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！
cannot last five hundred years；〃 against the degenerate monarchy which
causes useful citizens to starve to fatten parasite courtiers＇19＇。
The entire new philosophy blooms out in his hands with an air of
innocence； in a pastoral romance； in a simple prayer； in an artless
letter＇20＇。 None of the gifts which serve to arrest and fix the
attention are wanting in this style； neither grandeur of imagination
nor profound sentiment； vivid characterization； delicate gradations；
vigorous precision； a sportive grace； unlooked…for burlesque； nor
variety of representation。 But； amidst so many ingenious tricks；
apologues； tales； portraits and dialogues； in earnest as well as when
masquerading； his deportment throughout is irreproachable and his tone
is perfect。 If； as an author； he develops a paradox it is with almost
English gravity。 If he fully exposes indecency it is with decent
terms。 In the full tide of buffoonery； as well as in the full blast
of license； he is ever the well…bred man； born and brought up in the
aristocratic circle in which full liberty is allowed but where good…
breeding is supreme； where every idea is permitted but where words are
weighed； where one has the privilege of saying what he pleases； but on
condition that he never forgets himself。
A circle of this kind is a small one； comprising only a select few；
to be understood by the multitude requires another tone of voice。
Philosophy demands a writer whose principal occupation is a diffusion
of it； who is unable to keep it to himself； who pours it out like a
gushing fountain； who offers it to everybody； daily and in every form；
in broad streams and in small drops； without exhaustion or weariness；
through every crevice and by every channel； in prose； in verse； in
imposing and in trifling poems； in the drama； in history； in novels；
in pamphlets； in pleadings； in treatises； in essays； in dictionaries；
in correspondence； openly and in secret； in order that it may
penetrate to all depths and in every soil； such was Voltaire。 …
〃I have accomplished more in my day；〃 he says somewhere； 〃than either
Luther or Calvin；〃 in which he is mistaken。 The truth is； however； he
has something of their spirit。 Like them he is desirous of changing
the prevailing religion； he takes the attitude of the founder of a
sect； he recruits and binds together proselytes； he writes letters of
exhortation； of direction and of predication； he puts watchwords in
circulation； he furnishes 〃the brethren〃 with a device； his passion
resembles the zeal of an apostle or of a prophet。 Such a spirit is
incapable of reserve； it is militant and fiery by nature； it
apostrophizes； reviles and improvises； it writes under the dictation
of impressions； it allows itself every species of utterance and； if
need be； the coarsest。 It thinks by explosions； its emotions are
sudden starts； and its images so many sparks； it lets the rein go
entirely； it gives itself up to the reader and hence it takes
possession of him。 Resistance is impossible； the contagion is too
overpowering。 A creature of air and flame； the most excitable that
ever lived； composed of more ethereal and more throbbing atoms than
those of other men； none is there whose mental machinery is more
delicate； nor whose equilibrium is at the same time more shifting and
more exact。 He may be compared to those accurate scales that are
affected by a breath； but alongside of which every other measuring
apparatus is incorrect and clumsy。 … But； in this delicate balance
only the lightest weights； the finest specimen must be placed； on this
condition only it rigorously weighs all substances； such is Voltaire；
involuntarily； through the demands of his intellect； and in his own
behalf as much as in that of his readers。 An entire philosophy； ten
volumes of theology； an abstract science； a special library； an
important branch of erudition； of human experience and invention； is
thus reduced in his hands to a phrase or to a stanza。 From the
enormous mass of riven or compact scorioe he extracts whatever is
essential； a grain of gold or of copper as a specimen of the rest；
presenting this to us in its most convenient and most manageable form；
in a simile； in a metaphor； in an epigram that becomes a proverb。 In
this no ancient or modern writer approaches him； in simplification and
in popularization he has not his equal in the world。 Without
departing from the usual conversational tone； and as if in sport； he
puts into little portable phrases the greatest discoveries and
hypotheses of the human mind； the theories of Descartes； Malebranche；
Leibnitz； Locke and Newton； the diverse religions of antiquity and of
modern times； every known system of physics； physiology； geology；
morality； natural law； and political economy；＇21＇ in short； all the
generalized conceptions in every order of knowledge to which humanity
had attained in the eighteenth century。 … Voltaire's inclination
is so strong that it carries him too far； he belittles great things by
rendering them accessible。 Religion； legend； ancient popular poesy；
the spontaneous creations of instinct； the vague visions of primitive
tunes are not thus to be converted into small current coin； they are
not subjects of amusing and lively conversation。 A piquant witticism
is not an expression of all this； but simply a travesty。 But how
charming to Frenchmen； and to people of the world！ And what reader can
abstain from a book containing all human knowledge summed up in
piquant witticisms？ For it is really a summary of human knowledge； no
important idea； as far as I can see； being wanting to a man whose
breviary consisted of the 〃Dialogues；〃 the 〃Dictionary；〃 and the
〃Novels。〃 Read them over and over five or six times； and we then form
some idea of their vast contents。 Not only do views of the world and
of man abound in them； but again they swarm with positive and even
technical details； thousands of little facts scattered throughout；
multiplied and precise details on astronomy； physics； geography；
physiology； statistics； and on the history of all nations； the
innumerable and personal experiences of a man who has himself read the
texts； handled the instruments； visited the countries； taken part in
the industries； and associated with the persons； and who； in the
precision of his marvelous memory； in the liveliness of his ever…
blazing imagination； revives or sees； as with the eye itself；
everything that he states and as he states it。 It is a unique talent；
the rarest in a classic era； the most precious of all； since it
consists in the display of actual beings； not through the gray veil of
abstractions； but in themselves； as they are in nature and in history；
with their visible color and forms； with their accessories and
surroundings in time and space； a peasant at his cart； a Quaker in his
meeting…house； a German baron in his castle； Dutchmen； Englishmen；
Spaniards； Italians； Frenchmen； in their homes；＇22＇ a great lady； a
designing woman； provincials； soldiers； prostitutes；＇23＇ and the rest
of the human medley； on every step of the social ladder； each an
abridgment of his kind and in the passing light of a sudden flash。
For； the most striking feature of this style is the prodigious
rapidity； the dazzling and bewildering stream of novelties； ideas；
images； events； landscapes； narratives； dialogues； brief little
pictures； following each other rapidly as if in a magic…lantern；
withdrawn almost as soon as presented by the impatient magician who；
in the twinkling of an eye； girdles the world and； constantly
accumulating one on top of the other； history； fable； truth and fancy；
the present time and times past； frames his work now with a parade as
absurd as that of a country fair； and now with a fairy scene more
magnificent than all those of the opera。 To amuse and be amused； 〃to
diffuse his spirit in every imaginable mode； like a glowing furnace
into which all substances are thrown by turns to evolve every species
of flame； sparkle and odor；〃 is his first instinct。 〃Life；〃 he says
again； 〃is an infant to be rocked until it goes to sleep。〃 Never was a
mortal more excited and more exciting； more incapable of silence and
more hostile to ennui；＇24＇ better endowed for conversation； more
evidently destined to become the king of a sociable century in which；
with six pretty stories； thirty witticisms and some confidence in
himself； a man could obtain a social passport and the certainty of
being everywhere welcome。 Never was there a writer possessing to so
high a degree and in such abundance every qualification of the
conversationalist； the art of animating and of enlivening discourse；
the talent for giving pleasure to people of society。 Perfectly
refined when he chose to be； confining himself without inconvenience
to strict decorum； of finished politeness； of exquisite gallantry；
deferential without being servile； fond without being mawkis