BOOK OF DOVECOTES , 



means negligible among the many causes of | 

 the Revolution. 1 



For in France the right to erect and main- 

 tain a colombier was rigidly restricted; as in 

 England it was a privilege longconfinedto the 

 lord of a manor, so across the Channel it was 

 the exclusive right of three classes of landed 

 proprietors — grands justiciers, seigneurs defiefy 

 2LVidi seigneurs dec ensive. This is hardly the place 

 in which toexplainatlengththedistinctionsbe- 

 tween these three classes, but it is of interest 

 to note that, excepting in Brittany, there was 

 nodistinction with regard tobirth; the right be- 

 longed to any member of one of the above- 

 named classes, whether he were of the noblesse 

 or a mere roturier. But it is doubtful whether 

 this would be any great consolation to the 

 peasant, who, viewing the havoc wrought 

 among his crops by the lord's birds, would pro- 

 bably fail to observe any serious difference be- 

 tween the appetites of pigeons kept by a 

 gentleman of ancient lineage, and of those 

 whose owner came of humble stock. 



The privilege in question applied merely to 

 a colombier a pied — that is, to a substantial 

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