the origins of contemporary france-1-第83节

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subterranean　waters；　under　the　sounding　line　that　for　the　first　time

brings　them　to　light。　　Rousseau　with　his　soundings　struck　deep　and

true　through　his　own　trials　and　through　genius。　　In　a　wholly

artificial　society　where　people　are　drawing　room　puppets；　and　where

life　consists　in　a　graceful　parade　according　to　a　recognized　model；　he

preaches　a　return　to　nature；　independence；　earnestness；　passion；　and

effusion；　a　manly；　active；　ardent　and　happy　existence　in　the　open　air

and　in　sunshine。　　What　an　opening　for　restrained　faculties；　for　the

broad　and　luxurious　fountain　ever　bubbling　in　man's　breast；　and　for

which　their　nice　society　provides　no　issue！　　…　　woman　of　the　court　is

familiar　with　love　as　then　practiced；　simply　a　preference；　often　only

a　pastime；　mere　gallantry　of　which　the　exquisite　polish　poorly

conceals　the　shallowness；　coldness　and；　occasionally；　wickedness；　in

short；　adventures；　amusements　and　personages　as　described　by

Crébillion　jr。　　One　evening；　about　to　go　out　to　the　opera　ball；　she

finds　the　〃Nouvelle　Helo？se〃　on　her　toilet…table；　it　is　not　surprising

that　she　keeps　her　horses　and　footmen　waiting　from　hour　to　hour；　and

that　at　four　o'clock　in　the　morning　she　orders　the　horses　to　be

unharnessed；　and　then　passes　the　rest　of　the　night　in　reading；　and

that　she　is　stifled　with　her　tears；　for　the　first　time　in　her　life　she

finds　a　man　that　loves＇39＇。　　In　like　manner　if　you　would　comprehend

the　success　of　〃Emile；〃　call　to　mind　the　children　we　have　described；

the　embroidered；　gilded；　dressed…up；　powdered　little　gentlemen；　decked

with　sword　and　sash；　carrying　the　chapeau　under　the　arm；　bowing；

presenting　the　hand；　rehearsing　fine　attitudes　before　a　mirror；

repeating　prepared　compliments；　pretty　little　puppets　in　which

everything　is　the　work　of　the　tailor；　the　hairdresser；　the　preceptor

and　the　dancing…master；　alongside　of　these；　little　ladies　of　six

years；　still　more　artificial；　bound　up　in　whalebone；　harnessed　in　a

heavy　skirt　composed　of　hair　and　a　girdle　of　iron；　supporting　a　head…

dress　two　feet　in　height；　so　many　veritable　dolls　to　which　rouge　is

applied；　and　with　which　a　mother　amuses　herself　each　morning　for　an

hour　and　then　consigns　them　to　her　maids　for　the　rest　of　the　day＇40＇。

This　mother　reads　〃Emile。〃　It　is　not　surprising　that　she　immediately

strips　the　poor　little　thing；　and　determines　to　nurse　her　next　child

herself。　　　…　　It　is　through　these　contrasts　that　Rousseau　is　strong。

He　revealed　the　dawn　to　people　who　never　got　up　until　noon；　the

landscape　to　eyes　that　had　thus　far　rested　only　on　palaces　and

drawing…rooms；　a　natural　garden　to　men　who　had　never　promenaded

outside　of　clipped　shrubs　and　rectilinear　borders；　the　country；　the

family；　the　people；　simple　and　endearing　pleasures；　to　townsmen　made

weary　by　social　avidity；　by　the　excesses　and　complications　of　luxury；

by　the　uniform　comedy　which；　in　the　glare　of　hundreds　of　lighted

candles；　they　played　night　after　night　in　their　own　and　in　the　homes

of　others＇41＇。　　An　audience　thus　disposed　makes　no　clear　distinction

between　pomp　and　sincerity；　between　sentiment　and　sentimentality。

They　follow　their　author　as　one　who　makes　a　revelation；　as　a　prophet；

even　to　the　end　of　his　ideal　world；　much　more　through　his

exaggerations　than　through　his　discoveries；　as　far　on　the　road　to

error　as　on　the　pathway　of　truth。



These　are　the　great　literary　powers　of　the　century。　　With　inferior

successes；　and　through　various　combinations；　the　elements　which

contributed　to　the　formation　of　the　leading　talents　also　form　the

secondary　talents；　like　those　below　Rousseau；　　…　　Bernardin　de　St。

Pierre；　Raynal；　Thomas；　Marmontel；　Mably；　Florian；　Dupaty；　Mercier；

Madame　de　Sta？l；　and　below　Voltaire；　　…　　the　lively　and　piquant

intellects　of　Duclos；　Piron；　Galiani；　President　Des　Brosses；　Rivarol；

Champfort；　and　to　speak　with　precision；　all　other　talents。　　Whenever　a

vein　of　talent；　however　meager；　peers　forth　above　the　ground　it　is　for

the　propagation　and　carrying　forward　of　the　new　doctrine；　scarcely　can

we　find　two　or　three　little　streams　that　run　in　a　contrary　direction；

like　the　journal　of　Freron；　a　comedy　by　Palissot；　or　a　satire　by

Gilbert。　　Philosophy　winds　through　and　overflows　all　channels　public

and　private；　through　manuals　of　impiety；　like　the　〃Théologies

portatives；〃　and　in　the　lascivious　novels　circulated　secretly；　through

epigrams　and　songs；　through　daily　novelties；　through　the　amusements　of

fairs；＇42＇　and　the　harangues　of　the　Academy；　through　tragedy　and　the

opera；　from　the　beginning　to　the　end　of　the　century；　from　the　〃OEdipe〃

of　Voltaire；　to　the　〃Tarare〃　of　Beaumarchais。　　It　seems　as　if　there

was　nothing　else　in　the　world。　　At　least　it　is　found　everywhere　and　it

floods　all　literary　efforts；　nobody　cares　whether　it　deforms　them；

content　in　making　them　serve　as　a　conduit。　　In　1763；　in　the　tragedy　of

Manco…Capac＇43＇　the　〃principal　part；〃　writes　a　contemporary；　〃is　that

of　a　savage　who　utters　in　verse　all　that　we　have　read；　scattered

through　'　Emile'　and　the　'Contrat　Social；'　concerning　kings；　liberty；

the　rights　of　man　and　the　inequality　of　conditions。〃　This　virtuous

savage　saves　a　king's　son　over　whom　a　high…priest　raises　a　poniard；

and　then；　designating　the　high…priest　and　himself　by　turns；　he　cries；



〃Behold　the　civilized　man；　here　is　the　savage　man！〃



At　this　line　the　applause　breaks　forth；　and　the　success　of　the

piece　is　such　that　it　is　demanded　at　Versailles　and　played　before　the

court。



The　same　ideas　have　to　be　expressed　with　skill；　brilliancy；　gaiety；

energy　and　scandal；　and　this　is　accomplished　in　〃The　Marriage　of

Figaro。〃　Never　were　the　ideals　of　the　age　displayed　under　a　more

transparent　disguise；　nor　in　an　attire　that　rendered　them　more

attractive。　　Its　title　is　the　〃　Folle　journee；〃　and　indeed　it　is　an

evening　of　folly；　an　after…supper　like　those　occurring　in　the

fashionable　world；　a　masquerade　of　Frenchmen　in　Spanish　costumes；　with

a　parade　of　dresses；　changing　scenes；　couplets；　a　ballet；　a　singing

and　dancing　village；　a　medley　of　odd　characters；　gentlemen；　servants；

duennas；　judges；　notaries；　lawyers；　music…masters；　gardeners；

pastoureaux；　in　short；　a　spectacle　for　the　eyes　and　the　ears；　for　all

the　senses；　the　very　opposite　of　the　prevailing　drama　in　which　three

pasteboard　characters；　seated　on　classic　chairs；　exchange　didactic

arguments　in　an　abstract　saloon。　　And　still　better；　it　is　an　imbroglio

displaying　a　superabundance　of　action；　amidst　intrigues　that　cross；

interrupt　and　renew　each　other；　through　a　pêle…mêle　of　travesties；

exposures；　surprises；　mistakes；　leaps　from　windows；　quarrels　and

slaps；　and　all　in　sparkling　style；　each　phrase　flashing　on　all　sides；

where　responses　seem　to　be　cut　out　by　a　lapidary；　where　the　eyes　would

forget　themselves　in　contemplating　the　multiplied　brilliants　of　the

dialogue　if　the　mind　were　not　carried　along　by　its　rapidity　and　the

excitement　of　the　action。　　But　here　is　another　charm；　the　most　welcome

of　all　in　a　society　passionately　fond　of　Parny；　according　to　an

expression　of　the　Comte　d'Artois；　which　I　dare　not　quote；　this　appeals

to　the　senses；　the　arousing　of　which　constitutes　the　spiciness　and

savor　of　the　piece。　　The　fruit　that　hangs　ripening　and　savory　on　the

branch　never　falls　but　always　seems　on　the　point　of　falling；　all　hands

are　extended　to　catch　it；　its　voluptuousness　somewhat　veiled　but　so

much　the　more　provoking；　declaring　itself　from　scene　to　scene；　in　the

Count's　gallantry；　in　the　Countess's　agitation；　in　the　simplicity　of

Fanchette；　in　the　jestings　of　Figaro；　in　the　liberties　of　Susanne；　and

reaching　its　climax　in　the　precocity　of　Cherubino。　　Add　to　this　a

continual　double　sense；　the　author　hidden　behind　his　characters；　truth

put　into　the　mouth　of　a　clown；　malice　enveloped　in　simple　utterances；

the　master　duped　but　saved　from　being　ridiculous　by　his　deportment；

the　valet　rebellious　but　preserved　from　acrimony　by　his　gaiety；　and

you　can　comprehend　how　Beaumarchais　could　have　the　ancient　regime

played　before　its　head；　put　political　and　social　satire　on　the　stage；

publicly　attach　an　expression　to　each　wrong　so　as　to　become　a　by…word；

and　ever　making　a　loud　report；＇44＇　gather　up　into　a　few　traits　the

entire　polemics　of　the　philosophers　against　the　prisons　of　the　State；

against　the　censorship　of　literature；　against　the　venality　of　office；

against　the　privileges　of　birth；　against　the　arbitrary　power　of

ministers；　against　the　incapacity　of　people　in　office；　and　still

better；　to　sum　up　in　one　character　every　public　demand；　give　the

leading　part　to　a　commoner；　bastard；　bohemian　and　valet；　who；　by　dint

of　dexterity；　courage　and　good…humor；　keeps　himself　up；　swims　with　the

tide；　and　shoots　ahead　in　his　little　skiff；　avoiding　contact　with

larger　craft　and　even　supplanting　his　master；　accompanying　each　pull

on　the　oar　with　a　shower　of　wit　cast　broadside　at　all　his　rivals。



After　all；　in　France　at　least；　the　chief　power　is　inte