the origins of contemporary france-1-第90节

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meetings　for　pleasure　or　other　purposes　had　become　petty　States…

Generals　in　which　the　women；　transformed　into　legislators；　established

the　premises　and　confidently　propounded　maxims　of　public　right。〃　The

Comtesse　d'Egmont；　a　correspondent　of　the　King　of　Sweden；　sends　him　a

paper　on　the　fundamental　law　of　France；　favoring　the　Parliament；　the

last　defender　of　national　liberty；　against　the　encroachments　of

Chancellor　Maupeou。　　　〃The　Chancellor；〃　she　says；＇39＇　〃within　the　last

six　months　has　brought　people　to　know　the　history　of　France　who　would

have　died　without　any　knowledge　of　it。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　I　have　no　doubt；

sire；〃　she　adds；　〃that　you　never　will　abuse　the　power　an　enraptured

people　have　entrusted　to　you　without　limitation。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　May

your　reign　prove　the　epoch　of　the　re…establishment　of　a　free　and

independent　government；　but　never　the　source　of　absolute　authority。〃

Numbers　of　women　of　the　first　rank；　Mesdames　de　la　Marck；　de

Boufflers；　de　Brienne；　de　Mesmes；　de　Luxembourg；　de　Croy；　think　and

write　in　the　same　style。　　　〃Absolute　power；〃　says　one　of　these；　〃is　a

mortal　malady　which；　insensibly　corrupting　moral　qualities；　ends　in

the　destruction　of　states。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　The　actions　of　sovereigns　are

subject　to　the　censure　of　their　subjects　as　to　that　of　the　universe。

。　　　。　　　。　　　France　is　undone　if　the　present　administration　lasts。〃＇40＇

…　　When；　under　Louis　XVI；　a　new　administration　proposes　and　withdraws

feeble　measures　of　reform。　　　their　criticism　shows　the　same　firmness：

〃Childishness；　weakness；　constant　inconsistency；〃　writes　another；＇41＇

〃incessant　change；　and　always　worse　off　than　we　were　before。

Monsieur　and　M。　le　Comte　d'Artois　have　just　made　a　journey　through　the

provinces；　but　only　as　people　of　that　kind　travel；　with　a　frightful

expenditure　and　devastation　along　the　whole　road；　coming　back

extraordinarily　fat；　Monsieur　is　as　big　as　a　hogshead；　as　to　M。　le

Comte　d'Artois　he　is　bringing　about　order　by　the　life　he　leads。〃　　　…

An　inspiration　of　humanity　animates　these　feminine　breasts　along　with

that　of　liberty。　　　They　interest　themselves　in　the　poor；　in　children；

in　the　people；　Madame　d'Egmont　recommends　Gustavus　III　to　plant

Dalecarlia　with　potatoes。　　　On　the　appearance　of　the　engraving

published　for　the　benefit　of　Calas＇42＇　〃all　France　and　even　all

Europe；　hastens　to　subscribe　for　it；　the　Empress　of　Russia　giving

5；000　livres＇43＇。　　　〃Agriculture；　economy；　reform；　philosophy；〃　writes

Walpole；　〃are　bon　ton；　even　at　the　court。〃　　…　　　President　Dupaty

having　drawn　up　a　memorandum　in　behalf　of　three　innocent　persons；

sentenced　〃to　be　broken　on　the　wheel；　everybody　in　society　is　talking

about　it；〃　〃idle　conversation　no　longer　prevails　in　society；〃　says　a

correspondent　of　Gustavus　III＇44＇　〃since　it　is　that　which　forms　public

opinion。　　　Words　have　become　actions。　　　Every　sensitive　heart　praises

with　joy　a　publication　inspired　by　humanity　and　which　appears　full　of

talent　because　it　is　full　of　feeling。〃　When　Latude　is　released　from

the　prison　of　Bicêtre　Mme。　　　de　Luxembourg；　Mme。　　　de　Boufflers；　and

Mme。　　　de　Sta？l　dine　with　the　grocer…woman　who　〃for　three　years　and　a

half　moved　heaven　and　earth　〃　to　set　the　prisoner　free。　　　It　is　owing

to　the　women；　to　their　sensibility　and　zeal；　to　a　conspiracy　of　their

sympathies；　that　M。　de　Lally　succeeds　in　the　rehabilitation　of　his

father。　　　When　they　take　a　fancy　to　a　person　they　become　infatuated

with　him；　Madame　de　Lauzun；　very　timid；　goes　so　far　as　to　publicly

insult　a　man　who　speaks　ill　of　M。　Necker。　　　　　…　　It　must　be　borne　in

mind　that；　in　this　century；　the　women　were　queens；　setting　the

fashion；　giving　the　tone；　leading　in　conversation　and　naturally

shaping　ideas　and　opinions＇45＇。　　　When　they　take　the　lead　on　the

political　field　we　may　be　sure　that　the　men　will　follow　them：　each　one

carries　her　drawing　room　circle　with　her。





VI。　　　WELL…MEANING　GOVERNMENT。



Infinite；　vague　aspirations。　　　…　Generosity　of　sentiments　and　of

conduct。　　　…　The　mildness　and　good　intentions　of　the　government。　　　…

Its　blindness　and　optimism。



An　aristocracy　imbued　with　humanitarian　and　radical　maxims；

courtiers　hostile　to　the　court；　privileged　persons　aiding　in

undermining　privileges；　presents　to　us　a　strange　spectacle　in　the

testimony　of　the　time。　　　A　contemporary　states　that　it　is　an　accepted

principle　〃to　change　and　upset　everything。〃＇46＇　　High　and　low；　in

assemblages；　in　public　places；　only　reformers　and　opposing　parties　are

encountered　among　the　privileged　classes。



　〃In　1787；　almost　every　prominent　man　of　the　peerage　in　the

Parliament　declared　himself　in　favor　of　resistance。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　I

have　seen　at　the　dinners　we　then　attended　almost　every　idea　put

forward；　which；　soon　afterwards；　produced　such　startling　effects。〃＇47＇

Already　in　1774；　M。　de　Vaublanc；　on　his　way　to　Metz；　finds　a　diligence

containing　an　ecclesiastic　and　a　count；　a　colonel　in　the　hussars；

talking　political　economy　constantly＇48＇。　　　〃It　was　the　fashion　of　the

day。　　　Everybody　was　an　economist。　　　People　conversed　together　only

about　philosophy；　political　economy　and　especially　humanity；　and　the

means　for　relieving　the　people；　（le　bon　peuple）；　which　two　words　were

in　everybody's　mouth。〃　To　this　must　be　added　equality；　Thomas；　in　a

eulogy　of　Marshal　Saxe　says；　〃I　cannot　conceal　it；　he　was　of　royal

blood；〃　and　this　phrase　was　admired。　　　A　few　of　the　heads　of　old

parliamentary　or　seigniorial　families　maintain　the　old　patrician　and

monarchical　standard；　the　new　generation　succumbing　to　novelty。　　　〃For

ourselves；〃　says　one　of　them　belonging　to　the　youthful　class　of　the

nobility；＇49＇　〃with　no　regret　for　the　past　or　anxiety　for　the　future；

we　marched　gaily　along　over　a　carpet　of　flowers　concealing　an　abyss。

Mocking　censors　of　antiquated　ways；　of　the　feudal　pride　of　our　fathers

and　of　their　sober　etiquette；　everything　antique　seemed　to　us　annoying

and　ridiculous。　　　The　gravity　of　old　doctrines　oppressed　us。　　　The

cheerful　philosophy　of　Voltaire　amused　and　took　possession　of　us。

Without　fathoming　that　of　graver　writers　we　admired　it　for　its　stamp

of　fearlessness　and　resistance　to　arbitrary　power。　　　。　　　。　　　。

Liberty；　what…ever　its　language；　delighted　us　with　its　spirit；　and

equality　on　account　of　its　convenience。　　　It　is　a　pleasant　thing　to

descend　so　long　as　one　thinks　one　can　ascend　when　one　pleases；　we　were

at　once　enjoying；　without　forethought；　the　advantages　of　the

patriciate　and　the　sweets　of　a　commoner　philosophy。　　　Thus；　although

our　privileges　were　at　stake；　and　the　remnants　of　our　former　supremacy

were　undermined　under　our　feet；　this　little　warfare　gratified　us。

Inexperienced　in　the　attack；　we　simply　admired　the　spectacle。

Combats　with　the　pen　and　with　words　did　not　appear　to　us　capable　of

damaging　our　existing　superiority；　which　several　centuries　of

possession　had　made　us　regard　as　impregnable。　　　The　forms　of　the

edifice　remaining　intact；　we　could　not　see　how　it　could　be　mined　from

within。　　　We　laughed　at　the　serious　alarm　of　the　old　court　and　of　the

clergy　which　thundered　against　the　spirit　of　innovation。　　　We

applauded　republican　scenes　in　the　theater；＇50＇　philosophic　discourses

in　our　Academies；　the　bold　publications　of　the　literary　class。〃…　If

inequality　still　subsists　in　the　distribution　of　offices　and　of

places；　〃equality　begins　to　reign　in　society。　　　On　many　occasions

literary　titles　obtain　precedence　over　titles　of　nobility。　　　Courtiers

and　servants　of　the　passing　fashion；　paid　their　court　to　Marmontel；

d'Alembert　and　Raynal。　　　We　frequently　saw　in　company　literary　men　of

the　second　and　third　rank　greeted　and　receiving　attentions　not

extended　to　the　nobles　of　the　provinces。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　Institutions

remained　monarchical；　but　manners　and　customs　became　republican。　　　A

word　of　praise　from　d'Alembert　or　Diderot　was　more　esteemed　than　the

most　marked　favor　from　a　prince。　　　。　　　。　　　　It　was　impossible　to　pass

an　evening　with　d'Alembert；　or　at　the　H？tel　de　Larochefoucauld　among

the　friends　of　Turgot；　to　attend　a　breakfast　at　the　Abbé　Raynal's；　to

be　admitted　into　the　society　and　family　of　M。　de　Malesherbes；　and

lastly；　to　approach　a　most　amiable　queen　and　a　most　upright　king；

without　believing　ourselves　about　to　enter　upon　a　kind　of　golden　era

of　which　preceding　centuries　afforded　no　idea。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　We　were

bewildered　by　the　prismatic　hues　of　fresh　ideas　and　doctrines；　radiant

with　hopes；　ardently　aglow　for　every　sort　of　reputation；　enthusiastic

for　all　talents　and　beguiled　by　every　seductive　dream　of　a　philosophy

that　was　about　to　secure　the　happiness　of　the　human　species。　　　Far

from　foreseeing　misfortune；　excess；　crime；　the　overthrow　of　thrones

and　of　principles；　the　future　disclosed　to　us　only　the　benefits　which

humanity　was　to　derive　from　the　sovereignty　of　Reason。　　　Freedom　of

the　press　and　circulation　was　given　to　every　reformative　writing；　to

every　project　of　innovation；　to　the　most　liberal　ideas　and　to　the

boldest　o