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instrumentalists and the mounted messengers of the stable。 The use of
the horse is a feudal art； no luxury is more natural to a man of
quality。 Think of the stables at Chantilly； which are palaces。 To
convey an idea of a well…educated and genteel man he was then called
an accomplished cavalier；〃 in fact his importance was fully manifest
only when he was in the saddle； on a blood…horse like himself。 …
Another genteel taste； an effect of the preceding； is the chase。 It
costs the king from 1；100；000 to 1；200；000 livres a year； and requires
280 horses besides those of the two stables。 A more varied or more
complete equipment could not be imagined： a pack of hounds for the
boar； another for the wolf another for the roe…buck； a cast （of hawks）
for the crow； a cast for the magpie； a cast for merlins； a cast for
hares； a cast for the fields。 In 1783； 179；194 livres are expended for
feeding horses； and 53；412 livres for feeding dogs。＇16＇ The entire
territory； ten leagues around Paris； is a game…preserve； 〃not a gun
could be fired there；＇17＇ accordingly the plains are seen covered with
partridges accustomed to man； quietly picking up the grain and never
stirring as he passes。〃 Add to this the princes' captaincies；
extending as far as Villers…Cotterets and Orleans； these form an
almost continuous circle around Paris； thirty leagues in
circumference； where game； protected； replaced and multiplied； swarms
for the pleasure of the king。 The park of Versailles alone forms an
enclosure of more than ten leagues。 The forest of Rambouillet embraces
25；000 arpents （30；000 acres）。 Herds of seventy…five and eighty stags
are encountered around Fontainebleau。 No true hunter could read the
minute…book of the chase without feeling an impulse of envy。 The wolf…
hounds run twice a week； and they take forty wolves a year。 Between
1743 and 1744 Louis XV runs down 6；400 stags。 Louis XVI writes； August
30th； 1781： 〃Killed 460 head to day。〃 In 1780 he brings down 20；534
head； in 1781； 20；291； in fourteen years； 189；251 head； besides 1；254
stags； while boars and bucks are proportionate； and it must be noted
that this is all done by his own hand； since his parks approach his
houses。 … Such； in fine； is the character of a 〃 well…appointed
household；〃 that is to say； provided with its dependencies and
services。 Everything is within reach； it is a complete world in itself
and self…sufficient。 One exalted being attaches to and gathers around
it； with universal foresight and minuteness of detail； every
appurtenance it employs or can possibly employ。 … Thus； each prince；
each princess has a professional surgery and a chapel；＇18＇ it would
not answer for the almoner who says mass or the doctor who looks after
their health to be obtained outside。 So much stronger is the reason
that the king should have ministrants of this stamp； his chapel
embraces seventy…five almoners； chaplains； confessors； masters of the
oratory； clerks； announcers； carpet…bearers； choristers； copyists； and
composers of sacred music； his faculty is composed of forty…eight
physicians； surgeons； apothecaries； oculists； operators； bone…setters；
distillers； chiropodists and spagyrists （a species of alchemists）。 We
must still note his department of profane music； consisting of one
hundred and twenty…eight vocalists； dancers； instrumentalists；
directors and superintendents； his library corps of forty…three
keepers； readers； interpreters； engravers； medallists； geographers；
binders and printers； the staff of ceremonial display； sixty…two
heralds； sword…bearers； ushers and musicians； the staff of
housekeepers； consisting of sixty…eight marshals； guides and
commissaries。 I omit other services in haste to reach the most
important；… that of the table； a fine house and good housekeeping
being known by the table。
There are three sections of the table service；＇19＇ the first for
the king and his younger children； the second； called the little
ordinary； for the table of the grand…master； the grand…chamberlain and
the princes and princesses living with the king； the third； called the
great ordinary； for the grand…master's second table； that of the
butlers of the king's household； the almoners； the gentlemen in
waiting； and that of the valets…de…chambre； in all three hundred and
eighty…three officers of the table and one hundred and three waiters；
at an expense of 2；177；771 livres； besides this there are 389；173
livres appropriated to the table of Madame Elisabeth； and 1；093；547
livres for that of Mesdames； the total being 3；660；491 livres for the
table。 The wine…merchant furnished wine to the amount of 300；000
francs per annum； and the purveyor game； meat and fish at a cost of
1；000；000 livres。 Only to fetch water from Ville…d'Avray； and to
convey servants； waiters and provisions； required fifty horses hired
at the rate of 70；591 francs per annum。 The privilege of the royal
princes and princesses 〃to send to the bureau for fish on fast days
when not residing regularly at the court；〃 amounts in 1778 to 175；116
livres。 On reading in the Almanach the titles of these officials we
see a Gargantua's feast spread out before us。 The formal hierarchy of
the kitchens； so many grand officials of the table； … the butlers；
comptrollers and comptroller…pupils； the clerks and gentlemen of the
pantry； the cup…bearers and carvers； the officers and equerries of the
kitchen； the chiefs； assistants and head…cooks； the ordinary
scullions； turnspits and cellarers； the common gardeners and salad
gardeners； laundry servants； pastry…cooks； plate…changers； table…
setters； crockery…keepers； and broach…bearers； the butler of the table
of the head…butler； … an entire procession of broad…braided backs
and imposing round bellies； with grave countenances； which； with order
and conviction； exercise their functions before the saucepans and
around the buffets。
One step more and we enter the sanctuary； the king's apartment。 Two
principal dignitaries preside over this； and each has under him about
a hundred subordinates。 On one side is the grand chamberlain with his
first gentlemen of the bedchamber； the pages of the bedchamber； their
governors and instructors； the ushers of the antechamber； with the
four first valets…de…chambre in ordinary； sixteen special valets
serving in turn； his regular and special cloak…bearers； his barbers；
upholsterers； watch…menders； waiters and porters； on the other hand is
the grand…master of the wardrobe； with the masters of the wardrobe and
the valets of the wardrobe regular and special； the ordinary trunk…
carriers； mail…bearers； tailors； laundry servants； starchers； and
common waiters； with the gentlemen； officers and secretaries in
ordinary of the cabinet； in all 198 persons for domestic service； like
50 many domestic utensils for every personal want； or as sumptuous
pieces of furniture for the decoration of the apartment。 Some of them
fetch the mall and the balls； others hold