New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-13

=
CFrcm q photography
rnareui~e was the court The expenditures OF
the Kings household amounted TO siNty-eiGht
millions III 100, and great proportion OF TINS
WIS due TO the needs Of the Kings mistress
Money required for the public service was d.
yert.a TO her uses. She appears at Marty in a
gown trimmed with English lace that cost -2,9oo
15,r,.. Pensions are given to her favorite ac-
tors while the people starve. The King orders
rar,,rains to the value Of more than 100000
lf,.rfs. they are meant for his country houses,
I'm, more especially for the Pompadour's dwell
iro II Neudon. Millions are spent on public
faf.s The marquise being a great believer in
he efficacy Of the Roman eXpedient OF pdnOn CT
ci,,s>,< ard Paris has interludes Of enjoyment.
Put this policy communicates poison to the
ertir. national fabric. aid the cOurJer, emulat-
ing in the country the habits Of his masters IN
the carital, makes every province sink OF
misery in which the passions Of the Revolu-
ton are slowly hut surely generated. DArsen-
son is full of interesting notes on the sufferinss
Of the peasants, and The evils in provincial ad-
rninistraticn generally. hat perhaps his most
eloquent passage this subject is the follow
inG:
went Yesterday 10 visit courtier who owns
= gr.a- chateau in nay neighhlrhC cd. How little
T,,tr-f causes accompanies and follows fortune,
How many resources are found at court 10
crafty the love Of luxury, The strange thing
is that rich men seek in good faith the useful
in rUinous expenditures a Kitchen garden Is
constructed at enormous expense Tor its utlIt|,
and every vegetable that costs sou in the
market costs = crown in the garden Ihey
max VAST conduitS and waterways to get. as
th.v think ten thousand weight more nay. the
coIrti.r i the same everywhere: prodisal OF his
own greedy Of that of others. ON his estates,
instead If protecting the inha btants, he en-
rloys his power 10 punish unjustly. to revenge
himself OF 10 maintain what Is useful to his
interests. he wants his tenants prosperous 10y
II. oppression Of poorer men; n obtains from
courr the right TO make paved roads. when
crush the poorer people by enforced labor and
TAX from them a quantity Of land. H Is proud
ard naughty with his neighhors; he thinks NM
self q king. surrounded hy couruers ana vas
sails: he speaks little. h assumes 10 utter
sentences Of weight on the few and common
riace TOPICS which his small plide and his great
slfrsss dictate To him. That Is the couruer
res ding III his chateau
II U-Argenson ever eNcites a Htt!e more than
respect f the reader ever has kindhng emo
zion in his rlesence. Il l. when he j. relating
tFesa examples Of fhe cruel and stupid prac
tees which Were TO brinG down upon the heads
Of .he nebIes a fearful rejribution. The R"Vo-
luton owed much Of its fury and many Of its
worst excesses To- the sinister nliul~tra tons OF
dernaeogues 70 their liberation Of the most
f--r-isl elements in The mob. But what makes
tn memoirs Of D'Argerson Of value as an
historical document is that in them he exhibits
with The authority e q profoundly sagavious OBJ
server writing at first hand, the true causes Of
thar great upheaval. This cannot last he
said for h clearly perceived that the King and
h.s rolles. the pillars Of The old regime, We're
cong everything in their power, everything that
Trofgacv. greed. extravagaIce and Grass self
lslness could Go. to make their control Of France
iIIoseiElt