the origins of contemporary france-2-第3章

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men；〃＇10＇　and　often　common　farmers；　sit　by　the　side　of　lords　and

prelates。　　They　listen　to　and　remember　the　vast　figure　of　the　taxes

which　are　paid　exclusively；　or　almost　exclusively；　by　them　　the

taille　and　its　accessories；　the　poll…tax　and　road　dues；　and

assuredly　on　their　return　home　they　talk　all　this　over　with　their

neighbor。　　These　figures　are　all　printed；　the　village　attorney

discusses　the　matter　with　his　clients；　the　artisans　and　rustics；　on

Sunday　as　they　leave　the　mass；　or　in　the　evening　in　the　large　public

room　of　the　tavern。　　These　little　gatherings；　moreover；　are

sanctioned；　encouraged　by　the　powers　above。　　In　the　earliest　days　of

1788　the　provincial　assemblies　order　a　board　of　inquiry　to　be　held

by　the　syndics　and　inhabitants　of　each　parish。　　Knowledge　is　wanted

in　detail　of　their　grievances。　　What　part　of　the　revenue　is

chargeable　to　each　impost？　What　must　the　cultivator　pay　and　how　much

does　he　suffer？　How　many　privileged　persons　there　are　in　the　parish；

what　is　the　amount　of　their　fortune；　are　they　residents；　and　what

their　exemptions　amount　to？　In　replying；　the　attorney　who　holds　the

pen；　names　and　points　out　with　his　finger　each　privileged

individual；　criticizes　his　way　of　living；　and　estimates　his　fortune；

calculates　the　injury　done　to　the　village　by　his　immunities；

inveighs　against　the　taxes　and　the　tax…collectors。　　On　leaving　these

assemblies　the　villager　broods　over　what　he　has　just　heard。　　He　sees

his　grievances　no　longer　singly　as　before；　but　in　mass；　and　coupled

with　the　enormity　of　evils　under　which　his　fellows　suffer。　　Besides

this；　they　begin　to　disentangle　the　causes　of　their　misery：　the　King

is　good　　why　then　do　his　collectors　take　so　much　of　our　money？

This　or　that　canon　or　nobleman　is　not　unkind　　why　then　do　they

make　us　pay　in　their　place？　　Imagine　that　a　sudden　gleam　of　reason

should　allow　a　beast　of　burden　to　comprehend　the　contrast　between

the　species　of　horse　and　mankind。　　Imagine；　if　you　can；　what　its

first　ideas　would　be　in　relation　to　the　coachmen　and　drivers　who

bridle　and　whip　it　and　again　in　relation　to　the　good…natured

travelers　and　sensitive　ladies　who　pity　it；　but　who　to　the　weight　of

the　vehicle　add　their　own　and　that　of　their　luggage。



Likewise；　in　the　mind　of　the　peasant；　athwart　his　perplexed

brooding；　a　new　idea；　slowly；　little　by　little；　is　unfolded：　　that

of　an　oppressed　multitude　of　which　he　makes　one；　a　vast　herd

scattered　far　beyond　the　visible　horizon；　everywhere　ill　used；

starved；　and　fleeced。　　Towards　the　end　of　1788　we　begin　to　detect　in

the　correspondence　of　the　intendants　and　military　commandants　the

dull　universal　muttering　of　coming　wrath。　　Men's　characters　seem　to

change；　they　become　suspicious　and　restive。　　　And　just　at　this

moment；　the　Government；　dropping　the　reins；　calls　upon　them　to

direct　themselves。＇11＇。　　In　the　month　of　November　1787；　the　King

declared　that　he　would　convoke　the　States…General。　　On　the　5th　of

July　1788；　he　calls　for　memoranda　（des　mémoires）　on　this　subject

from　every　competent　person　and　body。　　On　the　8th　of　August　he　fixes

the　date　of　the　session。　　On　the　5th　of　October　he　convokes　the

notables；　in　order　to　consider　the　subject　with　them。　　On　the　27th

of　December　he　grants　a　double　representation　to　the　Third…Estate；

because　〃its　cause　is　allied　with　generous　sentiments；　and　it　will

always　obtain　the　support　of　public　opinion。〃　The　same　day　he

introduces　into　the　electoral　assemblies　of　the　clergy　a　majority　of

curés＇12＇；　〃because　good　and　useful　pastors　are　daily　and　closely

associated　with　the　indigence　and　relief　of　the　people；〃　from　which

it　follows　〃that　they　are　much　more　familiar　with　their　sufferings〃

and　necessities。　　On　the　24th　January　1789；　he　prescribes　the

procedure　and　method　of　the　meetings。　　After　the　7th　of　February

writs　of　summons　are　sent　out　one　after　the　other。　　Eight　days

after；　each　parish　assembly　begins　to　draw　up　its　memorial　of

grievances；　and　becomes　excited　over　the　detailed　enumeration　of　all

the　miseries　which　it　sets　down　in　writing。　　　All　these　appeals

and　all　these　acts　are　so　many　strokes；　which　reverberate；　in　the

popular　imagination。　　〃It　is　the　desire　of　His　Majesty；〃　says　the

order　issued；　〃that　every　one；　from　the　extremities　of　his　kingdom；

and　from　the　most　obscure　of　its　hamlets；　should　be　certain　of　his

wishes　and　protests　reaching　him。〃　Thus；　it　is　all　quite　true：　there

can　be　no　mistake　about　it；　the　thing　is　sure。　　The　people　are

invited　to　speak　out；　they　are　summoned；　and　they　are　consulted。

There　is　a　disposition　to　relieve　them；　henceforth　their　misery

shall　be　less；　better　times　are　coming。　　This　is　all　they　know　about

it。　　A　few　month　after；　in　July；＇13＇　the　only　answer　a　peasant　girl

can　make　to　Arthur　Young　is；　〃something　was　to　be　done　by　some　great

folks　for　such　poor　ones；　but　she　did　not　know　who　nor　how。〃　The

thing　is　too　complicated；　beyond　the　reach　of　a　stupefied　and

mechanical　brain。　　…　　One　idea　alone　emerges；　the　hope　of　immediate

relief。　　The　persuasion　that　one　is　entitled　to　it；　the　resolution

to　aid　it　with　every　possible　means。　　Consequently；　an　anxious

waiting；　a　ready　fervor；　a　tension　of　the　will　simply　due　to　the

waiting　for　the　opportunity　to　let　go　and　take　off　like　a

irresistible　arrow　towards　the　unknown　end　which　will　reveal　itself

all　of　a　sudden。　　Hunger　is　to　mark　this　sudden　target　out　for　them。



The　market　must　be　supplied　with　wheat；　the　farmers　and　land…owners

must　bring　it；　wholesale　buyers；　whether　the　Government　or

individuals；　must　not　be　allowed　to　send　it　elsewhere。　　The　wheat

must　be　sold　at　a　low　price；　the　price　must　be　cut　down　and　fixed；

so　that　the　baker　can　sell　bread　at　two　sous　the　pound。　　Grain；

flour；　wine；　salt；　and　provisions　must　pay　no　more　duties。

Seignorial　dues　and　claims；　ecclesiastical　tithes；　and　royal　or

municipal　taxes　must　no　longer　exist。　　On　the　strength　of　this　idea

disturbances　broke　out　on　all　sides　in　March；　April；　and　May。

Contemporaries　〃　do　not　know　what　to　think　of　such　a　scourge；＇14＇

they　cannot　comprehend　how　such　a　vast　number　of　criminals；　without

visible　leaders；　agree　amongst　themselves　everywhere　to　commit　the

same　excesses　just　at　the　time　when　the　States…General　are　going　to

begin　their　sittings。〃　The　reason　is　that；　under　the　ancient　régime；

the　conflagration　was　smoldering　in　a　closed　chamber；　the　great　door

is　suddenly　opened；　the　air　enters；　and　immediately　the　flame　breaks

out。



　III。

The　provinces　during　the　first　six　months　of　1789。　　…　Effects　of　the

famine。



At　first　there　are　only　intermittent；　isolated　fires；　which　are

extinguished　or　go　out　of　themselves；　but；　a　moment　after；　in　the

same　place；　or　very　near　it；　the　sparks　again　appear。　　Their　number；

like　their　recurrence；　shows　the　vastness；　depth；　and　heat　of　the

combustible　matter；　which　is　about　to　explode。　　In　the　four　months；

which　precede　the　taking　of　the　Bastille；　over　three　hundred

outbreaks　may　be　counted　in　France。　　They　take　place　from　month　to

month　and　from　week　to　week；　in　Poitou；　Brittany；　Touraine；

Orléanais；　Normandy；　Ile…de…France；　Picardy；　Champagne；　Alsace；

Burgundy；　Nivernais；　Auvergne；　Languedoc；　and　Provence。　　On　the　28th

of　May　the　parliament　of　Rouen　announces　robberies　of　grain；

〃violent　and　bloody　tumults；　in　which　men　on　both　sides　have

fallen；〃　throughout　the　province；　at　Caen；　Saint…L？；　Mortain；

Granville；　Evreux；　Bernay；　Pont…Andemer；　Elboeuf；　Louviers；　and　in

other　sections　besides。　　On　the　20th　of　April　Baron　de　Bezenval；

military　commander　in　the　Central　Provinces；　writes：　〃I　once　more

lay　before　M。　Necker　a　picture　of　the　frightful　condition　of

Touraine　and　of　Orléanais。　　Every　letter　I　receive　from　these　two

provinces　is　the　narrative　of　three　or　four　riots；　which　are　put

down　with　difficulty　by　the　troops　and　constabulary；〃＇15＇　　and

throughout　the　whole　extent　of　the　kingdom　a　similar　state　of　things

is　seen。　　The　women；　as　is　nat