the village rector-第43节

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　　have　smothered　him。　How　many　men　from　the　Ecoles　are　to　be　found
　　in　the　Academy　of　Sciences？　Possibly　two　or　three。　The　man　of
　　genius　develops　always　outside　of　the　technical　schools。　In　the
　　sciences　which　those　schools　teach　genius　obeys　only　its　own　laws；
　　it　will　not　develop　except　under　conditions　which　man　cannot
　　control；　neither　the　State　nor　the　science　of　mankind；
　　anthropology；　understands　them。　Riquet；　Perronet；　Leonardo　da
　　Vinci；　Cachin；　Palladio；　Brunelleschi；　Michel…Angelo；　Bramante；
　　Vauban；　Vicat；　derive　their　genius　from　causes　unobserved　and
　　preparatory；　which　we　call　chance；the　pet　word　of　fools。　Never；
　　with　or　without　schools；　are　mighty　workmen　such　as　these　wanting
　　to　their　epoch。

　　Now　comes　the　question；　Does　the　State　gain　through　these
　　institutions　the　better　doing　of　its　works　of　public　utility；　or
　　the　cheaper　doing　of　them？　As　for　that；　I　answer　that　private
　　enterprises　of　a　like　kind　get　on　very　well　without　the　help　of
　　our　engineers；　and　next；　the　government　works　are　the　most
　　extravagant　in　the　world；　and　the　additional　cost　of　the　vast
　　administrative　staff　of　the　/Ponts　et　Chaussees/　is　immense。　In
　　all　other　countries；　in　Germany；　England；　Italy；　where
　　institutions　like　ours　do　not　exist；　works　of　this　character　are
　　better　done　and　far　less　costly　than　in　France。　Those　three
　　nations　are　remarkable　for　new　and　useful　inventions　in　this　line。
　　I　know　it　is　the　fashion　to　say；　in　speaking　of　our　Ecoles；　that
　　all　Europe　envies　them；　but　for　the　last　fifteen　years　Europe；
　　which　closely　observes　us；　has　not　established　others　like　them。
　　England；　that　clever　calculator；　has　better　schools　among　her
　　working　population；　from　which　come　practical　men　who　show　their
　　genius　the　moment　they　rise　from　practice　to　theory。　Stephenson
　　and　MacAdam　did　not　come　from　schools　like　ours。

　　But　what　is　the　good　of　talking？　When　a　few　young　and　able
　　engineers；　full　of　ardor；　solve；　at　the　outset　of　their　career；
　　the　problem　of　maintaining　the　roads　of　France；　which　need　some
　　hundred　millions　spent　upon　them　every　quarter　of　a　century　（and
　　which　are　now　in　a　pitiable　state）；　they　gain　nothing　by　making
　　known　in　reports　and　memoranda　their　intelligent　knowledge；　it　is
　　immediately　engulfed　in　the　archives　of　the　general　Direction；
　　that　Parisian　centre　where　everything　enters　and　nothing　issues；
　　where　old　men　are　jealous　of　young　ones；　and　all　the　posts　of
　　management　are　used　to　shelve　old　officers　or　men　who　have
　　blundered。

　　This　is　why；　with　a　body　of　scientific　men　spread　all　over　the
　　face　of　France　and　constituting　a　part　of　the　administration；a
　　body　which　ought　to　enlighten　every　region　on　the　subject　of　its
　　resources；this　is　why　we　are　still　discussing　the　practicability
　　of　railroads　while　other　countries　are　making　theirs。　If　ever
　　France　was　to　show　the　excellence　of　her　institution　of　technical
　　schools；　it　should　have　been　in　this　magnificent　phase　of　public
　　works；　which　is　destined　to　change　the　face　of　States　and　nations；
　　to　double　human　life；　and　modify　the　laws　of　space　and　time。
　　Belgium；　the　United　States　of　America；　England；　none　of　whom　have
　　an　Ecole　Polytechnique；　will　be　honeycombed　with　railroads　when
　　French　engineers　are　still　surveying　ours；　and　selfish　interests；
　　hidden　behind　all　projects；　are　hindering　their　execution。

　　Thus　I　say　that　as　for　the　State；　it　derives　no　benefit　from　its
　　technical　schools；　as　for　the　individual　pupil　of　those　schools；
　　his　earnings　are　poor；　his　ambition　crushed；　and　his　life　a　cruel
　　deception。　Most　assuredly　the　powers　he　has　displayed　between
　　sixteen　and　twenty…six　years　of　age　would；　if　he　had　been　cast
　　upon　his　own　resources；　have　brought　him　more　fame　and　more　wealth
　　than　the　government　in　whom　he　trusted　will　ever　give　him。　As　a
　　commercial　man；　a　learned　man；　a　military　man；　this　choice
　　intellect　would　have　worked　in　a　vast　centre　where　his　precious
　　faculties　and　his　ardent　ambition　would　not　be　idiotically　and
　　prematurely　repressed。

　　Where；　then；　is　progress？　Man　and　State　are　both　kept　backward　by
　　this　system。　Does　not　the　experience　of　a　whole　generation　demand
　　a　reform　in　the　practical　working　of　these　institutions？　The　duty
　　of　culling　from　all　France　during　each　generation　the　choice　minds
　　destined　to　become　the　learned　and　the　scientific　of　the　nation　is
　　a　sacred　office；　the　priests　of　which；　the　arbiters　of　so　many
　　fates；　should　be　trained　by　special　study。　Mathematical　knowledge
　　is　perhaps　less　necessary　to　them　than　physiological　knowledge。
　　And　do　you　not　think　that　they　need　a　little　of　that　second…sight
　　which　is　the　witchcraft　of　great　men？　As　it　is；　the　examiners　are
　　former　professors；　honorable　men　grown　old　in　harness；　who　limit
　　their　work　to　selecting　the　best　themes。　They　are　unable　to　do
　　what　is　really　demanded　of　them；　and　yet　their　functions　are　the
　　noblest　in　the　State　and　demand　extraordinary　men。

　　Do　not　think；　dear　sir　and　friend；　that　I　blame　only　the　Ecole
　　itself；　no；　I　blame　the　system　by　which　it　is　recruited。　This
　　system　is　the　/concours/；　competition；a　modern　invention；
　　essentially　bad；　bad　not　only　in　science；　but　wherever　it　is
　　employed；　in　arts；　in　all　selections　of　men；　of　projects；　of
　　things。　If　it　is　a　reproach　to　our　great　Ecoles　that　they　have　not
　　produced　men　superior　to　other　educational　establishments；　it　is
　　still　more　shameful　that　the　/grand　prix/　of　the　Institute　has　not
　　as　yet　furnished　a　single　great　painter；　great　musician；　great
　　architect；　great　sculptor；　just　as　the　suffrage　for　the　last
　　twenty　years　has　not　elected　out　of　its　tide　of　mediocrities　a
　　single　great　statesman。　My　observation　makes　me　detect；　as　I
　　think；　an　error　which　vitiates　in　France　both　education　and
　　politics。　It　is　a　cruel　error；　and　it　rests　on　the　following
　　principle；　which　organizers　have　misconceived：

　　/Nothing；　either　in　experience　or　in　the　nature　of　things；　can
　　give　a　certainty　that　the　intellectual　qualities　of　the　adult
　　youth　will　be　those　of　the　mature　man。/

　　At　this　moment　I　am　intimate　with　a　number　of　distinguished　men
　　who　concern　themselves　with　all　the　moral　maladies　which　are　now
　　afflicting　France。　They　see；　as　I　do；　that　our　highest　education
　　is　manufacturing　temporary　capacities；temporary　because　they
　　are　without　exercise　and　without　future；　that　such　education　is
　　without　profit　to　the　State　because　it　is　devoid　of　the　vigor　of
　　belief　and　feeling。　Our　whole　system　of　public　education　needs
　　overhauling；　and　the　work　should　be　presided　over　by　some　man　of
　　great　knowledge；　powerful　will；　and　gifted　with　that　legislative
　　genius　which　has　never　been　met　with　among　moderns；　except　perhaps
　　in　Jean…Jacques　Rousseau。

　　Possibly　our　superfluous　numbers　might　be　employed　in　giving
　　elementary　instruction　so　much　needed　by　the　people。　The
　　deplorable　amount　of　crime　and　misdemeanors　shows　a　social　disease
　　directly　arising　from　the　half…education　given　the　masses；　which
　　tends　to　the　destruction　of　social　ties　by　making　the　people
　　reflect　just　enough　to　desert　the　religious　beliefs　which　are
　　favorable　to　social　order；　and　not　enough　to　lift　them　to　the
　　theory　of　obedience　and　duty；　which　is　the　highest　reach　of　the
　　new　transcendental　philosophy。　But　as　it　is　impossible　to　make　a
　　whole　nation　study　Kant；　therefore　I　say　fixed　beliefs　and　habits
　　are　safer　for　the　masses　than　shallow　studies　and　reasoning。

　　If　I　had　my　life　to　begin　over　again；　perhaps　I　would　enter　a
　　seminary　and　become　a　simple　village　priest；　or　the　teacher　of　a
　　country　district。　But　I　am　too　far　advanced　in　my　profession　now
　　to　be　a　mere　primary　instructor；　I　can；　if　I　leave　my　present
　　post；　act　in　a　wider　range　than　that　of　a　school　or　a　country
　　parish。　The　Saint…Simonians；　to　whom　I　have　been　tempted　to　ally
　　myself；　want　now　to　take　a　course　in　which　I　cannot　follow　them。
　　Nevertheless；　in　spite　of　their　mistakes；　they　have　touched　on
　　many　of　the　sore　spots　which　are　the　fruits　of　our　present
　　legislation；　and　which　the　State　will　only　doctor　by　insufficient
　　palliatives；merely　delaying　in　France　the　moral　and　political
　　crisis　that　must　come。

　　Adieu；　dear　Monsieur　Grossetete；　accept　the　assurance　of　my
　　respectful　attachment；　which；　notwithstanding　all　these
　　observations；　can　only　increase。

Gregoire　Gerard。


According　to　his　old　habit　as　a　banker；　Grossetete　had　jotted　down　his
reply　on　the　back　of　the　letter　itself；　heading　it　with　the
sacramental　word；　/Answered/。

　　It　is　useless；　my　dear　Gerard；　to　discuss　the　observations　made　in
　　your　letter；　because　by　a　trick　of　chance　（I　use　the　term　which
　　is；　as　you　say；　the　pet　word　of　fools）　I　have　a　proposal　to　make
　　to　you　which　may　result　in　withdrawing　you　from　the　situation　you
　　find　so　bad。　Madame　Graslin；　the　owner　of　the　forests　of　Montegnac
　　and　of　a　barren　plateau　extending　from　the　base　of　a　chain　of
　　mountains　on　which　are　the　forests；　wishes　to　improve　this　vast
　　domain；　to　clear　her　timber　properly；　and　cultivate