In ordinary times the augmentation of old taxes, and more especially the imposition of new taxes, are the only subjects likely to cause trouble to a Government, or excite a people. Under the old financial constitution of Europe, when any Prince had expensive desires, or plunged into an adventurous line of policy, or allowed his finances to become disordered, or (to take another instance) needed money for the purpose of sustaining himself by winning partisans by means of enormous gains or heavy salaries that they had never earned, or by keeping up numerous armies, by undertaking great public works, &c. &c., he was obliged at once to have recourse to taxation; a proceeding that immediately roused and excited every class, especially that class which creates revolutions--the people. Nowadays, in similar positions, loans are contracted, the immediate effect of which passes almost unperceived, and the final result of which is only felt by the succeeding generation. Note (LII.)--Page 105, line 29. As one example, among many others, the fact may be cited, that the principal domains in the jurisdiction of Mayenne were farmed out to _Fermiers-Généraux_, who took as _Sous-Fermiers_ little miserable tillers of land, who had nothing of their own, and for whom they were obliged to furnish the most necessary farming utensils. It may be well conceived that _Fermiers-Généraux_ of this kind had no great consideration for the farmers or due-paying tenants of the old feudal _Seigneur_, who had put them in his place, and that the exercise of feudalism in such hands as these was often more hard to bear than in the Middle Ages. Note (LIII.)--Page 105, line 29. ANOTHER EXAMPLE. The inhabitants of Mantbazon had put upon the _taille_ the Stewards of the Duchy, which was in possession of the Price de Rohan, although these Stewards only farmed in his name. This Prince (who must have been extremely wealthy) not only caused this ‘abuse,’ as he termed it, to be put a stop to, but obtained the reimbursement of 5344 livres 15 sous, which he had been improperly made to pay, and which was charged upon the inhabitants. Note (LIV.)--Page 108, line 7. EXAMPLE OF THE MANNER IN WHICH THE PECUNIARY CLAIMS OF THE CLERGY ALIENATED FROM THEM THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHOSE ISOLATED POSITION OUGHT TO HAVE CONCILIATED THEM. The Curé of Noisai asserted that the inhabitants were obliged to undertake the repairs of his barn and wine-press, and asked for the imposition of a local tax for that purpose. The _Intendant_ gave answer that the inhabitants were only obliged to repair the parsonage-house, and that the barn and wine-press were to be at the expense of this pastor, who was evidently more busied about the affairs of his farm than his spiritual flock (1767). Note (LV.)--Page 110, line 4.