the ancien regime(古兵团)-第15章
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inductions were hasty and partial： but then they were inductions as
opposed to the dull pedantry of the schools； which rested on tradition only
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half believed； or pretended to be believed。 No one can deny that their
theories were too general and abstract； but then they were theories as
opposed to the no…theory of the Ancien Regime； which was； 〃Let us eat
and drink； for to…morrow we die。〃
Theoriesprinciplesby them if men do not live； by them men are； at
least； stirred into life； at the sight of something more noble than
themselves。 Only by great ideas； right or wrong； could such a world as
that which Le Sage painted； be roused out of its slough of foul self…
satisfaction； and equally foul self…discontent。
For mankind is ruled and guided； in the long run； not by practical
considerations； not by self…interest； not by compromises； but by theories
and principles； and those of the most abstruse； delicate； supernatural； and
literally unspeakable kind； which； whether they be according to reason or
not； are so little according to logicthat is； to speakable reasonthat they
cannot be put into speech。 Men act； whether singly or in masses； by
impulses and instincts for which they give reasons quite incompetent；
often quite irrelevant； but which they have caught from each other； as they
catch fever or small…pox； as unconsciously； and yet as practically and
potently； just as the nineteenth century has caught from the philosophers
of the eighteenth most practical rules of conduct； without even （in most
cases） having read a word of their works。
And what has this century caught from these philosophers？ One rule
it has learnt； and that a most practical oneto appeal in all cases； as much
as possible； to 〃Reason and the Laws of Nature。〃 That； at least； the
philosophers tried to do。 Often they failed。 Their conceptions of reason
and of the laws of nature being often incorrect； they appealed to unreason
and to laws which were not those of nature。 〃The fixed idea of them all
was；〃 says M。 de Tocqueville； 〃to substitute simple and elementary rules；
deduced from reason and natural law； for the complicated traditional
customs which governed the society of their time。〃 They were often rash；
hasty； in the application of their method。 They ignored whole classes of
facts； which； though spiritual and not physical； are just as much facts； and
facts for science； as those which concern a stone or a fungus。 They
mistook for merely complicated traditional customs； many most sacred
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institutions which were just as much founded on reason and natural law； as
any theories of their own。 But who shall say that their method was not
correct？ That it was not the only method？ They appealed to reason。
Would you have had them appeal to unreason？ They appealed to natural
law。 Would you have had them appeal to unnatural law？law according
to which God did not make this world？ Alas！ that had been done too
often already。 Solomon saw it done in his time； and called it folly； to
which he prophesied no good end。 Rabelais saw it done in his time； and
wrote his chapters on the 〃Children of Physis and the Children of
Antiphysis。〃 But； born in an evil generation； which was already； even in
1500； ripening for the revolution of 1789； he was sensual and； I fear；
cowardly enough to hide his light； not under a bushel； but under a dunghill；
till men took him for a jester of jests； and his great wisdom was lost to the
worse and more foolish generations which followed him； and thought they
understood him。
But as for appealing to natural law for that which is good for men； and
to reason for the power of discerning that same goodif man cannot find
truth by that method； by what method shall he find it？
And thus it happened that； though these philosophers and
encyclopaedists were not men of science； they were at least the heralds
and the coadjutors of science。
We may call them； and justly； dreamers； theorists； fanatics。 But we
must recollect that one thing they meant to do； and did。 They recalled
men to facts； they bid them ask of everything they saw What are the
facts of the case？ Till we know the facts； argument is worse than useless。
Now the habit of asking for the facts of the case must deliver men
more or less from that evil spirit which the old Romans called 〃Fama；〃
from her whom Virgil described in the AEneid as the ugliest； the falsest；
and the cruellest of monsters。
From 〃Fama；〃 from rumours； hearsays； exaggerations； scandals；
superstitions； public opinionswhether from the ancient public opinion
that the sun went round the earth； or the equally public opinion； that those
who dared to differ from public opinion were hateful to the deity； and
therefore worthy of deathfrom all these blasts of Fame's lying trumpet
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they helped to deliver men； and they therefore helped to insure something
like peace and personal security for those quiet； modest； and generally
virtuous men； who； as students of physical science； devoted their lives；
during the eighteenth century； to asking of natureWhat are the facts of
the case？
It was no coincidence； but a connection of cause and effect； that during
the century of philosopher sound physical science throve； as she had never
thriven before； that in zoology and botany； chemistry and medicine；
geology and astronomy； man after man； both of the middle and the noble
classes； laid down on more and more sound； because more and more
extended foundations； that physical science which will endure as an
everlasting heritage to mankind； endure； even though a second Byzantine
period should reduce it to a timid and traditional pedantry； or a second
irruption of barbarians sweep it away for awhile； to revive again （as
classic philosophy revived in the fifteenth century） among new and more
energetic races； when the kingdom of God shall have been taken away
from us； and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof。
An eternal heritage； I say； for the human race； which once gained； can
never be lost； which stands； and will stand； marches； and will march；
proving its growth； its health； its progressive force； its certainty of final
victory； by those very changes； disputes； mistakes； which the ignorant and
the bigoted hold up to scorn； as proofs of its uncertainty and its rottenness；
because they never have dared or cared to ask boldlyWhat are the facts
of the case？ and have never discovered either the acuteness； the patience；
the calm justice； necessary for ascertaining the facts； or their awful and
divine certainty when once ascertained。
＇But these philosophers （it will be said） hated all religion。
Before that question can be fairly discussed； it is surely right to
consider what form of religion that was which they found working round
them in France； and on the greater part of the Continent。 The quality
thereof may have surely had something to do （as they themselves asserted）
with that 〃sort of rage〃 with which （to use M。 de Tocqueville's words） 〃the
Christian religion was attacked in France。〃
M。 de Tocqueville is of opinion （and his opinion is likely to be just）
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that 〃the Church was not more open to attack in France than elsewhere；
that the corruptions and abuses which had been allowed to creep into it
were less； on the contrary； there than in most Catholic countries。 The
Church of France was infinitely more tolerant than it ever had been
previously； and than it still was among other nations。 Consequently； the
peculiar causes of this phenomenon〃 （the hatred which it aroused） 〃must
be looked for less in the condition of religion than in that of society。〃
〃We no longer；〃 he says； shortly after； 〃ask in what the Church of that
day erred as a religious institution； but how far it stood opposed to the
political revolution which was at hand。〃 And he goes on to show how the
principles of her ecclesiastical government； and her political position；
were such that the philosophes must needs have been her enemies。 But
he mentions another fact which seems to me to belong neither to the
category of religion nor to that of politics； a fact which； if he had done us
the honour to enlarge upon it； might have led him and his readers to a
more true understanding of the disrepute into which Christianity had fallen
in France。
〃The ecclesiastical authority had been specially employed in keeping
watch over the progress of thought； and the censorship of books was a
daily annoyance to the philosophes。 By defending the common liberties
of the human mind against the Church； they were combating in their own
cause： and they began by breaking the shackles which pressed most
closely on themselves。〃
Just so。 And they are not to be blamed if they pressed first and most
earnestly reforms which they knew by painful experience to be n
