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！
principle； but is the work of one generation after another； according
to manifold and changing necessities。 It is not a product of logic；
but of history； and the new…fledged thinker shrugs his shoulders as he
looks up and sees what the ancient tenement is； the foundations of
which are arbitrary； its architecture confused； and its many repairs
plainly visible。 In the second place； whatever degree of perfection
preceding institutions； laws； and customs have reached； these have not
received his approval； others； his predecessors； have chosen for him；
he is being subjected beforehand to moral； political； and social forms
which pleased them。 Whether they please him or not is of no
consequence。 Like a horse trotting along between the poles of a wagon
in the harness that happens to have been put on his back； he has to
make best of it。 Besides； whatever its organization； as it is
essentially a hierarchy； he is nearly always subaltern in it； and must
ever remain so； either soldier； corporal or sergeant。 Even under the
most liberal system； that in which the highest grades are accessible
to all； for every five or six men who take the lead or command others；
one hundred thousand must follow or be commanded。 This makes it vain
to tell every conscript that he carriers a marshal's baton in his
sack； when； nine hundred and ninety…nine times out of a thousand； he
discovers too late； on rummaging his sack； that the baton is not
there。 … … It is not surprising that he is tempted to kick against
social barriers within which； willing or not； he is enrolled； and
which predestine him to subordination。 It is not surprising that on
emerging from traditional influences he should accept a theory； which
subjects these arrangements to his judgment and gives him authority
over his superiors。 And all the more because there is no doctrine more
simple and better adapted to his inexperience； it is the only one he
can comprehend and manage off…hand。 Hence it is that young men on
leaving college； especially those who have their way to make in the
world； are more or less Jacobin； … it is a disorder of growing up。＇9＇
In well organized communities this ailment is beneficial； and soon
cured。 The public establishment being substantial and carefully
guarded； malcontents soon discover that they have not enough strength
to pull it down； and that on contending with its guardians they gain
nothing but blows。 After some grumbling； they too enter at one or the
other of its doors； find a place for themselves； and enjoy its
advantages or become reconciled to their lot。 Finally； either through
imitation； or habit； or calculation； they willingly form part of that
garrison which； in protecting public interests； protects their own
private interests as well。 Generally； after ten years have gone by；
the young man has obtained his rank in the file； where he advances
step by step in his own compartment； which he no longer thinks of
tearing to pieces； and under the eye of a policeman who he no longer
thinks of condemning。 He even sometimes thinks that policeman and
compartment are useful to him。 Should he consider the millions of
individuals who are trying to mount the social ladder； each striving
to get ahead of the other； it may dawn upon him that the worst of
calamities would be a lack of barriers and of guardians。
Here the worm…eaten barriers have cracked all at once； their easy…
going； timid； incapable guardians having allowed things to take their
course。 Society； accordingly； disintegrated and a pell…mell； is turned
into a turbulent； shouting crowd； each pushing and being pushed； all
alike over…excited and congratulating each other on having finally
obtained elbow…room； and all demanding the new barriers shall be as
fragile and the new guardians as feeble； as defenseless； and as inert
as possible。 This is what has been done。 As a natural consequence；
those who were foremost in the rank have been relegated to the last；
many have been struck down in the fray； while in this permanent state
of disorder； which goes under the name of lasting order； elegant
footwear continue to be stamped upon by hobnailed boots and wooden
shoes。 … The fanatic and the intemperate egoists can now let
themselves go。 They are no longer subject to any ancient
institutions； nor any armed might which can restrain them。 On the
contrary； the new constitution； through its theoretical declarations
and the practical application of these； invites them to let themselves
go。 For； on the one hand； legally； it declares to be based upon
pure reason； beginning with a long string of abstract dogmas from
which its positive prescriptions are assumed to be rigorously deduced。
As a consequence all laws are submitted to the shallow comments of
reasoners and quibblers who will both interpret and break them
according to the principles。＇10＇ On the other hand； as a matter of
fact； it hands over all government powers to the elections and confers
on the clubs the control of the authorities： which is to offer a
premium to the presumption of the ambitious who put themselves forward
because they think themselves capable； and who defame their rulers
purposely to displace them。 … Every government department；
organization or administrative system is like a hothouse which serves
to favor some species of the human plant and wither others。 This one
is the best one for the propagation and rapid increase of the coffee…
house politician； club haranguer； the stump…speaker； the street…
rioter； the committee dictator in short； the revolutionary and the
tyrant。 In this political hothouse wild dreams and conceit will assume
monstrous proportions； and； in a few months； brains that are now only
ardent become hotheads。
Let us trace the effect of this excessive； unhealthy temperature
on imaginations and ambitions。 The old tenement is down； the
foundations of the new one are not yet laid； society has to be made
over again from top to bottom。 All willing men are asked to come and
help； and； as one plain principle suffices in drawing a plan； the
first comer may succeed。 Henceforth political fancies swarm in the
district meetings； in the clubs； in the newspapers； in pamphlets； and
in every head…long； venturesome brain。
〃There is not a merchant's clerk educated by reading the 'Nouvelle
Héloise；'＇11＇ not a school teacher that has translated ten pages of
Livy； not an artist that has leafed through Rollin； not an aesthete
converted into journalists by committing to memory the riddles of the
'Contrat Social；' who does not draft a constitution。 。 。 As nothing is
easier than to perfect a daydream； all perturbed minds gather； and
become excited； in this ideal realm。 They start out with curiosity and
end up with enthusiasm。 The man in the street rushes to the enterprise
in the same manner as a miser to a conjurer promising treasures； and；
thus childishly attracted； each hopes to find at once； what has never
been seen under even the most liberal governments： perpetual
perfection； universal brotherhood； the power of acquiring what one
lacks； and a life composed wholly of enjoyment。〃
One of these pleasures； and a keen one； is to daydream。 One soars
in space。 By means of eight or ten ready…made sentences； found in the
six…penny catechisms circulated by thousands in the country and in the
suburbs of the towns and cities；＇12＇ a village attorney； a customs
clerk； a theater attendant； a sergeant of a soldier's mess； becomes a
legislator and philosopher。 He criticizes Malouet； Mirabeau； the
Ministry； the King； the Assembly； the Church； foreign Cabinets；
France； and all Europe。 Consequently； on these important subjects；
which always seemed forever forbidden to him； he offers resolutions；
reads addresses； makes harangues； obtains applause； and congratulates
himself on having argued so well and with such big words。 To hold fort
on questions that are not understood is now an occupation； a matter of
pride and profit。
〃More is uttered in one day；〃 says an eye…witness；＇13＇ 〃in one section
of Paris than in one year in all the Swiss political assemblies put
together。 An Englishman would give six weeks of study to what we
dispose of in a quarter of an hour。〃
Everywhere； in the town halls； in popular meetings； in the sectional
assemblies； in the wine shops； on the public promenades； on street
corners vanity erects a tribune of verbosity。
〃Contemplate the incalculable activity of such a machine in a
loquacious nation where the passion for being something dominates all
other affections； where vanity has more phases than there are starts
in the firmament； where reputations already cost no more than the
trouble of insisting on their being deserved； where society is divided
between mediocrities and their trumpeters who laud them as divinities；
where so few people are content with their lot； where the corner
grocer is prouder of his epaulette than the G