The Ancient Regime eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 652 pages of information about The Ancient Regime.

The Ancient Regime eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 652 pages of information about The Ancient Regime.

[6]. 153,222,827 livres, 10 sous, 3 deniers. ( “Souvenirs d’un page de la cour de Louis XVI.,” by the Count d’Hézecques, p. 142.) — In 1690, before the chapel and the theater were constructed, it had already cost 100,000,000, (St. Simon, XII. 514.  Memoirs of Marinier, clerk of the king’s buildings.)

[7].  Museum of Engravings, National Library.  “Histoire de France par estampes,” passim, and particularly the plans and views of Versailles, by Aveline; also, “the drawing of a collation given by M. le Prince in the Labyrinth of Chantilly,” Aug. 29, 1687.

[8].  Memoirs, I. 221.  He was presented at court February 19, 1787.

[9].  For these details cf.  Warroquier, vol.  I. passim. — Archives imperiales, O1, 710 bis, the king’s household, expenditure of 1771. — D’Argenson, February 25, 1752. — In 1772 three millions are expended on the installation of the Count d’Artois.  A suite of rooms for Mme. Adelaide cost 800,000 livres.

[10].  Marie Antoinette, “Correspondance secréte,” by d’Arneth and Geffroy, III.192.  Letter of Mercy, January 25, 1779. — Warroquier, in 1789, mentions only fifteen places in the house-hold of Madame Royale.  This, along with other indications, shows the inadequacy of official statements.

[11].  The number ascertainable after the reductions of 1775 and 1776, and before those of 1787.  See Warroquier, vol.  I. — Necker, “Administration des Finances,” II. 119.

[12].  “La Maison du Roi en 1786,” colored engravings in the Museum of Engravings.

[13].  Arcchives nationales, O1, 738.  Report by M. Tessier (1780), on the large and small stables.  The queen’s stables comprise 75 vehicles and 330 horses.  These are the veritable figures taken from secret manuscript reports, showing the inadequacy of official statements.  The Versailles Almanach of 1775, for instance, states that there were only 335 men in the stables while we see that in reality the number was four or five times as many. — “Previous to all the reforms, says a witness, I believe that the number of the king’s horses amounted to 3,000.” (D’Hézecques, “Souvenirs d’un page de Louis XVI.,” p. 121.

[14].  La Maison du Roi justifiée par un soldat citoyen,” (1786) according to Statements published by the government. — “La future maison du roi” (1790).  “The two stables cost in 1786, the larger one 4,207,606 livres, and the smaller 3,509,402 livres, a total of 7,717,058 livres, of which 486,546 were for the purchase of horses.

[15].  On my arrival at Versailles (1786), there were 150 pages, not including those of the princes of the blood who lived at Paris.  A page’s coat cost 1,500 livres, (crimson velvet embroidered with gold on all the seams, and a hat with feather and Spanish point lace.)” D’Hézecques, ibid., 112.

[16].  Archives nationales, O1, 778.  Memorandum on the hunting-train between 1760 and 1792 and especially the report of 1786.

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