the origins of contemporary france-1-第59节

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taking　no　pains　to　increase　or　renew　them；　incapable　of；　or　unwilling

to　embrace　the　plenitude　and　complexity　of　the　facts　of　real　life。　　In

its　purism；　in　its　disdain　of　terms　suited　to　the　occasion；　in　its

avoidance　of　lively　sallies；　in　the　extreme　regularity　of　its

developments；　the　classic　style　is　powerless　to　fully　portray　or　to

record　the　infinite　and　varied　details　of　experience。　　It　rejects　any

description　of　the　outward　appearance　of　reality；　the　immediate

impressions　of　the　eyewitness；　the　heights　and　depths　of　passion；　the

physiognomy；　at　once　so　composite　yet　absolute　personal；　of　the

breathing　individual；　in　short；　that　unique　harmony　of　countless

traits；　blended　together　and　animated；　which　compose　not　human

character　in　general　but　one　particular　personality；　and　which　a

Saint…Simon；　a　Balzac；　or　a　Shakespeare　himself　could　not　render　if

the　rich　language　they　used；　and　which　was　enhanced　by　their

temerities；　did　not　contribute　its　subtleties　to　the　multiplied

details　of　their　observation。＇24＇　Neither　the　Bible；　nor　Homer；　nor

Dante；　nor　Shakespeare＇25＇　could　be　translated　with　this　style。　　Read

Hamlet's　monologue　in　Voltaire　and　see　what　remains　of　it；　an　abstract

piece　of　declamation；　with　about　as　much　of　the　original　in　it　as

there　is　of　Othello　in　his　Orosmane。　　Look　at　Homer　and　then　at　Fenelon

in　the　island　of　Calypso；　the　wild；　rocky　island；　where　〃gulls　and

other　sea…birds　with　long　wings；〃　build　their　nests；　becomes　in　pure

French　prose　an　orderly　park　arranged　〃for　the　pleasure　of　the　eye。〃

In　the　eighteenth　century；　contemporary　novelists；　themselves

belonging　to　the　classic　epoch；　Fielding；　Swift；　Defoe；　Sterne　and

Richardson；　are　admitted　into　France　only　after　excisions　and　much

weakening；　their　expressions　are　too　free　and　their　scenes　are　to

impressive；　their　freedom；　their　coarseness；　their　peculiarities；

would　form　blemishes；　the　translator　abbreviates；　softens；　and

sometimes；　in　his　preface；　apologizes　for　what　he　retains。　　Room　is

found；　in　this　language；　only　for　a　partial　lifelikeness；　for　some　of

the　truth；　a　scanty　portion；　and　which　constant　refining　daily　renders

still　more　scanty。　　Considered　in　itself；　the　classic　style　is　always

tempted　to　accept　slight；　insubstantial　commonplaces　for　its　subject

materials。　　It　spins　them　out；　mingles　and　weaves　them　together；　only　a

fragile　filigree；　however；　issues　from　its　logical　apparatus；　we　may

admire　the　elegant　workmanship；　but　in　practice；　the　work　is　of

little；　none；　or　negative　service。



From　these　characteristics　of　style　we　divine　those　of　the　mind　for

which　it　serves　as　a　tool。　　…　　Two　principal　operations　constitute　the

activity　of　the　human　understanding。　　　　Observing　things　and　events；　it

receives　a　more　or　less　complete；　profound　and　exact　impression　of

these；　and　after　this；　turning　away　from　them；　it　analyses　its

impressions；　and　classifies；　distributes；　and　more　or　less　skillfully

expresses　the　ideas　derived　from　them。　　…　　In　the　second　of　these

operations　the　classicist　is　superior。　　Obliged　to　adapt　himself　to　his

audience；　that　is　to　say；　to　people　of　society　who　are　not

specialists　and　yet　critical；　he　necessarily　carries　to　perfection　the

art　of　exciting　attention　and　of　making　himself　heard；　that　is　to　say；

the　art　of　composition　and　of　writing。　　…　With　patient　industry；　and

multiplied　precautions；　he　carries　the　reader　along　with　him　by　a

series　of　easy　rectilinear　conceptions；　step　by　step；　omitting　none；

beginning　with　the　lowest　and　thus　ascending　to　the　highest；　always

progressing　with　steady　and　measured　peace；　securely　and　agreeably　as

on　a　promenade。　　No　interruption　or　diversion　is　possible：　on　either

side；　along　the　road；　balustrades　keep　him　within　bounds；　each　idea

extending　into　the　following　one　by　such　an　insensible　transition；

that　he　involuntarily　advances；　without　stopping　or　turning　aside；

until　brought　to　the　final　truth　where　he　is　to　be　seated。　　Classic

literature　throughout　bears　the　imprint　of　this　talent；　there　is　no

branch　of　it　into　which　the　qualities　of　a　good　discourse　do　not　enter

and　form　a　part。　　…　They　dominate　those　sort　of　works　which；　in

themselves；　are　only　half…literary；　but　which；　by　its　help；　become

fully　so；　transforming　manuscripts　into　fine　works　of　art　which　their

subject…matter　would　have　classified　as　scientific　works；　as　reports

of　action；　as　historical　documents；　as　philosophical　treatises；　as

doctrinal　expositions；　as　sermons；　polemics；　dissertations　and

demonstrations。　　It　transforms　even　dictionaries　and　operates　from

Descartes　to　Condillac；　from　Bossuet　to　Buffon　and　Voltaire；　from

Pascal　to　Rousseau　and　Beaumarchais；　in　short；　becoming　prose　almost

entirely；　even　in　official　dispatches；　diplomatic　and　private

correspondence；　from　Madame　de　Sévigné　to　Madame　du　Deffant；　including

so　many　perfect　letters　flowing　from　the　pens　of　women　who　were

unaware　of　it　。　　…　Such　prose　is　paramount　in　those　works　which；　in

themselves；　are　literary；　but　which　derive　from　it　an　oratorical　turn。

Not　only　does　it　impose　a　rigid　plan；　a　regular　distribution　of

parts＇26＇　in　dramatic　works；　accurate　proportions；　suppressions　and

connections；　a　sequence　and　progress；　as　in　a　passage　of　eloquence；

but　again　it　tolerates　only　the　most　perfect　discourse。　　There　is　no

character　that　is　not　an　accomplished　orator；　with　Corneille　and

Racine；　with　Molière　himself；　the　confidant；　the　barbarian　king；　the

young　cavalier；　the　drawing　room　coquette；　the　valet；　all　show

themselves　adepts　in　the　use　of　language。　　Never　have　we　encountered

such　adroit　introductions；　such　well…arranged　evidence；　such　just

reflections；　such　delicate　transitions；　such　conclusive　summing　ups。

Never　have　dialogues　borne　such　a　strong　resemblance　to　verbal

sparring　matches。　　Each　narration；　each　portrait；　each　detail　of

action；　might　be　detached　and　serve　as　a　good　example　for　schoolboys；

along　with　the　masterpieces　of　the　ancient　tribune。　　So　strong　is　this

tendency　that；　on　the　approach　of　the　final　moment；　in　the　agony　of

death；　alone　and　without　witnesses；　the　character　finds　the　means　to

plead　his　own　frenzy　and　die　eloquently。



II。　　ITS　ORIGINAL　DEFICIENCY。



Its　original　deficiency。　　…　Signs　of　this　in　the　17th　century。　　…　It

grows　with　time　and　success。　　…　Proofs　of　this　growth　in　the　18th

century。　　…　Serious　poetry；　the　drama；　history　and　romances。　　…　Short…

sighted　views　of　man　and　of　human　existence。



This　excess　indicates　a　deficiency。　　In　the　two　operations　which　the

human　mind　performs；　the　classicist　is　more　successful　in　the　second

than　in　the　first。　　The　second；　indeed；　stands　in　the　way　of　the　first；

the　obligation　of　always　speaking　correctly　makes　him　refrain　from

saying　all　that　ought　to　be　said。　　With　him　the　form　is　more　important

than　abundant　contents；　the　firsthand　observations　which　serve　as　a

living　source　losing；　in　the　regulated　channels　to　which　they　are

confined；　their　force；　depth　and　impetuosity。　　Real　poetry；　able　to

convey　dream　and　illusion；　cannot　be　brought　forth。　　Lyric　poetry

proves　abortive；　and　likewise　the　epic　poem。＇27＇　Nothing　sprouts　on

these　distant　fields；　remote　and　sublime；　where　speech　unites　with

music　and　painting。　　Never　do　we　hear　the　involuntary　scream　of　intense

torment；　the　lonely　confession　of　a　distraught　soul；＇28＇　pouring　out

his　heart　to　relieve　himself。　　When　a　creation　of　characters　is

imperative；　as　in　dramatic　poetry；　the　classic　mold　fashions　but　one

kind；　that　which　through　education；　birth；　or　impersonation；　always

speak　correctly；　in　other　words；　like　so　many　people　of　high　society。

No　others　are　portrayed　on　the　stage　or　elsewhere；　from　Corneille　and

Racine　to　Marivaux　and　Beaumarchais。　　So　strong　is　the　habit　that　it

imposes　itself　even　on　La　Fontaine's　animals；　on　the　servants　of

Molière；　on　Montesquieu's　Persians；　and　on　the　Babylonians；　the

Indians　and　the　Micromégas　of　Voltaire。　　…　It　must　be　stated；

furthermore；　that　these　characters　are　only　partly　real。　　In　real

persons　two　kinds　of　characteristics　may　be　noted；　the　first；　few　in

number；　which　he　or　she　shares　with　others　of　their　kind　and　which　any

reader　readily　may　identify；　and　the　other　kind；　of　which　there　are　a

great　many；　describing　only　one　particular　person　and　these　are　much

more　difficult　to　discover。　　Classic　art　concerns　itself　only　with　the

former；　it　purposely　effaces；　neglects　or　subordinates　the　latter。　　It

does　not　build　individual　persons　but　generalized　characters；　a　king；

a　queen；　a　young　prince；　a　confidant；　a　high…priest；　a　captain　of　the

guards；　seized　by　some　passion；　habit　or　inclination；　such　as　love；

ambition；　fidelity　or　perfidy；　a　despotic　or　a　yielding　temper；　some

species　of　wickedness　or　of　native　goodness。　　As　to　the　circumstances

of　time　and　place；　which；　amongst　others；　exercise　a　most　powerful

influence　in　shaping　and　diversifying　man；　it　hardly　notes　them；　even

s