the origins of contemporary france-4-第80章

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loss　to　individuals　and　no　gain；　or　the　minimum　of　a　gain；　to　the

State。　　Such　is　the　net　result　of　the　revolutionary　government。　　After

having　laid　its　hand　on　three…fifths　of　the　landed　property　of　France；

after　having　wrested　from　communities　and　individuals　from　ten　to

twelve　billions　of　real　and　personal　estate；　after　having　increased；

through　assignats　and　territorial　warrants；　the　public　debt；　which　was

not　five　billions　in　1789；　to　more　than　fifty　billions；＇46＇　no　longer

able　to　pay　its　employees；　reduced　to　supporting　its　armies　as　well　as

itself　by　forced　contributions　on　conquered　territories；　it　ends　in

bankruptcy；　it　repudiates　two…thirds　of　its　debt；　and　its　credit　is　so

low　that　the　remaining　third　which　it　has　consolidated　and　guaranteed

afresh；　loses　eighty…three　per　cent。　　the　very　next　day。　　In　its

hands；　the　State　has　itself　suffered　as　much　as　the　private

individuals。　　…　Of　the　latter；　more　than　1　200　000　have　suffered

physically：　several　millions；　all　who　owned　anything；　great　or　small；


have　suffered　through　their　property。＇47＇　But；　in　this　multitude　of

the　oppressed；　it　is　the　notables　who　are　chiefly　aimed　at　and　who；　in

their　possessions　as　well　as　in　their　persons；　have　suffered　the　most。







II。　　　　The　Value　of　Notables　in　Society。



Various　kinds　and　degrees　of　Notables　in　1789。　　…　The　great　social

staff。　　…　Men　of　the　world。　　…　Their　breeding。　　…　Their　intellectual

culture。　　…　Their　humanity　and　philanthropy。　　…　Their　moral　temper。　　…

Practical　men。　　…　Where　recruited；　…　Their　qualifications。　　…　Their

active　benevolence。　　…　Scarcity　of　them　and　their　worth　to　a

community。



On　estimating　the　value　of　a　forest　you　begin　by　dividing　its

vegetation　into　two　classes；　on　the　one　hand　the　full…grown　trees；　the

large　or　medium…sized　oaks；　beeches　and　aspens；　and；　on　the　other；　the

saplings　and　the　undergrowth。　　In　like　manner；　in　estimating　society；

you　divide　the　individuals　composing　it　into　two　groups；　one

consisting　of　its　notables　of　every　kind　and　degree；　and　the　other；　of

the　common　run　of　men。　　If　the　forest　is　an　old　one　and　has　not　been

too　badly　managed；　nearly　the　whole　of　its　secular　growth　is　found　in

its　clusters　of　full…grown　trees。　　Nearly　all　the　useful　wood　is　to　be

found　in　the　mature　forest。　　A　few　thousand　large　handsome　trees　and

the　three　or　four　hundred　thousand　saplings；　young　and　old；　of　the

reserve；　contain　more　useful　and　valuable　wood　than　the　twenty　or

thirty　millions　shrubs；　bushes　and　heathers　put　together。　　It　is　the

same　in　a　community　which　has　existed　for　a　long　time　under　a

tolerably　strict　system　of　justice　and　police；　almost　the　entire　gain

of　a　secular　civilization　is　found　concentrated　in　its　notables；

which；　taking　it　all　in　all；　was　the　state　of　French　society　in

1789。＇48＇



Let　us　first　consider　the　most　prominent　personages。　　　…　It　is

certain；　that；　among　the　aristocracy；　the　wealthiest　and　most

conspicuous　families　had　ceased　to　render　services　proportionate　to

the　cost　of　their　maintenance。　　Most　of　the　seigniors　and　ladies　of

the　Court；　the　worldly　bishops；　abbés；　and　parliamentarians　of　the

drawing…room；　knew　but　little　more　than　how　to　solicit　with　address；

make　a　graceful　parade　of　themselves　and　spend　lavishly。　　An　ill…

understood　system　of　culture　had　diverted　them　from　their　natural

avocations；　and　converted　them　into　showy　and　agreeable　specimens　of

vegetation；　often　hollow；　blighted；　sapless　and　over…pruned；　besides

being　very　costly；　over…manured　and　too　freely　watered；　and　the

skillful　gardening　which　shaped；　grouped　and　arranged　them　in

artificial　forms　and　bouquets；　rendered　their　fruit　abortive　that

flowers　might　be　multiplied。　　…　But　the　flowers　were　exquisite；　and

even　in　a　moralist's　eyes；　such　flowering　counts　for　something。　　On

the　side　of　civility；　good…breeding　and　deportment；　the　manners　and

customs　of　high　life　had　reached　a　degree　of　perfection；　which　never；

in　France　or　elsewhere；　had　been　attained　before；　and　which　has　never

since　been　revived；＇49＇　and　of　all　the　arts　through　which　men　have

emancipated　themselves　from　primitive　coarseness；　that　which　teaches

them　mutual　consideration　is；　perhaps；　the　most　precious。　　The

observance　of　this；　not　alone　in　the　drawing…room；　but　in　the　family；

in　business；　in　the　street；　with　regard　to　relatives；　inferiors；

servants　and　strangers；　gives　dignity；　as　well　as　a　charm；　to　human

intercourse。　　　Delicate　regard　for　what　is　proper　becomes　a　habit；　an

instinct；　a　second　nature；　which　nature；　superimposed　on　the　original

nature；　is　the　best；　inasmuch　as　the　internal　code　which　governs　each

detail　of　action　and　speech；　prescribes　the　standard　of　behavior　and

respect　for　oneself；　as　well　as　respect　and　refined　behavior　towards

others。　　…　To　this　merit；　add　mental　culture。　　Never　was　there　an

aristocracy　so　interested　in　general　ideas　and　refinement　of

expression；　it　was　even　too　much　so；　literary　and　philosophical

preoccupation　excluded　all　others　of　the　positive　and　practical　order；

they　talked；　instead　of　acting。　　But；　in　this　limited　circle　of

speculative　reason　and　of　pure　literary　forms；　it　excelled；　writings

and　how　to　write　furnished　the　ordinary　entertainment　of　polite

society；　every　idea　uttered　by　a　thinker　caused　excitement　in　the

drawing…room：　the　talent　and　style　of　authors　were　shaped　by　its

taste；＇50＇　it　was　in　the　drawing…rooms　that　Montesquieu；　Voltaire；

Rousseau；　d'Alembert；　the　Encyclopedists；　great　and　little；

Beaumarchais；　Bernardin　de　Saint…Pierre；　Champfort；　and　Rivarol；

involuntarily　sought　listeners　and　found　them；　not　merely　admirers　and

entertainers；　but　friends；　protectors；　patrons；　benefactors　and

followers。　　…　Under　the　instruction　of　the　masters；　the　disciples　had

become　philanthropists；　moreover；　the　amenities　of　manners　developed

in　all　souls　compassion　and　benevolence：　〃Nothing　was　more　dreaded　by

opulent　men　than　to　be　regarded　as　insensitive。〃＇51＇　They　concerned

themselves　with　children；　with　the　poor；　with　the　peasantry；　setting

their　wits　to　work　to　afford　them　relief；　their　zeal　was　aroused

against　oppression；　their　pity　was　excited　for　every　misfortune。　　Even

those　whose　duties　compelled　them　to　be　rigid　tempered　their　rigidity

with　explanations　or　concessions。



〃Ten　years　before　the　Revolution；〃　says　R？derer；＇52＇　〃the　criminal

courts　of　France　were　no　longer　like　before。　　。　　。　　。　　Their　attitude

had　changed。　　。　　　。　　All　the　young　magistrates；　and　this　I　can　bear

witness　to；　for　I　was　one　myself；　pronounced　judgments　more　in

accordance　with　the　principles　of　Beccaria；＇53＇　than　according　to

law。〃　…



As　to　the　men　in　authority；　military　administrators　and　commandants；

it　was　impossible　to　be　more　patient；　more　mindful　of　human　blood。

Their　qualities　turned　also　here　into　defects；　for；　through　excess　of

humanity；　they　were　unable　to　maintain　order；　as　is　evident　when

facing　the　insurrections　that　took　place　between　1789　and　1792。　　Even

with　the　force　in　their　own　hands；　amidst　gross　insults　and　extreme

dangers；　they　dreaded　to　make　use　of　it；　they　could　not　bring

themselves　to　repressing　brutes；　rascals　and　maniacs：　following　the

example　of　Louis　XVI。；　they　considered　themselves　as　shepherds　of　the

people；　and　let　themselves　be　trampled　upon　rather　than　fire　upon

their　flock。　　…　In　reality；　they　had　noble；　and　even　generous　and　big

hearts：　in　the　bailiwick　assemblies；　in　March；　1789；　long　before　the

night　of　August　4；　they　voluntarily　surrendered　every　pecuniary

privilege；　under　severe　trials；　their　courage；　heightened　by　polished

manners；　adds　even　to　their　heroism；　elegance；　tact　and　gaiety。　　The

most　corrupt；　a　Duke　of　Orleans；　the　most　frivolous　and　the　most

blasé；　a　Duc　de　Biron；　meet　death　with　stoical　coolness　and

disdain。＇54＇　Delicate　women　who　complain　of　a　draught　in　their

drawing…rooms；　make　no　complaint　of　a　straw　mattress　in　a　damp；　gloomy

dungeon；　where　they　sleep　in　their　clothes　so　that　they　may　not　wake

up　stiffened；　and　they　come　down　into　the　court　of　the　Conciergerie

with　their　accustomed　cheerfulness。　　Men　and　women；　in　prison；　dress

themselves　as　formerly；　with　the　same　care；　that　they　may　meet　and

talk　together　with　the　same　grace　and　spirit；　in　a　corridor　with　an

iron　grating　within　a　step　of　the　revolutionary　Tribunal；　and　on　the

eve　of　the　scaffold。＇55＇　　This　moral　temper　is　evidently　of　the

rarest；　if　it　errs　on　either　side　it　is　on　that　of　being　too　refined；

bad　for　use；　good　for　ornament。



And　yet；　in　the　upper　class　there　were　associated　with　two　or　three

thousand　idlers　amongst　a　frivolous　aristocracy；　as　many　serious　men；

who；　to　their　drawing…room　experience；　added　experience　in　business。

Almost　all　who　held　office　or　had　been　in　the　service；　were　of　this

number；　either　ambassadors；　general　officers　or　former　ministers；　from

Marshal　de　Brogue　down　to　Machaut　and　Malesherbes；　resident　bishops；

like　Monseigneur　de　Durfort；　at　Besan？on；＇56＇　　vicars…general　and

canons　who　really　governed　their　dioceses　on　the　spot；　prelates；　like

those　in　Provence；　Languedoc　and　Brittany；　who；　by　right；　had　seats　in

the　provincial　〃Etats〃；　agents　and　representatives　of　the　clergy　at

Paris；　heads　of　Orders　and　Congregations；　the　chief　and　lieutenant

commandants　of　the　seventeen　military　departments；　intendants　of　each

generalité　head…clerks　of　each　ministry；　magistrates　of　each

parliament；　farmers…general；　collectors…general；　and；　more

particularly　in　each　province；　the　dignitaries　and　local　proprietors

of　the　two　first　orders；　and　all　leading　manufacturers；　merchants；

ship…owners；　bankers　and　prominent　bourgeois；　in　short；　that　élite　of

the　nobles；　clergy；　and　Third　Estate；　which；　from　1778　to　1789；

constituted　the　twenty…one　provincial　assemblies；　and　which　certainly

formed　in　France　the　great　social　staff。　　…　Not　that　they　were

superior　politicians：　for　in　those　days　there　were　none；　scarcely　a

few　hundred　competent　men；　almost　all　of　them　being　specialists。

Nevertheless；　it　was　in　these　few　men　that　nearly　the　entire　political

capacity；　information　and　common　sense　of　France　was　to　be　found。

Outside　of　their　heads　the　other　twenty…six　millions　of　brains

contained　but　little　else　than　dangerous　and　barren　formulas；　as　they

alone　had　commanded；　negotiated；　deliberated　and　governed；　they　were

the　only　ones　who　understood　men　and　things　tolerably　well；　and；

consequently；　the　only　ones　who　were　not　completely　disqualified　for

their　management。　　In　the　provincial　Assemblies　they　were　seen

originating　and　conducting　the　most　important　reforms；　they　had

devoted　themselves　to　these　effectively　and　conscientiously；　with　as

much　equity　and　patriotism　as　intelligence　and　thoroughness；　most　of

the　heads　and　sub…heads　of　the　leading　public　and　private　branches　of

the　service；　guided　by　philosophy　and　supported　by　current　opinion　for

twenty　years；　had　likewise　given　evi