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and skill； The perfect spirit； nobly planned To cheer； to counsel； and
command。
Such seems to be the education and government appointed for man
by the voluntatem Dei in rebus revelatum； and the education； therefore；
which the man of science will accept and carry out。 But the men of the
Ancien Regimein as far as it was a Regime at alltried to be wiser than
the Almighty。 Why not？ They were not the first； nor will be the last； by
many who have made the same attempt。 So this Council of State settled
arbitrarily； not only taxes； and militia； and roads； but anything and
everything。 Its members meddled； with their whole hearts and minds。
They tried to teach agriculture by schools and pamphlets and prizes； they
sent out plans for every public work。 A town could not establish an
octroi； levy a rate； mortgage； sell； sue； farm； or administer their property；
without an order in council。 The Government ordered public rejoicings；
saw to the firing of salutes； and illuminating of housesin one case
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mentioned by M。 de Tocqueville； they fined a member of the burgher
guard for absenting himself from a Te Deum。 All self…government was
gone。 A country parish was； says Turgot； nothing but 〃an assemblage of
cabins； and of inhabitants as passive as the cabins they dwelt in。〃
Without an order of council； the parish could not mend the steeple after a
storm； or repair the parsonage gable。 If they grumbled at the intendant；
he threw some of the chief persons into prison； and made the parish pay
the expenses of the horse patrol； which formed the arbitrary police of
France。 Everywhere was meddling。 There were reports on statistics
circumstantial； inaccurate； and uselessas statistics are too often wont to
be。 Sometimes； when the people were starving； the Government sent down
charitable donations to certain parishes； on condition that the inhabitants
should raise a sum on their part。 When the sum offered was sufficient；
the Comptroller…General wrote on the margin； when he returned the report
to the intendant； 〃Goodexpress satisfaction。〃 If it was more than
sufficient； he wrote； 〃Goodexpress satisfaction and sensibility。〃 There
is nothing new under the sun。 In 1761； the Government； jealous enough of
newspapers； determined to start one for itself； and for that purpose took
under its tutelage the Gazette de France。 So the public newsmongers
were of course to be the provincial intendants； and their sub…newsmongers；
of course； the sub…delegates。
But alas！ the poor sub…delegates seem to have found either very little
news； or very little which it was politic to publish。 One reports that a
smuggler of salt has been hung； and has displayed great courage； another
that a woman in his district has had three girls at a birth； another that a
dreadful storm has happened； but has done no mischief； a fourthliving
in some specially favoured Utopiadeclares that in spite of all his efforts
he has found nothing worth recording； but that he himself will subscribe to
so useful a journal； and will exhort all respectable persons to follow his
example： in spite of which loyal endeavours； the journal seems to have
proved a failure； to the great disgust of the king and his minister； who had
of course expected to secure fine weather by nailing； like the schoolboy
before a holiday； the hand of the weather…glass。
Well had it been； if the intermeddling of this bureaucracy had stopped
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THE ANCIEN REGIME
there。 But； by a process of evocation （as it was called）； more and more
causes； criminal as well as civil； were withdrawn from the regular
tribunals； to those of the intendants and the Council。 Before the intendant
all the lower order of people were generally sent for trial。 Bread…riots
were a common cause of such trials； and M。 de Tocqueville asserts that he
has found sentences； delivered by the intendant； and a local council chosen
by himself； by which men were condemned to the galleys； and even to
death。 Under such a system； under which an intendant must have felt it
his interest to pretend at all risks； that all was going right； and to regard
any disturbance as a dangerous exposure of himself and his chiefsone
can understand easily enough that scene which Mr。 Carlyle has dramatised
from Lacretelle； concerning the canaille； the masses； as we used to call
them a generation since：
〃A dumb generationtheir voice only an inarticulate cry。 Spokesman；
in the king's council； in the world's forum； they have none that finds
credence。 At rare intervals （as now； in 1775） they will fling down their
hoes； and hammers； and； to the astonishment of mankind； flock hither and
thither； dangerous； aimless； get the length even of Versailles。 Turgot is
altering the corn trade； abrogating the absurdest corn laws； there is dearth；
real； or were it even factitious； an indubitable scarcity of broad。 And so；
on the 2nd day of May； 1775； these waste multitudes do here； at Versailles
chateau； in widespread wretchedness； in sallow faces； squalor； winged
raggedness； present as in legible hieroglyphic writing their petition of
grievances。 The chateau…gates must be shut； but the king will appear on
the balcony and speak to them。 They have seen the king's face； their
petition of grievances has been； if not read； looked at。 In answer； two of
them are hanged； on a new gallows forty feet high； and the rest driven
back to their dens for a time。〃
Of course。 What more exasperating and inexpiable insult to the
ruling powers was possible than this？ To persist in being needy and
wretched； when a whole bureaucracy is toiling day and night to make
them prosperous and happy？ An insult only to be avenged in blood。
Remark meanwhile； that this centralised bureaucracy was a failure； that
after all the trouble taken to govern these masses； they were not governed；