the origins of contemporary france-4-第101节

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by　the　State　in　return　for　specified　sums　of　ready　money；　thenceforth；

they　fell　into　the　hands　of　special　purchasers；　the　title　of　each

possessor　was　as　good　as　that　of　a　piece　of　real　property；　and　he

could　legally　sell　his　title；　the　same　as　he　had　bought　it；　at　a　given

price；　on　due　advertisement！＇76＇　　On　the　other　hand；　the　different

groups　of　local　functionaries　in　each　town　formed　their　own

associations；　similar　to　our　notarial　chambers；　or　those　of　our　stock…

brokers；　these　small　associations　had　their　own　by…laws；　meetings　and

treasury；　frequently　a　civil　status　and　the　right　of　pleading；　often　a

political　status　and　the　right　of　electing　to　the　municipal

council；＇77＇　consequently；　besides　his　personal　interests；　each　member

cherished　the　professional　interests　of　his　guild。　　Thus　was　his

situation　different　from　what　it　now　is；　and；　through　a　natural

reaction；　his　character；　manners　and　tastes　were　different。　　First；　he

was　much　more　independent；　he　was　not　afraid　of　being　discharged　or

transferred　elsewhere；　suddenly；　unawares；　on　the　strength　of　an

intendant's　report；　for　political　reasons；　to　make　room　for　a　deputy's

candidate　or　a　minister's　tool。　　This　would　have　cost　too　much　it

would　have　required　first　of　all　a　reimbursement　of　the　sum　paid　for

his　office；　and　at　a　rate　of　purchase　ten　times；　at　least；　the　revenue

of　the　office。＇78＇　　Besides；　in　defending　himself；　in　protesting

against　and　forestalling　his　disgrace；　he　would　have　been　supported　by

his　entire　professional　guild；　oftentimes　by　other　similar　bodies；　and

frequently　by　the　whole　town；　filled　with　his　relations；　clients　and

comrades。　　The　entire　hive　protected　the　bee　against　the　caprices　of

favoritism　and　the　brutalities　of　despotism。　　At　Paris；　a　certain

procureur；　supported　by　his　colleagues；　is　known　to　have　imposed　on　a

noble　who　had　insulted　him；　the　most　humiliating　atonement。＇79＇　　In

fact；　under　the　ancient　régime；　it　was　almost　impossible　for　a

functionary　to　be　removed；　hence；　he　could　fulfill　his　duties　securely

and　with　dignity；　without　being　obliged　to　keep　daily　watch　of　the

capital；　of　going　to　Paris　to　see　how　the　official　wind　blew；　to　look

after　all　the　influences　in　his　favor；　to　nurse　his　relations　with　the

government　and　live　like　a　bird　on　a　branch。　　…　In　the　second　place；

there　was　a　limit　to　his　ambition；　he　did　not　keep　constantly　thinking

of　mounting　a　step　higher　in　the　hierarchy；　or　how　to　pass　from　a

small　town　to　a　large　one　and　hold　on　to　his　title；　this　would　have

been　a　too　troublesome　and　complicated　matter；　he　would　first　have　had

to　find　a　purchaser　and　then　sell　his　place；　and　next　find　a　seller

and　buy　another　at　a　higher　price；　a　stock　broker　at　Bordeaux；　a

notary　at　Lyons；　is　not　an　aspirant　for　the　post　of　stock　broker　or

notary　at　Paris。　　…　Nothing　then　bore　any　resemblance　to　the　itinerant

groups　of　functionaries　of　the　present　day　which；　in　obedience　to

orders　from　above；　travels　about　governing　each　of　our　towns；

strangers　on　the　wing；　with　no　personal　standing；　without　local　landed

property；　interests　or　means；　encamped　in　some　hired　apartment；　often

in　a　furnished　room；　sometimes　stopping　at　a　hotel；　eternal　nomads

awaiting　a　telegram；　always　prepared　to　pack　up　and　leave　for　another

place　a　hundred　leagues　off　in　consideration　of　a　hundred　crowns　extra

pay；　and　doing　the　same　detached　work　over　again。　　Their　predecessor；

belonging　to　the　country；　was　a　stable　fixture　and　contented；　he　was

not　tormented　by　a　craving　for　promotion；　he　had　a　career　within　the

bounds　of　his　corporation　and　town；　cherishing　no　wish　or　idea　of

leaving　it；　he　accommodated　himself　to　it；　he　became　proud　of　his

office　and　professional　brethren；　and　rose　above　the　egoism　of　the

individual；　his　self…love　was　bent　on　maintaining　every　prerogative

and　interest　belonging　to　his　guild。　　Established　for　life　in　his

native　town；　in　the　midst　of　old　colleagues；　numerous　relatives　and

youthful　companions；　he　esteemed　their　good　opinion。　　Exempt　from

vexatious　or　burdensome　taxes；　tolerably　well　off；　owning　at　least　his

own　office；　he　was　above　sordid　preoccupations　and　common　necessities。

Used　to　old　fashioned　habits　of　simplicity；　soberness　and　economy；　he

was　not　tormented　by　a　disproportion　between　his　income　and　expenses；

by　the　requirements　of　show　and　luxury；　by　the　necessity　of　annually

adding　to　his　revenue。　　…　Thus　guided　and　free；　the　instincts　of

vanity　and　generosity；　the　essence　of　French　character；　took　the

ascendant；　the　councilor　or　comptroller；　the　King's　agent；　regarded

himself　as　a　man　above　the　common　run；　as　a　noble　of　the　Third…Estate；

he　thought　less　of　making　money　than　of　gaining　esteem；　his　chief

desire　was　to　be　honored　and　honorable；　〃he　passed　life　comfortably

and　was　looked　up　to；　。　　。　　。　　in　the　discharge　of　his　duty；　。　　。　　。

with　no　other　ambition　than　to　transmit　to　his　children　。　　。　　。　　。

along　with　their　inheritance　an　unsullied　reputation。〃＇80＇　　　Among　the

other　groups　of　the　bourgeoisie　the　same　corporate　system；　the　same

settled　habits；　the　same　security；　the　same　frugality；　the　same

institutions；　the　same　customs；＇81＇　promoted　the　growth　of　nearly　the

same　sentiments；　while　the　intellectual　culture　of　these　men　was　not

insignificant。　　Having　leisure；　they　were　given　to　reading；　as　they

were　not　overwhelmed　with　newspapers　they　read　books　worth　reading；　I

have　found　in　old　libraries　in　the　provinces；　in　the　houses　of　the

descendants　of　a　manufacturer　or　lawyer　in　a　small　town；　complete

editions　of　Voltaire；　Rousseau；　Montesquieu；　Buffon　and　Condillac；

with　marks　in　each　volume　showing　that　the　volume　had　been　read　by

someone　in　the　house　before　the　close　of　the　eighteenth　century。

Nowhere　else；　likewise；　had　all　that　was　sound　and　liberal　in　the

philosophy　of　the　eighteenth　century　found　such　a　welcome；　it　is　from

this　class　that　the　patriots　of　1789　were　recruited；　it　had　furnished

not　only　the　majority　of　the　Constituent　Assembly；　but　again　all　the

honest　men　who；　from　July；　1789　to　the　end　of　1791　performed　their

administrative　duties　so　disinterestedly；　and　with　such　devotion　and

zeal；　amidst　so　many　difficulties；　dangers　and　disappointments。

Composed　of　Feuillants　or　Monarchists；　possessing　such　types　of　men　as

Huez　of　Troyes　or　Dietrich　of　Strasbourg；　and　for　representatives　such

leaders　as　Lafayette　and　Bailly；　it　comprised　the　superior

intelligence　and　most　substantial　integrity　of　the　Third…Estate。　　It

is　evident　that；　along　with　the　nobles　and　clergy；　the　best　fruits　of

history　were　gathered　in　it；　and　most　of　the　mental　and　moral　capital

accumulated；　not　only　by　the　century；　but；　again；　by　preceding

centuries。



VI。　　　The　Demi…notables。



Where　recruited。　　…　Village　and　trade　syndics。　　…　Competency　of　their

electors。　　…　Their　interest　in　making　good　selections。　　…　Their

capacity　and　integrity。　　…　The　sorting　of　men　under　the　ancient

regime。　　…　Conditions　of　a　family's　maintenance　and　advancement。　　…

Hereditary　and　individual　right　of　the　Notable　to　his　property　and

rank。



Like　a　fire　lit　on　a　hilltop　overlooking　a　cold　and　obscure

countryside；　a　civilization；　kept　alive　with　much　expense　on　peaks　in

a　sea　of　human　barbarity；　radiating　while　its　rays　grow　dim；　its　light

and　warmth　fading　just　as　its　gleams　reach　remoter　and　deeper　strata。

Nevertheless；　both　penetrate　yet　sufficiently　far　and　deep　before

wholly　dying　out。　　If　we　want　to　appraise　their　power　in　France　at　the

close　of　the　eighteenth　century　we　must　add　to　the　notables　the　half…

notables　of　society；　namely；　the　men　who；　like　the　people；　were

devoted　to　manual　labor；　but　who；　among　the　people；　led　the　way；　say

one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　families；　consisting　of　well…to…do

farmers；　small　rural　proprietors；　shopkeepers；　retailers；　foremen　and

master…workmen；　village　syndics　and　guild　syndics；＇82＇　those　who　were

established　and　had　some　capital；　owning　a　plot　of　land　and　a　house；

with　a　business　or　stock　of　tools；　and　a　set　of　customers；　that　is　to

say；　with　something　ahead　and　credit；　not　being　obliged　to　live　from

hand　to　mouth；　and　therefore；　beginning　to　be　independent　and　more

influential；　in　short；　the　overseers　of　the　great　social　work…house；

the　sergeants　and　corporals　of　the　social　army。　　…　They；　too；　were　not

unworthy　of　their　rank。　　In　the　village　or　trade　community；　the

syndic；　elected　by　his　equals　and　neighbors；　was　not　blindly

nominated；　all　his　electors　in　relation　to　him　were　competent；　if

peasants；　they　had　seen　him　turning　up　the　soil；　if　blacksmiths　or

joiners；　they　had　seen　him　at　work　in　his　forge；　or　at　the　bench。

And；　as　their　direct；　present　and　obvious　interests　were　concerned；

they　chose　him　for　the　best；　not　on　the　strength　of　a　newspaper

recommendation；　in　deference　to　a　vague　declamatory　platform　or

sounding；　empty　phrases；　but　according　to　their　personal　experiences；

and　the　thorough　knowledge　they　had　of　hi