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etiquette； declared that if he were king of France his first edict
would be to appoint another king to hold court in his place。 In
effect； if there are idlers to salute there must be an idler to be
saluted。 Only one way was possible by which the monarch could have
been set free； and that was to have recast and transformed the French
nobles； according to the Prussian system； into a hard…working regiment
of serviceable functionaries。 But； so long as the court remains what
it is； that is to say； a pompous parade and a drawing room decoration；
the king himself must likewise remain a showy decoration； of little or
no use。
V。 ROYAL DISTRACTIONS。
Diversions of the royal family and of the court。… Louis XV。 … Louis
XVI。
In short； what is the occupation of a well…qualified master of a
house？ He amuses himself and he amuses his guests； under his roof a
new pleasure…party comes off daily。 Let us enumerate those of a week。
〃Yesterday； Sunday；〃 says the Duc de Luynes； 〃I met the king going to
hunt on the plain of St。 Denis； having slept at la Muette； where he
intends to remain shooting to day and to…morrow； and to return here on
Tuesday or Wednesday morning； to run down a stag the same day；
Wednesday。〃＇48＇ Two months after this； 〃the king；〃 again says M。 de
Luynes； 〃has been hunting every day of the past and of the present
week； except to day and on Sundays； killing； since the beginning；
3；500 partridges。〃 He is always on the road； or hunting； or passing
from one residence to another； from Versailles to Fontainebleau； to
Choisy； to Marly； to la Muette； to Compiègne； to Trianon； to Saint…
Hubert； to Bellevue； to Rambouillet； and； generally； with his entire
court。＇49＇ At Choisy； especially； and at Fontainebleau this company
all lead a merry life。 At Fontainebleau 〃Sunday and Friday； play；
Monday and Wednesday； a concert in the queen's apartments； Tuesday and
Thursday； the French comedians； and Saturday it is the Italians；〃
there is something for every day in the week。 At Choisy； writes the
Dauphine；＇50＇ 〃from one o'clock （in the afternoon） when we dine； to
one o'clock at night we remain out。 。 。 After dining we play until six
o'clock； after which we go to the theater； which lasts until half…past
nine o'clock； and next； to supper； after this； play again； until one；
and sometimes half…past one； o'clock。〃 At Versailles things are more
moderate； there are but two theatrical entertainments and one ball a
week； but every evening there is play and a reception in the king's
apartment； in his daughters'； in his mistress's； in his daughter…in…
law's； besides hunts and three petty excursions a week。 Records show
that； in a certain year； Louis XV slept only fifty…two nights at
Versailles； while the Austrian Ambassador well says that 〃his mode of
living leaves him not an hour in the day for attention to important
matters。〃 … As to Louis XVI； we have seen that he reserves a few
hours of the morning； but the machine is wound up； and go it must。 How
can he withdraw himself from his guests and not do the honors of his
house？ Here propriety and custom are tyrants and a third despotism
must be added； still more absolute： the imperious vivacity of a lively
young queen who cannot endure an hour's reading。 … At Versailles；
three theatrical entertainments and two balls a week； two grand
suppers Tuesday and Thursday； and from time to time； the opera in
Paris。＇51＇ At Fontainebleau； the theater three times a week； and on
other days； play and suppers。 During the following winter the queen
gives a masked ball each week； in which 〃the contrivance of the
costumes； the quadrilles arranged in ballets； and the daily
rehearsals； take so much time as to consume the entire week。〃 During
the carnival of 1777 the queen； besides her own fêtes； attends the
balls of the Palais…Royal and the masked balls of the opera； a little
later； I find another ball at the abode of the Comtesse Diana de
Polignac； which she attends with the whole royal family； except
Mesdames； and which lasts from half…past eleven o'clock at night until
eleven o'clock the next morning。 Meanwhile； on ordinary days； there is
the rage of faro； in her drawing room 〃there is no limit to the play；
in one evening the Duc de Chartres loses 8；000 louis。 It really
resembles an Italian carnival； there is nothing lacking； neither masks
nor the comedy of private life； they play； they laugh； they dance；
they dine； they listen to music； they don costumes； they get up
picnics （fêtes…champêtres）； they indulge in gossip and gallantries。〃
〃The newest song；〃＇52＇ says a cultivated； earnest lady of the
bedchamber； 〃the current witticism and little scandalous stories；
formed the sole subjects of conversation in the queen's circle of
intimates。〃 … As to the king； who is rather dull and who requires
physical exercise； the chase is his most important occupation。 Between
1755 and 1789；＇53＇ he himself； on recapitulating what he had
accomplished； finds 〃104 boar…hunts； 134 stag…hunts； 266 of bucks； 33
with hounds； and 1；025 shootings；〃 in all 1；562 hunting…days；
averaging at least one hunt every three days； besides this there are a
149 excursions without hunts； and 223 promenades on horseback or in
carriages。 〃During four months of the year he goes to Rambouillet
twice a week and returns after having supped； that is to say； at three
o'clock in the morning。〃＇54＇ This inveterate habit ends in becoming a
mania； and even in something worse。 〃The nonchalance；〃 writes Arthur
Young； June 26； 1789； 〃and even stupidity of the court； is
unparalleled； the moment demands the greatest decision； and yesterday；
while it was actually a question whether he should be a doge of Venice
or a king of France； the king went a hunting！〃 His journal reads like
that of a gamekeeper's。 On reading it at the most important dates one
is amazed at its entries。 He writes nothing on the days not devoted to
hunting； which means that to him these days are of no account：
July 11； 1789； nothing； M。 Necker leaves。
July 12th vespers and benediction； Messieurs de Montmorin； de
Saint…Priest and de la Luzerne leave。
July 13th ； nothing。
July 14th ； nothing。
July 29th； nothing； M。 Necker returns。。。。。
August 4th； stag…hunt in the forest at Marly； took one； go and come
on horseback。
August 13th； audience of the States in the gallery； Te Deum during
the mass below； one stag taken in the hunt at Marly。 。 。
August 25th； complimentary audience of the States； high mass with
the cordons bleus； M。 Bailly sworn in； vespers and benediction； state
dinner。。。。
October 5th； shooting near Chatillon； killed 81 head； interrupted
by events； go and come on horseback。
October 6th； leave for Paris at half…past twelve； visit the H？tel…
de…Ville； sup and rest at the Tuileries。
October 7th nothing； my aunts come and dine。
October 8th； nothing 。 。 。
October 12th； nothing； the stag hunted at Por