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Gavat singing； and the chevalier de Saint…George playing on the
violin。＇57＇ At Moffontaine； 〃the Comte de Vaudreuil； Lebrun the poet；
the chevalier de Coigny； so amiable and so gay； Brongniart； Robert；
compose charades every night and wake each other up to repeat them。〃
At Maupertuis in M。 de Montesquiou's house； at Saint…Ouen with the
Marshal de Noailles； at Genevilliers with the Comte de Vandreuil； at
Rainay with the Duc d'Orléans； at Chantilly with the Prince de Condé；
there is nothing but festivity。 We read no biography of the day； no
provincial document； no inventory； without hearing the tinkling of the
universal carnival。 At Monchoix；＇58＇ the residence of the Comte de
Bédé； Chateaubriand's uncle； 〃they had music； dancing and hunting；
rollicking from morning to night； eating up both capital and income。〃
At Aix and Marseilles； throughout the fashionable world； with the
Comte de Valbelle； I find nothing but concerts； entertainment； balls；
gallantries； and private theatricals with the Comtesse de Mirabeau for
the leading performer。 At Chateauroux； M。 Dupin de Francueil
entertains 〃a troop of musicians； lackeys； cooks； parasites； horses
and dogs； bestowing everything lavishly； in amusements and in charity；
wishing to be happy himself and everybody else around him；〃 never
casting up accounts； and going to ruin in the most delightful manner
possible。 Nothing arrests this gaiety； neither old age； exile； nor
misfortune ； in 1793 it still subsists in the prisons of the Republic。
A man in place is not then made uncomfortable by his official coat；
puffed up by his situation； obliged to maintain a dignified and
important air； constrained under that assumed gravity which democratic
envy imposes on us as if a ransom。 In 1753；＇59＇ the parliamentarians；
just exiled to Bourges； get up three companies of private theatricals
and perform comedies； while one of them； M。 Dupré de Saint…Maur；
fights a rival with the sword。 In 1787；＇60＇ when the entire parliament
is banished to Troyes the bishop； M。 de Barral； returns from his
chateau de Saint…Lye expressly to receive it； presiding every evening
at a dinner of forty persons。 〃There was no end to the fêtes and
dinners in the town； the president kept open house；〃 a triple quantity
of food being consumed in the eating…houses and so much wood burned in
the kitchens； that the town came near being put on short allowance。
Feasting and jollity is but little less in ordinary times。 A
parliamentarian； like a seignior； must do credit to his fortune。 See
the letters of the President des Brosses concerning society in Dijon；
it reminds us of the abbey of Thélème； then contrast this with the
same town today。＇61＇ In 1744； Monseigneur de Montigny； brother of the
President de Bourbonne； apropos of the king's recovery； entertains the
workmen； tradesmen and artisans in his employ to the number of eighty；
another table being for his musicians and comedians； and a third for
his clerks； secretaries； physicians； surgeons； attorneys and notaries；
the crowd collects around a triumphal car covered with shepherdesses；
shepherds and rustic divinities in theatrical costume； fountains flow
with wine 〃as if it were water；〃 and after supper the confectionery is
thrown out of the windows。 Each parliamentarian around him has his
〃little Versailles； a grand hotel between court and garden；〃 This
town； now so silent； then rang with the clatter of fine equipages。 The
profusion of the table is astonishing； 〃not only on gala days； but at
the suppers of each week； and I could almost say； of each day。〃 …
Amidst all these fête…givers； the most illustrious of all； the
President des Brosses； so grave on the magisterial bench； so intrepid
in his remonstrances； so laborious；＇62＇ so learned； is an
extraordinary stimulator of fun （boute…entrain）； a genuine Gaul； with
a sparkling； inexhaustible fund of salacious humor： with his friends
he throws off his perruque； his gown； and even something more。 Nobody
dreams of being offended by it； nobody conceives that dress is an
extinguisher； which is true of every species of dress； and of the gown
in particular。 〃When I entered society； in 1785；〃 writes a
parliamentarian； 〃I found myself introduced in a certain way； alike to
the wives and the mistresses of the friends of my family； passing
Monday evening with one； and Tuesday evening with the other。 And I was
only eighteen； and I belonged to a family of magistrates。〃＇63＇ At
Basville； at the residence of M。 de Lamoignon； during the autumnal
vacation and the Whitsuntide holidays； there are thirty persons at the
table daily； there are three or four hunts a week； and the most
prominent magistrates； M。 de Lamoignon； M。 Pasquier； M。 de Rosambo； M。
and Mme。 d'Aguesseau； perform the 〃Barber of Seville 〃 in the chateau
theater。
As for the cassock； it enjoys the same freedom as the robe。 At
Saverne； at Clairvaux； at Le Mans and at other places； the prelates
wear it as freely as a court dress。 The revolutionary upheaval was
necessary to make it a fixture on their bodies； and； afterwards； the
hostile supervision of an organized party and the fear of constant
danger。 Up to 1789 the sky is too serene and the atmosphere too balmy
to lead them to button it up to the neck。 〃Freedom； facilities；
Monsieur l'Abbé；〃 said the Cardinal de Rohan to his secretary；
〃without these this life would be a desert。〃＇64＇ This is what the good
cardinal took care to avoid； on the contrary he had made Saverne an
enchanting world according to Watteau； almost 〃a landing…place for
Cythera。〃 Six hundred peasants and keepers； ranged in a line a league
long； form in the morning and beat up the surrounding country； while
hunters； men and women； are posted at their stations。 〃For fear that
the ladies might be frightened if left alone by themselves； the man
whom they hated least was always left with them to make them feel at
ease；〃 and as nobody was allowed to leave his post before the signal
〃it was impossible to be surprised。〃 … About one p。m。 〃the company
gathered under a beautiful tent； on the bank of a stream or in some
delightful place； where an exquisite dinner was served up； and； as
everybody had to be made happy； each peasant received a pound of meat；
two of bread and half a bottle of wine； they； as well as the ladies；
only asking to begin it all over again。〃 The accommodating prelate
might certainly have replied to scrupulous people along with Voltaire；
that 〃nothing wrong can happen in good society。〃 In fact； so he did
and in appropriate terms。 One day； a lady accompanied by a young
officer； having come on a visit； and being obliged to keep them over
night； his valet comes and whispers to him that there is no more room。
… 〃 'Is the bath…room occupied？' … 'No； Monseigneur！' … 'Are
there not two beds there？' … 'Yes； Monseigneur； but they are both in
the same chamber； and that officer。 。 。 ' … 'Very well； didn't they
come together？ Narrow people