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adapted to ordinary life。 Their prominence proves irksome to them and
they grow weary of being always on parade。 Henceforth they accept
familiarity that they may enjoy freedom of action； and are content 〃to
mingle with their fellow…citizens without obstacle or ostentation。 …
… 〃It is certainly a grave sign； and the old feudal spirits have
reason to tremble。 The Marquis de Mirabeau； on learning that his son
wishes to act as his own lawyer； consoles himself by seeing others； of
still higher rank； do much worse＇16＇。
〃As it was difficult to accept the idea that the grandson of my
father； whom we just had seen pass by on the promenade； everybody；
young and old； raising their hats to him from afar； would soon be seen
at the bar of a lower tribunal； there to contest minor legal matters
with pettifoggers； but I said to myself； however； that Louis XIV would
be still more astonished had he seen the wife of his grand…successor
dressed in a peasant's frock and apron； with no attendants； not a page
or any one else； running about the palace and the terraces； requesting
the first scamp in a frock…coat she encountered to give her his hand；
which he simply does； all the way down to the foot of the steps。〃
But the leveling of manners and appearances of life reflected；
indeed； only an equalization of minds and tempers。 The antique
scenery being torn away indicates the disappearance of the sentiments
to which it belonged。 It indicated gravity； dignity； custom of self…
control and of exposed； in authority and command。 It was the rigid
and sumptuous parade of a social corps of staff…officers。 At this
time the parade is discontinued because the corps has been dissolved。
If the nobles dress like the bourgeoisie it is owing to their having
become bourgeois； that is to say； idlers retired from business； with
nothing to do but to talk and amuse themselves。 Undoubtedly they
amuse themselves and converse like people of refinement； but it is not
very difficult to equal them in this respect。 Now that the Third…
Estate has acquired its wealth a good many commoners have become
people of society。 The successors of Samuel Bernard are no longer so
many Turcarets； but Paris…Duverneys； Saint…Jameses； Labordes； refined
men； people of culture and of feeling； possessing tact； literary and
philosophical attainments； benevolent； giving parties and knowing how
to entertain＇17＇。 With them； slightly different； we find the same
company as with a grand lord； the same ideas and the same tone。 Their
sons； messieurs de Villemer； de Francueil； d'Epinay； throw money out
of the window with as much elegance as the young dukes with whom they
sup。 A parvenu with money and intellect soon learns the ropes； and
his son； if not himself； is initiated： a few years' exercises in an
academy； a dancing…master； and one of the four thousand public offices
which confer nobility； supply him with the deficient appearances。
Now； in these times； as soon as one knows how to conform to the laws
of good…breeding； how to bow and how to converse； one possesses a
patent for admission everywhere。 An Englishman＇18＇ remarks that one
of the first expressions employed in praise of a man is； 〃he has a
very graceful address。〃 The Maréchale de Luxembourg； so high…spirited；
always selects Laharpe as her cavalier； because 〃he offers his arm so
well。〃 The commoner not only enters the drawing…room； if he is
fitted for it； but he stands foremost in it if he has any talent。 The
first place in conversation； and even in public consideration； is for
Voltaire； the son of a notary； for Diderot； the son of a cutler； for
Rousseau； the son of a watchmaker； for d'Alembert； a foundling brought
up by a glazier； and； after the great men have disappeared； and no
writers of the second grade are left； the leading duchesses are still
content to have the seats at their tables occupied by Champfort；
another foundling； Beaumarchais； the son of another watchmaker；
Laharpe； supported and raised on charity； Marmontel； the son of a
village tailor； and may others of less note； in short； every parvenu
possessing wit。
The nobility； to perfect their own accomplishments； borrow their
pens and aspire to their successes。 〃We have recovered from those old
Gothic and absurd prejudices against literary culture；〃 says the
Prince de Hénin；＇19＇ 〃as for myself I would compose a comedy to…morrow
if I had the talent； and if I happened to be made a little angry； I
would perform in it。〃 And； in fact； 〃the Vicomte de Ségur； son of the
minister of war； plays the part of the lover in 'Nina' on Mlle。 de
Guimard's stage with the actors of the Italian Comedy。〃＇20＇ One of
Mme。 de Genlis's personages； returning to Paris after five years'
absence； says that 〃he left men wholly devoted to play； hunting； and
their small houses； and he finds them all turned authors。〃＇21＇ They
hawk about their tragedies； comedies； novels； eclogues； dissertations
and treatises of all kinds from one drawing room to another。 They
strive to get their pieces played； they previously submit them to the
judgment of actors； they solicit a word of praise from the Mercure；
they read fables at the sittings of the Academy。 They become involved
in the bickering； in the vainglory； in the pettiness of literary life；
and still worse； of the life of the stage； inasmuch as they are
themselves performers and play in company with real actors in hundreds
of private theaters。 Add to this； if you please； other petty amateur
talents such as sketching in water…colors； writing songs； and playing
the flute。 After this amalgamation of classes and this transfer
of parts what remains of the superiority of the nobles？ By what
special merit； through what recognized capacity are they to secure
respect of a member of the Third…Estate？ Outside of fashionable
elegance and a few points of breeding； in what respect they differ
from him？ What superior education； what familiarity with affairs； what
experience with government； what political instruction； what local
ascendancy； what moral authority can be alleged to sanction their
pretensions to the highest places？ In the way of practice； the
Third…Estate already does the work； providing the qualified men； the
intendants； the ministerial head…clerks； the lay and ecclesiastical
administrators； the competent laborers of all kinds and degrees。 Call
to mind the Marquis of whom we have just spoken； a former captain in
the French guards； a man of feeling and of loyalty； admitting at the
elections of 1789 that 〃the knowledge essential to a deputy would most
generally be found in the Third…Estate ； the mind there being
accustomed to business。〃 In the way of theory： the commoner is
as well…informed as the noble； and he thinks he is still better
informed； because； having read the same books and arrived at the same
principles； he does not； like him； stop half…way on the road to their
consequences； but plunges headlong to the very depths of the doctrine；
convinced that his logic is clairvoyance and that he is more
enlightened because he is the least prejudiced。 Consider the
young men who； about twenty years of age in 1780； born in industrious
families； accustomed to effort and able to work twelve hours a day； a
Barnave； a Carnot； a Roederer； a Merlin de Thionville； a Robespierre；
an energetic stock； feeling their strength； criticizing their rivals；
aware of their weakness； comparing their own application and education
to their levity and incompetence； and； at the moment when youthful
ambition stirs within them； seeing themselves excluded in advance from
any superior position； consigned for life to subaltern employment； and
subjected in every career to the precedence of superiors who they
hardly recognize as their equals。 At the artillery examinations where
Chérin； the genealogist； refuses commoners； and where the Abbé Bosen；
a mathematician； rejects the ignorant； it is discovered that capacity
is wanting among the noble pupils and nobility among the capable
pupils；＇22＇ the two qualities of gentility and intelligence seeming to
exclude each other； as there are but four or five out of a hundred
pupils who combine the two conditions。 Now； as society at this time
is mixed； such tests are frequent and easy。 Whether lawyer；
physician； or man of letters； a member of the Third…Estate with whom a
duke converses familiarly； who sits in a diligence alongside of a
count…colonel of hussars；＇23＇ can appreciate his companion or his
interlocutor； weigh his ideas； test his merit and esteem him at his
correct value； and I am sure that he does not overrate him。
Now that the nobles have lost their special capacities and the Third…
Estate have acquired general competence； and as they are on the same
level in education and competence； the inequality which separates them
has become offensive because it has become useless。 Nobility being
instituted by custo