“He was one day _en confidence_ with me, and mentioning several events of the last century. ‘How has that poor _siècle_ been calumniated,’ said he, gaily, ‘and yet, after all, I do not see that the _productive_ power of your system equals that of the one you so much condemn. Where is the wit of your _salons_, the independence of your writers, the charm and influence of your women? What have you received in exchange for all these, which have fled for ever? Were I young, I should regret, and wish that I were old, to enjoy, at least in memory, the delicious _existence morale_ of _my_ time. I would not give the remembrance of those times for all the novelty and what you call _improvements_ of the social system of to-day, even with the youth and spirit necessary to enjoyment. ’Tis true there were abuse and exaggeration in many of our institutions, but where is the system in which these do not exist? If our people was devoured with misery and taxes, yours is wasting to the core with _envy_ and with discontent. Our _noblesse_ was corrupt and prodigal, yours is _bourgeoise_ and miserly—greater evils still for the prosperity of the nation. If our king had many mistresses, yours has many masters. Has _he_ gained by the exchange? Thus you see it clearly demonstrated that not one of the three orders has advanced in happiness by these wonderful _improvements_ which you so much admire.’
“He joined good-naturedly in the laugh which I could not repress at his last regret, and I asked him if he had ever seen the _dernière maîtresse en titre du Roi de France_, Madame Dubarri.
“‘Frequently,’ replied he, ‘both before and after her disgrace, and, moreover, the last visit I ever paid her has been impressed upon my memory, by the circumstance of its being the first I made after having obtained the dignity of _agent-général du clergé_, which my mother had been soliciting for me so long. I had been the whole morning closeted with my uncle, listening to his various instructions and counsels relative to my new duties. So anxious was the dear good man to make me perfectly aware of the new dignity with which I had just been invested, that he had kept me for more than two hours standing before him. So strict was the clerical etiquette of the time, that he dared not request me to be seated in the presence of the two acolytes, who, by the law of that same etiquette, never left him, night or day, save when he himself was admitted into the presence of a superior.