the origins of contemporary france-1-第102章

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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　of　systems。　　　Everybody　thought　himself　on　the　road　to

perfection　without　being　under　any　embarrassment　or　fearing　any　kind

of　obstacle。　　　We　were　proud　of　being　Frenchmen　and；　yet　again；

Frenchmen　of　the　eighteenth　century。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　Never　was　a　more

terrible　awakening　preceded　by　a　sweeter　slumber　or　by　more　seductive

dreams。〃



They　do　not　content　themselves　with　dreams；　with　pure　desires；　with

passive　aspirations。　　　They　are　active；　and　truly　generous；　a　worthy

cause　suffices　to　secure　their　devotion。　　　On　the　news　of　the　American

rebellion；　the　Marquis　de　Lafayette；　leaving　his　young　wife　pregnant；

escapes；　braves　the　orders　of　the　court；　purchases　a　frigate；　crosses

the　ocean　and　fights　by　the　side　of　Washington。　　　〃The　moment　the

quarrel　was　made　known　to　me；〃　he　says；　〃my　heart　was　enlisted　in　it；

and　my　only　thought　was　to　rejoin　my　regiment。〃　Numbers　of　gentlemen

follow　in　his　footsteps。　　　They　undoubtedly　love　danger；　〃the　chance

of　being　shot　is　too　precious　to　be　neglected。〃＇51＇　　But　the　main

thing　is　to　emancipate　the　oppressed；　〃we　showed　ourselves

philosophers　by　becoming　paladins；〃＇52＇　the　chivalric　sentiment

enlisting　in　the　service　of　liberty。　　　Other　services　besides　these；

more　sedentary　and　less　brilliant；　find　no　fewer　zealots。　　　The　chief

personages　of　the　provinces　in　the　provincial　assemblies；＇53＇　the

bishops；　archbishops；　abbés；　dukes；　counts；　and　marquises；　with　the

wealthiest　and　best　informed　of　the　notables　in　the　Third…Estate；　in

all　about　a　thousand　persons；　in　short　the　social　elect；　the　entire

upper　class　convoked　by　the　king；　organize　the　budget；　defend　the　tax…

payer　against　the　fiscal　authorities；　arrange　the　land…registry；

equalize　the　taille；　provide　a　substitute　for　the　corvée；　provide

public　roads；　multiply　charitable　asylums；　educate　agriculturists；

proposing；　encouraging　and　directing　every　species　of　reformatory

movement。　　　I　have　read　through　the　twenty　volumes　of　their　procès…

verbaux：　no　better　citizens；　no　more　conscientious　men；　no　more

devoted　administrators　can　be　found；　none　gratuitously　taking　so　much

trouble　on　themselves　with　no　object　but　the　public　welfare。　　　Never

was　an　aristocracy　so　deserving　of　power　at　the　moment　of　losing　it；

the　privileged　class；　aroused　from　their　indolence；　were　again

becoming　public　men；　and；　restored　to　their　functions；　were　returning

to　their　duties。　　　In　1778；　in　the　first　assembly　of　Berry；　the　Abbé

de　Seguiran；　the　reporter；　has　the　courage　to　state　that　〃the

distribution　of　the　taxes　should　be　a　fraternal　partition　of　public

obligations。〃＇54＇　　In　1780　the　abbés；　priors　and　chapters　of　the　same

province　contribute　60；000　livres　of　their　funds；　and　a　few　gentlemen；

in　less　than　twenty…four　hours；　contribute　17；000　livres。　　　In　1787；

in　the　assembly　of　Alen？on　the　nobility　and　the　clergy　tax　themselves

30；000　livres　to　relieve　the　indigent　in　each　parish　subject　to

taxation＇55＇。　　　in　the　month　of　April；　1787；　the　king；　in　an　assembly

of　the　notables；　speaks　of　〃the　eagerness　with　which　archbishops　and

bishops　come　forward　claiming　no　exemption　in　their　contributions　to

the　public　revenue。〃　In　the　month　of　March；　1789；　on　the　opening　of

the　bailiwick　assemblies；　the　entire　clergy；　nearly　all　the　nobility；

in　short；　the　whole　body　of　the　privileged　class　voluntarily　renounce

their　privileges　in　relation　to　taxation。　　　The　sacrifice　is　voted

unanimously；　they　themselves　offer　it　to　the　Third…Estate；　and　it　is

worth　while　to　see　their　generous　and　sympathetic　tone　in　the

manuscript　procès…verbaux。



　〃The　nobility　of　the　bailiwick　of　Tours；〃　says　the　Marquis　de

Lusignan；＇56＇　〃considering　that　they　are　men　and　citizens　before　being

nobles；　can　make　amends　in　no　way　more　in　conformity　with　the　spirit

of　justice　and　patriotism　that　animates　the　body；　for　the　long　silence

to　which　it　has　been　condemned　by　the　abuse　of　ministerial　power；　than

in　declaring　to　their　fellow…citizens　that；　in　future；　they　will　claim

none　of　the　pecuniary　advantages　secured　to　them　by　custom；　and　that

they　unanimously　and　solemnly　bind　themselves　to　bear　equally；　each　in

proportion　to　his　fortune；　all　taxes　and　general　contributions　which

the　nation　shall　prescribe。〃



　〃I　repeat；〃　says　the　Comte　de　Buzan？ois　at　the　meeting　of　the

Third…Estate　of　Berry；　〃that　we　are　all　brothers；　and　that　we　are

anxious　to　share　your　burdens。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　We　desire　to　have　but　one

single　voice　go　up　to　the　assembly　and　thus　manifest　the　union　and

harmony　which　should　prevail　there。　　　I　am　directed　to　make　the

proposal　to　you　to　unite　with　you　in　one　memorandum。　　　〃



　〃These　qualities　are　essential　in　a　deputy；〃　says　the　Marquis　de

Barbancon　speaking　for　the　nobles　of　Chateauroux；　〃integrity；　firmness

and　knowledge；　the　first　two　are　equally　found　among　the　deputies　of

the　three　orders；　but　knowledge　will　be　more　generally　found　in　the

Third…Estate；　which　is　more　accustomed　to　public　affairs。〃



　〃A　new　order　of　things　is　unfolding　before　us；〃　says　the　Abbé

Legrand　in　the　name　of　the　clergy　of　Chateauroux；　〃the　veil　of

prejudice　is　being　torn　away　and　giving　place　to　Reason。　　　She　is

possessing　herself　of　all　French　hearts；　attacking　at　the　root

whatever　is　based　on　former　opinion　and　deriving　her　power　only　from

herself。〃



　Not　only　do　the　privileged　classes　make　advances　but　it　is　no

effort　to　them；　they　use　the　same　language　as　the　people　of　the　Third…

Estate；　they　are　disciples　of　the　same　philosophers　and　seem　to　start

from　the　same　principles。　　　The　nobility　of　Clermont　in　Beauvoisis＇57＇

orders　its　deputies　〃to　demand；　first　of　all；　an　explicit　declaration

of　the　rights　belonging　to　all　men。〃　The　nobles　of　Mantes　and　Meulan

affirm　〃that　political　principles　are　as　absolute　as　moral　principles；

since　both　have　reason　for　a　common　basis。〃　The　nobles　of　Rheims

demand　〃that　the　king　be　entreated　to　o