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franchard （forty…two pounds） of flour； and three chickens； to another
three franchards of oats； one chicken and one sou； to which must be
added the taille and other taxes。 〃God keep us！〃 she said； 〃for the
tailles and the dues crush us。〃 … What must it be in districts where
the soil is poor！ …
〃From Ormes； （near Chatellerault）； as far as Poitiers；〃 writes a
lady；＇41＇ 〃there is a good deal of ground which brings in nothing； and
from Poitiers to my residence （in Limousin） 25；000 arpents of ground
consist wholly of heath and sea…grass。 The peasantry live on rye； of
which they do not remove the bran； and which is as black and heavy as
lead。 … In Poitou； and here； they plow up only the skin of the
ground with a miserable little plow without wheels。 。 。 。 From
Poitiers to Montmorillon it is nine leagues； equal to sixteen of
Paris； and I assure you that I have seen but four men on the road；
and； between Montmorillon and my own house； which is four leagues； but
three； and then only at a distance； not having met one on the road。
You need not be surprised at this in such a country。 。 。 Marriage
takes place as early as with the grand seigniors；〃 doubtless for fear
of the militia。 〃But the population of the country is no greater
because almost every infant dies。 Mothers having scarcely any milk；
their infants eat the bread of which I spoke； the stomach of a girl of
four years being as big as that of a pregnant woman。 。 。 。 The rye
crop this year was ruined by the frost on Easter day； flour is scarce；
of the twelve métairies owned by my mother； four of them may； perhaps；
have some on hand。 There has been no rain since Easter； no hay； no
pasture； no vegetables； no fruit。 You see the lot of the poor peasant。
There is no manure； and there are no cattle。 。 。 。 My mother； whose
granaries used to be always full； has not a grain of wheat in them；
because； for two years past； she has fed all her métayers and the
poor。〃
〃The peasant is assisted；〃 says a seignior of the same
province；＇42＇ 〃protected； and rarely maltreated； but he is looked upon
with disdain。 If kindly and pliable he is made subservient； but if
ill…disposed he becomes soured and irritable。 。 。 。 He is kept in
misery； in an abject state； by men who are not at all inhuman but
whose prejudices； especially among the nobles； lead them to regard him
as of a different species of being。 。 。 。 The proprietor gets all he
can out of him； in any event； looking upon him and his oxen as
domestic animals； he puts them into harness and employs them in all
weathers for every kind of journey； and for every species of carting
and transport。 On the other hand； this métayer thinks of living with
as little labor as possible； converting as much ground as he can into
pasturage； for the reason that the product arising from the increase
of stock costs him no labor。 The little plowing he does is for the
purpose of raising low…priced provisions suitable for his own
nourishment； such as buckwheat； radishes； etc。 His enjoyment consists
only of his own idleness and sluggishness； hoping for a good chestnut
year and doing nothing voluntarily but procreate；〃 unable to hire
farming hands he begets children。 …
The rest； ordinary laborers； have a few savings； 〃living on the
herbage； and on a few goats which devour everything。〃 Often again；
these； by order of Parliament； are killed by the game…keepers。 A
woman； with two children in swaddling clothes； having no milk； 〃and
without an inch of ground；〃 whose two goats； her sole resource； had
thus been slain； and another； with one goat slain in the same way； and
who begs along with her boy； present themselves at the gate of the
chateau； one receives twelve livres； while the other is admitted as a
domestic； and henceforth； '' this village is all bows and smiling
faces。'' … In short； they are not accustomed to kindness； the lot of
all these poor people is to endure。 〃As with rain and hail； they
regard as inevitable the necessity of being oppressed by the
strongest； the richest； the most skillful； the most in repute；〃 and
this stamps on them； 〃if one may be allowed to say so； an air of
painful suffering。〃
In Auvergne； a feudal country； covered with extensive ecclesiastic
and seigniorial domains； the misery is the same。 At Clermont…
Ferrand；＇43＇ 〃there are many streets that can for blackness； dirt and
scents only be represented by narrow channels cut in a dunghill。〃 In
the inns of the largest bourgs； 〃closeness； misery； dirtiness and
darkness。〃 That of Pradelles is 〃one of the worst in France。〃 That of
Aubenas； says Young； 〃would be a purgatory for one of my pigs。〃 The
senses； in short； are paralyzed。 The primitive man is content so long
as he can sleep and get something to eat。 He gets something to eat；
but what kind of food？ To put up with the indigestible mess a peasant
here requires a still tougher stomach than in Limousin； in certain
villages where； ten years later； every year twenty or twenty…five hogs
are to be slaughtered； they now slaughter but three＇44＇。 … On
contemplating this temperament； rude and intact since Vercingetorix；
and； moreover； rendered more savage by suffering； one cannot avoid
being somewhat alarmed。 The Marquis de Mirabeau describes
〃the votive festival of Mont…Dore： savages descending from the
mountain in torrents；＇45＇ the curate with stole and surplice； the
justice in his wig； the police corps with sabers drawn； all guarding
the open square before letting the bagpipers play； the dance
interrupted in a quarter of an hour by a fight； the hooting and cries
of children； of the feeble and other spectators； urging them on as the
rabble urge on so many fighting dogs； frightful looking men； or rather
wild beasts covered with coats of coarse wool； wearing wide leather
belts pierced with copper nails； gigantic in stature； which is
increased by high wooden shoes； and making themselves still taller by
standing on tiptoe to see the battle； stamping with their feet as it
progresses and rubbing each other's flanks with their elbows； their
faces haggard and covered with long matted hair； the upper portion
pallid； and the lower distended； indicative of cruel delight and a
sort of ferocious impatience。 And these folks pay the taille！ And now
they want to take away their salt！ And they know nothing of those they
despoil； of those whom they think they govern； believing that； by a
few strokes of a cowardly and careless pen； they may starve them with
impunity up to the final catastrophe！ Poor Jean…Jacques； I said to
myself； had any one dispatched you； with your system； to copy music
amongst these folks； he would have had some sharp replies to make to
your discourses！〃
Prophetic warning and admirable foresight in one whom an excess of
evil does not blind to the evil of the remedy！ Enlightened by his
feudal and rural instincts； the old man at once judges both the
government and the philos