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the prelates among the lower grades of the nobility and the clergy；
they appropriate to themselves too large a share； and give nothing； or
almost nothing； to the people who are not of their society。 For a
century a steady murmur against them rising； and goes on expanding
until it becomes an uproar； which the old and the new spirit； feudal
ideas and philosophic ideas； threaten in unison。 〃I see；〃 said the
bailiff of Mirabeau；＇22＇ 〃that the nobility is demeaning itself and
becoming a wreck。 It is extended to all those children of
bloodsuckers； the vagabonds of finance； introduced by La Pompadour；
herself the spring of this foulness。 One portion of it demeans itself
in its servility to the court； the other portion is amalgamated with
that quill…driving rabble who are converting the blood of the king's
subjects into ink； another perishes stifled beneath vile robes； the
ignoble atoms of cabinet…dust which an office drags up out of the mire
；〃 and all； parvenus of the old or of the new stock； form a band
called the court； 'The court！〃 exclaims D'Argenson。 〃The entire evil
is found in this word； The court has become the senate of the nation；
the least of the valets at Versailles is a senator； chambermaids take
part in the government； if not to legislate； at least to impede laws
and regulations； and by dint of hindrance there are no longer either
laws； or rules； or law…makers。 。 。 。 Under Henry IV courtiers remained
each one at home； they had not entered into ruinous expenditure to
belong to the court； favors were not thus due to them as at the
present day。 。 。 The court is the sepulcher of the nation。〃 Many noble
officers； finding that high grades are only for courtiers； abandon the
service； and betake themselves with their discontent to their estates。
Others； who have not left their domains； brood there in discomfort；
idleness； and ennui； their ambition embittered by their powerlessness。
In 1789； says the Marquis de Ferrières； most of them 〃are so weary of
the court and of the ministers； they are almost democrats。〃 At least；
〃they want to withdraw the government from the ministerial oligarchy
in whose hands it is concentrated；〃 there are no grand seigniors for
deputies； they set them aside and 〃absolutely reject them； saying that
they would traffic with the interests of the nobles；〃 they themselves；
in their registers； insist that there be no more court nobility。
The same sentiments prevail among the lower clergy； and still more
actively； for they are excluded from the high offices； not only as
inferiors； but also as commoner。＇23＇ Already； in 1766； the Marquis de
Mirabeau writes： 〃It would be an insult to most of our pretentious
ecclesiastics to offer them a curacy。 Revenues and honors are for the
abbés…commendatory； for tonsured beneficiaries not in orders； for the
numerous chapters （of nobility）。〃 On the contrary； 〃the true pastors
of souls； the collaborators in the holy ministry； scarcely obtain a
subsistence。〃 The first class 〃drawn from the nobility and from the
best of the bourgeoisie have pretensions only； without being of the
true ministry。 The other； only having duties to fulfill without
expectations and almost without income 。 。 。 can be recruited only
from the lowest ranks of civil society；〃 while the parasites who
despoil the laborers 〃affect to subjugate them and to degrade them
more and more。〃 〃I pity；〃 said Voltaire； 〃the lot of a country curate；
obliged to contend for a sheaf of wheat with his unfortunate
parishioner； to plead against him； to exact the tithe of peas and
lentils； to waste his miserable existence in constant strife。 。 。 。 I
pity still more the curate with a fixed allowance to whom monks；
called gros decimateurs＇24＇ dare offer a salary of forty ducats； to
go about during the year； two or three miles from his home； day and
night； in sunshine and in rain； in the snow and in the ice； exercising
the most trying and most disagreeable functions。〃 Attempts are made
for thirty years to secure their salaries and raise them a little； in
case of their inadequacy the beneficiary； collator or tithe…owner of
the parish is required to add to them until the curê obtains 500
livres （1768）； then 700 livres （1785）； the vicar 200 livres （1768）；
then 250 （1778）； and finally 350 （1785）。 Strictly； at the prices at
which things are； a man may support himself on that。＇25＇ But he must
live among the destitute to whom he owes alms； and he cherishes at the
bottom of his heart a secret bitterness towards the indolent Dives
who； with full pockets； dispatches him； with empty pockets； on a
mission of charity。 At Saint…Pierre de Barjouville； in the Toulousain；
the archbishop of Toulouse appropriates to himself one…half of the
tithes and gives away eight livres a year in alms。 At Bretx； the
chapter of Isle Jourdain； which retains one…half of certain tithes and
three…quarters of others； gives ten livres； at Croix Falgarde； the
Benedictines； to whom a half of the tithes belong； give ten livres per
annum。＇26＇ At Sainte…Croix de Bernay in Normandy；＇27＇ the non…
resident abbé； who receives 57；000 livres gives 1；050 livres to the
curate without a parsonage； whose parish contains 4；000 communicants。
At Saint…Aubin…sur…Gaillon； the abbé； a gros décimateur； gives 350
livres to the vicar； who is obliged to go into the village and obtain
contributions of flour； bread and apples。 At Plessis Hébert； 〃the
substitute deportuaire；＇28＇ not having enough to live on is obliged to
get his meals in the houses of neighboring curates。〃 In Artois； where
the tithes are often seven and a half and eight per cent。 on he
product of the soil； a number of curates have a fixed rate and no
parsonage； their church goes to ruin and the beneficiary gives nothing
to the poor。 〃At Saint…Laurent； in Normandy； the curacy is worth not
more than 400 livres； which the curate shares with an obitier；＇29＇
and there are 500 inhabitants； three quarters of whom receive alms。〃
As the repairs on a parsonage or on a church are usually at the
expense of a seignior or of a beneficiary often far off； and in debt
or indifferent； it sometimes happens that the priest does not know
where to lodge； or to say mass。 〃I arrived；〃 says a curate of the
Touraine； 〃in the month of June； 1788。 。 。 。 The parsonage would
resemble a hideous cave were it not open to all the winds and the
frosts。 Below there are two rooms with stone floors； without doors or
windows； and five feet high； a third room six feet high； paved with
stone； serves as parlor； hall； kitchen； wash…house； bakery； and sink
for the water of the court and garden。 Above are three similar rooms；
the whole cracking and tumbling in ruins； absolutely threatening to
fail； without either doors and windows that hold。〃 And； in 1790； the
repairs are not yet made。 See； by way of contrast； the luxury of the
prelates possessing half a million income； the pomp of their palaces；
the hunting equipment of M。 de D