The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-11-05
THE LITERARY WORLD.
Life in France During the
Last Century.
BOOK AND AUTHOR GOSSIP.

(BIblophte Jacob Curator OF the Imperial Library
Co
Say what you will to tho contrary there is fascnaa
ton about France flor Paris Is France) and French
ways that ID possessed by other country on tho
globe The above book shows the heart history Of
France nearly two hundred years ago. and brings in
direct communication with the nobility and the people
Lacroixs book does not deal in dry facts and thread
bare histories. He takes France from 100 10 1850,
which year brought about order OF things, and
gives in this volume reconsideration OF manners Gus
toms public and private, costume, arts sciences and
literature" which characterized that period The in
PRODUCTION historical and gances the end Of the
reign OF Louis XIV, the Regency Louis XIV and Louis
XVI Each chapter is devoted to some particular
subject with its different branches or course there Is
the greatest variety in the contents, kings and ballet
dancers each having their due share of attention The
author does into any dscussons his mission
Is to tell plain unvarnished tale and he accompshes
it, only adding those graces Of description and wit of
expression which part of French writing.
Tho chapters tho bourgcosie and the people
among the most interesting The divisions OF
French society positive in the eighteenth
century than they Strictly speaking, says
NJ Lacroix, the bourgeosie, q body-a body at
powerful and jealous OF its privieges-had ceased
to exist At the beginning OF the eighteenth century
did not ut all events exercise any direct influence
play any active part in State affairs Montesquieu
did deign mention the bourgeoisie by name
when he enveioped It, to speak, in the long robe;
for in his "Lettres Persanes" read There are
three estates in France-the Church, the Sword
the Gown. Each one of these three has q sovereign
contempt for the other two, and thus individual
who ought merely be despised he fool is
often treated with contempt because he Is gowns.
man" The name bourgeoisie became almost q term
OF reproach The decadence of the title dated probably
from Molere's comedy "Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme."
The bourgeoise who married a noble might expect to
enjoy fair amount Of consideration especially If she
bore children her husband for these children would
be noble the plebean origin of their
mother. But. upon the other hand, the bourgeois
|. who married lady OF noble birth met with nothing
but contempt and sights The upper bourgeoise
not very different from the upper ranks
of the nobility; they wealthy
and took better care of their money; they
regulated their expenditure according to their incomes
The Dourgeose did initiate the bad habits OF the
court and the nobility butt. copied their fashions
the extent OF bad taste. Thet mt and nobility
planned about this and clam ore for sumptuary laws.
which were promulgated for the last time March 20,
100. This decree partially revoked February
rs, 1902 when the wives and daughters OF notares
procureurs, registrars and merchants allowed to
jewelry TO the value OF 2, 900 livres
The people, ike the bourgeoSie and nobility
divided into several classes categores quite dis
tnct from each other, vz.-the people of Paris the
people of the provincial towns and the country
people There affinity between the artisan and
the husbandman and they both looked down upon the
domestic servant In Paris the dangerous characters
beggars, vagabonds, thieves swindlers OF every de-
scrption formed perhaps sixth OF the people who
witnesses OF their misdeeds without initiating
them.
The chapter the clergy deals with the constitution
of the clergy in France, their wealth and influence
religious quarrels the Janseniss the Unigenitus bull
expulsion OF the Jesuists the higher and lower clergy
and the assembly OF notables clergy upon the eve
OF the Revolution. There is country upon whose
history the clergy have had a greater influence
than that of France. At the end of Louis XIV reign
the clergy held a stronger position in the State than
before Cardinals Richclieu and Mazarin had
raised them to the first place, above even the
old nobility. The nobility strongly represented
in the ranks of the clergy by younger sons who, ee
waited to the preacy, took equal rank with their elder
brothers. But though they sprang from the
bourgeose the people their ecclesa put
them upon equality with the illustrious mobiles
With everything to favor them, the clergy naturally
became a power In the land and the close Of the
seventeenth century the actual value of ecclesiastical
tthes may be estimated equal to half the value OF
the taxes paid by the nation the Crown To quote
from NJ Lacroixs book:-"In 1868 the eighteen orch
bishops at the head Of the ecclesiastical provinces OF
France had under them 109 bishops suiiragans ex-
elusive Of the bishops pdrtlbss who did not come
within their Jurisdiction In these archbishoprcs and
bishoprcs 40 600 priests 90 600 ASSISTANTS 900
priors chaplans, 1000 canons 20 600 clerks and
chorsters in addition to about 100 900 eccesscs en-
gagged in the religious orders employed in the colleges
the Summaries the missions, the almshouses or not
doing duty. The regular clergy comprised those who
in fulanent OF the VOWS they had TAKEN lived either
in out OF coisters under different monastic and
ventonal rules" The monks living in monasterics
numbered so 600 But for century past the monkish
influence had been decaying, especially in the mendi-
cant orders. Upon the other hand, tho number of
went increasing, also did tho con-
gregations ana charitable institutions. or living
converts there 100 0oo In the carly part Of
the century the clergy threatened by secret
miles, leagued together Tor the purpose of deprving
them OF their power. Had they held together they
would have trumphed perhaps but they split their
ranks o question OF dogma, and materially
weakened.
OF education IN France this period It may be said
that Il depended moro upon the scholars than tho
school Great complaints were made Of the colleges
and seminares, and all who could afford 1t employed
their children but these poor and
successful Moro attention paid 10 the educa
tion OF the body than to that OF tho mind and the
scons Of noble families could dance and fence when
they could barely read
The theatres represent the times and in France as
we'll everywhere else, they hold the mirror up ma
The stage aourished st that time although amer
LOUIS XIV. married Nine de Msntcnon there was
noticeable falling or The Theatre Francois has always
maintained its high rank, because IL the ele
waited and complete expression dramatic art and its
company has ever been composed Of the best
both tragedy and comedy Entitled to call themselves
comtdiens Ordinatres du Roi they constituted us In
the time Of holere, ASSOCIATION which had the royal
authorization 70 manage the theatre ITSELF all questions
OF general interest being decided by majority votes
IN this assembly These regulations lasted until 1889
The actors OF the period, previous to the Revolution
were the victims Of injustice and prejudice being