The decree regulating luxury in France, as of September 7, and the “annexed tables”, of which I gave you certain extracts, in short only renew to the taste of the day the famous Calvinist ordinances of the city of Geneva . A Geneva reader was kind enough to copy for me, at the city library, where they are kept, some of these ordinances.
Sumptuary ordinances for the year 1662
Ord.IX°, — Item all velvet or embroidered shoes are prohibited, with a penalty of 10 escus fine.
Ord. XVII, — Item all silk stockings are prohibited with a fine of 20 escus,
Ord. XXVIII. —-Item is forbidden to have more than 30 people at the wedding feasts, with a penalty of 25 escu fine.
Ord. XVI. — We forbid fathers and mothers, on the occasion of a marriage, from giving a gold belt buckle, gold watch and chain and any other jewelry of the same metal.

YEAR 1717
Ord. IV - Let us forbid all lace stitches and embroidery on furniture, all mirrors exceeding the height of 32 inches, with a fine of barely 15 escus, Ord. X °, - let's defend all silk embroidery, fringes, cups and all training tails barely 5 sous,

YEAR 1772
Ord. XVI. —It is forbidden to extend dance parties beyond 10 hours, the fine having to be payable by the person with whom the dancing took place.
Ord. XXI°. —Item. Under penalty of 250 fl. we defend the use of any moving car in the city.

I have always greatly appreciated the Swiss process which consists of warning you exactly, and immediately, of what it will cost you to contravene this or that regulation of: police: —.« Prohibition of luger, fine 7 francs »; or: — “No running, fine 3fr

So that, if you want to have a little fun at the expense of the police, you can build up a small purse of fines, and pay yourself fifty francs, a hundred francs in anarchy, without fear of exceeding the set budget ...
Calvin's "defenses" were in short nothing other than a luxury tax, and people who in 1662 wanted to wear silk stockings, for example, knew that the price of silk stockings would be increased by 20 crowns. for having worn them... And you will notice that the “gold watch” was already considered a “luxury object”.…
The difference between Calvin and Mr. de Lasteyrie is that Calvin taxed luxury to punish it, while Mr. de Lasteyrie would like to make us money from it; — but the result...

FRANC-NOHAIN.