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of this forlorn being？ They are too remote from him to that； too
ignorant of his mode of life。 The portrait they conceive of him is
imaginary； never was there a falser representation of the peasant；
accordingly the awakening is to be terrible。 They view him as the
amiable swain； gentle； humble and grateful； simple…hearted and right…
minded； easily led； being conceived according to Rousseau and the
idylls performed at this very epoch in all private drawing rooms。＇41＇
Lacking a knowledge him they overlook him； they read the steward's
letter and immediately the whirl of high life again seizes them and；
after a sigh bestowed on the distress of the poor； they make up their
minds that their income for the year will be short。 A disposition of
this kind is not favorable to charity。 Accordingly； complaints arise；
not against the residents but against the absentees。＇42＇ 〃The
possessions of the Church； says a letter； serve only to nourish the
passions of their holders。〃 〃According to the canons； says another
memorandum； every beneficiary must give a quarter of his income to the
poor； nevertheless in our parish there is a revenue of more than
twelve thousand livres； and none of it is given to the poor unless it
is some small matter at the hands of the curate。〃 〃The abbé de Conches
gets one…half of the tithes and contributes nothing to the relief of
the parish。〃 Elsewhere； 〃the chapter of Ecouis； which owns the
benefice of the tithes is of no advantage to the poor； and only seeks
to augment its income。〃 Nearby； the abbé of Croix…Leufroy； 〃a heavy
tithe…owner； and the abbé de Bernay； who gets fifty…seven thousand
livres from his benefice； and who is a non…resident； keep all and
scarcely give enough to their officiating curates to keep them alive。〃
〃I have in my parish； says a curate of Berry；＇43＇ six simple benefices
of which the titularies are always absent。 They enjoy together an
income of nine thousand livres； I sent them in writing the most urgent
entreaties during the calamity of the past year； I received from one
them two louis only； and most of them did not even answer me。〃
Stronger is the reason for a conviction that in ordinary times they
will make no remission of their dues。 Moreover； these dues； the
censives； the lods et ventes； tithes； and the like； are in the hands
of a steward； and he is a good steward who returns a large amount of
money。 He has no right to be generous at his master's expense； and he
is tempted to turn the subjects of his master to his own profit。 In
vain might the soft seignorial hand be disposed to be easy or
paternal； the hard hand of the proxy bears down on the peasants with
all its weight； and the caution of a chief gives place to the
exactions of a clerk。… How is it then when； instead of a clerk on the
domain； a fermier is found； an adjudicator who； for an annual sum；
purchases of seignior the management and product of his dues？ In
election of Mayenne；＇44＇ and certainly also in many others； the
principal domains are rented in this way。 Moreover there are a number
of dues； like the tolls； the market…place tax； that on the flock
apart； the monopoly of the oven and of the mill which can scarcely be
managed otherwise； the seignior must necessarily employ an adjudicator
who spares him the disputes and trouble of collecting。＇45＇ This
happens often and the demands and the greed of the contractor； who is
determined to gain or； at least； not to lose； falls on the peasantry：
〃He is a ravenous wolf；〃 says Renauldon； 〃let loose on the estate。
He draws upon it to the last sou； he crushes the subjects； reduces
them to beggary； forces the cultivators to desert。 The owner； thus
rendered odious； finds himself obliged to tolerate his exactions to
able to profit by them。〃
Imagine； if you can； the evil which a country usurer exercises；
armed against them with such burdensome rights； it is the feudal
seigniory in the hands of Harpagon； or rather of old Grandet。 When；
indeed； a tax becomes insupportable we see； by the local complaints；
that it is nearly always a fermier who enforces it。＇46＇ It is one of
these； acting for a body of canons； who claims Jeanne Mermet's
paternal inheritance on the pretense that she had passed her wedding
night at her husband's house。 One can barely find similar exactions in
the Ireland of 1830； on those estates where； the farmer…general
renting to sub…farmers and the latter to others still below them。 The
poor tenant at the foot of the ladder himself bore the full weight of
it； so much the more crushed because his creditor； crushed himself
measured the requirements he exacted by those he had to submit to。
Suppose that； seeing this abuse of his name； the seignior is
desirous of withdrawing the administration of his domains from these
mercenary hands。 In most cases he is unable to do it： he too deeply in
debt； having appropriated to his creditors a certain portion of his
land； a certain branch of his income。 For centuries； the nobles are
involved through their luxury； their prodigality； their carelessness；
and through that false sense of honor； which consists in looking upon
attention to accounts as the occupation of an accountant。 They take
pride in their negligence； regarding it； as they say； living
nobly。＇47＇ 〃Monsieur the archbishop；〃 said Louis XVI。 to M。 de Dillon；
。〃 they say that you are in debt； and even largely。〃 〃Sire；〃 replied
the prelate； with the irony of a grand seignior； 〃I will ask my
intendant and inform Your Majesty。〃 Marshal de Soubise has five
hundred thousand livres income； which is not sufficient for him。 We
know the debts of the Cardinal de Rohan and of the Comte Artois；＇48＇
their millions of income were vainly thrown into this gulf。 The Prince
de Guémenée happens to become bankrupt on thirty…five millions。 The
Duke of Orleans； the richest proprietor in the kingdom； owed at his
death seventy…four millions。 When became necessary to pay the
creditors of the emigrants out of the proceeds of their possessions；
it was proved that most of the large fortunes were eaten up with
mortgages。＇49＇ Readers of the various memoirs know that； for two
hundred years； the deficiencies bad to be supplied by marriages for
money and by the favors of the king。 … This explains why； following
the king's example； the nobles converted everything into money； and
especially the places at their disposition； and； in relaxing authority
for profit； why they alienated the last fragment of government
remaining in their hands。 Everywhere they thus laid aside the
venerated character of a chief to put on the odious character of a
trafficker。 〃Not only；〃 says a contemporary；＇50＇ 〃do they give no pay
to their officers of justice； or take them at a discount； but； what is
worse； the greater portion of them make a sale of these offices。〃 In
spite of the edict of 1693； the judges thus appointed take no steps to
be admitted into the royal courts and they take no oaths。 〃What is t