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and big tears streamed down his cheeks。〃 … On the other hand； his eyes
are not covered by the bandage of incapacity or lack of fore…thought。
He detected the innate vice of the system； the inevitable and
approaching suicide of the Revolution。
〃The Girondists forced us to throw ourselves upon the sans…culotterie
which has devoured them； which will devour us； and which will eat
itself up。〃＇77＇ … 〃Let Robespierre and Saint…Just alone； and there
will soon be nothing left in France but a Thebiad of political
Trappists。〃＇78＇ At the end； he sees more clearly still：
〃On a day like this I organized the Revolutionary Tribunal： I ask
pardon for it of God and man。 … In Revolutions； authority remains
with the greatest scoundrels。 … It is better to be a poor fisherman
than govern men。〃＇79＇
But he has aspired to govern them； he constructed a new machine for
the purpose； and； deaf to its squeals； it worked in conformity with
the structure and the impulse he gave to it。 It towers before him；
this sinister machine； with its vast wheel and iron cogs grinding all
France； their multiplied teeth pressing out each individual life； its
steel blade constantly rising and falling； and； as it plays faster and
faster； daily exacting a larger and larger supply of human material；
while those who furnish this supply are held to be as insensible and
as senseless as itself。 This Danton cannot； will not be。 … He gets
out of the way； diverts himself； gambles；＇80＇ forgets； he supposes
that the titular decapitators will probably consent to take no notice
of him； in any event they do not pursue him； 〃they would not dare do
it。〃 〃 No one must lay hands on me； I am the ark。〃 At the worst； he
prefers 〃to be guillotined rather than guillotine。〃 … Having said or
thought this； he is ripe for the scaffold。
III。 Robespierre。
Robespierre。 … Mediocrity of his faculties。 … The Pedant。 …
Absence of ideas。 … Study of phrases。 … Wounded self…esteem。 … His
infatuation。 … He plays victim。 … His gloomy fancies。 … His
resemblance to Marat。 …Difference between him and Marat。 … The
sincere hypocrite。 … The festival in honor of the Supreme Being； and
the law of Prairial 22。 … The external and internal characters of
Robespierre and the Revolution。
Even with the firm determination to remain decapitator…in…chief；
Danton could never be a perfect representative of the Revolution。 It
is an armed but philosophical robbery； its creed includes robbery and
assassination； but only as a knife in its sheath； the showy； polished
sheath is for public display； and not the sharp and bloody blade。
Danton； like Marat； lets the blade be too plainly visible。 At the
mere sight of Marat； filthy and slovenly； with his livid； frog…like
face； with his round； gleaming and fixed eyeballs； and his bold；
maniacal stare and steady monotonous rage； common…sense rebels； no…one
selects a homicidal maniac as a guide。 At the mere sight of Danton；
with his porter's vocabulary； his voice like an alarm bell of
insurrection； his cyclopean features and air of an exterminator；
humanity takes alarm； one does not surrender oneself to a political
butcher without repugnance。 The Revolution demands another
interpreter； like itself captivatingly fitted out； and Robespierre
fits the bill；＇81＇ with his irreproachable attire； well…powdered hair；
carefully brushed coat；＇82＇ strict habits； dogmatic tone； and formal；
studied manner of speaking。 No mind； in its mediocrity and
incompetence； so well harmonizes with the spirit of the epoch。 The
reverse of the statesman； he soars in empty space； amongst
abstractions； always mounted on a principle and incapable of
dismounting so as to see things practically。
〃That bastard there；〃 exclaims Danton； 〃is not even able to boil an
egg！〃
〃The vague generalities of his preaching；〃 writes another
contemporary；＇83＇ 〃rarely culminated in any specific measure or legal
provision。 He combated everything and proposed nothing； the secret of
his policy happily accorded with his intellectual impotence and with
the nullity of his legislative conceptions。〃 Once he has rattled his
revolutionary pedantry off； he no longer knows what to say。 … As to
financial matters and military art； he knows nothing and risks
nothing； except to underrate or calumniate Carnot and Cambon who did
know and who took risks。＇84＇ … In relation to a foreign policy his
speech on the state of Europe is the amplification of a schoolboy； on
exposing the plans of the English minister he reaches the pinnacle of
chimerical nonsense；＇85＇ eliminate the rhetorical passages； and it is
not the head of a government who speaks； but the porter of the Jacobin
club。 On contemporary France； as it actually exists； he has not one
sound or specific idea： instead of men； he sees only twenty…six
millions simple robots； who； when duly led and organized； will work
together in peace and harmony。 Basically they are good；＇86＇ and will；
after a little necessary purification； become good again。
Accordingly； their collective will is 〃the voice of reason and public
interest；〃 hence； on meeting together； they are wise。 〃The people's
assembly of delegates should deliberate； if possible； in the presence
of the whole body of the people；〃 the Legislative body； at least；
should hold its sittings 〃in a vast； majestic edifice open to twenty
thousand spectators。〃 Note that for the past four years； in the
Constituent Assembly； in the Legislative Assembly； in the Convention；
at the Hotel de…Ville； in the Jacobin Club； wherever Robespierre
speaks； the galleries have never ceased to shout； yell and express
their opinion。 Such a positive； palpable experience would open
anybody's eyes； his are closed through prejudice or interest； even
physical truth finds no access to his mind； because he is unable to
comprehend it； or because he has to keep it out。 He must；
accordingly； be either obtuse or a charlatan。 Actually he is both；
for both combine to form the pedant （cuistre）； that is to say； the
hollow； inflated mind which； filled with words and imagining that
these are ideas； revels in its own declamation and dupes itself that
it may dictate to others。
Such is his title； his personality and role。 In this artificial and
declamatory tragedy of the Revolution he takes the leading part； the
maniac and the barbarian slowly retire in the background on the
appearance of the cuistre； Marat and Danton finally become effaced； or
efface themselves； and the stage is left to Robespierre who attracts
all the attention。＇87＇ … If we want to understand him we must look at
him as he stands in the midst of his surroundings。 At the last stage
of a dying intellectual vegetation； on the last branch of the
eighteenth century； he is the final freak and dried fruit of the
classical spirit。＇88＇ He has retained nothing of a worn…out system of
philosophy but its lifeless dregs and well…conned formulae； the
formulae of Rousseau； Mably； and Raynal； concerning 〃the people；
nature； reason； liberty； tyrants； factions； virtue； morality；〃 a
ready…made vocabulary；＇89＇ expressions too ample； the meaning of
which； ill…defined by the masters； evaporates in the hands of the
disciple。 He never tries to get at this； his writings and speeches
are merely long strings of vague abstract periods； there is no telling
fact in them； no distinct； characteristic detail； no appeal to the eye
evoking a living image； no personal； special observation； no clear；
frank original impression。 It might be said of him that he never saw
anything with his own eyes； that he neither could nor would see； that
false conceptions have intervened and fixed themselves between him and
the object；＇90＇ he combines these in logical sequence； and simulates
the absent thought by an affected jargon； and this is all。 The other
Jacobins alongside of him likewise use the same scholastic jargon； but
none of them spout and spread out so complacently and lengthily as he。
For hours； we grope after him in the vague shadows of political
speculation； in the cold and perplexing mist of didactic generalities；
trying in vain to make something out of his colorless tirades； and we
grasp nothing。＇91＇ When we； in astonishment； ask ourselves what all
this talk amounts to； and why he talks at all； the answer is； that he
has said nothing and that he talks only for the sake of talking； the
same as a sectarian preaching to his congregation； neither the
preacher nor his audience ever wearying； the one of turning the
dogmatic crank； and the other of listening。 So much the better if the
container is empty； the emptier it is the easier and faster the crank
turns。 And better still； if the empty term he selects is used in a
contrary sense； the sonorous words justice； humanity； mean to him
piles of human heads； the same as a text from the gospels means to a
grand inquisitor the burning of heretics。 … Through this extrem