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come together？ Narrow people like you always see something wrong。 You
will find that they will get along well together； there is not the
slightest reason to consider the matter。' 〃 And really nobody did
object； either the officer or the lady。 … At Granselve； in the Gard；
the Bernardines are still more hospitable。＇65＇ People resort to the
fête of St。 Bernard which lasts a couple of weeks； during this time
they dance； and hunt； and act comedies； 〃the tables being ready at all
hours。〃 The quarters of the ladies are provided with every requisite
for the toilet； they lack nothing； and it is even said that it was not
necessary for any of them to bring their officer。 … I might cite
twenty prelates not less gallant； the second Cardinal de Rohan； the
hero of the necklace； M。 de Jarente； bishop of Orleans； who keeps the
record of benefices； the young M。 de Grimaldi； bishop of Le Mans； M。
de Breteuil； bishop of Montauban； M。 de Cicé； archbishop of Bordeaux；
the Cardinal de Montmorency； grand…almoner； M。 de Talleyrand； bishop
of Autun； M。 de Conzié； bishop of Arras；＇66＇ and； in the first rank；
the Abbé de Saint…Germain des Prés； Comte de Clermont； prince of the
blood； who； with an income of 370；000 francs succeeds in ruining
himself twice； who performs in comedies in his town and country
residences； who writes to Collé in a pompous style and； who； in his
abbatial mansion at Berny； installs Mademoiselle Leduc； a dancer； to
do the honors of his table。 … There is no hypocrisy。 In the house of
M。 Trudaine； four bishops attend the performance of a piece by Collé
entitled 〃Les accidents ou les Abbés；〃 the substance of which； says
Collé himself； is so free that he did not dare print it along with his
other pieces。 A little later； Beaumarchais； on reading his 〃Marriage
of Figaro〃 at the Maréchal de Richelieu's domicile； not expurgated；
much more crude and coarse than it is today； has bishops and
archbishops for his auditors； and these； he says； 〃after being
infinitely amused by it； did me the honor to assure me that they would
state that there was not a single word in it offensive to good
morals〃＇67＇ ： thus was the piece accepted against reasons of State；
against the king's will； and through the connivance of all those most
interested in suppressing it。 〃There is something more irrational than
my piece； and that is its success；〃 said its author。 The attraction
was too strong。 People devoted to pleasure could not dispense with the
liveliest comedy of the age。 They came to applaud a satire on
themselves； and better still； they themselves acted in it。 … When a
prevalent taste is in fashion； it leads； like a powerful passion； to
extreme extravagance； the offered pleasure must； at any price； be had。
Faced with a momentary pleasure gratification； it is as a child
tempted by fruit； nothing arrests it； neither the danger to which it
is insensible； nor the social norms as these are established by
itself。
VII。 THEATER； PARADE AND EXTRAVAGANCE。
The principal diversion； elegant comedy。 … Parades and
extravagance。
To divert oneself is to turn aside from oneself； to break loose and
to forget oneself； and to forget oneself fully one must be transported
into another； put himself in the place of another； take his mask and
play his part。 Hence the liveliest of diversions is the comedy in
which one is an actor。 It is that of children who； as authors； actors
and audience； improvise and perform small scenes。 It is that of a
people whose political régime excludes exacting manly tasks （soucis
virile） and who sport with life just like children。 At Venice； in the
eighteenth century； the carnival lasts six months； in France； under
another form； it lasts the entire year。 Less familiar and less
picturesque； more refined and more elegant； it abandons the public
square where it lacks sunshine； to shut itself up in drawing…rooms
where chandeliers are the most suitable for it。 It has retained of the
vast popular masquerade only a fragment； the opera ball； certainly
very splendid and frequented by princes； princesses and the queen； but
this fragment； brilliant as it is； does not suffice； consequently； in
every chateau； in every mansion； at Paris and in the provinces； it
sets up travesties on society and domestic comedies。 … On welcoming
a great personage； on celebrating the birthday of the master or
mistress of the house； its guests or invited persons perform in an
improvised operetta； in an ingenious； laudatory pastoral； sometimes
dressed as gods； as Virtues； as mythological abstractions； as operatic
Turks； Laplanders and Poles； similar to the figures then gracing the
frontispieces of books； sometimes in the dress of peasants；
pedagogues； peddlers； milkmaids and flower…girls like the fanciful
villagers with which the current taste then fills the stage。 They
sing； they dance； and come forward in turn to recite petty verses
composed for the occasion consisting of so many well…turned
compliments。＇68＇ … At Chantilly 〃the young and charming Duchesse de
Bourbon； attired as a voluptuous Naiad； guides the Comte du Nord； in a
gilded gondola； across the grand canal to the island of Love；〃 the
Prince de Conti； in his part； serves as pilot to the Grand Duchesse；
other seigniors and ladies 〃each in allegorical guise；〃 form the
escort；＇69＇ and on these limpid waters； in this new garden of
Alcinous； the smiling and gallant retinue seems a fairy scene in
Tasso。 … At Vaudreuil； the ladies； advised that they are to be
carried off to seraglios； attire themselves as vestals； while the
high…priest welcomes them with pretty couplets into his temple in the
park； meanwhile over three hundred Turks arrive who force the
enclosure to the sound of music； and bear away the ladies in
palanquins along the illuminated gardens。 At the little Trianon； the
park is arranged as a fair； and the ladies of the court are the
saleswomen； 〃the queen keeping a café；〃 while； here and there； are
processions and theatricals； this festival costs； it is said； 100；000
livres； and a repetition of it is designed at Choisy attended with a
larger outlay。
Alongside of these masquerades which stop at costume and require
only an hour； there is a more important diversion； the private
theatrical performance； which completely transforms the man； and which
for six weeks； and even for three months； absorbs him entirely at
rehearsals。 Towards 1770；＇70＇ 〃the rage for it is incredible； there is
not an attorney in his cottage who does not wish to have a stage and
his company of actors。〃 A Bernardine living in Bresse； in the middle
of a wood； writes to Collé that he and his brethren are about to
perform 〃La Partie de Chasse de Henri IV；〃 and that they are having a
small theater constructed 〃without the knowledge of bigots and small
minds。〃 Reformers and moralists introduce theatrical art into the
education of children； Mme。 de Genlis composes comedies for them；
considering t