DuringthelastfiftyyearsFrencharistocratshaveceasedtobefactorseveninmatterssocial，thesceptretheyonceheldhavingpassedintoalienhands，thedaughtersofAlbiontoagreatextentreplacingtheirFrenchrivalsininfluencingthewaysofthe\"world，\"—achange，beitremarkedinpassing，thathasnotimprovedthetoneofsocietyorcontributedtothespreadofgoodmanners。
PeopleliketheFrenchnobles，engagedinsulkingandattemptingtooverthroworboycotteachsucceedingregime，mustnaturallylosetheirinfluence。Theyhaveheldaloofsolong—fearingtocompromisethemselvesbyanyadvancestothepowersthatbe，andrestrainedbycountlesstraditionsfromtakinganactivepartineitherthesocialorpoliticalstrife—thatlittlebylittletheyhavebeenpassedbyandignored；
whichisapity，foramidtheruinofmanyhopesandambitionstheyhaveremainedtruetotheircasteandhandeddownfromgenerationtogenerationthesecretofthatgraciousurbanityandtactwhichdistinguishedtheGallicnoblewomaninthelastcenturyfromtherestofherkindandmadehersodeftinthedifficultartofpleasing—andbeingpleased。
Withinthelastfewyearstherehave，however，beensignsofachange。Youngmembersofhistorichousesshowanamusinginclinationtoescapefromtheirausteresurroundingsandresumetheplacetheirgrandparentsabdicated。Ifitisimpossibletoruleasformerly，theyatanyrateintendtogetsomefunoutofexistence。
Thisjoyousmovementtothefrontisbeingmadebytheyoungmatronsenlistedunderthe\"Sevenlittleduchesses’\"banner。