the origins of contemporary france-1-第52章

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masses　of　the　Western　world　were　to　be　seduced　by　the　terrible　new

ideologies　of　the　20th　century。　　The　ideology　of　socialism　persists

making　good　use　of　the　revised　20th　century　editions　of　the　Rights

of　Man；　enlarged　to　cover　the　physical　well…being　and　standard　of

living　of　man；　woman；　child　and　animal　and　in　this　manner　allowing

the　state　to　replace　all　individual　responsibility　and　authority；

thus；　as　Taine　saw；　dealing　a　death　blow　to　the　family；　to

individual　responsibility　and　enterprise　and　to　effective　local

government。　（SR。）。













CHAPTER　III。　　COMBINATION　OF　THE　TWO　ELEMENTS。



I。　　　BIRTH　OF　A　DOCTRINE；　A　REVELATION。



The　doctrine；　its　pretensions；　and　its　character。　　…　A　new　authority

for　Reason　in　the　regulation　of　human　affairs。　　…　Government　thus　far

traditional。



　　　OUT　of　the　scientific　acquisitions　thus　set　forth；　elaborated　by

the　spirit　we　have　just　described；　is　born　a　doctrine；　seemingly　a

revelation；　and　which；　under　this　title；　was　to　claim　the　government

of　human　affairs。　　On　the　approach　of　1789　it　is　generally　admitted

that　man　is　living　in　〃a　century　of　light；〃　in　〃the　age　of　Reason；〃

that；　previously；　the　human　species　was　in　its　infancy　and　that　now　it

has　attained　to　its　〃majority。〃　Truth；　finally；　is　made　manifest　and；

for　the　first　time；　its　reign　on　earth　is　apparent。　　The　right　is

supreme　because　it　is　truth　itself。　　It　must　direct　all　things　because

through　its　nature　it　is　universal。　　The　philosophy　of　the　eighteenth

century；　in　these　two　articles　of　faith；　resembles　a　religion；　the

Puritanism　of　the　seventeenth　century；　and　Islam　in　the　seventh

century。　　We　see　the　same　outburst　of　faith；　hope　and　enthusiasm；　the

same　spirit　of　propaganda　and　of　dominion；　the　same　rigidity　and

intolerance；　the　same　ambition　to　recast　man　and　to　remodel　human　life

according　to　a　preconceived　type。　　The　new　doctrine　is　also　to　have　its

scholars；　its　dogmas；　its　popular　catechism；　its　fanatics；　its

inquisitors　and　its　martyrs。　　It　is　to　speak　as　loudly　as　those

preceding　it；　as　a　legitimate　authority　to　which　dictatorship　belongs

by　right　of　birth；　and　against　which　rebellion　is　criminal　or　insane。

It　differs；　however；　from　the　preceding　religions　in　this　respect；

that　instead　of　imposing　itself　in　the　name　of　God；　it　imposes　itself

in　the　name　of　Reason。



The　authority；　indeed；　was　a　new　one。　　Up　to　this　time；　in　the

control　of　human　actions　and　opinions；　Reason　had　played　but　a　small

and　subordinate　part。　　Both　the　motive　and　its　direction　were　obtained

elsewhere；　faith　and　obedience　were　an　inheritance；　a　man　was　a

Christian　and　a　subject　because　he　was　born　Christian　and　subject。　　

Surrounding　the　nascent　philosophy　and　the　Reason　which　enters　upon

its　great　investigation；　is　a　system　of　recognized　laws；　an

established　power；　a　reigning　religion；　all　the　stones　of　this

structure　hold　together　and　each　story　is　supported　by　a　preceding

story。　　But　what　does　the　common　cement　consist　of；　and　where　is　the

basic　foundation？　　　　Who　sanctions　all　these　civil　regulations　which

control　marriages；　testaments；　inheritances；　contracts；　property　and

persons；　these　fanciful　and　often　contradictory　regulations？　In　the

first　place　immemorial　custom；　varying　according　to　the　province；

according　to　the　title　to　the　soil；　according　to　the　quality　and

condition　of　the　person；　and　next；　the　will　of　the　king　who　caused　the

custom　to　be　inscribed　and　who　sanctioned　it。　　　　Who　authorizes　this

will；　this　sovereignty　of　the　prince；　this　first　of　public

obligations？　In　the　first　place；　eight　centuries　of　possession；　a

hereditary　right　similar　to　that　by　which　each　one　enjoys　his　own

field　and　domain；　a　property　established　in　a　family　and　transmitted

from　one　eldest　son　to　another；　from　the　first　founder　of　the　State　to

his　last　living　successor；　and；　in　addition　to　this；　a　religion

directing　men　to　submit　to　the　constituted　powers。　　　　And　who；

finally；　authorizes　this　religion？　At　first；　eighteen　centuries　of

tradition；　the　immense　series　of　anterior　and　concordant　proofs；　the

steady　belief　of　sixty　preceding　generations；　and　after　this；　at　the

beginning　of　it；　the　presence　and　teachings　of　Christ；　then；　farther

back；　the　creation　of　the　world；　the　command　and　the　voice　of　God。　　

Thus；　throughout　the　moral　and　social　order　of　things　the　past

justifies　the　present；　antiquity　provides　its　title；　and　if　beneath

all　these　supports　which　age　has　consolidated；　the　deep　primitive　rock

is　sought　for　in　subterranean　depths；　we　find　it　in　the　divine　will。

　　During　the　whole　of　the　seventeenth　century　this　theory　still

absorbs　all　souls　in　the　shape　of　a　fixed　habit　and　of　inward　respect；

it　is　not　open　to　question。　　It　is　regarded　in　the　same　light　as　the

heart　of　the　living　body；　whoever　would　lay　his　hand　upon　it　would

instantly　draw　back；　moved　by　a　vague　sentiment　of　its　ceasing　to　beat

in　case　it　were　touched。　　The　most　independent；　with　Descartes　at　the

head；　〃would　be　grieved〃　at　being　confounded　with　those　chimerical

speculators　who；　instead　of　pursuing　the　beaten　track　of　custom；　dart

blindly　forward　〃in　a　direct　line　across　mountains　and　over

precipices。〃　In　subjecting　their　belief　to　systematic　investigation

not　only　do　they　leave　out　and　set　apart　〃the　truths　of　faith；〃＇1＇　but

again　the　dogma　they　think　they　have　thrown　out　remains　in　their　mind

latent　and　active；　to　guide　them　on　unconsciously　and　to　convert　their

philosophy　into　a　preparation　for；　or　a　confirmation　of；

Christianity。＇2＇　　　　Summing　it　all　up；　faith；　the　performance　of

religious　duties；　with　religious　and　political　institutions；　are　at

base　of　all　thought　of　the　seventeenth　century。　　Reason；　whether　she

admits　it　or　is　ignorant　of　it；　is　only　a　subaltern；　an　oratorical

agency；　a　setter…in…motion；　forced　by　religion　and　the　monarchy　to

labor　in　their　behalf。　　With　the　exception　of　La　Fontaine；　whom　I

regard　as　unique　in　this　as　in　other　matters；　the　greatest　and　most

independent；　Pascal；　Descartes；　Bossuet；　La　Bruyère；　borrows　from　the

established　society　their　basic　concepts　of　nature；　man；　society；　law

and　government。＇3＇　So　long　as　Reason　is　limited　to　this　function　its

work　is　that　of　a　councilor　of　State；　an　extra　preacher　dispatched　by

its　superiors　on　a　missionary　tour　in　the　departments　of　philosophy

and　of　literature。　　Far　from　proving　destructive　it　consolidates；　in

fact；　even　down　to　the　Regency；　its　chief　employment　is　to　produce

good　Christians　and　loyal　subjects。



But　now　the　roles　are　reversed；　tradition　descends　from　the　upper

to　the　lower　ranks；　while　Reason　ascends　from　the　latter　to　the

former。　　　　On　the　one　hand　religion　and　monarchy；　through　their

excesses　and　misdeeds　under　Louis　XIV；　and　their　laxity　and

incompetence　under　Louis　XV；　demolish　piece　by　piece　the　basis　of

hereditary　reverence　and　filial　obedience　so　long　serving　them　as　a

foundation；　and　which　maintained　them　aloft　above　all　dispute　and　free

of　investigation；　hence　the　authority　of　tradition　insensibly　declines

and　disappears。　　On　the　other　hand　science；　through　its　imposing　and

multiplied　discoveries；　erects　piece　by　piece　a　basis　of　universal

trust　and　deference；　raising　itself　up　from　an　interesting　subject　of

curiosity　to　the　rank　of　a　public　power；　hence　the　authority　of　Reason

augments　and　occupies　its　place。　　　　A　time　comes　when；　the　latter

authority　having　dispossessed　the　former；　the　fundamental　ideas

tradition　had　reserved　to　itself　fall　into　the　grasp　of　Reason。

Investigation　penetrates　into　the　forbidden　sanctuary。　　Instead　of

deference　there　is　verification；　and　religion；　the　state；　the　law；

custom；　all　the　organs；　in　short；　of　moral　and　practical　life；　become

subject　to　analysis；　to　be　preserved；　restored　or　replaced；　according

to　the　prescriptions　of　the　new　doctrine。



II。　　ANCESTRAL　TRADITION　AND　CULTURE。



Origin；　nature　and　value　of　hereditary　prejudice。　　…　How　far　custom；

religion　and　government　are　legitimate。



　　Nothing　could　be　better　had　the　new　doctrine　been　complete；　and

if　Reason；　instructed　by　history；　had　become　critical；　and　therefore

qualified　to　comprehend　the　rival　she　replaced。　　For　then；　instead　of

regarding　her　as　an　usurper　to　be　repelled　she　would　have　recognized

in　her　an　elder　sister　whose　part　must　be　left　to　her。　　Hereditary

prejudice　is　a　sort　of　Reason　operating　unconsciously。　　It　has　claims

as　well　as　reason；　but　it　is　unable　to　present　these；　instead　of

advancing　those　that　are　authentic　it　puts　forth　the　doubtful　ones。

Its　archives　are　buried；　to　exhume　these　it　is　necessary　to　make

researches　of　which　it　is　incapable；　nevertheless　they　exist；　and

history　at　the　present　day　is　bringing　them　to　light。　　　　Careful

investigations　shows　that；　like　science；　it　issues　from　a　long

accumulation　of　experiences；　a　people；　after　a　multitude　of　gropings

and　efforts；　has　discovered　that　a　certain　way　of　living　and　thinking

is　the　only　one　adapted　to　its　situation；　the　most　practical　and　the

most　salutary；　the　system　or　dogma　now　seeming　arbitrary　to　us　being

at　first　a　confirmed　expedient　of　public　safety。　　Frequently　it　is　so

still；　in　any　event；　in　its　leading　features　it　is　indispensable；　it

may　be　stated　with　certainty　that；　if　the　leading　prejudices　of　the

community　should　suddenly　disappear；　Man；　deprived　of　the　precious

legacy　transmitted　to　him　by　the　wisdom　of　ages；　would　at　once　fall

back　into　a　savage　condition　and　again　become　what　he　was　at　first；

namely；　a　restless；　famished；　wandering；　hunted　brute。　　There　was　a

time　when　this　heritage　was　lacking；　there　are　populations　to　day　with

which　it　is　still　utterly　lacking。＇4＇　To　abstain　from　eating　human

flesh；　from　killing　useless　or　burdensome　aged　people；　from　exposing；

selling　or　killing　children　one　does　not　know　what　to　do　with；　to　be

the　one　husband　of　but　one　woman；　to　hold　in　horror　incest　and

unnatural　practices；　to　be　the　sole　and　recognized　owner　of　a　distinct

field；　to　be　mindful　of　the　superior　injunctions　of　modesty；　humanity；

honor　and　conscience；　all　these　observances；　formerly　unknown　and

slowly　established；　compose　the　civilization　of　human　beings。　　Because

we　accept　them　in　full　security　they　are　not　the　less　sacred；　and　they

become　only　the　more　sacred　when；　submitted　to　investigation　and

traced　through　history；　they　are　disclosed　to　us　as　the　secret　force

which　has　converted　a　herd　of　brutes　into　a　society　of　men。　　In

general；　the　older　and　more　universal　a　custom；　the　more　it　is　based

on　profound　motives；　on　physiological　motives　on　those　of　hygiene；　and

on　those　instituted　for　social　protection。　　At　one　time；　as　in　the

separation　of　castes；　a　heroic　or　thoughtful　stock　must　be　preserved

by　preventing　the　mixtures　by　which　inferior　blood　introduces　mental

debility　and　low　instincts。＇5＇　At　another；　as　in　the　prohibition　of

spirituous　liquors；　and　of　animal　food；