the origins of contemporary france-1-第96章

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is　no　temptation　to　soar　away　into　the　imaginary　world；　the　fact　of

one　being　at　work　on　solid　ground　of　itself　makes　one　dislike　aerial

excursions　in　empty　space。　　　The　more　occupied　one　is　the　less　one

dreams；　and；　to　men　of　business；　the　geometry　of　the　〃　Contrat　Social'

is　merely　intellectual　gymnastics。







II。　　　　CONDITIONS　IN　FRANCE。



The　opposite　conditions　found　in　France。　　　…　Indolence　of　the　upper

class。　　　…　Philosophy　seems　an　intellectual　drill。　　　…　Besides　this；　a

subject　for　conversation。　　　…　Philosophic　conversation　in　the　18th

century。　　　…　Its　superiority　and　its　charm。　　　…　The　influence　it

exercises。



It　is　quite　the　reverse　in　France。　　　〃I　arrived　there　in　1774；〃＇2＇

says　an　English　gentleman；　〃having　just　left　the　house　of　my　father；

who　never　came　home　from　Parliament　until　three　o'clock　in　the

morning；　and　who　was　busy　the　whole　morning　correcting　the　proofs　of

his　speech　for　the　newspapers；　and　who；　after　hastily　kissing　us；　with

an　absorbed　air；　went　out　to　a　political　dinner。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　In

France　I　found　men　of　the　highest　rank　enjoying　perfect　leisure。

They　had　interviews　with　the　ministers　but　only　to　exchange

compliments；　in　other　respects　they　knew　as　little　about　the　public

affairs　of　France　as　they　did　about　those　of　Japan；　and　less　of　local

affairs　than　of　general　affairs；　having　no　knowledge　of　their

peasantry　other　than　that　derived　from　the　accounts　of　their　stewards。

If　one　of　them；　bearing　the　title　of　governor；　visited　a　province；　it

was；　as　we　have　seen；　for　outward　parade；　whilst　the　intendant　carried

on　the　administration；　he　exhibited　himself　with　grace　and

magnificence　by　giving　receptions　and　dinners。　　　To　receive；　to　give

dinners；　to　entertain　guests　agreeably　is　the　sole　occupation　of　a

grand　seignior；　hence　it　is　that　religion　and　government　only　serve

him　as　subjects　of　conversation。　　　The　conversation；　moreover；　occurs

between　him　and　his　equals；　and　a　man　may　say　what　he　pleases　in　good

company。　　　Moreover　the　social　system　turns　on　its　own　axis；　like　the

sun；　from　time　immemorial；　through　its　own　energy；　and　shall　it　be

deranged　by　what　is　said　in　the　drawing…room？　In　any　event　he　does　not

control　its　motion　and　he　is　not　responsible。　　　Accordingly　there　is

no　uneasy　undercurrent；　no　morose　preoccupation　in　his　mind。

Carelessly　and　boldly　he　follows　in　the　track　of　his　philosophers；

detached　from　affairs　he　can　give　himself　up　to　ideas；　just　as　a　young

man　of　family；　on　leaving　college；　lays　hold　of　some　principle；

deduces　its　consequences；　and　forms　a　system　for　himself　without

concerning　himself　about　its　application＇3＇。



Nothing　is　more　enjoyable　than　this　speculative　inspiration。　　　The

mind　soars　among　the　summits　as　if　it　had　wings；　it　embraces　vast

horizons　in　a　glance；　taking　in　all　of　human　life；　the　economy　of　the

world；　the　origin　of　the　universe；　of　religions　and　of　societies。

Where；　accordingly；　would　conversation　be　if　people　abstained　from

philosophy？　What　circle　is　that　in　which　serious　political　problems

and　profound　criticism　are　not　admitted？　And　what　motive　brings

intellectual　people　together　if　not　the　desire　to　debate　questions　of

the　highest　importance？　　…　　For　two　centuries　in　France　the

conversation　has　been　related　to　all　that；　and　hence　its　great　charm。

Strangers　find　it　irresistible；　nothing　like　it　is　found　at　home；　Lord

Chesterfield　sets　it　forth　as　an　example：



〃It　always　turns；　he　says；　on　some　point　in　history；　on　criticism

or　even　philosophy　which　is　much　better　suited　to　rational　beings　than

our　English　discussions　about　the　weather　and　whist。〃



Rousseau；　so　querulous；　admits　〃that　a　moral　subject　could　not　be

better　discussed　in　a　society　of　philosophers　than　in　that　of　a　pretty

woman　in　Paris。〃　Undoubtedly　there　is　a　good　deal　of　idle　talk；　but

with　all　the　chattering　〃let　a　man　of　any　authority　make　a　serious

remark　or　start　a　grave　subject　and　the　attention　is　immediately　fixed

on　this　point；　men　and　women；　the　old　and　the　young；　all　give

themselves　up　to　its　consideration　on　all　its　sides；　and　it　is

surprising　what　an　amount　of　reason　and　good　sense　issues；　as　if　in

emulation；　from　these　frolicsome　brains。〃　The　truth　is　that；　in　this

constant　holiday　which　this　brilliant　society　gives　itself　philosophy

is　the　principal　amusement。　　　Without　philosophy　the　ordinary　ironical

chit…chat　would　be　vapid。　　　It　is　a　sort　of　superior　opera　in　which

every　grand　conception　that　can　interest　a　reflecting　mind　passes

before　it；　now　in　comic　and　now　in　sober　attire；　and　each　in　conflict

with　the　other。　　　The　tragedy　of　the　day　scarcely　differs　from　it

except　in　this　respect；　that　it　always　bears　a　solemn　aspect　and　is

performed　only　in　the　theaters；　the　other　assumes　all　sorts　of

physiognomies　and　is　found　everywhere　because　conversation　is

everywhere　carried　on。　　　Not　a　dinner　nor　a　supper　is　given　at　which

it　does　not　find　place。　　　One　sits　at　a　table　amidst　refined　luxury；

among　agreeable　and　well…dressed　women　and　pleasant　and　well…informed

men；　a　select　company；　in　which　comprehension　is　prompt　and　the

company　trustworthy。　　　After　the　second　course　the　inspiration　breaks

out　in　the　liveliest　sallies；　all　minds　flashing　and　scintillating。

When　the　dessert　comes　on　what　is　to　prevent　the　gravest　of　subjects

from　being　put　into　witticisms？　On　the　appearance　of　the　coffee

questions　on　the　immortality　of　the　soul　and　on　the　existence　of　God

come　up。



To　form　any　idea　of　this　attractive　and　bold　conversation　we　must

consult　the　correspondence　of　the　day；　the　short　treatises　and

dialogues　of　Diderot　and　Voltaire；　whatever　is　most　animated；　most

delicate；　most　piquant　and　most　profound　in　the　literature　of　the

century；　and　yet　this　is　only　a　residuum；　a　lifeless　fragment。　　　The

whole　of　this　written　philosophy　was　uttered　in　words；　with　the

accent；　the　impetuosity；　the　inimitable　naturalness　of　improvisation；

with　the　versatility　of　malice　and　of　enthusiasm。　　　Even　to　day；

chilled　and　on　paper；　it　still　excites　and　seduces　us。　　　What　must　it

have　been　then　when　it　gushed　forth　alive　and　vibrant　from　the　lips　of

Voltaire　and　Diderot？　Daily；　in　Paris；　suppers　took　place　like　those

described　by　Voltaire；＇4＇　。at　which　〃two　philosophers；　three　clever

intellectual　ladies；M。　Pinto　the　famous　Jew；　the　chaplain　of　the

Batavian　ambassador　of　the　reformed　church；　the　secretary　of　the

Prince　de　Galitzin　of　the　Greek　church；　and　a　Swiss　Calvinist

captain；〃　seated　around　the　same　table；　for　four　hours　interchanged

their　anecdotes；　their　flashes　of　wit；　their　remarks　and　their

decisions　〃on　all　subjects　of　interest　relating　to　science　and　taste。〃

The　most　learned　and　distinguished　foreigners　daily　visited；　in　turn；

the　house　of　the　Baron　d'Holbach；　　…　　Hume；　Wilkes；　Sterne；　Beccaria；

Veri；　the　Abbé　Galiani；　Garrick；　Franklin；　Priestley；　Lord　Shelburne；

the　Comte　de　Creutz；　the　Prince　of　Brunswick　and　the　future　Elector　of

Mayence。　　　With　respect　to　society　in　general　the　Baron　entertained

Diderot；　Rousseau；　Helvétius；　Duclos；　Saurin；　Raynal；　Suard；

Marmontel；　Boulanger；　the　Chevalier　de　Chastellux；　the　traveler　La

Condamine；　the　physician　Barthèz；　and　Rouelle；　the　chemist。　　　Twice　a

week；　on　Sundays　and　Thursdays；　〃without　prejudice　to　other　days；〃

they　dine　at　his　house；　according　to　custom；　at　two　o'clock；　a

significant　custom　which　thus　leaves　to　conversation　and　gaiety　a

man's　best　powers　and　the　best　hours　of　the　day。　　　Conversation；　in

those　days；　was　not　relegated　to　night　and　late　hours；　a　man　was　not

forced；　as　at　the　present　day；　to　subordinate　it　to　the　exigencies　of

work　and　money；　of　the　Assembly　and　the　Exchange。　　　Talking　is　the

main　business。　　　〃Entering　at　two　o'clock；〃　says　Morellet；＇5＇　〃we

almost　all　remained　until　seven　or　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening。　　　。

。　　　。　　　Here　could　be　heard　the　most　liberal；　the　most　animated；　the

most　instructive　conversation　that　ever　took　place