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the present day would utter the first； nor especially the last hurrah。
This indicates the tendency of the century； not only were writers
called upon for ideas； but again for antagonistic ideas。 To render
an aristocracy inactive is to render it rebellious； people are more
willing to submit to rules they have themselves helped to enforce。
Would you rally them to the support of the government？ Then let them
take part in it。 If not they stand by as an onlooker and see nothing
but the mistakes it commits； feeling only its irritations； and
disposed only to criticize and to hoot at it。 In fact； in this case；
they are as if in the theater； where they go to be amused； and；
especially； not to be put to any inconvenience。 What inconveniences
in the established order of things； and indeed in any established
order！ … In the first place； religion。 To the amiable 〃idlers〃
whom Voltaire describes；＇11＇ to 〃the 100；000 persons with nothing to
do but to play and to amuse themselves；〃 religion is the most
disagreeable of pedagogues； always scolding； hostile to sensible
amusement and free discussion； burning books which one wants to read；
and imposing dogmas that are no longer comprehensible。 In plain
terms religion is an eyesore； and whoever wishes to throw stones at
her is welcome。 There is another bond； the moral law of the
sexes。 It seems onerous to men of pleasure； to the companions of
Richelieu； Lauzun and Tilly； to the heroes of Crebillon the younger；
and all others belonging to that libertine and gallant society for
whom license has become the rule。 Our fine gentlemen are quite ready
to adopt a theory which justifies their practices。＇12＇ They are very
glad to be told that marriage is conventional and a thing of
prejudice。 Saint… Lambert obtains their applause at supper when；
raising a glass of champagne； he proposes as a toast a return to
nature and the customs of Tahiti＇13＇。 The last fetter of all is the
government； the most galling； for it enforces the rest and keeps man
down with its weight； along with the added weight of the others。 It
is absolute； it is centralized； it works through favorites； it is
backward； it makes mistakes； it has reverses： how many causes of
discontent embraced in a few words！ It is opposed by the vague and
suppressed resentment of the former powers which it has dispossessed；
the provincial assemblies； the parliaments； the grandees of the
provinces； the old stock of nobles； who； like the Mirabeau； retain the
old feudal spirit； and like Chateaubriand's father； call the Abbé
Raynal a 〃master…man。〃 Against it is the spite of all those who
imagine themselves frustrated in the distribution of offices and of
favors； not only the provincial nobility who remain outside＇14＇ while
the court nobility are feasting at the royal banquet； but again the
majority of the courtiers who are obliged to be content with crumbs；
while the little circle of intimate favorites swallow down the large
morsels。 It has against it the ill…humor of those under its
direction who； seeing it play the part of Providence and providing for
all； accuses it of everything； the high price of bread as well as of
the decay of a highway。 It has against it the new humanity which； in
the most elegant drawing…rooms； lays to its charge the maintenance of
the antiquated remains of a barbarous epoch； ill…imposed； ill…
apportioned and ill…collected taxes； sanguinary laws； blind
prosecutions； atrocious punishments； the persecution of the
Protestants； lettres…de…cachet； and prisons of State。 And I do not
include its excesses； its scandals； its disasters and its disgraces；
… Rosbach； the treaty of Paris； Madame du Barry； and bankruptcy。 …
Disgust intervenes； for everything is decidedly bad。 The spectators
of the play say to each other that not only is the piece itself poor；
but the theater is badly built； uncomfortable； stifling and
contracted； to such a degree that； to be at one's ease； the whole
thing must be torn down and rebuilt from cellar to garret。
Just at this moment the new architects appear； with their specious
arguments and their ready…made plans； proving that every great public
structure； religious and moral； and all communities； cannot be
otherwise than barbarous and unhealthy； since； thus far； they are
built up out of bits and pieces； by degrees； and generally by fools
and savages； in any event by common masons； who built aimlessly；
feeling their way and devoid of principles。 As far as they are
concerned； they are genuine architects； and they have principles； that
is to say； Reason； Nature； and the Rights of Man； straightforward and
fruitful principles which everybody can understand； all that has to be
done is to draw their consequences making it possible to replace the
imperfect tenements of the past with the admirable edifice of the
future。 … To irreverent； Epicurean and philanthropic malcontents
the temptation is a great one。 They readily adopt maxims which seem
in conformity with their secret wishes； at least they adopt them in
theory and in words。 The imposing terms of liberty； justice； public
good； man's dignity； are so admirable； and besides so vague！ What
heart can refuse to cherish them； and what intelligence can foretell
their innumerable applications？ And all the more because； up to the
last； the theory does not descend from the heights； being confined to
abstractions； resembling an academic oration； constantly dealing with
Natural Man （homme en soi） of the social contract； with an imaginary
and perfect society。 Is there a courtier at Versailles who would
refuse to proclaim equality in the lands of the Franks！ … Between
the two stories of the human intellect； the upper where abstract
reasoning is spun and the lower where an active faith reposes；
communication is neither complete nor immediate。 A number of
principles never leave the upper stories； they remain there as
curiosities； so many fragile； clever mechanisms； freely to be seen but
rarely employed。 If the proprietor sometimes transfers them to the
lower story he makes but a partial use of them； established customs；
anterior and more powerful interests and instincts restrict their
employment。 In this respect he is not acting in bad faith； but as a
man； each of us professing truths which he does not put in practice。
One evening Target； a dull lawyer； having taken a pinch from the
snuff…box of the Maréchale de Beauvau； the latter； whose drawing room
is a small democratic club； is amazed at such monstrous familiarity。
Later； Mirabeau； on returning home just after having voted for the
abolition of the titles of nobility； takes his servant by the ear；
laughingly proclaiming in his thunderous voice； 〃Look here； you
rascal； I trust that to you I shall always be Monsieur le Comte ！〃 …
This shows to what extent new theories are admitted into an
aristocratic brain。 They occupy the whole of the upper story； and
there； with a pleasing murmur； they weave the web of interminable
conversation； their buzzing lasts throughout the century； never have
the drawing…rooms seen such an outpouring of fine sentences and of
fine words。 Something of all this drops from the upper to the lower
story； if only as dust； I mean to say； hope； faith in the future；
belief in Reason； a love of truth； the generous and youthful good
intentions； the enthusiasm that quickly passes but which may； for a
while； become self…abnegation and devotion。
IV。 UNBELIEF。
The diffusion among the upper class。 … Progress of incredulity in
religion。 … Its causes。… It breaks out under the Regency。 …
Increasing irritation against the clergy。 … Materialism in the
drawing…room。 … Estimate of the sciences。 … Final opinion on
religion。 … Skepticism of the higher clergy。
Let us follow the progress of philosophy in the upper class。
Religion is the first to receive the severest attacks。 The small
group of skeptics； which is hardly perceptible under Louis XIV； has
obtained its recruits in the dark； in 1698 the Palatine； the mother of
the Regent； writes that 〃we scarcely meet a young man now who is not
ambitious of being an atheist。〃＇15＇ Under the Regency； unbelief comes
out into open daylight。 〃I doubt；〃 says this lady again； in 1722；
〃if； in all Paris； a hundred individuals can be found； either
ecclesiastics or laymen； who have any true faith； or even believe in
our Lord。 It makes one tremble。 。 。 。〃 The position of an
ecclesiastic in society is already difficult。 He is looked upon；
apparently； as either a puppet or a dickey （a false shirt front）＇16＇。
〃The moment we appear；〃 says one of them； 〃we are forced into
discussion； we are called upon to prove； for example； the utility of
prayer to an unbeliever in God； and the necessity of fasting to a man
who has all his life denied the immortality of the soul； the effort is
very irksome； while those who