　young　ladies　of　rank；　while　the　superior；

generally　some　noble　damsel；　wields；　with　ease　and　dexterity；　the

scepter　of　this　pretty　feminine　world。　　But　nowhere　is　the　pomp　of

hospitality　or　the　concourse　greater；　than　in　the　episcopal　palaces。　　I

have　described　the　situation　of　the　bishops；　with　their　opulence；

possessors　of　the　like　feudal　rights；　heirs　and　successors　to　the

ancient　sovereigns　of　the　territory；　and　besides　all　this；　men　of　the

world　and　frequenters　of　Versailles；　why　should　they　not　keep　a　court？

A　Cicé；　archbishop　of　Bordeaux；　a　Dillon；　archbishop　of　Narbonne；　a

Brienne；　archbishop　of　Toulouse；　a　Castellane；　bishop　of　Mende　and

seignior…suzerain　of　the　whole　of　Gévaudan；　an　archbishop　of　Cambrai；

duke　of　Cambray；　seignior…suzerain　of　the　whole　of　Cambrésis；　and

president　by　birth　of　the　provincial　States