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the ancien regime-第10部分

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his condition;〃 says a contemporary writer; 〃wants to be something

by command of the king。〃



It was not merely the 〃natural vanity〃 of which M。 de Tocqueville

accuses his countrymen; which stirred up in them this eagerness

after place; for we see the same eagerness in other nations of the

Continent; who cannot be accused (as wholes) of that weakness。  The

fact is; a Government place; or a Government decoration; cross;

ribbon; or what not; is; in a country where self…government is

unknown or dead; the only method; save literary fame; which is left

to men in order to assert themselves either to themselves or their

fellow…men。



A British or American shopkeeper or farmer asks nothing of his

Government。  He can; if he chooses; be elected to some local office

(generally unsalaried) by the votes of his fellow…citizens。  But

that is his right; and adds nothing to his respectability。  The test

of that latter; in a country where all honest callings are equally

honourable; is the amount of money he can make; and a very sound

practical test that is; in a country where intellect and capital are

free。  Beyond that; he is what he is; and wishes to be no more; save

what he can make himself。  He has his rights; guaranteed by law and

public opinion; and as long as he stands within them; and (as he

well phrases it) behaves like a gentleman; he considers himself as

good as any man; and so he is。  But under the bureaucratic Regime of

the Continent; if a man had not 〃something by command of the king;〃

he was nothing; and something he naturally wished to be; even by

means of a Government which he disliked and despised。  So in France;

where innumerable petty posts were regular articles of sale; anyone;

it seems; who had saved a little money; found it most profitable to

invest it in a beadledom of some kindto the great detriment of the

country; for he thus withdrew his capital from trade; but to his own

clear gain; for he thereby purchased some immunity from public

burdens; and; as it were; compounded once and for all for his taxes。

The petty German princes; it seems; followed the example of France;

and sold their little beadledoms likewise; but even where offices

were not sold; they must be obtained by any and every means; by

everyone who desired not to be as other men were; and to become

Notables; as they were called in France; so he migrated from the

country into the nearest town; and became a member of some small

body…guild; town council; or what not; bodies which were infinite in

number。  In one small town M。 de Tocqueville discovers thirty…six

such bodies; 〃separated from each other by diminutive privileges;

the least honourable of which was still a mark of honour。〃

Quarrelling perpetually with each other for precedence; despising

and oppressing the very menu peuple from whom they had for the most

part sprung; these innumerable small bodies; instead of uniting

their class; only served to split it up more and more; and when the

Revolution broke them up; once and for all; with all other

privileges whatsoever; no bond of union was left; and each man stood

alone; proud of his 〃individuality〃his complete social isolation;

till he discovered that; in ridding himself of superiors; he had rid

himself also of fellows; fulfilling; every man in his own person;

the old fable of the bundle of sticks; and had to submit; under the

Consulate and the Empire; to a tyranny to which the Ancien Regime

was freedom itself。



For; in France at least; the Ancien Regime was no tyranny。  The

middle and upper classes had individual libertyit may be; only too

much; the liberty of disobeying a Government which they did not

respect。  〃However submissive the French may have been before the

Revolution to the will of the king; one sort of obedience was

altogether unknown to them。  They knew not what it was to bow before

an illegitimate and contested powera power but little honoured;

frequently despised; but willingly endured because it may be

serviceable; or because it may hurt。  To that degrading form of

servitude they were ever strangers。  The king inspired them with

feelings 。 。 。 which have become incomprehensible to this generation

。 。 。 They loved him with the affection due to a father; they

revered him with the respect due to God。  In submitting to the most

arbitrary of his commands; they yielded less to compulsion than to

loyalty; and thus they frequently preserved great freedom of mind;

even in the most complete dependence。  This liberty; irregular;

intermittent;〃 says M。 de Tocqueville; 〃helped to form those

vigorous characters; those proud and daring spirits; which were to

make the French Revolution at once the object of the admiration and

the terror of succeeding generations。〃



This libertytoo much akin to anarchy; in which indeed it issued

for awhileseems to have asserted itself in continual petty

resistance to officials whom they did not respect; and who; in their

turn; were more than a little afraid of the very men out of whose

ranks they had sprung。



The French Governmentone may say; every Government on the

Continent in those dayshad the special weakness of all

bureaucracies; namely; that want of moral force which compels them

to fall back at last on physical force; and transforms the ruler

into a bully; and the soldier into a policeman and a gaoler。  A

Government of parvenus; uncertain of its own position; will be

continually trying to assert itself to itself; by vexatious

intermeddling and intruding pretensions; and then; when it meets

with the resistance of free and rational spirits; will either recoil

in awkward cowardice; or fly into a passion; and appeal to the

halter and the sword。  Such a Government can never take itself for

granted; because it knows that it is not taken for granted by the

people。  It never can possess the quiet assurance; the courteous

dignity; without swagger; yet without hesitation; which belongs to

hereditary legislators; by which term is to be understood; not

merely kings; not merely noblemen; but every citizen of a free

nation; however democratic; who has received from his forefathers

the right; the duty; and the example of self…government。



Such was the political and social state of the Ancien Regime; not

only in France; but if we are to trust (as we must trust) M。 de

Tocqueville; in almost every nation in Europe; except Britain。



And as for its moral state。  We must look for thatif we have need;

which happily all have notin its lighter literature。



I shall not trouble you with criticisms on French memoirsof which

those of Madame de Sevigne are on the whole; the most painful (as

witness her comments on the Marquise de Brinvilliers's execution);

because written by a woman better and more human than ordinary。  Nor

with 〃Menagiana;〃 or other 'ana'sas vain and artificial as they

are often foul; nor with novels and poems; long since deservedly

forgotten。  On the first perusal of this lighter literature; you

will be charmed with the ease; grace; lightness with which

everything is said。  On the second; you will be somewhat cured of

your admiration; as you perceive how little there is to say。  The

head proves to be nothing but a cunning mask; with no brains inside。

Especially is this true of a book; which I must beg those who have

read it already; to recollect。  To read it I recommend no human

being。  We may consider it; as it was considered in its time; the

typical novel of the Ancien Regime。  A picture of Spanish society;

written by a Frenchman; it was held to beand doubtless with

reasona picture of the whole European world。  Its French editor

(of 1836) calls it a grande epopee; 〃one of the most prodigious

efforts of intelligence; exhausting all forms of humanity〃in fact;

a second Shakespeare; according to the lights of the year 1715。  I

mean; of course; 〃Gil Blas。〃  So picturesque is the book; that it

has furnished inexhaustible motifs to the draughtsman。  So excellent

is its workmanship; that the enthusiastic editor of 1836 tells us

and doubtless he knows bestthat it is the classic model of the

French tongue; and that; as Le Sage 〃had embraced all that belonged

to man in his composition; he dared to prescribe to himself to

embrace the whole French language in his work。〃  It has been the

parent of a whole school of literaturethe Bible of tens of

thousands; with admiring commentators in plenty; on whose souls may

God have mercy!



And no wonder。  The book has a solid value; and will always have;

not merely from its perfect art (according to its own measure and

intention); but from its perfect truthfulness。  It is the Ancien

Regime itself。  It set forth to the men thereof; themselves; without

veil or cowardly reticence of any kind; and inasmuch as every man

loves himself; the Ancien Regime loved 〃Gil Blas;〃 and said; 〃The

problem of humanity is solved at last。〃  But; ye long…suffering

powers of heaven; what a solut
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