Chapter 1.2.V: Astraea Redux Without Cash
Synopsis
We're doing philosophy. We're doing youth. We're doing joy. We're doing Benjamin Franklin and Voltaire at parties together. We're doing revolutions in America.
The only problem is that we're doing all of this with money that we don't and haven't had. This problem has been looming.
The plan was for Turgot to find a magic wand. Unable to do this, he has instead found a plan to tax the nobility. Lol! “You're fired.” Maurepas replaces Turgot with the “wunderkind” Jacques Necker. But like a “mere Turgot,” he can come up with nothing better than more taxes. He too, for this and more petty reasons (Maurepas is jealous of his popularity), is fired.
He, however, remains popular and will violate Louis XVI's gag order to publish a book on the state of French finances. It paints a none-too-rosy picture.
Notes
our Deane Silas Deane, a delegate to the Continental Congress from Connecticut, was sent to France to solicit French aid in March 1776. No official alliance would be signed until 1778, but Deane immediately began working with Beaumarchais (see above prev chapter) to covertly deliver supplies to the rebels.
our Franklin Benjamin Franklin arrived in Paris in December 1776 where he was greeted as a hero, second only to Voltaire in popularity. Despite what Carlyle says, it would seem he quickly warmed up to the culture of Paris, with John Adams (who replaced Silas Deane in 1777) finding cause to criticize Franklin's comfortability with certain ladies of the salon.
Paul Jones shall equip his Bon Homme Richard John Paul Jones took charge of the USS Bon Homme Richard (named for Franklin's Poor Richard) in 1779, sailing it to the British Isles and winning a major victory but losing the ship in the process.
Termagant An imaginary deity of violent and turbulent character; also used to describe an overbearing and harsh-tempered woman
Ville de Paris This three-deck French ship was completed in 1764 and commissioned to assist in the American cause in 1778.
eleutheromaniac A maniac for freedom, from Greek eleuthería, "freedom"
Gages, Lees Thomas Gage was a British officer and commander-in-chief of the British forces from 1763-1775
Rochambeaus, Bouillés, Lameths, Lafayettes All Frenchmen who served in the American Revolutionary War; they would all go on to be be involved in the early stages of the French Revolution.
Off Ushant The Battle of Ushant was a naval battle between France and Britain fought near the island of Ushant at the mouth of the English Channel. Initially reported as a French victory, its result was indecisive at best (see below).
our young Prince, Duke de Chartres Louis Philippe II d'Orléans, who is to become first Duke d'Orléans and then Philippe Egalité. After the Battle of Ushant he returned to Paris telling tales of victory and receiving a standing ovation. Later reports clarified the indecisive nature of the battle, and indicated that the Duke had either failed to hear or ignored an order to fire on the enemy.
English Keppel Augustus Keppel, commander-in-chief of the Channel Fleet.
Woe also for Ville de Paris, the Leviathan of ships! English Rodney has clutched it English Admiral Rodney took the Ville de Paris at the Battle of the Saintes in 1782, fought in the Caribbean. It was England's greatest victory over France during the American War.
Suffren French naval officer and admiral who was at this time fighting the British and allied with the Dutch in the Indian Ocean as part of the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War.
Hyder Ally Was the Sultan of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India.
Let the old sea-hero rest now, honoured of France In 1780 Louis XVI granted Suffren a pension in recognition of his services
through the old chimneys of the Castle of Jalès,—which one day, in other hands, shall have other fame Suffren was also entrusted the Castle of Jalès, where he stayed for the last time in 1788. In 1792, Jalès was the site of a counter-revolutionary uprising that was crushed by the patriots.
Lapérouse French naval officer and explore sent by Louis XVI in 1785 on a scientific exploration around the world.
for the King knows Geography Louis XVI had a passion and aptitude for geography
Neither, while the War yet lasts, will Gibraltar surrender. The Great Siege of Gibraltar, the largest battle of the American Revolution by number of combatants, was an unsuccessful attempt by Spain and France to capture Gibraltar from the British. It lasted from 1779 to 1783.
Crillon A Franco-Spanish military officer put in charge of the siege. Full name: Louis des Balbes de Berton de Crillon, 1st Duke of Mahón.
Nassau-Siegen Karl Heinrich von Nassau-Siegen was one of those old-school war adventurer types. He commanded ships at the siege of Gibraltar, and later went on to become Catherine the Great's worst ever naval commander.
Prince Condé Still the same Louis Joseph de Bourbon who was at Louis XV's deathbed.
Prince d’Artois Again, Louis' brother Charles Philippe, future King Charles X.
Pacte de Famille The name given to three separate alliances between Spain and France following the War of the Spanish Succession. This the third was made in 1761 during the Seven Years' War.
Plutonically After Pluto, aka Hades, Greek god of the underworld
as if stone Calpe had become a throat of the Pit Calpe: a Mediterranean municipality of Spain; Pit: i.e. of Hell
Hôtel-de-Ville The city hall of Paris
M. de Clugny Jean Étienne Bernard Ogier de Clugny, baron de Nuits took over for Turgot when he was dismissed in May 1776 but died shortly thereafter in October, making him a mere footnote in the passage from Turgot to Necker.
Genevese Necker Jacques Necker was a Swiss-born financial wunderkind who took over financial administration in October 1776. As a Protestant, he could not serve as Controller General, and was instead given the title "director-general of the royal treasury" and then. From relatively humble origins (his father was a lawyer), he was popular with the third estate and remained so after his dismissal.
How singular for Celadon Gibbon, false swain as he had proved In an interesting crossover episode, Necker married a woman named Suzanne Curchod whom Edward Gibbon, English historian famous for his Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, had first sought. Celadon = green.
A new young Demoiselle, one day to be famed as a Madame and De Staël Madame de Staël, famous woman of letters and a major figure from the days of the Revolution to the Restoration, was the daughter of Necker and Curchod.
Marquis de Pezay An 18th century courtier and man of letters who died in 1777. It is possible that Carlyle is referring to the man's father, who did not bear this title but served as a finance minister under Maurepas during the time of Louis XV.
Compte Rendu In a bid at transparency, in 1781 Necker published the compte rendu, an accounting of the royal finances. The document was such a big deal that some Frenchmen who were children at the time recalled learning to read from it. Unfortunately, some shady accounting on the part of Necker (separating “ordinary” from “extraordinary” expenses, and only showing the ordinary) made the crown's troubles appear more manageable than they in fact were.
vectigal A tax
Let Necker also depart; not unlamented. Necker was dismissed by Maurepas in 1781; as mentioned above, he was generally popular
“Eighty thousand copies” of his new Book, which he calls Administration des Finances Necker violated Louis XVI's request that he remain silent to publish this book
Thelusson’s Bank The inspiration for Dicken’s “Tellson's Bank” in A Tale of Two Cities