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the origins of contemporary france-3-第9章

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proposition and deduce its consequences; but who; for lack of special

preparation for it; and confined to the narrow circle of local

affairs; are incapable of forming accurate conceptions of a vast;

complex social organization; and of the conditions which enable it to

subsist。  Their talent lies in making a speech; in dashing off an

editorial; in  composing a pamphlet; and in drawing up reports in more

or less pompous and dogmatic style; the genre admitted; a few of them

who are gifted become eloquent; but that is all。 Among those are the

lawyers; notaries; bailiffs and former petty provincial judges and

attorneys who furnish the leading actors and two…thirds of the members

of the Legislative Assembly and of the Convention:  There are surgeons

and doctors in small towns; like Bo; Levasseur; and Baudot; second and

third…rate literary characters; like Barrère; Louvet; Garat; Manuel;

and Ronsin; college professors like Louchet and Romme; schoolmasters

like Leonard Bourdon; journalists like Brissot; Desmoulins and Freron;

actors like Collot d'Herbois; artists like Sergent; Oratoriens'3' like

Fouché; capuchins like Chabot; more or less secularized priests like

Lebon; Chasles; Lakanal; and Grégoire; students scarcely out of school

like St。 Just; Monet of Strasbourg; Rousseline of St。 Albin; and

Julien of the Dr?me  in short; the poorly sown and badly cultivated

minds; and on which the theory had only to fall to smother the good

grain and thrive like a nettle。 Add to these charlatans and others who

live by their wits; the visionary and morbid of all sorts; from

Fanchet and Klootz to Chalier or Marat; the whole of that needy;

chattering; irresponsible crowd; ever swarming about large cities

ventilating its shallow conceits and abortive pretensions。 Farther in

the background appear those whose scanty education qualifies them to

half understand an abstract principle and imperfectly deduce its

consequences; but whose roughly…polished instinct atones for the

feebleness of a coarse argumentation。 Through cupidity; envy and

rancor; they divine a rich pasture…ground behind the theory; and

Jacobin dogmas become dearer to them; because the imagination sees

untold treasures beyond the mists in which they are shrouded。 They can

listen to a club harangue without falling asleep; applaud its tirades

in the rights place; offer a resolution in a public garden; shout in

the tribunes; pen affidavits for arrests; compose orders…of…the…day

for the national guard; and lend their lungs; arms; and sabers to

whoever bids for them。 But here their capacity ends。 In this group

merchants' and notaries' clerks abound; like Hébert and Henriot;

Vincent and Chaumette; butchers like Legendre; postmasters like

Drouet; boss…joiners like Duplay; school…teachers like that Buchot who

becomes a minister; and many others of the same sort; accustomed to

jotting down ideas; with vague notions of orthography and who are apt

in speech…making;'4' foremen; sub…officers; former begging friars;

peddlers; tavern…keepers; retailers; market…porters; and city…

journeymen from Gouchon; the orator of the faubourg St。 Antoine; down

to Simon; the cobbler of the Temple; from Trinchard; the juryman of

the Revolutionary Tribunal; down to grocers; tailors; shoemakers;

tapster; waiters; barbers; and other shopkeepers or artisans who do

their work at home; and who are yet to do the work of the September

massacres。 Add to these the foul remnants of every popular

insurrection and dictatorship; beasts of prey like Jourdain of

Avignon; and Fournier the American; women like Théroigne; Rose

Lacombe; and the tricoteuses of the Convention who have unsexed

themselves; the amnestied bandits and other gallows birds who; for

lack of a police; have a wide range; street…rollers and vagabonds;

rebels against labor and discipline; the whole of that class in the

center of civilization which preserves the instincts of savages; and

asserts the sovereignty of the people to glut a natural appetite for

license; laziness; and ferocity。  Thus is the party recruited

through an enlisting process that gleans its subjects from every

station in life; but which reaps them down in great swaths; and

gathers them together in the two groups to which dogmatism and

presumption naturally belong。 Here; education has brought man to the

threshold; even to the heart of general ideas; consequently; he feels

hampered within the narrow bounds of his profession or occupation; and

aspires to something beyond。 But as his education has remained

superficial or rudimentary; consequently; outside of his narrow circle

he feels out of his place。 He has a perception or obtains a glimpse of

political ideas and; therefore; assumes that he has capacity。 But his

perception is confided to a formula; and he sees them dimly through a

cloud; hence his incapacity; and the reason why his mental lacunae  as

well as his attainments both contribute to make him a Jacobin。







II。



Spontaneous associations after July 14; 1789。   How these dissolve。

… Withdrawal of people of sense and occupation。  Number of those

absent at elections。  Birth and multiplication of Jacobin societies。

 Their influence over their adherents  Their maneuvers and

despotism。



Men thus disposed cannot fail to draw near each other; to understand

each other; and combine together; for; in the principle of popular

sovereignty; they have a common dogma; and; in the conquest of

political supremacy; a common aim。 Through a common aim they form a

faction; and through a common dogma they constitute a sect; the league

between them being more easily effected because they are a faction and

sect at the same time。



 At first their association is not distinguishable in the multitude of

other associations。 Political societies spring up on all sides after

the taking of the Bastille。 Some kind of organization had to be

substituted for the deposed or tottering government; in order to

provide for urgent public needs; to secure protection against

ruffians; to obtain supplies of provisions; and to guard against the

probably machinations of the court。 Committees installed themselves in

the town halls; while volunteers formed bodies of militia: hundreds of

local governments; almost independent; arose in the place of the

central government; almost destroyed。'5' For six months everybody

attended to matters of common interest; each individual getting to be

a public personage and bearing his quota of the government load: a

heavy load at all times; but heavier in times of anarchy; this; at

least; is the opinion of the majority but not of all of them。

Consequently; a division arises amongst those who had assumed this

load; and two groups are formed; one huge; inert and disintegrating;

and the other small; compact and energetic; each taking one of two

ways which diverge from each other; and which keep on diverging more

and more。



On one hand are the ordinary; sensible people; those who are busy; and

who are; to some extent; not over…conscientious; and not over…

conceited。 The power is in their hands because they find it prostrate;

lying abandoned in the street; they hold it provisionally only; for

they knew beforehand; or soon discover; that they are not qualified

for the post; it being one of those which; to be properly filled;

needs some preparation and fitness for it。 A man does not become

legislator or administrator in one day; any more than he suddenly

becomes a physician or surgeon。 If an accident obliges me to act in

the latter capacity; I yield; but against my will; and I do no more

than is necessary to save my patients from hurting themselves; My fear

of their dying under the operation is very great; and; as soon as some

other person can be found to take my place; I go home。'6'  I should

be glad; like everybody else; to have my vote in the selection of this

person; and; among the candidates。 I should designate; to the best of

my ability; one who seemed to me the ablest and most conscientious。

Once selected; however; and installed; I should not attempt to dictate

to him; his cabinet is private; and I have no right to run there

constantly and cross…question him; as if he were a child or under

suspicion。 It does not become me to tell him what to do; he probably

knows more about the case than I do; in any event; to keep a steady

hand; he must not be threatened; and; to keep a clear head; he must

not be disturbed。  Nor must I be disturbed; my office and books; my

shop; my customers must be attended to as well。 Everybody has to mind

his own business; and whoever would attend to his own and another's

too; spoils both。  This way of thinking prevails with most healthy

minds towards the beginning of the year 1790; all whose heads are not

turned by insane ambition and the mania for theorizing; especially

after six months of practical experience and knowing the dangers;

miscalculation; and vexations to which one is
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