176.--11. sous le nom de Louis XIV. Louis XIV was also
known as le _Roi-Soleil_.
15. Conseil général de l'Eure. The old French provinces were
abolished during the Revolution, and the territory was redivided into
_départements_, of which there are at present 86 (if the territory
around Belfort be not counted); each department is governed by a
_préfet_, or prefect. These departments are subdivided into 362
arrondissements, with a sous-préfet at the head of each; these into
2899 _cantons_, governed by a council; and these in turn into 36,170
_communes_, governed by mayors. The chief magistrate of the modern
Republic (declared in 1870) is the President, elected for seven years by
the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. These latter legislative bodies
are composed respectively of 300 members elected for nine years (one
third every three years), and of 597 members elected for four years.
The President appoints a cabinet of ten ministers to aid him in his
executive duties. When a cabinet receives only a minority of votes of
confidence in the Chamber of Deputies, it resigns in a body and a new
cabinet is formed. The executive power is represented throughout France
by the préfets, sous-préfets and mayors. Each commune, canton and
arrondissement possesses a council which cannot treat of political
questions. There is also a conseil général which considers
departmental affairs. A deliberative body and a representative of
the executive are thus found side by side throughout the strongly
centralized Republic.
20. nous sommes donc autorisé. The author is speaking for himself
alone, hence the participle is in the singular.
178.--7. zéro. The French use the Centigrade thermometer
with zero at 32° Fahrenheit; 1 4/5° F. = 1° C.
179.--28. un air de famille avec les Auvergnats. An
allusion to the custom in Auvergne of wearing the beard in this fashion.
180.--32. chaussons de lisière et de la brosserie.
List-shoes and brushes are manufactured in French prisons.
181.--13. qui s'en faisait deux fois autant par la vertu de
l'anse du panier. Compare the phrase, faire danser l'anse du
panier, said of a cook who makes a profit on the supplies of the
Household.