Hippolyte Taine
The Ancient Regime
Published by Good Press, 2019
EAN 4057664640017
Table of Contents
PREFACE BY THE AUTHOR: ON POLITICAL IGNORANCE AND WISDOM.
BOOK FIRST. THE STRUCTURE OF THE ANCIENT SOCIETY.
CHAPTER I. THE ORIGIN OF PRIVILEGES.
I. Services and Recompenses of the Clergy.
II. Services and Recompenses of the Nobles.
III. Services and Recompenses of the King.
CHAPTER II. THE PRIVILEGED CLASSES.
I. Number of the Privileged Classes.
II. Their Possessions, Capital, and Revenue.
These advantages are the remains of primitive sovereignty.
V. They may be justified by local and general services.
CHAPTER III. LOCAL SERVICES DUE BY THE PRIVILEGED CLASSES.
I. Examples in Germany and England.—These services are not rendered by
CHAPTER IV. PUBLIC SERVICES DUE BY THE PRIVILEGED CLASSES.
I. England compared to France.
V. The King's Incompetence and Generosity.
VI. Latent Disorganization in France.
BOOK SECOND. MORALS AND CHARACTERS.
CHAPTER I. MORAL PRINCIPLES UNDER THE ANCIENT REGIME.
The Court and a life of pomp and parade.
The Physical aspect and the moral character of Versailles.
CHAPTER II. DRAWING ROOM LIFE. 2201
III. Universal Pleasure Seeking.
VII. Theater, Parade And Extravagance.
CHAPTER III. DISADVANTAGES OF THIS DRAWING ROOM LIFE.
I. Its Barrenness and Artificiality
II. Return To Nature And Sentiment.