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！
Europeans。 All have the same tastes； the same passions； the same
habits； none having obtained a national form through any specific
institution。〃 Rousseau； 〃Sur le gouvernement de Pologne；〃 170。
＇36＇ Previous to 1750 we find something about these in 〃Gil…Blas；〃
and in 〃Marianne；〃 （Mme。 Dufour the sempstress and her shop）。 …
Unfortunately the Spanish travesty prevents the novels of Lesage from
being as instructive as they might be。
＇37＇ Interesting details are found in the little stories by Diderot
as； for instance； 〃Les deux amis de Bourbonne。〃 But elsewhere he is a
partisan； especially in the 〃Religieuse；〃 and conveys a false
impression of things。
＇38＇ 〃To attain to the truth we have only to fix our attention on the
ideas which each one finds within his own mind。〃 （Malebranche；
〃Recherche de la Vérité；〃 book I。 ch。 1。） … 〃Those long chains of
reasoning； all simple and easy； which geometers use to arrive at their
most difficult demonstrations； suggested to me that all things which
come within human knowledge must follow each other in a similar
chain。〃 （Descartes； 〃Discours de la Methode；〃 I。 142）。 … In the
seventeenth century In the 17th century constructions a priori were
based on ideas； in the 18th century on sensations； but always
following the same mathematical method fully displayed in the 〃Ethics〃
of Spinoza。
＇39＇ See especially his memoir： 〃De l'influence du climat sur les
habitudes morales；〃 vague； and wholly barren of illustrations
excepting one citation from Hippocrates。
＇40＇ These are Sieyès own words。 … He adds elsewhere； 〃There is no
more reality in assumed historical truths than in assumed religious
truths。〃 （〃Papiers de Sieyès；〃 the year 1772； according to Sainte…
Beuve； 〃Causeries du lundi；〃 V。 194）。 … Descartes and Malebranche
already expressed this contempt for history。
＇41＇ Today； in 1998； we know that Taine was right。 The research on
animal and human behavior； on animal and human brain circuitry； and
the behavior of the cruel human animal during the 20th century；
confirmed his views。 Still mankind persists in preferring simple
solutions and ideas to complex ones。 This is the way our brains and
our nature as gregarious animals make us think and feel。 This our
basic human nature make ambitious men able to appeal to and dominate
the crowd。 （SR。）
＇42＇ Condorcet； 〃Esquisse d'un tableau historique de l'esprit
humain；〃 ninth epoch。
＇43＇ See the 〃Tableau historique；〃 presented to the Institute by
Chénier in 1808； showing by its statements that the classic spirit
still prevails in all branches of literature。 … Cabanis died in 1818；
Volney in 1820； de Tracy and Sieyès in 1836； Daunou in 1840。 In May；
1845； Saphary and Valette are still professors of Condillac's
philosophy in the two lycées in Paris。
＇44＇ The world did not heed Taine's warnings。 The leaders and the
masses of the Western world were to be seduced by the terrible new
ideologies of the 20th century。 The ideology of socialism persists
making good use of the revised 20th century editions of the Rights
of Man； enlarged to cover the physical well…being and standard of
living of man； woman； child and animal and in this manner allowing
the state to replace all individual responsibility and authority；
thus； as Taine saw； dealing a death blow to the family； to
individual responsibility and enterprise and to effective local
government。 （SR。）。
CHAPTER III。 COMBINATION OF THE TWO ELEMENTS。
I。 BIRTH OF A DOCTRINE； A REVELATION。
The doctrine； its pretensions； and its character。 … A new authority
for Reason in the regulation of human affairs。 … Government thus far
traditional。
OUT of the scientific acquisitions thus set forth； elaborated by
the spirit we have just described； is born a doctrine； seemingly a
revelation； and which； under this title； was to claim the government
of human affairs。 On the approach of 1789 it is generally admitted
that man is living in 〃a century of light；〃 in 〃the age of Reason；〃
that； previously； the human species was in its infancy and that now it
has attained to its 〃majority。〃 Truth； finally； is made manifest and；
for the first time； its reign on earth is apparent。 The right is
supreme because it is truth itself。 It must direct all things because
through its nature it is universal。 The philosophy of the eighteenth
century； in these two articles of faith； resembles a religion； the
Puritanism of the seventeenth century； and Islam in the seventh
century。 We see the same outburst of faith； hope and enthusiasm； the
same spirit of propaganda and of dominion； the same rigidity and
intolerance； the same ambition to recast man and to remodel human life
according to a preconceived type。 The new doctrine is also to have its
scholars； its dogmas； its popular catechism； its fanatics； its
inquisitors and its martyrs。 It is to speak as loudly as those
preceding it； as a legitimate authority to which dictatorship belongs
by right of birth； and against which rebellion is criminal or insane。
It differs； however； from the preceding religions in this respect；
that instead of imposing itself in the name of God； it imposes itself
in the name of Reason。
The authority； indeed； was a new one。 Up to this time； in the
control of human actions and opinions； Reason had played but a small
and subordinate part。 Both the motive and its direction were obtained
elsewhere； faith and obedience were an inheritance； a man was a
Christian and a subject because he was born Christian and subject。
Surrounding the nascent philosophy and the Reason which enters upon
its great investigation； is a system of recognized laws； an
established power； a reigning religion； all the stones of this
structure hold together and each story is supported by a preceding
story。 But what does the common cement consist of； and where is the
basic foundation？ Who sanctions all these civil regulations which
control marriages； testaments； inheritances； contracts； property and
persons； these fanciful and often contradictory regulations？ In the
first place immemorial custom； varying according to the province；
according to the title to the soil； according to the quality and
condition of the person； and next； the will of the king who caused the
custom to be inscribed and who sanctioned it。 Who authorizes this
will； this sovereignty of the prince； this first of public
obligations？ In the first place； eight centuries of possession； a
hereditary right similar to that by which each one enjoys his own
field and domain； a property established in a family and transmitted
from one eldest son to another； from the first founder of the State to
his last living successor； and； in addition to this； a religion
directing men to submit to the constituted powers。 And who；
finally； authorizes this religion？ At first； eighteen centuries of
tradition； the immense series of anterior and concordant proofs； the
steady belief of sixty preceding generations； and after this； at the
beginning of it； the presence and teachings of Christ； then； farther
back； the creation of the world； the command and the voice of God。
Thus； throughout the moral and social order of things the past
justifies the present； antiquity provides its title； and if beneath
all these supports which age has consolidated； the deep primitive rock
is sought for in subterranean depths； we find it in the divine will。
During the whole of the seventeenth century this theory still
absorbs all souls in the shape of a fixed habit and of inward respect；
it is not open to question。 It is regarded in the same light as the
heart of the living body； whoever would lay his hand upon it would
instantly draw back； moved by a vague sentiment of its ceasing to beat
in case it were touched。 The most independent； with Descartes at the
head； 〃would be grieved〃 at being confounded with those chimerical
speculators who； instead of pursuing the beaten track of custom； dart
blindly forward 〃in a direct line across mountains and over
precipices。〃 In subjecting their belief to systematic investigation
not only do they leave out and set apart 〃the truths of faith；〃＇1＇ but
again the dogma they think they have thrown out remains in their mind
latent and active； to guide them on unconsciously and to convert their
philosophy into a preparation for； or a confirmation of；
Christianity。＇2＇ Summing it all up； faith； the performance of
religious duties； with religious and political institutions； are at
base of all thought of the seventeenth century。 Reason； whether she
admits it or is ignorant of it； is only a subaltern； an oratorical
agency； a setter…in…motion； forced by religion and the monarchy to
labor in their behalf。 With the exception of La Fontaine； whom I
regard as unique in this as in other matters； the greatest and most
independent； Pascal； Descartes； Bossuet；