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invade the small gardens of the inhabitants to consume vegetables and
to break down young trees。 It is found impossible in a territory
subjected to a captaincy to retain vegetables safe in gardens；
enclosed by high walls。 At Farcy； of five hundred peach trees planted
in a vineyard and browsed on by stags； only twenty remain at the end
of three years。 Over the whole territory of Fontainebleau； the
communities； to save their vines； are obliged to maintain； with the
assent always of the captaincy； a gang of watchmen who； with licensed
dogs； keep watch and make a hubbub all night from the first of May to
the middle of October。 At Chartrettes the deer cross the Seine；
approach the doors of the Comtesse de Larochefoucauld and destroy
entire plantations of poplars。 A domain rented for two thousand livres
brings in only four hundred after the establishment of the captaincy
of Versailles。 In short； eleven regiments of an enemy's cavalry；
quartered on the eleven captaincies near the capital； and starting out
daily to forage； could not do more mischief。 … We need not be
surprised if； in the neighborhood of these lairs； the people become
weary of cultivating。＇54＇ Near Fontainebleau and Melun； at Bois…le…
Roi； three…quarters of the ground remains waste。 Almost all the houses
in Brolle are in ruins； only half…crumbling gables being visible； at
Coutilles and at Chapelle…Rablay； five farms are abandoned； at
Arbonne； numerous fields are neglected。 At Villiers； and at Dame…
Marie； where there were four farming companies and a number of special
cultures； eight hundred arpents remain untilled。 … Strange to say； as
the century becomes more easygoing the enforcement of the chase
becomes increasingly harsh。 The officers of the captaincy are zealous
because they labor under the eye and for the 〃pleasures〃 of their
master。 In 1789； eight hundred preserves had just been planted in one
single canton of the captaincy of Fontainebleau； and in spite of the
proprietors of the soil。 According to the regulations of 1762 every
private individual domiciled on the reservation of a captaincy is
forbidden from enclosing his homestead or any ground whatever with
hedges or ditches； or walls without a special permit。＇55＇ In case of a
permit being given he must leave a wide； open and continuous space in
order to let the huntsmen easily pass through。 He is not allowed to
keep any ferret； any fire…arm； any instrument adapted to the chase；
nor to be followed by any dog even if not adapted to it； except the
dog be held by a leash or clog fastened around its neck。 And better
still。 He is forbidden to reap his meadow or his Lucerne before St。
John's day； to enter his own field between the first of May and the
twenty…fourth of June； to visit any island in the Seine； to cut grass
on it or osiers； even if the grass and osiers belong to him。 The
reason is； that now the partridge is hatching and the legislator
protects it； he would take less pains for a woman in confinement； the
old chroniclers would say of him； as with William Rufus； that his
bowels are paternal only for animals。 Now； in France； four hundred
square leagues of territory are subject to the control of the
captaincies；＇56＇ and； over all France； game； large or small； is the
tyrant of the peasant。 We may conclude； or rather listen to the
people's conclusion。 〃Every time；〃 says M。 Montlosier； in 1789；＇57＇
〃that I chanced to encounter herds of deer or does on my road my
guides immediately shouted： 'Make room for the gentry！' in this way
alluding to the ravages committed by them on their land。〃 Accordingly；
in the eyes of their subjects； they are wild animals。 … This shows to
what privileges can lead when divorced from duties。 In this manner an
obligation to protect degenerates into a right of devastation。 Thus do
humane and rational beings act； unconsciously； like irrational and
inhuman beings。 Divorced from the people they misuse them； nominal
chiefs； they have unlearned the function of an effective chief； having
lost all public character they abate nothing of their private
advantages。 So much the worse for the canton； and so much worse for
themselves。 The thirty or forty poachers whom they prosecute to day on
their estates will march to…morrow to attack their chateaux at the
head of an insurrection。 The absence of the masters； the apathy of the
provinces； the bad state of cultivation； the exactions of agents； the
corruption of the tribunals； the vexations of the captaincies；
indolence； the indebtedness and exigencies of the seignior； desertion；
misery； the brutality and hostility of vassals； all proceeds from the
same cause and terminates in the same effect。
When sovereignty becomes transformed into a sinecure it becomes
burdensome without being useful； and on becoming burdensome without
being useful it is overthrown。
______________________________________________________________________
Notes：
＇1＇。 Beugnot； 〃Mémoires；〃 V。 I。 p。292。 … De Tocqueville； 〃L'Ancien
Régime et la Révolution。〃
＇2＇。 Arthur Young； 〃Travels in France；〃 II。 456。 In France； he
says； it is from the eleventh to the thirty…second。 〃But nothing is
known like the enormities committed in England where the tenth is
really taken。〃
＇3＇。 Saint…Simon； 〃Mémoires；〃 ed。 Chéruel； vol。 I。 … Lucas de
Montigny； 〃Mémoires de Mirabeau；〃 I。 53…182。 … Marshal Marmont；
〃Mémoires；〃 I。 9； 11。 … Chateaubriand； 〃Mémoires；〃 I。 17。 De
Montlosier； 〃Mémoires；〃 2 vol。 passim。 … Mme。 de Larochejacquelein；
〃Souvenirs；〃 passim。 Many details concerning the types of the old
nobility will be found in these passages。 They are truly and forcibly
depicted in two novels by Balzac in 〃Beatrix；〃 （the Baron de Guénic）
and in the 〃Cabinet des Antiques；〃 （the Marquis d' Esgrignon）。
＇4＇。 A letter of the bailiff of Mirabeau； 1760； published by M。 de
Loménie in the 〃Correspondant；〃 V。 49； p。132。
＇5＇。 Mme。 de Larochejacquelein； ibid。 I。 84。 〃As M。 de Marigny had
some knowledge of the veterinary art the peasants of the canton came
after him when they had sick animals。〃
＇6＇。 Marquis de Mirabeau； 〃Traité de la Population；〃 p。 57。
＇7＇。 De Tocqueville； ibid。 p。180。 This is proved by the registers
of the capitation…tax which was paid at the actual domicile。
＇8＇。 Renauldon； ibid。。； Preface p。 5。 … Anne Plumptre； 〃A narrative
of three years residence in France from 1802 to 1805。〃 II。 357。
Baroness Oberkirk； 〃Mémoires；〃 II。 389。 … 〃De l'état religieux；〃 by
the abbés Bonnefoi and Bernard； 1784； p。 295。 … Mme。Vigée…Lébrun；
〃Souvenirs；〃 p。171。
＇9＇。 Archives nationales； D； XIX。 portfolios 14； 15； 25。 Five
bundles of papers are filled with these petitions。
＇10＇。 Ibid。 D； XIX。 portfolio 11。 An admirable letter by Joseph of
Saintignon； abbé of Domiévre； general of the regular canons of Saint…
Sauveur and a resident。 He has 23；000 livres income； of which 6；066
l