large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_07_yonge_64kb_20
large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_07_yonge_64kb
English
12344
All this has continued under the numerous changes that have taken place in the forms of government. ALL THIS HAS CONTINUED UNDER THE NUMEROUS CHANGES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THE FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
 by paying a substitute to serve in their stead; and this is generally the first object of the savings of a family. All feudal claims had been done away with, and with them the right of primogeniture; and, indeed, it is not possible for a testator to avoid leaving his property to be shared among his family, though he can make some small differences in the amount each receives, and thus estates are continually freshly divided, and some portions become very small indeed. French peasants are, however, most eager to own land, and are usually very frugal, sober, and saving; and the country has gone on increasing in prosperity and comfort. It is true that, probably from the long habit of concealing any wealth they might possess, the French farmers and peasantry care little for display, or what we should call comfort, and live rough hard-working lives even while well off and with large hoards of wealth; but their condition has been wonderfully changed for the better ever since the Revolution. D WHO CAN ONLY ESCAPE BY PAYING A SUBSTITUTE TO SERVE IN THEIR STEAD AND THIS IS GENERALLY THE FIRST OBJECT OF THE SAVINGS OF A FAMILY ALL FEUDAL CLAIMS HAD BEEN DONE AWAY WITH AND WITH THEM THE RIGHT OF PRIMOGENITURE AND INDEED IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR A TESTATOR TO AVOID LEAVING HIS PROPERTY TO BE SHARED AMONG HIS FAMILY THOUGH HE CAN MAKE SOME SMALL DIFFERENCES IN THE AMOUNT EACH RECEIVES AND THUS ESTATES ARE CONTINUALLY FRESHLY DIVIDED AND SOME PORTIONS BECOME VERY SMALL INDEED FRENCH PEASANTS ARE HOWEVER MOST EAGER TO OWN LAND AND ARE USUALLY VERY FRUGAL SOBER AND SAVING AND THE COUNTRY HAS GONE ON INCREASING IN PROSPERITY AND COMFORT IT IS TRUE THAT PROBABLY FROM THE LONG HABIT OF CONCEALING ANY WEALTH THEY MIGHT POSSESS THE FRENCH FARMERS AND PEASANTRY CARE LITTLE FOR DISPLAY OR WHAT THEY SHOULD CALL COMFORT AND LIVE ROUGH HARD WORKING LIVES EVEN WHILE WELL OFF AND WITH LARGE HORDES OF WEALTH BUT THEIR CONDITION HAS BEEN WONDERFULLY CHANGED FOR THE BETTER EVER SINCE THE REVOLUTION
large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_07_yonge_64kb
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