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is that His Eminence； being above all human weakness； should
condescend to make use of it。〃 This anecdote is valuable； as it serves
to illustrate the rank and position of a grand…seignior prelate in the
provinces。
＇37＇。 Arthur Young； V。II。 P。230 and the following pages。
＇38＇。 Abolition of the tithe； the feudal rights； the permission to
kill the game； etc。
＇39＇。 De Loménie； 〃Les Mirabeau；〃 p。134。 A letter of the bailiff；
September 25； 1760： 〃I am at Harcourt； where I admire the master's
honest； benevolent greatness。 You cannot imagine my pleasure on fête
days at seeing the people everywhere around the chateau； and the good
little peasant boys and girls looking right in the face of their good
landlord and almost pulling his watch off to examine the trinkets on
the chain； and all with a fraternal air； without familiarity。 The good
duke does not make his vassals to go to court； he listens to them and
decides for them； humoring them with admirable patience。〃 Lacretelle；
〃Dix ans d'épreuve；〃 p。 58。
＇40＇。 〃De l'état religieux；〃 by the abbés de Bonnefoi et Bernard；
1784； I。 pp。 287； 291。
＇41＇。 See on this subject 〃La partie de chasse de Henri IV〃 by
Collé。 Cf。 Berquin； Florian； Marmontel； etc； and likewise the
engravings of that day。
＇42＇。 Boivin…Champeaux； 〃Notice historique sue la Révolution dans
le département de l'Eure；〃 p。 63； 61。
＇43＇。 Archives nationales； Reports of the States…General of 1789；
T； XXXIX。； p。 111。 Letter of the 6th March； 1789； from the curate of
St。 Pierre de Ponsigny； in Berry。 D'Argenson； 6th July； 1756。 〃The
late cardinal de Soubise had three millions in cash and he gave
nothing to the poor。〃
＇44＇。 De Tocqueville； ibid。。 405。 … Renauldon； ibid。。 628。
＇45＇。 The example is set by the king who sells to the farmer…
generals； for an annual sum； the management and product of the
principal indirect taxes。
＇46＇。 Voltaire； 〃Politique et Législation； La voix du Curé；〃 （in
relation to the serfs of St。 Claude）。 … A speech of the Duke
d'Aiguillon； August 4th； 1789； in the National Assembly： 〃The
proprietors of fiefs； of seigniorial estates； are rarely guilty of the
excesses of which their vassals complain； but their agents are often
pitiless。〃
＇47＇。 Beugnot。 〃Mémoires；〃 V。 I。 p。136。 … Duc de Lévis； 〃Souvenirs
et portraits；〃 p。 156。 … 〃Moniteur；〃 the session of November 22；
1872； M。 Bocher says： 〃According to the statement drawn up by order of
the Convention the Duke of Orleans's fortune consisted of 74；000；000
of indebtedness and 140；000；000 of assets。〃 On the 8th January； 1792；
he had assigned to his creditors 38；000；000 to obtain his discharge。
＇48＇。 King Louis the XVI's brother。 （SR。）
＇49＇。 In 1785； the Duke de Choiseul In his testament estimated his
property at fourteen millions and his debts at ten millions。 （Comte de
Tilly； 〃Mémoires；〃 II。 215。）
＇50＇。 Renauldon； ibid。。 45； 52； 628。 … Duvergier； 〃Collection des
Lois；〃 II。 391； law of August 31； … October 18； 1792。 … Statements
（cahier） of grievances of a magistrate of the Chatelet on seigniorial
courts （1789）； p。 29。 … Legrand； 〃 l'Intendance du Hainaut；〃 p。119。
＇51＇。 Archives Nationales； H； 654 （〃Mémoire〃 by René de Hauteville；
advocate to the Parliament； Saint…Brieuc； October 5； 1776。） In
Brittany the number of seigniorial courts is immense； the pleaders
being obliged to pass through four or five jurisdictions before
reaching the Parliament。 〃Where is justice rendered？ In the cabaret；
in the tavern； where； amidst drunkards and riff…raff； the judge sells
justice to whoever pays the most for it。〃
＇52＇。 Beugnot； 〃Mémoires；〃 vol。 I。 p。 35。
＇53＇。 Boivin…Champeaux； ibid。。 48。 … Renauldon； 26； 416。 …
Manuscript reports of the States…general （Archives nationales）； t。
CXXXII。 pp。 896 and 901。 … Hippeau； 〃Le Gouvernement de Normandie；〃
VII。 61； 74。 … Paris； 〃La Jeunesse de Robespierre；〃 pp。314…324。 …
〃Essai sur les capitaineries royales et autres；〃 （1789） passim。 … De
Loménie； 〃Beaumarchais et son emps；〃 I。 125。 Beaumarchais having
purchased the office of lieutenant…general of the chase in the
bailiwicks of the Louvre warren （twelve to fifteen leagues in
circumference。 approx。 60 km。 SR。） tries delinquents under this title。
July 15th； 1766； he sentences Ragondet； a farmer to a fine of one
hundred livres together with the demolition of the walls around an
enclosure； also of his shed newly built without license； as tending to
restrict the pleasures of the king。
＇54＇。 Marquis D'Argenson； 〃Mémoires；〃 ed。 Rathery； January 27；
1757。 〃The sieur de Montmorin； captain of the game…preserves of
Fontainebleau； derives from his office enormous sums； and behaves
himself like a bandit。 The population of more than a hundred villages
around no longer sow their land； the fruits and grain being eaten by
deer； stags and other game。 They keep only a few vines； which they
preserve six months of the year by mounting guard day and night with
drums； making a general turmoil to frighten off the destructive
animals。〃 January 23； 1753。 … 〃 M。 le Prince de Conti has established
a captainry of eleven leagues around Ile…Adam and where everybody is
vexed at it。〃 September 23； 1753。 … M。 le Duc d'Orléans came to
Villers…Cotterets； he has revived the captainry； there are more than
sixty places for sale on account of these princely annoyances。
＇55＇。 The old peasants with whom I once have talked still had a
clear memory of these annoyances and damages。 … They recounted how； in
the country around Clermont； the gamekeepers of Prince de Condé in the
springtime took litters of wolves and raised them in the dry moats of
the chateau。 They were freed in the beginning of the winter； and the
wolf hunting team would then hunt them later。 But they ate the sheep；
and； here and there； a child。
＇56＇。 The estates of the king encompassed in forest one million
acres； not counting forests in the appanages set aside for his eldest
son or for factories or salt works。
＇57＇。 De Montlosier； 〃Mémoires；〃 I。 175。
CHAPTER IV。 PUBLIC SERVICES DUE BY THE PRIVILEGED CLASSES。
I。 England compared to France。
An English example。 … The Privileged class renders no service in
France。 … The influence and rights which remain to them。 … They use it
only for themselves。
USELESS in the canton； they might have been useful at the Center of
the State； and； without taking part in the local government； they
might have served in the general government。 Thus does a lord； a
baronet； a squire act in England； even when not a 〃justice〃 of his
county or a committee…man in his parish。 Elected a member of the Lower
House； a hereditary member of the upper house； he holds the strings of
the public purse and prevents the sovereign from spending too freely。
Such is the régime in countries where the feudal