the origins of contemporary france-1-第57章

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themselves　in　the　education　of　their　children。　　Simplicity　again　forms

an　element　of　manners。　　Hair…powder　is　no　longer　put　on　little　boys'

heads；　many　of　the　seigniors　abandon　laces；　embroideries；　red　heels

and　the　sword；　except　when　in　full　dress。　　People　appear　in　the　streets

〃dressed　à　la　Franklin；　in　coarse　cloth；　with　a　knotty　cane　and　thick

shoes。〃＇15＇　The　taste　no　longer　runs　on　cascades；　statues　and　stiff

and　pompous　decorations；　the　preference　is　for　the　English　garden。　　The

queen　arranges　a　village　for　herself　at　the　Trianon；　where；　〃dressed

in　a　frock　of　white　cambric　muslin　and　a　gauze　neck…handkerchief；　and

with　a　straw　hat；〃　she　fishes　in　the　lake　and　sees　her　cows　milked。

Etiquette　falls　away　like　the　paint　scaling　off　from　the　skin；

disclosing　the　bright　hue　of　natural　emotions。　　Madame　Adelaide　takes

up　a　violin　and　replaces　an　absent　musician　to　let　the　peasant　girls

dance16　The　Duchesse　de　Bourbon　goes　out　early　in　the　morning

incognito　to　bestow　alms；　and　〃to　see　the　poor　in　their　garrets。〃　The

Dauphine　jumps　out　of　her　carriage　to　assist　a　wounded　post…boy；　a

peasant　knocked　down　by　a　stag。　　The　king　and　the　Comte　d'Artois　help　a

carter　to　extract　his　cart　from　the　mud。　　People　no　longer　think　about

self…constraint；　and　self…adjustment；　and　of　keeping　up　their　dignity

under　all　circumstances；　and　of　subjecting　the　weaknesses　of　human

nature　to　the　exigencies　of　rank。　　On　the　death　of　the　first

Dauphin；＇17＇　whilst　the　people　in　the　room　place　themselves　before　the

king　to　prevent　him　from　entering　it；　the　queen　falls　at　his　knees；

and　he　says　to　her；　weeping；　〃Ah；　my　wife；　our　dear　child　is　dead；

since　they　do　not　wish　me　to　see　him。〃　And　the　narrator　adds　with

admiration；　〃I　always　seem　to　see　a　good　farmer　and　his　excellent　wife

a　prey　to　the　deepest　despair　at　the　loss　of　their　beloved　child。〃

Tears　are　no　longer　concealed；　as　it　is　a　point　of　honor　to　be　a　human

being。　　One　becomes　human　and　familiar　with　one's　inferiors。　　A　prince；

on　a　review；　says　to　the　soldiers　on　presenting　the　princess　to　them；

〃My　boys；　here　is　my　wife。〃　There　is　a　disposition　to　make　people

happy　and　to　take　great　delight　in　their　gratitude。　　To　be　kind；　to　be

loved　is　the　object　of　the　head　of　a　government；　of　a　man　in　place。

This　goes　so　far　that　God　is　prefigured　according　to　this　model。　　The

〃harmonies　of　nature〃　are　construed　into　the　delicate　attentions　of

Providence；　on　instituting　filial　affection　the　Creator　〃deigned　to

choose　for　our　best　virtue　our　sweetest　pleasure。〃＇18＇　…　The　idyll

which　is　imagined　to　take　place　in　heaven　corresponds　with　the　idyll

practiced　on　earth。　　From　the　public　up　to　the　princes；　and　from　the

princes　down　to　the　public；　in　prose；　in　verse；　in　compliments　at

festivities；　in　official　replies；　in　the　style　of　royal　edicts　down　to

the　songs　of　the　market…women；　there　is　a　constant　interchange　of

graces　and　of　sympathies。　　Applause　bursts　out　in　the　theater　at　any

verse　containing　an　allusion　to　princes；　and；　a　moment　after；　at　the

speech　which　exalts　the　merits　of　the　people；　the　princes　return　the

compliment　by　applauding　in　their　turn。＇19＇　…　On　all　sides；　just　as

this　society　is　vanishing；　a　mutual　deference；　a　spirit　of　kindliness

arises；　like　a　soft　and　balmy　autumnal　breeze；　to　dissipate　whatever

harshness　remains　of　its　aridity　and　to　mingle　with　the　radiance　of

its　last　hours　the　perfume　of　dying　roses。　　We　now　encounter　acts　and

words　of　infinite　grace；　unique　of　their　kind；　like　a　lovely；

exquisite　little　figure　on　old　Sèvres　porcelain。　　One　day；　on　the

Comtesse　Amélie　de　Boufflers　speaking　somewhat　flippantly　of　her

husband；　her　mother…in…law　interposes；　〃You　forget　that　you　are

speaking　of　my　son。〃　…　〃True；　mamma；　I　thought　I　was　only　speaking　of

your　son…in…law。〃　It　is　she　again　who；　on　playing　〃the　boat；〃　and

obliged　to　decide　between　this　beloved　mother…in…law　and　her　own

mother；　whom　she　scarcely　knew；　replies；　〃I　would　save　my　mother　and

drown　with　my　mother…in…law。〃＇20＇　The　Duchesse　de　Choiseul；　the

Duchesse　de　Lauzun；　and　others　besides；　are　equally　charming

miniatures。　　When　the　heart　and　the　mind　combine　their　considerations

they　produce　masterpieces；　and　these；　like　the　art；　the　refinements

and　the　society　which　surrounds　them；　possess　a　charm　unsurpassed　by

anything　except　their　own　fragility。



III。　　Personality　Defects。



The　failings　of　character　thus　formed。　　…　Adapted　to　one　situation

but　not　to　a　contrary　situation。　　…　Defects　of　intelligence。　　…　Defects

of　disposition。　　…　Such　a　character　is　disarmed　by　good…breeding。



The　reason　is　that；　the　better　people　have　become　adapted　to　a

certain　situation　the　less　prepared　are　they　for　the　opposite

situation。　　The　habits　and　faculties　that　serve　them　in　the　previous

condition　become　prejudicial　to　them　in　the　new　one。　　In　acquiring

talents　adapted　to　tranquil　times　they　lose　those　suited　to　times　of

agitation；　reaching　the　extreme　of　feebleness　at　the　same　time　with

the　extreme　of　urbanity。　　The　more　polished　an　aristocracy　becomes　the

weaker　it　becomes；　and　when　no　longer　possessing　the　power　to　please

it　not　longer　possesses　the　strength　to　struggle。　　And　yet；　in　this

world；　we　must　struggle　if　we　would　live。　　In　humanity；　as　in　nature；

empire　belongs　to　force。　　Every　creature　that　loses　the　art　and　energy

of　self…defense　becomes　so　much　more　certainly　a　prey　according　as　its

brilliancy；　imprudence　and　even　gentleness　deliver　it　over　in　advance

to　the　gross　appetites　roaming　around　it。　　Where　find　resistance　in

characters　formed　by　the　habits　we　have　just　described？　To　defend

ourselves　we　must；　first　of　all；　look　carefully　around　us；　see　and

foresee；　and　provide　for　danger。　　How　could　they　do　this　living　as　they

did？　Their　circle　is　too　narrow　and　too　carefully　enclosed。　　Confined

to　their　castles　and　mansions　they　see　only　those　of　their　own　sphere；

they　hear　only　the　echo　of　their　own　ideas；　they　imagine　that　there　is

nothing　beyond　the　public　seems　to　consist　of　two　hundred　persons。

Moreover；　disagreeable　truths　are　not　admitted　into　a　drawing…room；

especially　when　of　personal　import；　an　idle　fancy　there　becoming　a

dogma　because　it　becomes　conventional。　　Here；　accordingly；　we　find

those　who；　already　deceived　by　the　limitations　of　their　accustomed

horizon；　fortify　their　delusion　still　more　by　delusions　about　their

fellow　men。　　They　comprehend　nothing　of　the　vast　world；　which　envelops

their　little　world；　they　are　incapable　of　entering　into　the　sentiments

of　a　bourgeois；　of　a　villager；　they　have　no　conception　of　the　peasant

as　he　is　but　as　they　would　like　him　to　be。　　The　idyll　is　in　fashion；

and　no　one　dares　dispute　it；　any　other　supposition　would　be　false

because　it　would　be　disagreeable；　and　as　the　drawing　rooms　have

decided　that　all　will　go　well；　all　must　go　well。　　Never　was　a　delusion

more　complete　and　more　voluntary。　　The　Duc　d'Orléans　offers　to　wager　a

hundred　louis　that　the　States…General　will　dissolve　without

accomplishing　anything；　not　even　abolishing　the　lettre…de…cachet。。

After　the　demolition　has　begun；　and　yet　again　after　it　is　finished；

they　will　form　opinions　no　more　accurate。　　They　have　no　idea　of　social

architecture；　they　know　nothing　about　its　materials；　its　proportions；

or　its　harmonious　balance；　they　have　had　no　hand　in　it；　they　have

never　worked　at　it。　　They　are　entirely　ignorant　of　the　old　building＇21＇

in　which　they　occupy　the　first　story。　　They　are　not　qualified　to

calculate　either　its　pressure　or　its　resistance。＇＇22＇＇　They　conclude；

finally；　that　it　is　better　to　let　the　thing　tumble　in；　and　that　the

restoration　of　the　edifice　in　their　behalf　will　follow　its　own　course；

and　that　they　will　return　to　their　drawing…room；　expressly　rebuilt　for

them；　and　freshly　gilded；　to　begin　over　again　the　pleasant

conversation　which　an　accident；　some　tumult　in　the　street；　had

interrupted。＇23＇　Clear…sighted　in　society；　they　are　obtuse　in

politics。　　They　examine　every