the origins of contemporary france-2-第3节

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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　natural；　are　generally　at　the　head　of

these　outbreaks。　　It　is　they　who；　at　Montlhéry；　rip　open　the　sacks

of　grain　with　their　scissors。　　On　learning　each　week；　on　market　day

that　the　price　of　a　loaf　of　bread　advances　three；　four；　or　seven

sous；　they　break　out　into　shrieks　of　rage：　at　this　rate　for　bread；

with　the　small　salaries　of　the　men；　and　when　work　fails；＇16＇　how　can

a　family　be　fed？　Crowds　gather　around　the　sacks　of　flour　and　the

doors　of　the　bakers。　　Amidst　outcries　and　reproaches　some　one　in　the

crowd　makes　a　push；　the　proprietor　or　dealer　is　hustled　and　knocked

down。　　The　shop　is　invaded；　the　commodity　is　in　the　hands　of　the

buyers　and　of　the　famished；　each　one　grabbing　for　himself；　pay　or　no

pay；　and　running　away　with　the　booty。　　　Sometimes　a　party　is　made

up　beforehand＇17＇　At　Bray…sur…Seine；　on　the　1st　of　May；　the

villagers　for　four　leagues　around；　armed　with　stones；　knives；　and

cudgels；　to　the　number　of　four　thousand；　compel　the　metayers　and

farmers；　who　have　brought　grain　with　them；　to　sell　it　at　3　livres；

instead　of　4　livres　10　sous　the　bushel。　　They　threaten　to　do　the

same　thing　on　the　following　market…day：　but　the　farmers　do　not

return；　the　storehouse　remains　empty。　　Now　soldiers　must　be　at　hand；

or　the　inhabitants　of　Bray　will　be　pillaged。　　At　Bagnols；　in

Languedoc；　on　the　1st　and　2nd　of　April；　the　peasants；　armed　with

cudgels　and　assembled　by　tap　of　drum；　〃traverse　the　town；

threatening　to　burn　and　destroy　everything　if　flour　and　money　are

not　given　to　them。〃　They　go　to　private　houses　for　grain；　divide　it

amongst　themselves　at　a　reduced　price；　〃promising　to　pay　when　the

next　crop　comes　round；〃　and　force　the　Consuls　to　put　bread　at　two

sous　the　pound；　and　to　increase　the　day's　wages　four　sous。　　

Indeed　this　is　now　the　regular　thing；　it　is　not　the　people　who　obey

the　authorities；　but　the　authorities　who　obey　the　people。　　Consuls；

sheriffs；　mayors；　municipal　officers；　town…clerks；　become　confused

and　hesitating　in　the　face　of　this　huge　clamor；　they　feel　that　they

are　likely　to　be　trodden　under　foot　or　thrown　out　of　the　windows。

Others；　with　more　firmness；　being　aware　that　a　riotous　crowd　is　mad；

and　having　scruples　to　spill　blood；　yield　for　the　time　being；　hoping

that　at　the　next　market…day　there　will　be　more　soldiers　and　better

precautions　taken。　　At　Amiens；　〃after　a　very　violent　outbreak；〃＇18＇

they　decide　to　take　the　wheat　belonging　to　the　Jacobin　monks；　and；

protected　by　the　troops；　to　sell　it　to　the　people　at　a　third　below

its　value。　　At　Nantes；　where　the　town　hall　is　attacked；　they　are

forced　to　lower　the　price　of　bread　one　sou　per　pound。　　At　Angoulême；

to　avoid　a　recourse　to　arms；　they　request　the　Comte　d'Artois　to

renounce　his　dues　on　flour　for　two　months；　reduce　the　price　of

bread；　and　compensate　the　bakers。　　At　Cette　they　are　so　maltreated

they　let　everything　take　its　course；　the　people　sack　their　dwellings

and　get　the　upper　hand；　they　announce　by　sound　of　trumpet　that　all

their