the origins of contemporary france-1-第48章

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Voltaire　on　Corneille；　in　the　Lycée　by　la　Harpe；＇19＇　in　the　efforts；

the　example；　the　practice　and　the　authority　of　the　great　and　the

inferior　writers　of　which　all　are　correct。　　Never　did　architects；

obliged　to　use　ordinary　broken　highway　stones　in　building；　better

understand　each　piece；　its　dimensions；　its　shape；　its　resistance；　its

possible　connections　and　suitable　position。　　…　Once　this　was　learned；

the　task　was　to　construct　with　the　least　trouble　and　with　the　utmost

solidity；　the　grammar　was　consequently　changed　at　the　same　time　and　in

the　same　way　as　the　dictionary。　　Hence　no　longer　permitting　the　words

to　reflect　the　way　impressions　and　emotions　were　felt；　they　now

had　to　be　regularly　and　rigorously　assigned　according　to　the

invariable　hierarchy　of　concepts。　　The　writer　may　no　longer　begin　his

text　with　the　leading　figure　or　the　main　purpose　of　his　story；　the

setting　is　given　and　the　places　assigned　beforehand。　　Each　part　of　the

discourse　has　its　own　place；　no　omission　or　transposition　is

permitted；　as　was　done　in　the　sixteenth　century＇20＇。　　All　parts　must　be

included；　each　in　its　definite　place：　at　first　the　subject　of　the

sentence　with　its　appendices；　then　the　verb；　then　the　object　direct；

and；　finally；　the　indirect　connections。　　In　this　way　the　sentence　forms

a　graduated　scaffolding；　the　substance　coming　foremost；　then　the

quality；　then　the　modes　and　varieties　of　the　quality；　just　as　a　good

architect　in　the　first　place　poses　his　foundation；　then　the　building；

then　the　accessories；　economically　and　prudently；　with　a　view　to　adapt

each　section　of　the　edifice　to　the　support　of　the　section　following

after　it。　　No　sentence　demands　any　less　attention　than　another；　nor　is

there　any　in　which　one　may　not　at　every　step　verify　the　connection　or

incoherence　of　the　parts。＇21＇　　…　　The　procedure　used　in　arranging　a

simple　sentence　also　governs　that　of　the　period；　the　paragraph　and　the

series　of　paragraphs；　it　forms　the　style　as　it　forms　the　syntax。　　Each

small　edifice　occupies　a　distinct　position；　and　but　one；　in　the　great

total　edifice。　　As　the　discourse　advances；　each　section　must　in　turn

file　in；　never　before；　never　after；　no　parasitic　member　being　allowed

to　intrude；　and　no　regular　member　being　allowed　to　encroach　on　its

neighbor；　while　all　these　members　bound　together　by　their　very

positions　must　move　onward；　combining　all　their　forces　on　one　single

point。　　Finally；　we　have　for　the　first　time　in　a　writing；　natural　and

distinct　groups；　complete　and　compact　harmonies；　none　of　which

infringe　on　the　others　or　allow　others　to　infringe　on　them。　　It　is　no

longer　allowable　to　write　haphazard；　according　to　the　caprice　of　one's

inspiration；　to　discharge　one's　ideas　in　bulk；　to　let　oneself　be

interrupted　by　parentheses；　to　string　along　interminable　rows　of

citations　and　enumerations。　　An　end　is　proposed；　some　truth　is　to　be

demonstrated；　some　definition　to　be　ascertained；　some　conviction　to　be

brought　about；　to　do　this　we　must　march；　and　ever　directly　onward。

Order；　sequence；　progress；　proper　transitions；　constant　development

constitute　the　characteristics　of　this　style。　　To　such　an　extent　is

this　pushed；　that　from　the　very　first；　personal　correspondence；

romances；　humorous　pieces；　and　all　ironical　and　gallant　effusions；

consist　of　morsels　of　systematic　eloquence。＇22＇　At　the　H？tel

Rambouillet；　the　explanatory　period　is　displayed　with　as　much　fullness

and　as　rigorously　as　with　Descartes　himself。　　One　of　the　words　most

frequently　occurring　with　Mme。　　de　Scudéry　is　the　conjunction　for　（in

French　car）。　　Passion　is　worked　out　through　close…knit　arguments。

Drawing　room　compliments　stretch　along　in　sentences　as　finished　as

those　of　an　academical　dissertation。　　Scarcely　completed；　the

instrument　already　discloses　its　aptitudes。　　We　are　aware　of　its　being

made　to　explain；　to　demonstrate；　to　persuade　and　to　popularize。

Condillac；　a　century　later；　is　justified　in　saying　that　it　is　in

itself　a　systematic　means　of　decomposition　and　of　recomposition；　a

scientific　method　analogous　to　arithmetic　and　algebra。　　At　the　very

least　it　possesses　the　incontestable　advantage　of　starting　with　a　few

ordinary　terms；　and　of　leading　the　reader　along　with　facility　and

promptness；　by　a　series　of　simple　combinations；　up　to　the

loftiest。＇23＇　By　virtue　of　this；　in　1789；　the　French　tongue　ranks

above　every　other。　　The　Berlin　Academy　promises　a　prize　to　for　anyone

who　best　can　explain　its　pre…eminence。　　It　is　spoken　throughout　Europe。

No　other　language　is　used　in　diplomacy。　　As　formerly　with　Latin；　it　is

international；　and　appears　that；　from　now　on；　it　is　to　be　the

preferred　tool　whenever　men　are　to　reason。



It　is　the　organ　only　of　a　certain　kind　of　reasoning；　la　raison

raisonnante；　that　requiring　the　least　preparation　for　thought；　giving

itself　as　little　trouble　as　possible；　content　with　its　acquisitions；

taking　no　pains　to　increase　or　renew　them；　incapable　of；　or　unwilling

to　embrace　the　plenitude　and　complexity　of　the　facts　of　real　life。　　In

its　purism；　in　its　disdain　of　terms　suited　to　the　occasion；　in　its

avoidance　of　lively　sallies；　in　the　extreme　regularity　of　its

developments；　the　classic　style　is　powerless　to　fully　portray　or　to

record　the　infinite　and　varied　details　of　experience。　　It　rejects　any

description　of　the　outward　appearance　of　reality；　the　immediate

impressions　of　the　eyewitness；　the　heights　and　depths　of　passion；　the

physiognomy；　at　once　so　composite　yet　absolute　personal；　of　the

breathing　individual；　in　short；　that　unique　harmony　of　countless

traits；　blended　together　and　animated；　which　compose　not　human

character　in　general　but　one　particular　personality；　and　which　a

Saint…Simon；　a　Balzac；　or　a　Shakespeare　himself　could　not　render　if

the　rich　language　they　used；　and　which　was　enhanced　by　their

temerities；　did　not　contribute　its　subtleties　to　the　multiplied

details　of　their　observation。＇24＇　Neither　the　Bible；　nor　Homer；　nor

Dante；　nor　Shakespeare＇25＇　could　be　translated　with　this　style。　　Read

Hamlet's　monologue　in　Voltaire　and　see　what　remains　of　it；　an　abstract

piece　of　declamation；　with　about　as　much　of　the　original　in　it　as

there　is　of　Othello　in　his　Orosmane。　　Look　at　Homer　and　then　at　Fenelon

in　the　island　of　Calypso；　the　wild；　rocky　island；　where　〃gulls　and

other　sea…birds　with　long　wings；〃　build　their　nests；　becomes　in　pure

French　prose　an　orderly　park　arranged　〃for　the　pleasure　of　the　eye。〃

In　the　eighteenth　century；　contemporary　novelists；　themselves

belonging　to　the　classic　epoch；　Fielding；　Swift；　Defoe；　Sterne　and

Richardson；　are　admitted　into　France　only　after　excisions　and　much

weakening；　their　expressions　are　too　free　and　their　scenes　are　to

impressive；　their　freedom；　their　coarseness；　their　peculiarities；

would　form　blemishes；　the　translator　abbreviates；　softens；　and

sometimes；　in　his　preface；　apologizes　for　what　he　retains。　　Room　is

found；　in　this　language；　only　for　a　partial　lifelikeness；　for　some　of

the　truth；　a　scanty　portion；　and　which　constant　refining　daily　renders

still　more　scanty。　　Considered　in　itself；　the　classic　style　is　always

tempted　to　accept　slight；　insubstantial　commonplaces　for　its　subject

materials。　　It　spins　them　out；　mingles　and　weaves　them　together；　only　a

fragile　filigree；　however；　issues　from　its　logical　apparatus；　we　may

admire　the　elegant　workmanship；　but　in　practice；　the　work　is　of

little；　none；　or　negative　service。



From　these　characteristics　of　style　we　divine　those　of　the　mind　for

which　it　serves　as　a　tool。　　…　　Two　principal　operations　constitute　the

activity　of　the　human　understanding。　　　　Observing　things　and　events；　it

receives　a　more　or　less　complete；　profound　and　exact　impression　of

these；　and　after　this；　turning　away　from　them；　it　analyses　its

impressions；　and　classifies；　distributes；　and　more　or　less　skillfully

expresses　the　ideas　derived　from　them。　　…　　In　the　second　of　these

operations　the　classicist　is　superior。　　Obliged　to　adapt　himself　to　his

audience；　that　is　to　say；　to　people　of　society　who　are　not

specialists　and　yet　critical；　he　necessarily　carries　to　perfection　the

art　of　exciting　attention　and　of　making　himself　heard；　that　is　to　say；

the　art　of　composition　and　of　writing。　　…　With　patient　industry；　and

multiplied　precautions；　he　carries　the　reader　along　with　him　by　a

series　of　easy　rectilinear　conceptions；　step　by　step；　omitting　none；

beginning　with　the　lowest　and　thus　ascending　to　the　highest；　always

progressing　with　steady　and　measured　peace；　securely　and　agreeably　as

on　a　promenade。　　No　interruption　or　diversion　is　possible：　on　either

side；　along　the　road；　balustrades　keep　him　within　bounds；　each　idea

extending　into　the　following　one　by　such　an　insensible　transition；

that　he　involuntarily　advances；　without　stopping　or　turning　aside；

until　brought　to　the　final　truth　where　he　is　to　be　seated。　　Classic

literature　throughout　bears　the　imprint　of　this　talent；　there　is　no

branch　of　it　into　which　the　qualities　of　a　good　discourse　do　not　enter

and　form　a　part。　　…　They　dominate　those　sort　of　works　which；　in

themselves；　are　only　half…literary；　but　which；　by　its　help；　become

fully　so；　transforming　manuscripts　into　fine　works　of　art　which　their

subject…matter　would　have　classified　as　scientific　works；　as　reports

of　action；　as　historical　documents；　as　philosophical　treatises；　as

doctrinal　expositions；　as　sermons；　polemics；　dissertations　and

demonstrations。　　It　transforms　even　dictionaries　and　operates　from

Descartes　to　Condillac；　from　Bossuet　to　Buffon　and　Voltaire；　from

Pascal　to　Rousseau　and　Beaumarchais；　in　short；　becoming　prose　almost

entirely；　even　in　official　dispatches；　diplomatic　and　private

correspondence；　from　Madame　de　Sévigné　to　Madame　du　Deffant；　including

so　many　perfect　letters　flowing　from　the　pens　of　women　who　were

unaware　of　it　。　　…　Such　prose　is　paramount　in　those　works　which；　in

themselves；　are　literary；　but　which　derive　from　it　an　oratorical　turn。

Not　only　does　it　impose　a　rigid　plan；　a　regular　distribution　of

parts＇26＇　in　dramatic　works；　accurate　proportions；　suppressions　and

connections；　a　sequence　and　progress；　as　in　a　passage　of　eloquence；

but　again　it　tolerates　only　the　most　perfect　discourse。　　There　is　no

character　that　is　not　an　accomplished　orator；　with　Corneille　and

Racine；　with　Molière　himself；　the　confidant；　the　barbarian　king；　the

young　cavalier；　the　drawing　room　coquette；　the　valet；　all　show

themselves　adepts　in　the　use　of　language。　　Never　have　we　encountered

such　adroit　introductions；　such　well…arranged　evidence；　such　just

reflections；　such　delicate　transitions；　such　conclusive　summing　ups。

Never　have　dialogues　borne　such　a　strong　resemblance　to　verbal

sparring　matches。　　Each　narration；　each　portrait；　each　detail　of

action；　might　be　detached　and　serve　as　a　good　example　for　schoolboys；

along　with　the　masterpieces　of　the　ancient　tribune。　　So　strong　is　this

tendency　that；　on　the　approach　of　the　final　mom