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the ancien regime-第3章

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kinsmen of their own。  It may lead them to ask themselves why; in a

world which is governed by a just God; such great power as is

palpably theirs at present is entrusted to them; save that they may

do more work; and not less; than other men; under the penalties

pronounced against those to whom much is given; and of whom much is

required。  It may lead them to discover that they are in a world

where it is not safe to sit under the tree; and let the ripe fruit

drop into your mouth; where the 〃competition of species〃 works with

ruthless energy among all ranks of being; from kings upon their

thrones to the weeds upon the waste; where 〃he that is not hammer;

is sure to be anvil;〃 and he who will not work; neither shall he

eat。  It may lead them to devote that energy (in which they surpass

so far the continental aristocracies) to something better than

outdoor amusements or indoor dilettantisms。  There are those among

them who; like one section of the old French noblesse; content

themselves with mere complaints of 〃the revolutionary tendencies of

the age。〃  Let them beware in time; for when the many are on the

march; the few who stand still are certain to be walked over。  There

are those among them who; like another section of the French

noblesse; are ready; more generously than wisely; to throw away

their own social and political advantages; and play (for it will

never be really more than playing) at democracy。  Let them; too;

beware。  The penknife and the axe should respect each other; for

they were wrought from the same steel:  but the penknife will not be

wise in trying to fell trees。  Let them accept their own position;

not in conceit and arrogance; but in fear and trembling; and see if

they cannot play the man therein; and save their own class; and with

it; much which it has needed many centuries to accumulate and to

organise; and without which no nation has yet existed for a single

century。  They are no more like the old French noblesse; than are

the commercial class like the old French bourgeoisie; or the

labouring like the old French peasantry。  Let them prove that fact

by their deeds during the next generation; or sink into the

condition of mere rich men; exciting; by their luxury and laziness;

nothing but envy and contempt。



Meanwhile; behind all classes and social forcesI had almost said;

above them allstands a fourth estate; which will; ultimately;

decide the form which English society is to take:  a Press as

different from the literary class of the Ancien Regime as is

everything else English; and different in thisthat it is free。



The French Revolution; like every revolution (it seems to me) which

has convulsed the nations of Europe for the last eighty years; was

caused immediatelywhatever may have been its more remote causes

by the suppression of thought; or; at least; by a sense of wrong

among those who thought。  A country where every man; be he fool or

wise; is free to speak that which is in him; can never suffer a

revolution。  The folly blows itself off like steam; in harmless

noise; the wisdom becomes part of the general intellectual stock of

the nation; and prepares men for gradual; and therefore for

harmless; change。



As long as the press is free; a nation is guaranteed against sudden

and capricious folly; either from above or from below。  As long as

the press is free; a nation is guaranteed against the worse evil of

persistent and obstinate folly; cloaking itself under the venerable

shapes of tradition and authority。  For under a free press; a nation

must ultimately be guided not by a caste; not by a class; not by

mere wealth; not by the passions of a mob:  but by mind; by the net

result of all the common…sense of its members; and in the present

default of genius; which is un…common sense; common…sense seems to

be the only; if not the best; safeguard for poor humanity。



1867







LECTURE ICASTE







'Delivered at the Royal Institution; London; 1867。'



These Lectures are meant to be comments on the state of France

before the French Revolution。  To English society; past or present;

I do not refer。  For reasons which I have set forth at length in an

introductory discourse; there never was any Ancien Regime in

England。



Therefore; when the Stuarts tried to establish in England a system

which might have led to a political condition like that of the

Continent; all classes combined and exterminated them; while the

course of English society went on as before。



On the contrary; England was the mother of every movement which

undermined; and at last destroyed; the Ancien Regime。



From England went forth those political theories which; transmitted

from America to France; became the principles of the French

Revolution。  From England went forth the philosophy of Locke; with

all its immense results。  It is noteworthy; that when Voltaire tries

to persuade people; in a certain famous passage; that philosophers

do not care to trouble the worldof the ten names to whom he does

honour; seven names are English。  〃It is;〃 he says; 〃neither

Montaigne; nor Locke; nor Boyle; nor Spinoza; nor Hobbes; nor Lord

Shaftesbury; nor Mr。 Collins; nor Mr。 Toland; nor Fludd; nor Baker;

who have carried the torch of discord into their countries。〃  It is

worth notice; that not only are the majority of these names English;

but that they belong not to the latter but to the former half of the

eighteenth century; and indeed; to the latter half of the

seventeenth。



So it was with that Inductive Physical Science; which helped more

than all to break up the superstitions of the Ancien Regime; and to

set man face to face with the facts of the universe。  From England;

towards the end of the seventeenth century; it was promulgated by

such men as Newton; Boyle; Sydenham; Ray; and the first founders of

our Royal Society。



In England; too; arose the great religious movements of the

seventeenth and eighteenth centuriesand especially that of a body

which I can never mention without most deep respectthe Society of

Friends。  At a time when the greater part of the Continent was sunk

in spiritual sleep; these men were reasserting doctrines concerning

man; and his relation to his Creator; which; whether or not all

believe them (as I believe them) to be founded on eternal fact; all

must confess to have been of incalculable benefit to the cause of

humanity and civilisation。



From England; finally; about the middle of the eighteenth century;

went forthpromulgated by English noblementhat freemasonry which

seems to have been the true parent of all the secret societies of

Europe。  Of this curious question; more hereafter。  But enough has

been said to show that England; instead of falling; at any period;

into the stagnation of the Ancien Regime; was; from the middle of

the seventeenth century; in a state of intellectual growth and

ferment which communicated itself finally to the continental

nations。  This is the special honour of England; universally

confessed at the time。  It was to England that the slowly…awakening

nations looked; as the source of all which was noble; true; and

free; in the dawning future。



It will be seen; from what I have said; that I consider the Ancien

Regime to begin in the seventeenth century。  I should date its

commencementas far as that of anything so vague; unsystematic;

indeed anarchic; can be definedfrom the end of the Thirty Years'

War; and the peace of Westphalia in 1648。



For by that time the mighty spiritual struggles and fierce religious

animosities of the preceding century had worn themselves out。  And;

as always happens; to a period of earnest excitement had succeeded

one of weariness; disgust; half…unbelief in the many questions for

which so much blood had been shed。  No man had come out of the

battle with altogether clean hands; some not without changing sides

more than once。  The war had ended as one; not of nations; not even

of zealots; but of mercenaries。  The body of Europe had been pulled

in pieces between them all; and the poor soul thereofas was to be

expectedhad fled out through the gaping wounds。  Life; mere

existence; was the most pressing need。  If men couldin the old

prophet's wordsfind the life of their hand; they were content。

High and low only asked to be let live。  The poor asked it

slaughtered on a hundred battle…fields; burnt out of house and home:

vast tracts of the centre of Europe were lying desert; the

population was diminished for several generations。  The trading

classes; ruined by the long war; only asked to be let live; and make

a little money。  The nobility; too; only asked to be let live。  They

had lost; in the long struggle; not only often lands and power; but

their ablest and bravest men; and a weaker and meaner generation was

left behind; to do the governing of the world。  Let them live; and

keep what they had。  If signs of vigour still appeared in Fran
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