It is undoubtedly poor breeding to dissmiss the soldiers of the Vendee. And it is always cheering to read such an accomplished comeback. As I understand it the main line of Bourbon tended to keep off battlefields once Louis XIV had gone, I forget right now if Louis XV wnet on campaign. The cadet branch of the family, Orleans seem to have fulfilled the military role.

Except for the poor treatment just shown however, it might have been better for France that they stayed away from the field. As we should recall the trouble the various crowned heads caused when they joined their armies in the field. Would Austerlitz have happened if Alexander hadn't been there? After all Prince's of the blood outrank Generals of the field etc, they cause Merry Hell on a battlefield.

I think that it should go unquestioned that the later Bourbons really did a poor job of settling the ship. But let us not forget the reasons why taxes shot up, and the military was cut down. With a deficit of over 70 million to account for after 20 years of war, and standing armies the size of Napoleon I's cost allot of money. They may well have crashed the car, but it wasn't in tip top shape when they resumed the driver's seat.
And although he would try to undo much of the good of it, Louis fairly liberal 1814 charter (which of course was an allied stipulation of his restoration) ensured the allies left French soil and that France would pay no indemnity, they would not be so generous again in 1815. No there is not much one can say in unfettered praise about the later Bourbons, but as I've said before I think they offered about as much stability as Napoleon did, and they failed ultimately to undo the reforms of the Revolution and the empire.