large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_06_yonge_64kb_55
large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_06_yonge_64kb
English
12344
Writers arose, among whom Voltaire and Rousseau were the most eminent, who aimed at the overthrow of all the ideas which had come to be thus abused. WRITERS AROSE AMONG WHOM VOLTAIRE AND ROUSSEL WERE THE MOST EMINENT WHO AIMED AT THE OVERTHROW OF ALL THE IDEAS WHICH HAD COME TO BE THUS ABUSED
, but what they were supposed to need. Every pig was rated at what he ought to require for salting. Every cow, sheep, or hen had a toll to pay to king, lord, bishop--sometimes also to priest and abbey. The peasant was called off from his own work to give the dues of labour to the roads or to his lord. He might not spread manure that could interfere with the game, nor drive away the partridges that ate his corn. So scanty were his crops that famines slaying thousands passed unnoticed, and even if, by any wonder, prosperity smiled on the peasant, he durst not live in any kind of comfort, lest the stewards of his lord or of Government should pounce on his wealth. 16. Reaction.--Meantime there was a strong feeling that change must come. Classical literature was studied, and Greek and Roman manners and institutions were thought ideal perfection. There was great disgust at the fetters of a highly artificial life in which every one was bound, and at the institutions which had been so misused. ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY USED BUT WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO NEED EVERY PIG WAS RATED AT WHAT HE OUGHT TO REQUIRE FOR SALTING EVERY COW SHEEP OR HEN HAD AT ALL TO PAY TO KING LORD BISHOP SOMETIMES ALSO TO PRIEST AND ABBEY THE PEASANT WAS CALLED OFF FROM HIS WORK TO GIVE THE DUES OF LABOR TO THE ROADS OR TO HIS LORD HE MIGHT NOT SPREAD MANURE THAT COULD INTERFERE WITH THE GAME NOR DRIVE AWAY THE PARTRIDGES THAT ATE HIS CORN SO SCANTY WERE HIS CROPS THAT FAMINES SLAYING THOUSANDS PASSED UNNOTICED AND EVEN IF BY ANY WONDER PROSPERITY SMILED ON THE PEASANT HE DURST NOT LIVE IN ANY KIND OF COMFORT LEST THE STEWARDS OF HIS LORD OR OF GOVERNMENT SHOULD POUNCE ON HIS WEALTH SIXTEEN REACTION MEANTIME THERE WAS A STRONG FEELING THAT CHANGE MUST COME CLASSICAL LITERATURE WAS STUDIED AND GREEK AND ROMAN MANNERS AND INSTITUTIONS WERE THOUGHT IDEAL PERFECTION THERE WAS GREAT DISGUST AT THE FETTERS OF A HIGHLY ARTIFICIAL LIFE IN WHICH EVERYONE WAS BOUND AND AT THE INSTITUTIONS WHICH HAD BEEN SO MISUSED
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