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where so few people are content with their lot； where the corner
grocer is prouder of his epaulette than the Grand Condé of his
Marshal's baton； where agitation without object or resources is
perpetual； where； from the floor…scrubber to the dramatist； from the
academician to the simpleton who gets muddled over the evening
newspaper； from the witty courtier down to his philosophic lackey；
each one revises Montesquieu with the self…sufficiency of a child
which； because it is learning to read； deems itself wise； where self…
esteem； in disputation； caviling and sophistication； destroys all
sensible conversation； where no one utters a word； but to teach； never
imagining that to learn one must keep quiet； where the triumphs of a
few lunatics entice every crackbrain from his den； where； with two
nonsensical ideas put together out of a book that is not understood； a
man assumes to have principles； where swindlers talk about morality；
women of easy virtue about civism； and the most infamous of beings
about the dignity of the species； where the discharged valet of a
grand seignior calls himself Brutus！〃
… In reality； he is Brutus in his own eyes。 Let the time come and he
will be so in earnest； especially against his late master； all he has
to do is to give him a thrust with his pike。 Until he acts out the
part he spouts it； and grows excited over his own tirades； his common
sense gives way to the bombastic jargon of the revolution and to
declamation； which completes the Utopian performance and eases his
brain of its last modicum of ballast。
It is not merely ideas which the new regime has disturbed； but it has
also disordered sentiments。 〃Authority is transferred from the
Chateau of Versailles and the courtier's antechamber； with no
intermediary or counterpoise； to the proletariat and its
flatterers。〃＇14＇ The whole of the staff of the old government is
brusquely set aside； while a general election has brusquely installed
another in is place； offices not being given to capacity； seniority；
and experience； but to self…sufficiency； intrigue； and exaggeration。
Not only are legal rights reduced to a common level； but natural
grades are transposed； the social ladder； overthrown； is set up again
bottom upwards； the first effect of the promised regeneration is 〃to
substitute in the administration of public affairs pettifoggers for
magistrates； ordinary citizens for cabinet ministers； ex…commoners for
ex…nobles； rustics for soldiers； soldiers for captains； captains for
generals； curés for bishops； vicars for curés； monks for vicars；
brokers for financiers； empiricists for administrators； journalists
for political economists； stump…orators for legislators； and the poor
for the rich。〃 … Every species of covetousness is stimulated by this
spectacle。 The profusion of offices and the anticipation of vacancies
〃has excited the thirst for command； stimulated self…esteem； and
inflamed the hopes of the most inept。 A rude and grim presumption
renders the fool and the ignoramus unconscious of their
insignificance。 They have deemed themselves capable of anything；
because the law granted public functions merely to capacity。 There has
appeared in front of one and all an ambitious perspective； the soldier
thinks only of displacing his captain； the captain of becoming
general； the clerk of supplanting the chief of his department； the
new…fledged attorney of being admitted to the high court； the curé of
being ordained a bishop； the shallow scribbler of seating himself on
the legislative bench。 Offices and professions vacated by the
appointment of so many upstarts afford in their turn a vast field for
the ambition of the lower classes。〃 Thus； step by step； owing to
the reversal of social positions； is brought about a general
intellectual fever。
〃France is transformed into a gaming…table； where； alongside of the
discontented citizen offering his stakes； sits； bold； blustering； and
with fermenting brain； the pretentious subaltern rattling his dice…
box。 。 。 At the sight of a public official rising from nowhere； even
the soul of a bootblack will bound with emulation。〃 He has
merely to push himself ahead and elbow his way to secure a ticket 〃in
this immense lottery of popular luck； of preferment without merit； of
success without talent； of apotheoses without virtues； of an infinity
of places distributed by the people wholesale； and enjoyed by the
people in detail。〃 Political charlatans flock thither from every
quarters； those taking the lead who； being most in earnest； believe in
the virtue of their nostrum； and need power to impose its recipe on
the community； all being saviors； all places belong to them； and
especially the highest。 They lay siege to these conscientiously and
philanthropically ； if necessary； they will take them by assault； hold
them through force； and； forcibly or otherwise； administer their cure…
all to the human species。
III。
Psychology of the Jacobin。 His intellectual method。 Tyranny of
formulae and suppression of facts。 Mental balance disturbed。
Signs of this in the revolutionary language。 Scope and expression
of the Jacobin intellect。 In what respect his method is
mischievous。 How it is successful。 Illusions produced by it。
Such are our Jacobins； born out of social decomposition like mushrooms
out of compost。 Let us consider their inner organization； for they
have one as formerly the Puritans； we have only to follow their dogma
down to its depths； as with a sounding…line； to reach the
psychological stratum in which the normal balance of faculty and
sentiment is overthrown。
When a statesman； who is not wholly unworthy of that great name； finds
an abstract principle in his way； as； for instance； that of popular
sovereignty； he accepts it； if he accepts it at all； according to his
conception of its practical bearings。 He begins； accordingly； by
imagining it applied and in operation。 From personal recollections and
such information as he can obtain； he forms an idea of some village or
town； some community of moderate size in the north； in the south； or
in the center of the country； for which he has to make laws。 He then
imagines its inhabitants acting according to his principle； that is to
say； voting； mounting guard； levying taxes； and administering their
own affairs。 Familiar with ten or a dozen groups of this sort； which
he regards as examples； he concludes by analogy as to others and the
rest on the territory。 Evidently it is a difficult and uncertain
process； to be exact； or nearly so； requires rare powers of
observation and； at each step； a great deal of tact； for a nice
calculation has to be made on given quantities imperfectly ascertained
and imperfectly noted！＇15＇ Any political leader who does this
successfully； does it through the ripest experience associated with
genius。 And even then he keeps his hand on the check…rein in pushing
his innovation or reform； he is almost always tentative； he applies
his law only in part； gradually and provisionally； he wishes to
ascertain its effect； he is always ready to stay its operation； amend
it； or modify it； according to the good or ill results of experiment；
the state of the human material he has to deal with is never clear to
his mind； even when superior； until after many and repeated gropings。
Now the Jacobin pursues just the opposite course。 His principle is
an axiom of political geometry； which always carries its own proof
along with it； for； like the axioms of common geometry； it is formed
out of the combination of a few simple ideas； and its evidence imposes
itself at once on all minds capable of embracing in one conception the
two terms of which it is the aggregate expression。 Man in general； the
rights of Man； the social contract； liberty； equality； reason； nature；
the people； tyrants； are examples of these basic concepts： whether
precise or not； they fill the brain of the new sectarian。 Often these
terms are merely vague and grandiose words； but that makes no
difference； as soon as they meet in his brain an axiom springs out of
them that can be instantly and absolutely applied on every occasion
and to excess。 Mankind as it is does not concern him。 He does not
observe them； he does not require to observe them； with closed eyes he
imposes a pattern of his own on the human substance manipulated by
him； the idea never enters his head of forming any previous conception
of this complex； multiform； swaying material … contemporary peasants；
artisans； townspeople； curés and nobles； behind their plows； in their
homes； in their shops； in their parsonages； in their mansions； with
their inveterate beliefs； persistent inclinations； and powerful wills。
Nothing of this enters into or lodges in his mind； all its avenues are
stopped by the abstract principle which flourishes there and fills it
completely。 Should actual experience through the eye or ear p