the ancien regime(古兵团)-第4章
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in France； in the wars of Louis XIV。 they were feverish； factitious；
temporary soon； as the event proved； to droop into the general
exhaustion。 If wars were still to be waged they were to be wars of
succession； wars of diplomacy； not wars of principle； waged for the
mightiest invisible interests of man。 The exhaustion was general； and to
it we must attribute alike the changes and the conservatism of the Ancien
Regime。 To it is owing that growth of a centralising despotism； and of
arbitrary regal power； which M。 de Tocqueville has set forth in a book
which I shall have occasion often to quote。 To it is owing； too； that
longing； which seems to us childish； after ancient forms； etiquettes；
dignities； court costumes； formalities diplomatic； legal； ecclesiastical。
Men clung to them as to keepsakes of the pastrevered relics of more
intelligible and better…ordered times。 If the spirit had been beaten out of
them in a century of battle； that was all the more reason for keeping up the
letter。 They had had a meaning once； a life once； perhaps there was a
little life left in them still； perhaps the dry bones would clothe themselves
with flesh once more； and stand upon their feet。 At least it was useful
that the common people should so believe。 There was good hope that the
simple masses； seeing the old dignities and formalities still parading the
streets； should suppose that they still contained men； and were not mere
wooden figures； dressed artistically in official costume。 And； on the
whole； that hope was not deceived。 More than a century of bitter
experience was needed ere the masses discovered that their ancient rulers
were like the suits of armour in the Tower of Londonempty iron astride
of wooden steeds； and armed with lances which every ploughboy could
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wrest out of their hands； and use in his own behalf。
The mistake of the masses was pardonable。 For those suits of armour
had once held living men； strong； brave； wise； men of an admirable temper；
doing their work according to their light； not altogether wellwhat man
does that on earth？but well enough to make themselves necessary to； and
loyally followed by； the masses whom they ruled。 No one can read fairly
the 〃Gesta Dei per Francos in Oriente；〃 or the deeds of the French Nobility
in their wars with England； or those taleshowever legendaryof the
mediaeval knights； which form so noble an element in German literature；
without seeing； that however black were these men's occasional crimes；
they were a truly noble race； the old Nobility of the Continent； a race
which ruled simply because； without them； there would have been naught
but anarchy and barbarism。 To their chivalrous ideal they were too often；
perhaps for the most part； untrue： but； partial and defective as it is； it is
an ideal such as never entered into the mind of Celt or Gaul； Hun or Sclav；
one which seems continuous with the spread of the Teutonic conquerors。
They ruled because they did practically raise the ideal of humanity in the
countries which they conquered； a whole stage higher。 They ceased to
rule when they were； through their own sins； caught up and surpassed in
the race of progress by the classes below them。
But； even when at its best； their system of government had in it like
all human inventionoriginal sin； an unnatural and unrighteous element；
which was certain； sooner or later； to produce decay and ruin。 The old
Nobility of Europe was not a mere aristocracy。 It was a caste： a race
not intermarrying with the races below it。 It was not a mere aristocracy。
For that； for the supremacy of the best men； all societies strive； or profess
to strive。 And such a true aristocracy may exist independent of caste； or
the hereditary principle at all。 We may conceive an Utopia； governed by
an aristocracy which should be really democratic； which should use； under
developed forms； that method which made the mediaeval priesthood the
one great democratic institution of old Christendom； bringing to the
surface and utilising the talents and virtues of all classes； even to the
lowest。 We may conceive an aristocracy choosing out； and gladly
receiving into its own ranks as equals； every youth； every maiden； who
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was distinguished by intellect； virtue； valour； beauty； without respect to
rank or birth； and rejecting in turn； from its own ranks； each of its own
children who fell below some lofty standard； and showed by weakliness；
dulness； or baseness； incapacity for the post of guiding and elevating their
fellow…citizens。 Thus would arise a true aristocracy； a governing body of
the really most worthythe most highly organised in body and in mind
perpetually recruited from below： from which； or from any other ideal；
we are yet a few thousand years distant。
But the old Ancien Regime would have shuddered； did shudder； at
such a notion。 The supreme class was to keep itself pure； and avoid all
taint of darker blood； shutting its eyes to the fact that some of its most
famous heroes had been born of such left…handed marriages as that of
Robert of Normandy with the tanner's daughter of Falaise。 〃Some are so
curious in this behalf；〃 says quaint old Burton； writing about 1650； 〃as
these old Romans； our modern Venetians； Dutch； and French； that if two
parties dearly love； the one noble； the other ignoble； they may not； by their
laws； match； though equal otherwise in years； fortunes； education； and all
good affection。 In Germany； except they can prove their gentility by
three descents； they scorn to match with them。 A nobleman must marry a
noblewoman； a baron； a baron's daughter； a knight； a knight's。 As slaters
sort their slates； do they degrees and families。〃
And doubtless this theorylike all which have held their ground for
many centuriesat first represented a fact。 These castes were； at first；
actually superior to the peoples over whom they ruled。 I cannot； as long
as my eyes are open； yield to the modern theory of the equalityindeed of
the non…existenceof races。 Holding； as I do； the primaeval unity of the
human race； I see in that race the same inclination to sport into fresh
varieties； the same competition of species between those varieties； which
Mr。 Darwin has pointed out among plants and mere animals。 A
distinguished man arises； from him a distinguished family； from it a
distinguished tribe； stronger； cunninger than those around。 It asserts its
supremacy over its neighbours at first exactly as a plant or animal would
do； by destroying； and； where possible； eating them； next； having grown
more prudent； by enslaving them； next； having gained a little morality in
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addition to its prudence； by civilising them； raising them more or less
toward its own standard。 And thus； in every land； civilisation and
national life has arisen out of the patriarchal state； and the Eastern scheik；
with his wives； free and slave； and his hundreds of fighting men born in
his house； is the type of all primaeval rulers。 He is the best man of his
hordein every sense of the word best； and whether he have a right to rule
them or not； they consider that he has； and are the better men for his
guidance。
Whether this ought to have been the history of primaeval civilisation；
is a question not to be determined here。 That it is the history thereof； is
surely patent to anyone who will imagine to himself what must have been。
In the first place； the strongest and cunningest savage must have had the
chance of producing children more strong and cunning than the average；
he would havethe strongest savage has stillthe power of obtaining a
wife； or wives； superior in beauty and in household skill； which involves
superiority of intellect； and therefore his children wouldsome of them at
leastbe superior to the average； both from the father's and the mother's
capacities。 They again would marry select wives； and their children
again would do the same； till； in a very few generations； a family would
have established itself； considerably superior to the rest of the tribe in
body and mind； and become assuredly its ruling race。
Again； if one of that race invented a new weapon； a new mode of
tillage； or aught else which gave him power； that would add to the
superiority of his whole family。 For the invention would be jealously
kept among them as a mystery； a hereditary secret。 To this simple cause；
surely； is to be referred the system of hereditary caste occupations；
whether in Egypt or Hindoostan。 To this； too； the fact that alike in Greek
and in Teutonic legend the chief so often appears； not merely as the best
warrior and best minstrel； but as the best smith； armourer； and
handicraftsman of his tribe。 If； however； the inventor happened to be a
low…born genius； its advantages would still accrue to the ruling race。 For
nothing could be more natural or more easyas more than one legend
intimatesthan that the king should extort the new secret from his subject；
and then put him to death to prevent any f
