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States General in 176 volumes； the dispatches of military officers in
1789 and 1790； letters； memoirs and detailed statistics preserved in
the one hundred boxes of the ecclesiastical committee； the
correspondence； in 94 bundles； of the department and municipal
authorities with the ministries from 1790 to 1799； the reports of the
Councilors of State on mission at the end of 1801； the reports of
prefects under the Consulate； the Empire； and the Restoration down to
1823。 There is such a quantity of unknown and instructive documents
besides these that the history of the Revolution seems； indeed； to be
still unwritten。 In any event； it is only such documents； which can
make all these people come alive。 The lesser nobles； the curates； the
monks； the nuns of the provinces； the aldermen and bourgeoisie of the
towns； the attorneys and syndics of the country villages； the laborers
and artisans； the officers and the soldiers。 These alone enable us to
contemplate and appreciate in detail the various conditions of their
existence； the interior of a parsonage； of a convent； of a town…
council； the wages of a workman； the produce of a farm； the taxes
levied on a peasant； the duties of a tax…collector； the expenditure of
a noble or prelate； the budget； retinue and ceremonial of a court。
Thanks to such resources； we are able to give precise figures； to know
hour by hour the occupations of a day and； better still； read off the
bill of fare of a grand dinner； and recompose all parts of a full…
dress costume。 We have even； on the one hand； samples of the materials
of the dresses worn by Marie Antoinette； pinned on paper and
classified by dates。 And on the other hand； we can tell what clothes
were worn by the peasant； describe the bread he ate； specify the flour
it was made of； and state the cost of a pound of it in sous and
deniers。＇2＇ With such resources one becomes almost contemporary with
the men whose history one writes and； more than once； in the Archives；
I have； while tracing their old handwriting on the time…stained paper
before me； been tempted to speak aloud with them。
H。 A。 Taine； August 1875。
Notes：
＇1＇。 Taine's friend who was the director of the French National
Archives。 （SR。）
＇2＇。 One sou equals 1/20th of a franc or 5 centimes。 12 diniers
equaled one sou。 （SR。）
BOOK FIRST。 THE STRUCTURE OF THE ANCIENT SOCIETY。
CHAPTER I。 THE ORIGIN OF PRIVILEGES。
In 1789 three classes of persons； the Clergy； the Nobles and the
King； occupied the most prominent position in the State with all the
advantages pertaining thereto namely； authority； property； honors； or；
at the very least； privileges； immunities； favors； pensions；
preferences； and the like。 If they occupied this position for so long
a time； it is because for so long a time they had deserved it。 They
had； in short； through an immense and secular effort； constructed by
degrees the three principal foundations of modern society。
I。 Services and Recompenses of the Clergy。
Of these three layered foundations the most ancient and deepest was
the work of the clergy。 For twelve hundred years and more they had
labored upon it； both as architects and workmen； at first alone and
then almost alone。 … In the beginning； during the first four
centuries； they constituted religion and the church。 Let us ponder
over these two words； in order to weigh them well。 One the one hand；
in a society founded on conquest； hard and cold like a machine of
brass； forced by its very structure to destroy among its subjects all
courage to act and all desire to live； they had proclaimed the 〃glad
tidings；〃 held forth the 〃kingdom of God；〃 preached loving resignation
in the hands of a Heavenly Father； inspired patience； gentleness；
humility； self…abnegation； and charity； and opened the only issues by
which Man stifling in the Roman 'ergastulum' could again breathe and
see daylight： and here we have religion。 On the other hand； in a State
gradually undergoing depopulation； crumbling away； and fatally
becoming a prey； they had formed a living society governed by laws and
discipline； rallying around a common aim and a common doctrine；
sustained by the devotion of chiefs and by the obedience of believes；
alone capable of subsisting beneath the flood of barbarians which the
empire in ruin suffered to pour in through its breaches： and here we
have the church。 … It continues to build on these two first
foundations； and after the invasion； for over five hundred years； it
saves what it can still save of human culture。 It marches in the van
of the barbarians or converts them directly after their entrance；
which is a wonderful advantage。 Let us judge of it by a single fact：
In Great Britain； which like Gaul had become Latin； but whereof the
conquerors remain pagan during a century and a half； arts； industries；
society； language； all were destroyed； nothing remained of an entire
people； either massacred or fugitive； but slaves。 We have still to
divine their traces； reduced to the condition of beasts of burden；
they disappear from history。 Such might have been the fate of Europe
if the clergy had not promptly tamed the fierce brutes to which it
belonged。
Before the bishop in his gilded cope or before the monk； the
converted German 〃emaciated； clad in skins；〃 wan； 〃dirtier and more
spotted than a chameleon；〃＇1＇ stood fear…stricken as before a
sorcerer。 In his calm moments； after the chase or inebriety； the vague
divination of a mysterious and grandiose future； the dim conception of
an unknown tribunal； the rudiment of conscience which he already had
in his forests beyond the Rhine； arouses in him through sudden alarms
half…formed； menacing visions。 At the moment of violating a sanctuary
he asks himself whether he may not fall on its threshold with vertigo
and a broken neck。＇2＇ Convicted through his own perplexity； he stops
and spares the farm； the village； and the town； which live under the
priest's protection。 If the animal impulse of rage； or of primitive
lusts； leads him to murder or to rob； later； after satiety； in times
of sickness or of misfortune； taking the advice of his concubine or of
his wife； he repents and makes restitution twofold； tenfold； a
hundredfold； unstinted in his gifts and immunities。＇3＇ Thus； over the
whole territory the clergy maintain and enlarge their asylums for the
oppressed and the vanquished。 … On the other hand； among the warrior
chiefs with long hair； by the side of kings clad in furs； the mitered
bishop and abbot； with shaven brows； take seats in the assemblies；
they alone know how to use the pen and how to discuss。 Secretaries；
councilors； theologians； they participate in all edicts； they have
their hand in the government； they strive through its agency to bring
a little order out of immense disorder； to render the law more
rational and more humane； to re…establish or preserve piety；
instruction； justice；