按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
understand each other； each class ignoring the other class； each
forming of the other a chimerical picture； each bestowing on the other
the hues of its own imagination； one composing an idyll； the other
framing a melodrama； one imagining peasants as sentimental swains； the
other convinced that the nobles are horrible tyrants。 … Through
this mutual misconception and this secular isolation； the French lose
the habit； the art and the faculty for acting in an entire body。 They
are no longer capable of spontaneous agreement and collective action。
No one； in the moment of danger； dares rely on his neighbors or on his
equals。 No one knows where to turn to obtain a guide。 〃A man willing
to be responsible for the smallest district cannot be found； and； more
than this； one man able to answer for another man＇16＇。〃 Utter and
irremediable disorder is at hand。 The Utopia of the theorists has been
accomplished； the savage condition has recommenced。 Individuals now
stand in by themselves； everyone reverting back to his original
feebleness； while his possessions and his life are at the mercy of the
first band that comes along。 He has nothing within him to control him
but the sheep…like habit of being led； of awaiting an impulsion； of
turning towards the accustomed center； towards Paris； from which his
orders have always arrived。 Arthur Young＇17＇ is struck with this
mechanical movement。 Political ignorance and docility are everywhere
complete。 He； a foreigner； conveys the news of Alsace into Burgundy：
the insurrection there had been terrible； the populace having sacked
the city…hall at Strasbourg； of which not a word was known at Dijon；
〃yet it is nine days since it happened； had it been nineteen I
question if they would more than have received the intelligence。〃
There are no newspapers in the cafés； no local centers of information；
of resolution； of action。 The province submits to events at the
capital； 〃people dare not move； they dare not even form an opinion
before Paris speaks。〃 … This is what Monarchical centralization leads
to。 It has deprived the groups of their cohesion and the individual of
his motivational drive。 Only human dust remains； and this； whirling
about and gathered together in massive force； is blindly driven along
by the wind。＇18＇
III。
Direction of the current。 … The people led by lawyers。 …
Theories and piques the sole surviving forces。 … Suicide of the
Ancient regime。
We are all well aware from which side the gale comes； and； to
assure ourselves； we have merely to see how the reports of the Third…
Estate are made up。 The peasant is led by the man of the law； the
petty attorney of the rural districts； the envious advocate and
theorist。 This one insists； in the report； on a statement being made
in writing and at length of his local and personal grievances； his
protest against taxes and deductions； his request to have his dog free
of the clog； and his desire to own a gun to use against the
wolves＇19＇。 Another one； who suggests and directs； envelopes all this
in the language of the Rights of Man and that of the circular of
Sieyès。
〃For two months；〃 writes a commandant in the South；＇20＇ 〃inferior
judges and lawyers； with which both town and country swarm； with a
view to their election to the States…General； have been racing after
the members of the Third…Estate； under the pretext of standing by them
and of giving them information。 。 。 They have striven to make them
believe that； in the States…General； they alone would be masters and
regulate all the affairs of the kingdom； that the Third…Estate； in
selecting its deputies among men of the robe； would secure the might
and the right to take the lead； to abolish nobility and to cancel all
its rights and privileges； that nobility would no longer be
hereditary； that all citizens； in deserving it； would be entitled to
claim it； that； if the people elected them； they would have accorded
to the Third…Estate whatever it desired； because the curates；
belonging to the Third…Estate； having agreed to separate from the
higher clergy and unite with them； the nobles and the clergy； united
together； would have but one vote against two of the Third…Estate。 。 。
。 If the third … Estate had chosen sensible townspeople or merchants
they would have combined without difficulty with the other two orders。
But the assemblies of the bailiwicks and other districts were stuffed
with men of the robe who had absorbed all opinions and striven to take
precedence of the others； each； in his own behalf； intriguing and
conspiring to be appointed a deputy。〃
〃In Touraine；〃 writes the intendant；＇21＇ 〃most of the votes have
been bespoken or begged for。 Trusty agents； at the moment of voting；
placed filled…in ballots in the hands of the voters； and put in their
way； on reaching the taverns； every document and suggestion calculated
to excite their imaginations and determine their choice for the gentry
of the bar。〃
〃In the sénéchausée of Lectoure； a number of parishes have not
been designated or notified to send their reports or deputies to the
district assembly。 In those which were notified the lawyers； attorneys
and notaries of the small neighboring towns have made up the list of
grievances themselves without summoning the community。 。 。 Exact
copies of this single rough draft were made and sold at a high price
to the councils of each country parish〃。 …
This is an alarming symptom； one marking out in advance the road
the Revolution is to take： The man of the people is indoctrinated by
the advocate； the pikeman allowing himself to be led by the
spokesman。＇22＇
The effect of their combination is apparent the first year。 In
Franche…Comté＇23＇ after consultation with a person named Rouget； the
peasants of the Marquis de Chaila 〃determine to make no further
payments to him； and to divide amongst themselves the product of the
wood…cuttings。〃 In his paper 〃the lawyer states that all the
communities of the province have decided to do the same thing。 。 。 His
consultation is diffused to such an extent around the country that
many of the communities are satisfied that they owe nothing more to
the king nor to the seigniors。 M。 de Marnésia； deputy to the
（National） Assembly； has arrived （here） to pass a few days at home on
account of his health。 He has been treated in the rudest and most
scandalous manner； it was even proposed to conduct him back to Paris
under guard。 After his departure his chateau was attacked； the doors
burst open and the walls of his garden pulled down。 （And yet） no
gentleman has done more for the people on his domain the M。 le Marquis
de Marnésia。 。 。 Excesses of every kind are on the increase； I have
constant complaints of the abuse which the national militia make of
their arms； and which I cannot remedy。〃 According to an utterance in
the National Assembly the police imagines that it is to be disbanded
and has therefore no desire to make enemies for itself。 〃The baillages
are as timid as the police…forces； I send them business constantly；
but no culprit is punished。〃 〃No nation enjoys liberty so
indefinite and so disastrous to honest people； it is absolutely
against the rights of man to see oneself constantly liable to have his
throat cut by the scoundrels who daily confound liberty with license。〃
… In other words； the passions utilize the theory to justify
themselves； and the theory appeal to passion to be carried out。 For
example； near Liancourt； the Duc de Larochefoucauld possessed an
uncultivated area of ground； 〃at the commencement of the
revolution；＇24＇ the poor of the town declare that； as they form a part
of the nation； untilled lands being national property； this belongs to
them；〃 and 〃with no other formality〃 they take possession of it；
divide it up； plant hedges and clear it off。 〃This； says Arthur Young；
shows the general disposition。 。 。 。 Pushed a little farther the
consequences would not be slight for properties in this kingdom。〃
Already； in the preceding year； near Rouen； the marauders； who cut
down and sell the forests； declare； that 〃the people have the right to
take whatever they require for their necessities。〃 They have had the
doctrine preached to them that they are sovereign； and they act as
sovereigns。 The condition of their intellects being given； nothing is
more natural than their conduct。 Several millions of savages are thus
let loose by a few thousand windbags； the politics of the café finding
an interpreter and ministrants in the mob of the streets。 On the one
hand brute force is at the service of the radical dogma。 On the other
hand radical dogma is at the service of brute force。 And here； in
disintegrated France； these are the only two valid powers remaining
erect on the debris of the others。
______________________________________________________________________
Notes