the ancien regime(古兵团)-第6章
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excellencies。 The nobilis； or man who was known； and therefore subject
to public opinion； was bound to behave nobly。 The gentlemangentile…
manwho respected his own gens； or family and pedigree； was bound to
be gentle。 The courtier； who had picked up at court some touch of
Roman civilisation from Roman ecclesiastics； was bound to be courteous。
He who held an 〃honour〃 or 〃edel〃 of land was bound to be honourable；
and he who held a 〃weorthig；〃 or worthy； thereof； was bound himself to be
worthy。 In like wise； he who had the right to ride a horse； was expected
to be chivalrous in all matters befitting the hereditary ruler； who owed a
sacred debt to a long line of forefathers； as well as to the state in which he
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dwelt； all dignity； courtesy； purity； self…restraint； devotionsuch as they
were understood in those rough dayscentred themselves round the idea
of the rider as the attributes of the man whose supposed duty； as well as
his supposed right； was to govern his fellow…men； by example； as well as
by law and force；attributes which gathered themselves up into that one
wordChivalry： an idea； which； perfect or imperfect； God forbid that
mankind should ever forget； till it has become the possessionas it is the
God…given rightof the poorest slave that ever trudged on foot； and every
collier…lad shall have becomeas some of those Barnsley men proved but
the other day they had become already：
A very gentle perfect knight；
Very unfaithful was chivalry to its idealas all men are to all ideals。
But bear in mind； that if the horse was the symbol of the ruling caste； it
was not at first its only strength。 Unless that caste had had at first
spiritual； as well as physical force on its side； it would have been soon
destroyednay； it would have destroyed itselfby internecine civil war。
And we must believe that those Franks； Goths； Lombards； and Burgunds；
who in the early Middle Age leaped on the backs （to use Mr。 Carlyle's
expression） of the Roman nations； were actually； in all senses of the word；
better men than those whom they conquered。 We must believe it from
reason； for if not； how could they； numerically few； have held for a year；
much more for centuries； against millions； their dangerous elevation？
We must believe it； unless we take Tacitus's 〃Germania；〃 which I
absolutely refuse to do； for a romance。 We must believe that they were
better than the Romanised nations whom they conquered； because the
writers of those nations； Augustine； Salvian； and Sidonius Apollinaris； for
example； say that they were such； and give proof thereof。 Not good men
according to our higher standard far from it； though Sidonius's picture of
Theodoric； the East Goth； in his palace of Narbonne； is the picture of an
eminently good and wise ruler。 But not good； I say； as a rulethe Franks；
alas！ often very bad men： but still better； wiser； abler； than those whom
they ruled。 We must believe too； that they were better； in every sense of
the word； than those tribes on their eastern frontier； whom they conquered
in after centuries； unless we discredit （which we have no reason to do） the
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accounts which the Roman and Greek writers give of the horrible savagery
of those tribes。
So it was in later centuries。 One cannot read fairly the history of the
Middle Ages without seeing that the robber knight of Germany or of
France； who figures so much in modern novels； must have been the
exception； and not the rule： that an aristocracy which lived by the saddle
would have as little chance of perpetuating itself； as a priesthood
composed of hypocrites and profligates； that the mediaeval Nobility has
been as much slandered as the mediaeval Church； and the exceptions
takenas more salient and excitingfor the average： that side by side
with ruffians like Gaston de Foix hundreds of honest gentlemen were
trying to do their duty to the best of their light； and were raising； and not
depressing； the masses below themone very important item in that duty
being； the doing the whole fighting of the country at their own expense；
instead of leaving it to a standing army of mercenaries； at the beck and call
of a despot； and that； as M。 de Tocqueville says： 〃In feudal times； the
Nobility were regarded pretty much as the government is regarded in our
own； the burdens they imposed were endured in consequence of the
security they afforded。 The nobles had many irksome privileges； they
possessed many onerous rights： but they maintained public order； they
administered justice； they caused the law to be executed； they came to the
relief of the weak； they conducted the business of the community。 In
proportion as they ceased to do these things； the burden of their privileges
appeared more oppressive； and their existence became an anomaly in
proportion as they ceased to do these things。〃 And the Ancien Regime
may be defined as the period in which they ceased to do these thingsin
which they began to play the idlers； and expected to take their old wages
without doing their old work。
But in any case； government by a ruling caste； whether of the
patriarchal or of the feudal kind； is no ideal or permanent state of society。
So far from it； it is but the first or second step out of primeval savagery。
For the more a ruling race becomes conscious of its own duty； and not
merely of its own powerthe more it learns to regard its peculiar gifts as
entrusted to it for the good of menso much the more earnestly will it
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labour to raise the masses below to its own level； by imparting to them its
own light； and so will it continually tend to abolish itself； by producing a
general equality； moral and intellectual； and fulfil that law of self…sacrifice
which is the beginning and the end of all virtue。
A race of noblest men and women； trying to make all below them as
noble as themselvesthat is at least a fair ideal； tending toward； though it
has not reached； the highest ideal of all。
But suppose that the very opposite tendencyinherent in the heart of
every child of manshould conquer。 Suppose the ruling caste no longer
the physical； intellectual； and moral superiors of the mass； but their equals。
Suppose themshameful； but not without example actually sunk to be
their inferiors。 And that such a fall did come… …nay； that it must have
comeis matter of history。 And its cause； like all social causes； was not a
political nor a physical； but a moral cause。 The profligacy of the French
and Italian aristocracies； in the sixteenth century； avenged itself on them
by a curse （derived from the newly…discovered America） from which they
never recovered。 The Spanish aristocracy suffered； I doubt not very
severely。 The English and German； owing to the superior homeliness and
purity of ruling their lives； hardly at all。 But the continental caste；
instead of recruiting their tainted blood by healthy blood from below； did
all； under pretence of keeping it pure； to keep it tainted by continual
intermarriage； and paid； in increasing weakness of body and mind； the
penalty of their exclusive pride。 It is impossible for anyone who reads
the French memoirs of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries； not to
perceive； if he be wise； that the aristocracy therein depicted was ripe for
ruinyea； already ruinedunder any form of government whatsoever；
independent of all political changes。 Indeed； many of the political
changes were not the causes but the effects of the demoralisation of the
noblesse。 Historians will tell you how； as early as the beginning of the
seventeenth century； Henry IV。 complained that the nobles were quitting
their country districts； how succeeding kings and statesmen； notably
Richelieu and Louis XIV。； tempted the noblesse up to Paris； that they
might become mere courtiers； instead of powerful country gentlemen； how
those who remained behind were only the poor hobereaux； little hobby…
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hawks among the gentry； who considered it degradation to help in
governing the parish； as their forefathers had governed it； and lived
shabbily in their chateaux； grinding the last farthing out of their tenants；
that they might spend it in town during the winter。 No wonder that with
such an aristocracy； who had renounced that very duty of governing the
country； for which alone they and their forefathers had existed； there arose
government by intendants and sub…delegates； and all the other evils of
administrative centralisation； which M。 de Tocqueville anatomises and
deplores。 But what was the cause of the curse？ Their moral
degradation。 What drew them up to Paris save vanity and profligacy？
What kept them from intermarrying with the middle class save pride？
What made them give up the office of governors save idleness？ And if
vanity； profligacy； pride； and idleness be not injustices and moral vices；
what are？
The race of heroic knights and nobles who fought under the walls of
Jerusalemwho wrestled； and not in vain； for centuries with the equally
heroic Engli
