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1、BrooklynCollegeCoreCurriculum:TheShapingoftheModernWorldSection2Reading1:CardinalRichelieu:PoliticalTestament,1624AtthetimewhenyourMajestyresolvedtoadmitmebothtoyourcouncilandtoanimportantplaceinyourconfidenceforthedirectionofyouraffairs,ImaysaythattheHu
2、guenotssharedthestatewithyou;thatthenoblesconductedthemselvesasiftheywerenotyoursubjects,andthemostpowerfulgovernorsoftheprovincesasiftheyweresovereignintheiroffices.Imaysaythatthebadexampleofallofthesewassoinjurioustothisrealmthateventhebestregulatedpar
3、lementswereaffectedbyit,andendeavored,incertaincasestodiminishyourroyalauthorityasfarastheywereableinordertostretchtheirownpowersbeyondthelimitsofreason.Imaysaythateveryonemeasuredhisownmeritbyhisaudacity;thatinplaceofestimatingthebenefitswhichtheyreceiv
4、edfromyourMajestyattheirproperworth,allvaluedthemonlyinsofarastheysatisfiedtheextravagantdemandsoftheirimagination;thatthemostarrogantwereheldtobethewisest,andfoundthemselvesthemostprosperous.Imayalsosaythattheforeignallianceswereunfortunate,individualin
5、terestsbeingpreferredtothoseofthepublic;inaword,thedignityoftheroyalmajestywassodisparaged,andsodifferentfromwhatitshouldbe,owingtothemalfeasanceofthosewhoconductedyouraffairs,thatitwasalmostimpossibletoperceiveitsexistence.Itwasimpossible,withoutlosinga
6、ll,totoleratelongertheconductofthosetowhomyourMajestyhadintrustedthehelmofstate;and,ontheotherband,everythingcouldnotbechangedatoncewithoutviolatingthelawsofprudence,whichdonotpermittheabruptpassingfromoneextremetoanother.Thesadstateofyouraffairsseemedto
7、forceyoutohastydecisions,withoutpermittingachoiceoftimeorofmeans;andyetitwasnecessarytomakeachoiceofboth,inordertoprofitbythechangewhichnecessitydemandedfromyourprudence.Thoughtfulobserversdidnotthinkthatitwouldbepossibletoescapealltherocksinsotempestuou
8、saperiod;thecourtwasfullofpeoplewhocensuredthetemerityofthosewhowishedtoundertakeareform;allwellknewthatprincesarequicktoimputetothosewhoarenearthemthebadoutcomeoftheundertakingsuponwhichtheyhavebeenwelladvised;fewpeopleco
