large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_06_yonge_64kb_10
large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_06_yonge_64kb
English
12344
France under Louis XIV.  There was, in fact, nothing but the chase to occupy a gentleman on his own estate, for he was allowed no duties or responsibilities. FRANCE UNDER LOUIS THE FOURTEENTH THERE WAS IN FACT NOTHING BUT THE CHASE TO OCCUPY A GENTLEMAN ON HIS OWN ESTATE FOR HE WAS ALLOWED NO DUTIES OR RESPONSIBILITIES
he court was, however, in a most brilliant state. There had been an unusual outburst of talent of every kind in the lull after the Wars of Religion, and in generals, thinkers, artists, and men of literature, France was unusually rich. The king had a wonderful power of self-assertion, which attached them all to him almost as if he were a sort of divinity. The stately, elaborate Spanish etiquette brought in by his mother, Anne of Austria, became absolutely an engine of government. Henry IV. had begun the evil custom of keeping the nobles quiet by giving them situations at court, with pensions attached, and these offices were multiplied to the most enormous and absurd degree, so that every royal personage had some hundreds of personal attendants. Princes of the blood and nobles of every degree were contented to hang about the court, crowding into the most narrow lodgings at Versailles, and thronging its anterooms; and to be ordered to remain in the country was a most severe punishment. 6. OR STATESMEN THE COURT WAS HOWEVER IN A MOST BRILLIANT STATE THERE HAD BEEN AN UNUSUAL OUTBURST OF TALENT OF EVERY KIND IN THE LULL AFTER THE WARS OF RELIGION AND IN GENERALS THINKERS ARTISTS AND MEN OF LITERATURE FRANCE WAS UNUSUALLY RICH THE KING HAD A WONDERFUL POWER OF SELF ASSERTION WHICH ATTACHED THEM ALL TO HIM ALMOST AS IF HE WERE A SORT OF DIVINITY THE STATELY ELABORATE SPANISH ETIQUETTE BROUGHT IN BY HIS MOTHER ANNE OF AUSTRIA BECAME ABSOLUTELY AN ENGINE OF GOVERNMENT HENRY THE FOURTH HAD BEGUN THE EVIL CUSTOM OF KEEPING THE NOBLES QUIET BY GIVING THEM SITUATIONS AT COURT WITH PENSIONS ATTACHED AND THESE OFFICES WERE MULTIPLIED TO THE MOST ENORMOUS AND ABSURD DEGREE SO THAT EVERY ROYAL PERSONAGE HAD SOME HUNDREDS OF PERSONAL ATTENDANTS PRINCES OF THE BLOOD AND NOBLES OF EVERY DEGREE WERE CONTENTED TO HANG ABOUT THE COURT CROWDING INTO THE MOST NARROW LODGINGS AT VERSAILLES AND THRONGING ITS ANTE ROOMS AND TO BE ORDERED TO REMAIN IN THE COUNTRY WAS A MOST SEVERE PUNISHMENT SIX
large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_06_yonge_64kb
file
download/librilight/large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_06_yonge_64kb.flac