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the origins of contemporary france-1-第27章

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from judicial offices; that they should never be allowed to worship in

public; and that mixed marriages should be forbidden。  And much more

than this; they demand preliminary censure of all works sold by the

bookshops; an ecclesiastical committee to act as informers; and

ignominious punishment to be awarded to the authors of irreligious

books。  Lastly they claim for their body the direction of public

schools and the oversight of private schools。  … There is nothing

strange in this intolerance and selfishness。  A collective body; as

with an individual; thinks of itself first of all and above all。  If;

now and then; it sacrifices some one of its privileges it is for the

purpose of securing the alliance of some other body。  In that case;

which is that of England; all these privileges; which compound with

each other and afford each other mutual support; form; through their

combination; the public liberties。  … In this case; only one body

being represented; its deputies are neither directed nor tempted to

make concession to others; the interest of the body is their sole

guide; they subordinate the common interest to it and serve it at any

cost; even to criminal attacks on the public welfare。







III。  Influence of the Nobles。。



Regulations in their favor。  … Preferment obtained by them in the

Church。  … Distribution of bishoprics and abbeys。  … Preferment obtained

from them from the State。  … Governments; offices; sinecures; pensions;

gratuities。  … Instead of being useful they are an expense。



  Thus do public bodies work when; instead of being associated

together; they are separate。  The same spectacle is apparent on

contemplating castes and associations; their isolation is the cause of

their egoism。  From the top to the bottom of the scale the legal and

moral powers which should represent the nation represent themselves

only; while each one is busy in its own behalf at the expense of the

nation。  The nobility; in default of the right to meet together and to

vote; exercises its influence; and; to know how it uses this; it is

sufficient to read over the edicts and the Almanac。  A regulation

imposed on Marshal de Ségur'4'has just restored the old barrier; which

excluded commoners from military rank; and thenceforward; to be a

captain; it is necessary to prove four degrees of nobility。  In like

manner; in late days; one must be a noble to be a master of requests;

and it is secretly determined that in future 〃all ecclesiastical

property; from the humblest priory to the richest abbeys; shall be

reserved to the nobility。〃 In fact; all the high places; ecclesiastic

or laic; are theirs; all the sinecures; ecclesiastic or laic; are

theirs; or for their relations; adherents; protégés; and servitors。

France'5'  is like a vast stable in which the blood…horses obtain

double and triple rations for doing nothing; or for only half…work;

whilst the draft…horses perform full service on half a ration; and

that often not supplied。  Again; it must be noted; that among these

blood…horses is a privileged circle which; born near the manger; keeps

its fellows away and feeds bountifully; fat; shining; with their skins

polished; and up to their bellies in litter; and with no other

occupation than that of appropriating everything to themselves。  These

are the court nobles; who live within reach of favors; brought up from

infancy to ask for them; to obtain and to ask again; solely attentive

to royal condescension and frowns; for whom the OEil de boeuf'6'

forms the universe。  They are as 〃indifferent to the affairs of the

State as to their own affairs; allowing one to be governed by

provincial intendants as they allowed he other to be governed by their

own intendants。〃



Let us contemplate them at work on the budget。  We know how large

that of the church is; I estimate that they absorb at east one…half of

it。  Nineteen chapters of male nobles; twenty…five chapters of female

nobles; two hundred and sixty commanderies of Malta belong to them by

institution。  They occupy; by favor; all the archbishoprics; and;

except five; all the bishoprics。'7'  They furnish three out of four

abbés…commendatory and vicars…general。  If; among the abbeys of females

royally nominated; we set apart those bringing in twenty thousand

livres and more; we find that they all have ladies of rank for

abbesses。  One fact alone shows the extent of these favors: I have

counted eighty…three abbeys of men possessed by the almoners;

chaplains; preceptors or readers to the king; queen; princes; and

princesses; one of them; the abbé de Vermont; has 80;000 livres income

in benefices。  In short; the fifteen hundred ecclesiastical sinecures

under royal appointment; large or small; constitute a flow of money

for the service of the great; whether they pour it out in golden rain

to recompense the assiduity of their intimates and followers; or keep

it in large reservoirs to maintain the dignity of their rank。  Besides;

according to the fashion of giving more to those who have already

enough; the richest prelates possess; above their episcopal revenues;

the wealthiest abbeys。  According to the Almanac; M。 d'Argentré; bishop

of Séez;'8' thus enjoys an extra income of 34;000 livres; M。 de

Suffren; bishop of Sisteron; 36;000; M。 de Girac; bishop of Rennes;

40;000; M。 de Bourdeille; bishop of Soissons; 42;000; M。 d'Agout de

Bonneval; bishop of Pamiers; 45;000; M。 de Marboeuf bishop of Autun;

50;000; M。 de Rohan; bishop of Strasbourg; 60;000; M。 de Cicé;

archbishop of Bordeaux; 63;000; M。 de Luynes; archbishop of Sens;

82;000; M。 de Bernis; archbishop of Alby; 100;000; M。 de Brienne;

archbishop of Toulouse; l06;000; M。 de Dillon; archbishop of Narbonne;

120;000; M。 de Larochefoucauld; archbishop of Rouen; 130;000 ; that is

to say; double and sometimes triple the sums stated; and quadruple;

and often six times as much; according to the present standard。  M。 de

Rohan derived from his abbeys; not 60;000 livres but 400;000; and M。

de Brienne; the most opulent of all; next to M。 de Rohan; the 24th of

August; 1788; at the time of leaving the ministry;'9'  sent to

withdraw from the treasury 〃the 20;000 livres of his month's salary

which had not yet fallen due; a punctuality the more remarkable that;

without taking into account the salary of his place; with the 6;000

livres pension attached to his blue ribbon; he possessed; in

benefices; 678;000 livres income; and that; still quite recently; a

cutting of wood on one of his abbey domains yielded him a million。〃



Let us pass on to the lay budget; here also are prolific sinecures;

and almost all belong to the nobles。  Of this class there are in the

provinces the thirty…seven great governments…general; the seven small

governments…general; the sixty…six lieutenancies…general; the four

hundred and seven special governments; the thirteen governorships of

royal palaces; and a number of others; all of them for ostentation and

empty honors。  They ar
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