the origins of contemporary france-5-第1章

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The　Modern　Regime；　Volume　1　　　＇Napoleon＇

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
The　Origins　of　Contemporary　France；　Volume　5

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
by　Hippolyte　A。　Taine　








Contents：



PREFACE



BOOK　FIRST。　　Napoleon　Bonaparte。



　　　　Chapter　I。　　　Historical　Importance　of　his　Character　and　Genius。



　　　　Chapter　II。　　His　Ideas；　Passions　and　Intelligence。





BOOK　SECOND。　Formation　and　Character　of　the　New　State。



　　　　Chapter　I。　　　The　Institution　of　Government。



　　　　Chapter　II。　　Use　and　Abuse　of　Government　Services。



　　　　Chapter　III。　The　New　Government　Organization。





BOOK　THIRD。　　Object　and　Merits　of　the　System。



　　　　Chapter　I。　　　Recovery　of　Social　Order。



　　　　Chapter　II。　　Taxation　and　Conscription。



　　　　Chapter　III。　Ambition　and　Self…esteem。





BOOK　FOURTH。　Defect　and　Effects　of　the　System。



　　　　Chapter　I。　　　Local　Society。



　　　　Chapter　II。　　Local　society　since　1830。



___________________________________________________________________



PREFACE



The　following　third　and　last　part　of　the　Origins　of　Contemporary

France　is　to　consist　of　two　volumes。　　After　the　present　volume；　the

second　is　to　treat　of　the　Church；　the　School　and　the　Family；　describe

the　modern　milieu　and　note　the　facilities　and　obstacles　which　a

society　like　our　own　encounters　in　this　new　milieu：　here；　the　past　and

the　present　meet；　and　the　work　already　done　is　continued　by　the　work

which　is　going　on　under　our　eyes。　　…　…The　undertaking　is　hazardous　and

more　difficult　than　with　the　two　preceding　parts。　　For　the　Ancient

Régime　and　the　Revolution　are　henceforth　complete　and　finished

periods；　we　have　seen　the　end　of　both　and　are　thus　able　to　comprehend

their　entire　course。　　On　the　contrary；　the　end　of　the　ulterior　period

is　still　wanting　；　the　great　institutions　which　date　from　the

Consulate　and　the　Empire；　either　consolidation　or　dissolution；　have

not　yet　reached　their　historic　term：　since　1800；　the　social　order　of

things；　notwithstanding　eight　changes　of　political　form；　has　remained

almost　intact。　　Our　children　or　grandchildren　will　know　whether　it

will　finally　succeed　or　miscarry；　witnesses　of　the　denouement；　they

will　have　fuller　light　by　which　to　judge　of　the　entire　drama。　　Thus

far　four　acts　only　have　been　played；　of　the　fifth　act；　we　have　simply

a　presentiment。　　…　On　the　other　hand；　by　dint　of　living　under　this

social　system；　we　have　become　accustomed　to　it；　it　no　longer　excites

our　wonder；　however　artificial　it　may　be　it　seems　to　us　natural。　　We

can　scarcely　conceive　of　another　that　is　healthier；　and　what　is　much

worse；　it　is　repugnant　to　us　to　do　so。　　For；　such　a　conception　would

soon　lead　to　comparisons　and　hence　to　a　judgment　and；　on　many　points；

to　an　unfavorable　judgment；　one　which　would　be　a　censure；　not　only　of

our　institutions　but　of　ourselves。　　The　machine　of　the　year　VIII；＇1＇

applied　to　us　for　three　generations；　has　permanently　shaped　and　fixed

us　as　we　are；　for　better　or　for　worse。　　If；　for　a　century；　it　sustains

us；　it　represses　us　for　a　century。　　We　have　contracted　the　infirmities

it　imports　…　stoppage　of　development；　instability　of　internal　balance；

disorders　of　the　intellect　and　of　the　will；　fixed　ideas　and　ideas　that

are　false。　　These　ideas　are　ours；　therefore　we　hold　on　to　them；　or；

rather；　they　have　taken　hold　of　us。　　To　get　rid　of　them；　to　impose　the

necessary　recoil　on　our　mind；　to　transport　us　to　a　distance　and　place

us　at　a　critical　point　of　view；　where　we　can　study　ourselves；　our

ideas　and　our　institutions　as　scientific　objects；　requires　a　great

effort　on　our　part；　many　precautions；　and　long　reflection。　　…　Hence；

the　delays　of　this　study；　the　reader　will　pardon　them　on　considering

that　an　ordinary　opinion；　caught　on　the　wing；　on　such　a　subject；　does

not　suffice。　　In　any　event；　when　one　presents　an　opinion　on　such　a

subject　one　is　bound　to　believe　it。　　I　can　believe　in　my　own　only　when

it　has　become　precise　and　seems　to　me　proven。



Menthon　Saint…Bernard；　September；　1890。



_____________________________________________________________________



BOOK　FIRST。　　NAPOLEON　BONAPARTE。



CHAPTER　I。　　Historical　Importance　of　his　Character　and　Genius。



If　you　want　to　comprehend　a　building；　you　have　to　imagine　the

circumstances；　I　mean　the　difficulties　and　the　means；　the　kind　and

quality　of　its　available　materials；　the　moment；　the　opportunity；　and

the　urgency　of　the　demand　for　it。　　But；　still　more　important；　we　must

consider　the　genius　and　taste　of　the　architect；　especially　whether　he

is　the　proprietor；　whether　he　built　it　to　live　in　himself；　and；　once

installed　in　it；　whether　he　took　pains　to　adapt　it　to　how　own　way　of

living；　to　his　own　necessities；　to　his　own　use。　　…　Such　is　the　social

edifice　erected　by　Napoleon　Bonaparte；　its　architect；　proprietor；　and

principal　occupant　from　1799　to　1814。　　It　is　he　who　has　made　modern

France；　never　was　an　individual　character　so　profoundly　stamped　on　any

collective　work；　so　that；　to　comprehend　the　work；　we　must　first　study

the　character　of　the　Man。＇2＇





I。　　Napoleon's　Past　and　Personality。



He　is　of　another　race　and　another　century。　　…　Origin　of　his　paternal

family。　　…　Transplanted　to　Corsica。　　…　His　maternal　family。　　…

Laetitia　Ramolino。　　…　Persistence　of　Corsican　souvenirs　in　Napoleon's

mind。　　…　His　youthful　sentiments　regarding　Corsica　and　France。　　…

Indications　found　in　his　early　compositions　and　in　his　style。　　…

Current　monarchical　or　democratic　ideas　have　no　hold　on　him。　…　His

impressions　of　the　20th　of　June　and　10th　of　August　after　the　31st　of

May。　　…　His　associations　with　Robespierre　and　Barras　without

committing　himself。　　…　His　sentiments　and　the　side　he　takes　Vendémiaire

13th。　　…　The　great　Condottière。　　…　His　character　and　conduct　in　Italy。

…　Description　of　him　morally　and　physically　in　1798。　　…　The　early　and

sudden　ascendancy　which　he　exerts。　　Analogous　in　spirit　and　character

to　his　Italian　ancestors　of　the　XVth　century。



Disproportionate　in　all　things；　but；　stranger　still；　he　is　not　only

out　of　the　common　run；　but　there　is　no　standard　of　measurement　for

him；　through　his　temperament；　instincts；　faculties；　imagination；

passions；　and　moral　constitution　he　seems　cast　in　a　special　mould；

composed　of　another　metal　than　that　which　enters　into　the　composition

of　his　fellows　and　contemporaries。　　Evidently　he　is　not　a　Frenchman；

nor　a　man　of　the　eighteenth　century；　he　belongs　to　another　race　and

another　epoch。＇3＇　We　detect　in　him；　at　the　first　glance；　the

foreigner；　the　Italian；＇4＇　and　something　more；　apart　and　beyond　these；

surpassing　all　similitude　or　analogy。…Italian　he　was　through　blood　and

lineage；　first；　through　his　paternal　family；　which　is　Tuscan；＇5＇　and

which　we　can　follow　down　from　the　twelfth　century；　at　Florence；　then

at　San　Miniato　；　next　at　Sarzana；　a　small；　backward；　remote　town　in

the　state　of　Genoa；　where；　from　father　to　son；　it　vegetates　obscurely

in　provincial　isolation；　through　a　long　line　of　notaries　and　municipal

syndics。　　〃My　origin；〃　says　Napoleon　himself；＇6＇　〃　has　made　all

Italians　regard　me　as　a　compatriot。　　。　　。　　。　　When　the　question　of　the

marriage　of　my　sister　Pauline　with　Prince　Borghése　came　up　there　was

but　one　voice　in　Rome　and　in　Tuscany；　in　that　family；　and　with　all　its

connections：　'It　will　do；'　said　all　of　them；　'it's　amongst　ourselves；

it　is　one　of　our　own　families。。。'〃　When　the　Pope　later　hesitated　about

coming　to　Paris　to　crown　Napoleon；　〃the　Italian　party　in　the　Conclave

prevailed　against　the　Austrian　party　by　supporting　political　arguments

with　the　following　slight　tribute　to　national　amour　propre：　'After　all

we　are　imposing　an　Italian　family　on　the　barbarians；　to　govern　them。

We　are　revenging　ourselves　on　the　Gauls。'〃　Significant　words；　which

will　one　day　throw　light　upon　the　depths　of　the　Italian　nature；　the

eldest　daughter　of　modern　civilization；　imbued　with　her　right　of

primogeniture；　persisting　in　her　grudge　against　the　transalpines；　the

rancorous　inheritor　of　Roman　pride　and　of　antique　patriotism。＇7＇



From　Sarzana；　a　Bonaparte　emigrates　to　Corsica；　where　he　establishes

himself　and　lives　after　1529。　　The　following　year　　Florence　is　taken

and　subjugated　for　good。　　Henceforth；　in　Tuscany；　under　Alexander　de

Medici；　then　under　Cosmo　I。　　and　his　successors；　in　all　Italy　under

Spanish　rule；　municipal　independence；　private　feuds；　the　great

exploits　of　political　adventures　and　successful　usurpations；　the

system　of　ephemeral　principalities；　based　on　force　and　fraud；　all　give

way　to　permanent　repression；　monarchical　discipline；　external　order；

and　a　certain　species　of　public　tranquility。　　Thus；　just　at　the　time

when　the　energy　and　ambition；　the　vigorous　and　free　sap　of　the　Middle

Ages　begins　to　run　down　and　then　dry　up　in　the　shriveled　trunk；＇8＇　a

small　detached　branch　takes　root　in　an　island；　not　less　Italian　but

almost　barbarous；　amidst　institutions；　customs；　and　passions　belonging

to　the　primitive　medieval　epoch；＇9＇　and　in　a　social　atmosphere

sufficiently　rude　for　the　maintenance　of　all　its　vigor　and　harshness。

…　Grafted；　moreover；　by　frequent　marriages；　on　the　wild　stock　of　the

island；　Napoleon；　on　the　maternal　side；　through　his　grandmother　and

mother；　is　wholly　indigenous。　　His　grandmother；　a　Pietra…Santa；

belonged　to　Sarténe；＇10＇　a　Corsican　canton　par　excellence　where；　in

1800；　hereditary　vendettas　still　maintained　the　system　of　the　eleventh

century；　where　the　permanent　strife　of　inimical　families　was　suspended

only　by　truces；　where；　in　many　villages；　nobody　stirred　out　of　doors

except　in　armed　bodies；　and　where　the　houses　were　crenellated　like

fortresses。　　His　mother；　Laetitia　Ramolini；　from　whom；　in　character

and　in　will；　he　derived　much　more　than　from　his　father；＇11＇　is　a

primitive　soul　on　which　Civilization　has　taken　no　hold。　　She　is

simple；　all　of　a　piece；　unsuited　to　the　refinements；　charms；　and

graces　of　a　worldly　life；　indifferent　to　comforts；　without　literary

culture；　as　parsimonious　as　any　peasant　woman；　but　as　energetic　as　the

leader　of　a　band。　　She　is　powerful；　physically　and　spiritually；

accustomed　to　danger；　ready　in　desperate　resolutions。　　She　is；　in

short；　a　〃rural　Cornelia；〃　who　conceived　and　gave　birth　to　her　son

amidst　the　risks　of　battle　and　of　defeat；　in　the　thickest　of　the

French　invasion；　amidst　mountain　rides　on　horseback；　nocturnal

surprises；　and　volleys　of　musketry。＇12＇



〃Losses；　privations；　and　fatigue；〃　says　Napoleon；　〃she　endured　all　and

braved　all。　　Hers　was　a　man's　head　on　a　woman's　shoulders。〃



Thus　fashioned　and　brought　into　the　world；　he　felt　that；　from　first　to

the　last；　he　was　of　his　people　and　country。



〃Everything　was　better　there；〃　said　he；　at　Saint　Helena；＇13＇　〃even　the

very　smell　of　the　soil；　which　he　could　have　detected　with　his　eyes

shut；　nowhere　had　he　found　the　same　thing。　　He　imagined　himself　there

again　in　e