按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
this decay； the law； habits and customs； and； above all； the right of
primogeniture。 Instituted for the purpose of maintaining undivided
sovereignty and patronage it ruins the nobles since sovereignty and
patronage have no material to work on。 〃In Brittany；〃 says
Chateaubriand； 〃the elder sons of the nobles swept away two…thirds of
the property； while the younger sons shared in one…third of the
paternal heritage。〃＇19＇ Consequently； 〃the younger sons of younger
sons soon come to the sharing of a pigeon； rabbit； hound and fowling…
piece。 The entire fortune of my grandfather did not exceed five
thousand livres income； of which his elder son had two…thirds； three
thousand three hundred livres； leaving one thousand six hundred and
sixty…six livres for the three younger ones； upon which sum the elder
still had a préciput claim。〃＇20＇ This fortune； which crumbles away and
dies out； they neither know how； nor are they disposed； to restore by
commerce； manufactures or proper administration of it； it would be
derogatory。 〃High and mighty seigniors of dove…cote； frog…pond and
rabbit…warren；〃 the more substance they lack the more value they set
on the name。…Add to all this winter sojourn in town； the ceremonial
and expenses caused by vanity and social requirements； and the visits
to the governor and the intendant。 A man must be either a German or an
Englishman to be able to pass three gloomy； rainy months in a castle
or on a farm； alone； in companionship with peasants； at the risk of
becoming as awkward and as fantastic as they。＇21＇ They accordingly run
in debt； become involved； sell one piece of ground and then another
piece。 A good many alienate the whole； excepting their small manor and
their seigniorial dues； the cens and the lods et ventes； and their
hunting and justiciary rights on the territory of which they were
formerly proprietors。＇22＇ Since they must support themselves on these
privileges they must necessarily enforce them； even when the privilege
is burdensome； and even when the debtor is a poor man。 How could they
remit dues in grain and in wine when these constitute their bread and
wine for the entire year？ How could they dispense with the fifth and
the fifth of the fifth （du quint et du requint） when this is the only
coin they obtain？ Why； being needy should they not be exacting？
Accordingly； in relation to the peasant； they are simply his
creditors； and to this end come the feudal régime transformed by the
monarchy。 Around the chateau I see sympathies declining； envy raising
its head； and hatreds on the increase。 Set aside in public matters；
freed from taxation； the seignior remains isolated and a stranger
among his vassals； his extinct authority with his unimpaired
privileges form for him an existence apart。 When he emerges from it；
it is to forcibly add to the public misery。 From this soil； ruined by
the tax…man； he takes a portion of its product； so much it； sheaves of
wheat and so many measures of wine。 His pigeons and his game eat up
the crops。 People are obliged to grind in his mill； and to leave with
him a sixteenth of the flour。 The sale of a field for the sum of six
hundred livres puts one hundred livres into his pocket。 A brother's
inheritance reaches a brother only after he has gnawed out of it a
year's income。 A score of other dues； formerly of public benefit； no
longer serve but to support a useless private individual。 The peasant；
then as today； is eager for gain； determined and accustomed to do and
to suffer everything to save or gain a crown。 He ends by looking
angrily on the turret in which are preserved the archives； the rent…
roll； the detested parchments by means of which a Man of another
species； favored to the detriment of the rest； a universal creditor
and paid to do nothing； grazes over all the ground and feeds on all
the products。 Let the opportunity come to enkindle all this
covetousness； and the rent…roll will burn； and with it the turret； and
with the turret； the chateau。
III。 Absentee Seigniors。
Vast extent of their fortunes and rights。…Possessing greater
advantages they owe greater services。…Reasons for their absenteeism。…
Effect of it。 Apathy of the provinces。…Condition of their estates。…
They give no alms。…Misery of their tenants。…Exactions of their
agents。…Exigencies of their debts。 … State of their justiciary。 …
Effects of their hunting rights。 … Sentiments of the peasantry towards
them。
The spectacle becomes still gloomier； on passing from the estates
on which the seigniors reside to those on which they are non…
residents。 Noble or ennobled； lay and ecclesiastic； the latter are
privileged among the privileged； and form an aristocracy inside of an
aristocracy。 Almost all the powerful and accredited families belong to
it whatever may be their origin and their date。＇23＇ Through their
habitual or frequent residence near the court； through their alliances
or mutual visits； through their habits and their luxuries； through the
influence which they exercise and the enmities which they provoke；
they form a group apart； and are those who possess the most extensive
estates； the leading suzerainties； and the most complete and
comprehensive jurisdictions。 Of the court nobility and of the higher
clergy； they number perhaps； a thousand in each order； while their
small number only brings out in higher relief the enormity of their
advantages。 We have seen that the appanages of the princes of the
blood comprise a seventh of the territory； Necker estimates the
revenue of the estates enjoyed by the king's two brothers at two
millions。＇24＇ The domains of the Ducs de Bouillon； d'Aiguillon； and
some others cover entire leagues； and； in immensity and continuity；
remind one of those； which the Duke of Sutherland and the Duke of
Bedford now possess in England。 With nothing else than his forests and
his canal； the Duke of Orleans； before marrying his wife； as rich as
himself； obtains an income of a million。 A certain seigniory； le
Clermontois； belonging to the Prince de Condé； contains forty thousand
inhabitants； which is the extent of a German principality； 〃moreover
all the taxes or subsidies occurring in le Clermontois are imposed for
the benefit of His Serene Highness； the king receiving absolutely
nothing。〃＇25＇ Naturally authority and wealth go together； and； the
more an estate yields； the more its owner resembles a sovereign。 The
archbishop of Cambray； Duc de Cambray； Comte de Cambrésis； possesses
the suzerainty over all the fiefs of a region which numbers over
seventy…five thousand inhabitants。 He appoints one…half of the
aldermen of Cambray and the whole of the administrators of Cateau。 He
nominates the abbots to two great abbeys； and presides over the
provincial assemblies and the permanent bureau； which succeeds them。
In short； under the intendant； or at his side； he maintains a pre…
eminence and better still； an influence somewhat like that to day
mainta