the origins of contemporary france-1-第44章

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within　the　Germanic　habits　of　solitude；　inebriety　and　brutality。　　In

France；　on　the　contrary；　all　things　combine　to　make　the　social

sentiment　flourish；　in　this　the　national　genius　harmonizes　with　the

political　regime；　the　plant　appearing　to　be　selected　for　the　soil

beforehand。



The　Frenchman　loves　company　through　instinct；　and　the　reason　is

that　he　does　well　and　easily　whatever　society　calls　upon　him　to　do。　　He

has　not　the　false　shame　which　renders　his　northern　neighbors　awkward；

nor　the　powerful　passions　which　absorb　his　neighbors　of　the　south。

Talking　is　no　effort　to　him；　having　none　of　the　natural　timidity　which

begets　constraint；　and　with　no　constant　preoccupation　to　overcome。　　He

accordingly　converses　at　his　ease；　ever　on　the　alert；　and　conversation

affords　him　extreme　pleasure。　　For　the　happiness　which　he　requires　is

of　a　peculiar　kind：　delicate；　light；　rapid；　incessantly　renewed　and

varied；　in　which　his　intellect；　his　vanity；　all　his　emotional　and

sympathetic　faculties　find　nourishment；　and　this　quality　of　happiness

is　provided　for　him　only　in　society　and　in　conversation。　　Sensitive　as

he　is；　personal　attention；　consideration；　cordiality；　delicate

flattery；　constitute　his　natal　atmosphere；　outside　which　he　breathes

with　difficulty。　　He　would　suffer　almost　as　much　in　being　impolite　as

in　encountering　impoliteness　in　others。　　For　his　instincts　of

kindliness　and　vanity　there　is　an　exquisite　charm　in　the　habit　of

being　amiable；　and　this　is　all　the　greater　because　it　proves

contagious。　　When　we　afford　pleasure　to　others　there　is　a　desire　to

please　us；　and　what　we　bestow　in　deference　is　returned　in　attentions。

In　company　of　this　kind　one　can　talk；　for　to　talk　is　to　amuse　another

in　being　oneself　amused；　a　Frenchman　finding　no　pleasure　equal　to

it。＇3＇　Lively　and　sinuous；　conversation　to　him　is　like　the　flying　of　a

bird；　he　wings　his　way　from　idea　to　idea；　alert；　excited　by　the

inspiration　of　others；　darting　forward；　wheeling　round　and

unexpectedly　returning；　now　up；　now　down；　now　skimming　the　ground；　now

aloft　on　the　peaks；　without　sinking　into　quagmires；　or　getting

entangled　in　the　briers；　and　claiming　nothing　of　the　thousands　of

objects　he　slightly　grazes　but　the　diversity　and　the　gaiety　of　their

aspects。



Thus　endowed；　and　thus　disposed；　he　is　made　for　a　régime　which；　for

ten　hours　a　day；　brings　men　together；　natural　feeling　in　accord　with

the　social　order　of　things　renders　the　drawing　room　perfect。　　The　king；

at　the　head　of　all；　sets　the　example。　　Louis　XIV　had　every

qualification　for　the　master　of　a　household：　a　taste　for　pomp　and

hospitality；　condescension　accompanied　with　dignity；　the　art　of

playing　on　the　self…esteem　of　others　and　of　maintaining　his　own

position；　chivalrous　gallantry；　tact；　and　even　charms　of　intellectual

expression。　　〃His　address　was　perfect；＇4＇　whether　it　was　necessary　to

jest；　or　he　was　in　a　playful　humor；　or　deigned　to　tell　a　story；　it　was

ever　with　infinite　grace；　and　a　noble　refined　air　which　I　have　found

only　in　him。〃　〃Never　was　man　so　naturally　polite；＇5＇　nor　of　such

circumspect　politeness；　so　powerful　by　degrees；　nor　who　better

discriminated　age；　worth；　and　rank；　both　in　his　replies　and　in　his

deportment。　　。　　。　　。　　His　salutations；　more　or　less　marked；　but　always

slight；　were　of　incomparable　grace　and　majesty。　　。　　。　　。　　He　was　admirable

in　the　different　acknowledgments　of　salutes　at　the　head　of　the　army

and　at　reviews。　　。　　。　　。　　But　especially　toward　women　；　there　was　nothing

like　it。　　。　　。　　。　　Never　did　he　pass　the　most　insignificant　woman　without

taking　off　his　hat　to　her；　and　I　mean　chambermaids　whom　he　knew　to　be

such。　　。　　。　　Never　did　he　chance　to　say　anything　disobliging　to　anybody。

。　　。　　。　　Never　before　company　anything　mistimed　or　venturesome；　but　even

to　the　smallest　gesture；　his　walk；　his　bearing；　his　features；　all　were

proper；　respectful；　noble；　grand；　majestic；　and　thoroughly　natural。〃



Such　is　the　model；　and；　nearly　or　remotely；　it　is　imitated　up　to

the　end　of　the　ancient　régime。　　If　it　undergoes　any　change；　it　is　only

to　become　more　sociable。　　In　the　eighteenth　century；　except　on　great

ceremonial　occasions；　it　is　seen　descending　step　by　step　from　its

pedestal。　　It　no　longer　imposes　〃that　stillness　around　it　which　lets

one　hear　a　fly　walk。〃　〃Sire；〃　said　the　Marshal　de　Richelieu；　who　had

seen　three　reigns；　addressing　Louis　XVI；　〃under　Louis　XIV　no　one　dared

utter　a　word；　under　Louis　XV　people　whispered；　under　your　Majesty　they

talk　aloud。〃　If　authority　is　a　loser；　society　is　the　gainer；

etiquette；　insensibly　relaxed；　allows　the　introduction　of　ease　and

cheerfulness。　　Henceforth　the　great；　less　concerned　in　overawing　than

in　pleasing；　cast　off　stateliness　like　an　uncomfortable　and　ridiculous

garment；　〃seeking　respect　less　than　applause。　　It　no　longer　suffices　to

be　affable；　one　has　to　appear　amiable　at　any　cost　with　one's　inferiors

as　with　one's　equals。〃＇6＇　The　French　princes；　says　again　a

contemporary　lady；　〃are　dying　with　fear　of　being　deficient　in

favors。〃＇7＇　Even　around　the　throne　〃the　style　is　free　and　playful。〃

The　grave　and　disciplined　court　of　Louis　XIV　became　at　the　end　of　the

century；　under　the　smiles　of　the　youthful　queen；　the　most　seductive

and　gayest　of　drawing…rooms。　　Through　this　universal　relaxation；　a

worldly　existence　gets　to　be　perfect。　　〃He　who　has　not　lived　before

1789；〃　says　Talleyrand　at　a　later　period；　〃knows　nothing　of　the　charm

of　living。〃　It　was　too　great；　no　other　way　of　living　was　appreciated；

it　engrossed　man　wholly。　　When　society　becomes　so　attractive；　people

live　for　it　alone。



II。　　SOCIAL　LIFE　HAS　PRIORITY。



Subordination　of　it　to　other　interests　and　duties。　　…　Indifference

to　public　affairs。　　…　They　are　merely　a　subject　of　jest。　　…　Neglect　of

private　affairs。　　…　Disorder　in　the　household　and　abuse　of　money。



There　is　neither　leisure　nor　taste　for　other　matters；　even　for

things　which　are　of　most　concern　to　man；　such　as　public　affairs；　the

household；　and　the　family。　　…　　With　respect　to　the　first；　I　have

already　stated　that　people　abstain　from　them；　and　are　indifferent；　the

administration　of　things；　whether　local　or　general；　is　out　of　their

hands　and　no　longer　interests　them。　　They　only　allude　to　it　in　jest；

events　of　the　most　serious　consequence　form　the　subject　of　witticisms。

After　the　edict　of　the　Abbé　Terray；　which　half　ruined　the　state

creditors；　a　spectator；　too　much　crowded　in　the　theater；　cried　out；

〃Ah；　how　unfortunate　that　our　good　Abbé　Terray　is　not　here　to　cut　us

down　one…half　I〃　Everybody　laughs　and　applauds。　　All　Paris　the

following　day；　is　consoled　for　public　ruin　by　repeating　the　phrase。　　…

Alliances；　battles；　taxation；　treaties；　ministries；　coups　d'état；　the

entire　history　of　the　country；　is　put　into　epigrams　and　songs。　　One

day；＇8＇　in　an　assembly　of　young　people　belonging　to　the　court；　one　of

them；　as　the　current　witticism　was　passing　around；　raised　his　hands　in

delight　and　exclaimed；　〃How　can　one　help　being　pleased　with　great

events；　even　with　disturbances；　when　they　provide　us　with　such　amusing

witticisms！〃　Thereupon　the　sarcasms　circulate；　and　every　disaster　in

France　is　turned　into　nonsense。　　A　song　on　the　battle　of　Hochstaedt　was

pronounced　poor；　and　some　one　in　this　connection　said　〃I　am　sorry　that

battle　was　lost　　…　　the　song　is　so　worthless。〃＇9＇　　…　　Even　when

eliminating　from　this　trait　all　that　belongs　to　the　sway　of　impulse

and　the　license　of　paradox；　there　remains　the　stamp　of　an　age　in　which

the　State　is　almost　nothing　and　society　almost　everything。　　We　may　on

this　principle　divine　what　order　of　talent　was　required　in　the

ministers。　　M。　Necker；　having　given　a　magnificent　supper　with　serious

and　comic　opera；　〃finds　that　this　festivity　is　worth　more　to　him　in

credit；　favor；　and　stability　than　all　his　financial　schemes　put

together。　　。　　。　　。　　His　last　arrangement　concerning　the　vingtième　was　only

talked　about　for　one　day；　while　everybody　is　still　talking　about