France -- Civilization; France -- Politics and government; France -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
* a million at one time to General Lasalle, but likewise vast revenues
from the extraordinary domain[3349],
* 32,463,817 francs a year divided amongst 4970 persons,
* pensions from 250 to 5000 francs for all legionaries,
* villas, large estates, private incomes, distinct and superb endowments
for those of the highest rank, a fortune of 100,000 livres income and
more to 34 of these,
* a fortune of 450,000 livres in the public funds to Cambacérès, of
683,000 livres in the public funds to Masséna, of 728,000 livres in the
public funds to Ney, of 910,000 livres in the public funds to Davout, of
1,354,000 livres in the public funds to Berthier,
* and besides all this, three "sovereign principalities," Neufchatel to
Berthier, Benevento to Talleyrand, and Ponte-Corvo to Bernadotte.--
This last attraction which, in these times of violent and premature
death, is of no little account. Napoleon opens out hereditary and
undefined prospects beyond the perspectives of life and of inferior
interests. Each of the titles conferred by him, that of prince, duke,
count, baron, and even that of chevalier, is transmissible in direct
descent, according to primogeniture from father to son, and sometimes
from uncle to nephew, under specified conditions which are very
acceptable, and of which the first is the institution of an inalienable
majority, inattackable, consisting of this or that income or real
property, of bank stock or state securities, from 3000 francs for common
chevaliers up to 200,000 francs for the dukes, that is to say, a certain
fortune in perpetuity due to the sovereign's liberality, or to the
prudence of the founder, and intended to support the dignity of the
title from male to male and from link to link throughout the future
chain of successive inheritors. Through this supreme reward, the subtle
tempter has a hold on the men who care not alone for themselves but for
their family: henceforth, the work as he does, eighteen hours a day,
stand fire, and say to themselves, while sinking at their desks or
facing cannon-ball that their pre-eminence survives them in their
posterity:
"In any event my son will succeed me and even become greater by my
death."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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