the origins of contemporary france-1-第74章

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An　inspiration　of　humanity　animates　these　feminine　breasts　along　with

that　of　liberty。　　　They　interest　themselves　in　the　poor；　in　children；

in　the　people；　Madame　d'Egmont　recommends　Gustavus　III　to　plant

Dalecarlia　with　potatoes。　　　On　the　appearance　of　the　engraving

published　for　the　benefit　of　Calas＇42＇　〃all　France　and　even　all

Europe；　hastens　to　subscribe　for　it；　the　Empress　of　Russia　giving

5；000　livres＇43＇。　　　〃Agriculture；　economy；　reform；　philosophy；〃　writes

Walpole；　〃are　bon　ton；　even　at　the　court。〃　　…　　　President　Dupaty

having　drawn　up　a　memorandum　in　behalf　of　three　innocent　persons；

sentenced　〃to　be　broken　on　the　wheel；　everybody　in　society　is　talking

about　it；〃　〃idle　conversation　no　longer　prevails　in　society；〃　says　a

correspondent　of　Gustavus　III＇44＇　〃since　it　is　that　which　forms　public

opinion。　　　Words　have　become　actions。　　　Every　sensitive　heart　praises

with　joy　a　publication　inspired　by　humanity　and　which　appears　full　of

talent　because　it　is　full　of　feeling。〃　When　Latude　is　released　from

the　prison　of　Bicêtre　Mme。　　　de　Luxembourg；　Mme。　　　de　Boufflers；　and

Mme。　　　de　Sta？l　dine　with　the　grocer…woman　who　〃for　three　years　and　a

half　moved　heaven　and　earth　〃　to　set　the　prisoner　free。　　　It　is　owing

to　the　women；　to　their　sensibility　and　zeal；　to　a　conspiracy　of　their

sympathies；　that　M。　de　Lally　succeeds　in　the　rehabilitation　of　his

father。　　　When　they　take　a　fancy　to　a　person　they　become　infatuated

with　him；　Madame　de　Lauzun；　very　timid；　goes　so　far　as　to　publicly

insult　a　man　who　speaks　ill　of　M。　Necker。　　　　　…　　It　must　be　borne　in

mind　that；　in　this　century；　the　women　were　queens；　setting　the

fashion；　giving　the　tone；　leading　in　conversation　and　naturally

shaping　ideas　and　opinions＇45＇。　　　When　they　take　the　lead　on　the

political　field　we　may　be　sure　that　the　men　will　follow　them：　each　one

carries　her　drawing　room　circle　with　her。





VI。　　　WELL…MEANING　GOVERNMENT。



Infinite；　vague　aspirations。　　　…　Generosity　of　sentiments　and　of

conduct。　　　…　The　mildness　and　good　intentions　of　the　government。　　　…

Its　blindness　and　optimism。



An　aristocracy　imbued　with　humanitarian　and　radical　maxims；

courtiers　hostile　to　the　court；　privileged　persons　aiding　in

undermining　privileges；　presents　to　us　a　strange　spectacle　in　the

testimony　of　the　time。　　　A　contemporary　states　that　it　is　an　accepted

principle　〃to　change　and　upset　everything。〃＇46＇　　High　and　low；　in

assemblages；　in　public　places；　only　reformers　and　opposing　parties　are

encountered　among　the　privileged　classes。



　〃In　1787；　almost　every　prominent　man　of　the　peerage　in　the

Parliament　declared　himself　in　favor　of　resistance。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　I

have　seen　at　the　dinners　we　then　attended　almost　every　idea　put

forward；　which；　soon　afterwards；　produced　such　startling　effects。〃＇47＇

Already　in　1774；　M。　de　Vaublanc；　on　his　way　to　Metz；　finds　a　diligence

containing　an　ecclesiastic　and　a　count；　a　colonel　in　the　hussars；

talking　political　economy　constantly＇48＇。　　　〃It　was　the　fashion　of　the

day。　　　Everybody　was　an　economist。　　　People　conversed　together　only

about　philosophy；　political　economy　and　especially　humanity；　and　the

means　for　relieving　the　people；　（le　bon　peuple）；　which　two　words　were

in　everybody's　mouth。〃　To　this　must　be　added　equality；　Thomas；　in　a

eulogy　of　Marshal　Saxe　says；　〃I　cannot　conceal　it；　he　was　of　royal

blood；〃　and　this　phrase　was　admired。　　　A　few　of　the　heads　of　old

parliamentary　or　seigniorial　families　maintain　the　old　patrician　and

monarchical　standard；　the　new　generation　succumbing　to　novelty。　　　〃For

ourselves；〃　says　one　of　them　belonging　to　the　youthful　class　of　the

nobility；＇49＇　〃with　no　regret　for　the　past　or　anxiety　for　the　future；

we　marched　gaily　along　over　a　carpet　of　flowers　concealing　an　abyss。

Mocking　censors　of　antiquated　ways；　of　the　feudal　pride　of　our　fathers

and　of　their　sober　etiquette；　everything　antique　seemed　to　us　annoying

and　ridiculous。　　　The　gravity　of　old　doctrines　oppressed　us。　　　The

cheerful　philosophy　of　Voltaire　amused　and　took　possession　of　us。

Without　fathoming　that　of　graver　writers　we　admired　it　for　its　stamp

of　fearlessness　and　resistance　to　arbitrary　power。　　　。　　　。　　　。

Liberty；　what…ever　its　language；　delighted　us　with　its　spirit；　and

equality　on　account　of　its　convenience。　　　It　is　a　pleasant　thing　to

descend　so　long　as　one　thinks　one　can　ascend　when　one　pleases；　we　were

at　once　enjoying；　without　forethought；　the　advantages　of　the

patriciate　and　the　sweets　of　a　commoner　philosophy。　　　Thus；　although

our　privileges　were　at　stake；　and　the　remnants　of　our　former　supremacy

were　undermined　under　our　feet；　this　little　warfare　gratified　us。

Inexperienced　in　the　attack；　we　simply　admired　the　spectacle。

Combats　with　the　pen　and　with　words　did　not　appear　to　us　capable　of

damaging　our　existing　superiority；　which　several　centuries　of

possession　had　made　us　regard　as　impregnable。　　　The　forms　of　the

edifice　remaining　intact；　we　could　not　see　how　it　could　be　mined　from

within。　　　We　laughed　at　the　serious　alarm　of　the　old　court　and　of　the

clergy　which　thundered　against　the　spirit　of　innovation。　　　We

applauded　republican　scenes　in　the　theater；＇50＇　philosophic　discourses

in　our　Academies；　the　bold　publications　of　the　literary　class。〃…　If

inequality　still　subsists　in　the　distribution　of　offices　and　of

places；　〃equality　begins　to　reign　in　society。　　　On　many　occasions

literary　titles　obtain　precedence　over　titles　of　nobility。　　　Courtiers

and　servants　of　the　passing　fashion；　paid　their　court　to　Marmontel；

d'Alembert　and　Raynal。　　　We　frequently　saw　in　company　literary　men　of

the　second　and　third　rank　greeted　and　receiving　attentions　not

extended　to　the　nobles　of　the　provinces。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　Institutions

remained　monarchical；　but　manners　and　customs　became　republican。　　　A

word　of　praise　from　d'Alembert　or　Diderot　was　more　esteemed　than　the

most　marked　favor　from　a　prince。　　　。　　　。　　　　It　was　impossible　to　pass

an　evening　with　d'Alembert；　or　at　the　H？tel　de　Larochefoucauld　among

the　friends　of　Turgot；　to　attend　a　breakfast　at　the　Abbé　Raynal's；　to

be　admitted　into　the　society　and　family　of　M。　de　Malesherbes；　and

lastly；　to　approach　a　most　amiable　queen　and　a　most　upright　king；

without　believing　ourselves　about　to　enter　upon　a　kind　of　golden　era

of　which　preceding　centuries　afforded　no　idea。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　We　were

bewildered　by　the　prismatic　hues　of　fresh　ideas　and　doctrines；　radiant

with　hopes；　ardently　aglow　for　every　sort　of　reputation；　enthusiastic

for　all　talents　and　beguiled　by　every　seductive　dream　of　a　philosophy

that　was　about　to　secure　the　happiness　of　the　human　species。　　　Far

from　foreseeing　misfortune；　excess；　crime；　the　overthrow　of　thrones

and　of　principles；　the　future　disclosed　to　us　only　the　benefits　which

humanity　was　to　derive　from　the　sovereignty　of　Reason。　　　Freedom　of

the　press　and　circulation　was　given　to　every　reformative　writing；　to

every　project　of　innovation；　to　the　most　liberal　ideas　and　to　the

boldest　of　systems。　　　Everybody　thought　himself　on　the　road　to

perfection　without　being　under　any　embarrassment　or　fearing　any　kind

of　obstacle。　　　We　were　proud　of　being　Frenchmen　and；　yet　again；

Frenchmen　of　the　eighteenth　century。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　Never　was　a　more

terrible　awakening　preceded　by　a　sweeter　slumber　or　by　more　seductive

dreams。〃



They　do　not　content　themselves　with　dreams；　with　pure　desires；　with

passive　aspirations。　　　They　are　active；　and　truly　generous；　a　worthy

cause　suffices　to　secure　their　devotion。　　　On　the　news　of　the　American

rebellion；　the　Marquis　de　Lafayette；　leaving　his　young　wife　pregnant；

escapes；　braves　the　orders　of　the　court；　purchases　a　frigate；　crosses

the　ocean　and　fights　by　the　side　of　Washington。　　　〃The　moment　the

quarrel　was　made　known　to　me；〃　he　says；　〃my　heart　was　enlisted　in　it；

and　my　only　thought　was　to　rejoin　my　regiment。〃　Numbers　of　gentlemen

follow　in　his　footsteps。　　　They　undoubtedly　love　danger；　〃the　chance

of　being　shot　is　too　precious　to　be　neglected。〃＇51＇　　But　the　main

thing　is　to　emancipate　the　oppressed；　〃we　showed　ourselves

philosophers　by　becoming　paladins；〃＇52＇　the　chivalric　sentiment

enlisting　in　the　service　of　liberty。　　　Other　services　besides　these；

more　sedentary　and　less　brilliant；　find　no　fewer　zealots。　　　The　chief

personages　of　the　provinces　in　the　provincial　assemblies；＇53＇　the

bishops；　archbishops；　abbés；　dukes；　counts；　and　marquises；　with　the

wealthiest　and　best　informed　of　the　notables　in　the　Third…Estate；　in

all　about　a　thousand　persons；　in　short　the　social　elect；　the　entire

upper　class　convoked　by　the　king；　organize　the　budget；　defend　the　tax…

payer　against　the　fiscal　authorities；　arrange　the　land…registry；

equalize　the　taille；　provide　a　substitute　for　the　corvée；　provide

public　roads；　multiply　charitable　asylums；　educate　agriculturists；

proposing；　encouraging　and　directing　every　species　of　reformatory

movement。　　　I　have　read　through　the　twenty　volumes　of　their　procès…

verbaux：　no　better　citizens；　no　more　conscientious　men；　no　more

devoted　administrators　can　be　found；　none　gratuitously　taking　so　much

trouble　on　themselves　with　no　object　but　the　public　welfare。　　　Never

was　an　aristocracy　so　deserving　of　power　at　the　moment　of　losing　it；

the　privileged　class；　aroused　from　their　indolence；　were　again

becoming　public　men；　and；　restored　to　their　functions；　were　returning

to　their　duties。　　　In　1778；　in　the　first　assembly　of　Berry；　the　Abbé

de　Seguiran；　the　reporter；　has　the　courage　to　state　that　〃the

distribution　of　the　taxes　should　be　a　fraternal　partition　of　public

obligations。〃＇54＇　　In　1780　the　abbés；　priors　and　chapters　of　the　same

province　contribute　60；000　livres　of　their　funds；　and　a　few　gentlemen；

in　less　than　twenty…four　hours；　contribute　17；000　livres。　　　In　1787；

in　the　assembly　of　Alen？on　the　nobility　and　the　clergy　tax　themselves

30；000　livres　to　relieve　the　indigent　in　each　parish　subject　to

taxation＇55＇。　　　in　the　month　of　April；　1787；　the　king；　in　an　assembly

of　the　notables；　speaks　of　〃the　eagerness　with　which　archbishops　and

bishops　come　forward　claiming　no　exemption　in　their　contributions　to

the　public　revenue。〃　In　the　month　of　March；　1789；　on　the　opening　of

the　bailiwick　assemblies；　the　entire　clergy；　nearly　all　the　nobility；

in　short；　the　whole　body　of　the　privileged　class　voluntarily　renounce

their　privileges　in　relation　to　taxation。　　　The　sacrifice　is　voted

unanimously；　they　themselves　offer　it　to　the　Third…Estate；　and　it　is

worth　while　to　see　their　generous　and　sympathetic　tone　in　the

manuscript　procès…verbaux。



　〃The　nobility　of　the　bailiwick　of　Tours；〃　says　the　Marquis　de

Lusignan；＇56＇　〃considering　that　they　are　men　and　citizens　before　being

nobles；　can　make　amends　in　no　way　more　in　conformity　with　the　spirit

of　justice　and　patriotism　that　animates　the　body；　for　the　long　silence

to　which　it　has　been　condemned　by　the　abuse　of　ministerial　power；　than

in　declaring　to　their　fell