Land, to increase their Domain, had imperceptibly appropriated to
themselves the holdings (TERRES) of their vassals. Had this abuse
been suffered to go on, in time a great"-- But the commentary
needed would be too lengthy; we will give only the result: "In the
long-run, every Village would have had its Lord, but there would
have been no tax-paying Farmers left." The Landlord, ruler of these
Landless, might himself (as Majesty well knows) have been made to
PAY, had that been all; but it was not. "To possess something;
that is what makes the citizen attached to his Country; those who
have no property, and have nothing to lose, what tie have they?"
A weak one, in comparison! "All these things being represented to
the Landlord Class, their own advantage made them consent to
replace their Peasants on the old footing." ...

"To make head against so many extraordinary demands," adds the King
(looking over to a new Chapter, that of the MILITARY, which
Department, to his eyes, was not less shockingly dilapidated than
the CIVIL, and equally or more needed instant repair), "new
resources had to be devised. For, besides what was needed for
re-establishment of the Provinces, new Fortifications were
necessary; and all our Cannon, E'VASES (worn too wide in the bore),
needed to be refounded; which occasioned considerable new expense.
This led us to improvement of the Excises,"--concerning which there
will have to be a Section by itself.


OF FRIEDRICH'S NEW EXCISE SYSTEM.

In his late Inspection-Journey to Cleve Country, D'Alembert, from
Paris, by appointment waited for the King; [In ( OEuvres de