the origins of contemporary france-5-第65章

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Independence　of　his　decisions。　…　Suppression　of　former　influences　and

end　of　monarchical　or　democratic　intrigues。　…　Other　influences　against

which　he　is　on　guard。　…　His　favorite　rule。　…　Estimate　of　candidates

according　to　the　kind　and　amount　of　their　useful　labor。　…　His　own

competency。　…　His　perspicacity。　…　His　vigilance。　…　Zeal　and　labor　of

his　functionaries。　…　Result　of　competition　thus　viewed　and　of

functions　thus　exercised。　…　Talents　utilized　and　jealousies　disarmed。



Behold　him；　at　last；　this　judge…arbitrator。　On　the　8th　November；　1799；

he　appears　and　takes　his　seat；　and　that　very　evening　he　goes　to　work；

makes　his　selections　among　the　competitors　and　gives　them　their

commissions。　He　is　a　military　chieftain　and　has　installed　himself；

consequently　he　is　not　dependent　on　a　parliamentary　majority；　and　any

insurrection　or　gathering　of　a　mob　is　at　once　rendered　abortive　by　his

troops　before　it　is　born。　Street　sovereignty　is　at　an　end；　Parisians

are　long　to　remember　the　13th　of　Vendémaire　and　the　way　General

Bonaparte　shot　them　down　on　the　steps　of　Saint…Roch。　All　his

precautions　against　them　are　taken　the　first　day　and　against　all

agitators　whatever；　against　all　opponents　disposed　to　dispute　his

jurisdiction。　His　arm…chair　as　first　Consul　and　afterwards　his　throne

as　Emperor　are　firmly　fixed；　nobody　but　himself　can　undermine　them；　he

is　seated　definitively　and　will　stay　there。　Profound　silence　reigns　in

the　public　crowd　around　him；　some　among　them　dare　whisper；　but　his

police　has　its　eye　on　them。　Instead　of　conforming　to　opinion　he　rules

it；　masters　it　and；　if　need　be；　he　manufactures　it。　Alone　by　himself

from　his　seat　on　high；　in　perfect　independence　and　security；　he

announces　the　verdicts　of　distributive　justice。　Nevertheless　he　is　on

his　guard　against　the　temptations　and　influences　which　have　warped　the

decisions　of　his　predecessors；　in　his　tribunal；　the　schemes　and

intrigues　which　formerly　obtained　credit　with　the　people；　or　with　the

king；　are　no　longer　in　vogue；　from　now　on；　the　profession　of　courtier

or　of　demagogue　is　a　poor　one。　…　On　the　one　hand；　there　is　no　success；

as　formerly　under　the　monarchy；　through　the　attentions　of　the　ante…

chamber；　through　elegant　manners；　delicate　flattery；　fashionable

drawing…rooms；　or　valets　and　women　on　an　intimate　footing；　mistresses

here　enjoy　no　credit　and　there　are　neither　favorites　nor　the　favored；

a　valet　is　regarded　as　a　useful　implement；　great　personages　are　not

considered　as　extra…ornamental　and　human　furniture　for　the　palace。　Not

one　among　them　dare　ask　for　a　place　for　a　protégé　which　he　is

incapable　of　filling；　an　advancement　which　would　derange　the　lists　of

promotions；　a　pass　over　the　heads　of　others；　if　they　obtain　any

favors；　these　are　insignificant　or　political；　the　master　grants　them

as　an　after…thought；　to　rally　somebody；　or　a　party；　to　his　side；　they

personally；　their　ornamental　culture；　their　high…bred　tone；　their　wit；

their　conversational　powers；　their　smiles　and　bows　…　all　this　is　lost

on　him；　or　charged　to　account。　He　has　no　liking　for　their　insinuating

and　discreet　ways；＇26＇　he　regards　them　as　merely　good　domestics　for

parade；　all　he　esteems　in　them　is　their　ceremonial　significance；　that

innate　suppleness　which　permits　them　to　be　at　once　servile　and

dignified；　the　hereditary　tact　which　teaches　them　how　to　present　a

letter；　not　from　hand　to　hand；　but　on　the　rim　of　a　hat；　or　on　a　silver

plate；　and　these　faculties　he　estimates　at　their　true　worth。　…　On　the

other　hand；　nobody　succeeds；　as　lately　under　the　Republic；　through

tribunal　or　club　verbosity；　through　appeals　to　principles；　through

eloquent　or　declamatory　tirades；　〃glittering　generalities；〃　hollow

abstractions　and　phrases　made　to　produce　an　impression　have　no　effect；

and　what　is　better；　political　ideology；　with　a　solicitor　or　pleader；

is　a　bad　note。　The　positive；　practical　mind　of　the　judge　has　taken　in

at　a　glance　and　penetrated　to　the　bottom　of　arguments；　means　and　valid

pretensions；　he　submits　impatiently　to　metaphysics　and　pettifoggery；

to　the　argumentative　force　and　mendacity　of　words。　…　This　goes　so　far

that　he　distrusts　oratorical　or　literary　talent；　in　any　event　when　he

entrusts　active　positions　or　a　part　in　public　business　then　he　takes

no　note　of　it。　According　to　him；　〃the　men　who　write　well　and　are

eloquent　have　no　solidity　of　judgment；　they　are　illogical　and　very

poor　in　discussion；〃＇27＇　they　are　mere　artists　like　others；　so　many

word…musicians；　a　kind　of　special；　narrow…minded　instrument；　some　of

them　good　solo　players；　like　Fontanes；　and　who　the　head　of　a　State　can

use；　but　only　in　official　music　for　grand　cantatas　and　the　decoration

of　his　reign。　Wit　in　itself；　not　alone　the　wit　which　gives　birth　to

brilliant　expressions　and　which　was　considered　a　prime　accomplishment

under　the　old　regime；　but　general　intelligence；　has　for　him　only　a

semi…value。＇28＇　　〃I　am　more　brilliant＇29＇；　you　may　say？　Eh；　what　do　I

care　for　your　intelligence？　What　I　care　for　is　the　essence　of　the

matter。　There　is　nobody　so　foolish　that　is　not　good　for　something　…

there　is　no　intelligence　equal　to　everything。〃　In　fact；　on　bestowing

an　office　it　is　the　function　which　delegates；　the　proper　execution　of

the　function　is　the　prime　motive　in　determining　his　choice；　the

candidate　appointed　is　always　the　one　who　will　best　do　the　work

assigned　him。　No　factitious；　party　popularity　or　unpopularity；　no

superficial　admiration　or　disparagement　of　a　clique；　of　a　salon；　or　of

a　bureau；　makes　him　swerve　from　his　standard　of　preference。＇30＇　　He

values　men　according　to　the　quality　and　quantity　of　their　work；

according　to　their　net　returns；　and　he　estimates　them　directly；

personally；　with　superior　perspicacity　and　universal　competency。　He　is

special　in　all　branches　of　civil　or　military　activity；　and　even　in

technical　detail；　his　memory　for　facts；　actions；　antecedence　and

circumstances；　is　prodigious；　his　discernment；　his　critical　analysis；

his　calculating　insight　into　the　resources　and　shortcomings　of　a　mind

or　of　a　soul；　his　faculty　for　gauging　men；　is　extraordinary；　through

constant　verifications　and　rectifications　his　internal　repertory；　his

biographical　and　moral　dictionary；　is　kept　daily　posted；　his　attention

never　flags；　he　works　eighteen　hours　a　day；　his　personal　intervention

and　his　hand　are　visible　even　in　the　appointment　of　subordinates。

〃Every　man　called　to　take　part　in　affairs　was　selected　by　him；〃＇31＇　it

is　through　him　that　they　retain　their　place；　he　controls　their

promotion　and　by　sponsors　whom　he　knows。　〃A　minister　could　not　have

dismissed　a　functionary　without　consulting　the　emperor；　while　the

ministers　could　all　change　without　bringing　about　two　secondary

changes　throughout　the　empire。　A　minister　did　not　appoint　even　a

second…class　clerk　without　presenting　a　list　of　several　candidates　to

the　emperor　and；　opposite　to　it；　the　name　of　the　person　recommending

him。〃　All；　even　at　a　distance；　felt　that　the　master's　eyes　were　on

them。　〃I　worked；〃　says　Beugnot；＇32＇　〃from　night　to　morning；　with

singular　ardor；　I　astonished　the　natives　of　the　country　who　did　not

know　that　the　emperor　exercised　over　his　servitors；　however　far　from

him　they　might　be；　the　miracle　of　the　real　presence。　I　thought　I　saw

him　standing　over　me　as　I　worked　shut　up　in　my　cabinet。〃　…　〃Under

him；〃　writes　Roederer；　〃there　is　no　man　of　any　merit　who；　as　a　reward

for　long　and　difficult　labor；　does　not　feel　himself　better　compensated

by　a　new　task　than　by　the　most　honorable　leisure。〃　Never　did　positions

less　resemble　sinecures。　Never　was　the　happiness　of　successful

candidates　or　the　misery　of　unsuccessful　candidates　better　justified。

Never　the　compliance；　the　difficulty；　the　risks　of　a　required　task

have　been　compensated　more　fairly　by　the　enjoyment　of　the　allocated

rewards　nor　moderated　the　bitterness　of　the　frustrated

pretensions。＇33＇　　Never　were　public　functions　assigned　or　fulfilled　in

a　way　to　better　satisfy　the　legitimate　craving　for　advancement；　the

dominant　desire　of　democracy　and　of　the　century；　and　in　a　way　to

better　disarm　the　bad　passions　of　democracy　and　of　the　century；

consisting　of　an　envious　leveling；　anti…social　rancor　and　the

inconsolable　regrets　of　the　man　who　has　failed。　Never　did　human

competition　encounter　a　similar　judge；　so　constant；　so　expert　and　so

justified。　…　He　is　himself　conscious　of　the　unique　part　he　plays。　His

own　ambition；　the　highest　and　most　insatiate　of　all；　enables　him　to

comprehend　the　ambition　of　others；　to　place　everywhere　the　man　who

suits　the　post　in　the　post　which　suits　the　man　…　this　is　what　he　has

done　for　himself　and　what　he　does　for　others。　He　knows　that　in　this

lies　his　power；　his　deep…seated　popularity；　his　social　utility。



〃Nobody；〃　says　Napoleon；＇34＇　〃is　interested　in　overthrowing　a

government　in



　　　　　　　which　all　the　deserving　are　employed。〃



Then；　again；　comes　his　significant　exclamation　at　the　end；　his　summary

of　modern　society；　a　solemn　grandiose　figure　of　speech　found　in　the

legendary　souvenirs　of　a　glorious　antiquity；　a　classic　reminiscence　of

the　noble　Olympian　games；



〃Henceforth；　all　careers　are　open　to　talent！〃





IV。　The　Struggle　for　Office　and　Title。



Competition　and　prizes。　…　Multitude　of　offices。　…　How　their　number　is

increased　by　the　extension　of　central　patronage　and　of　the　French

territory。　…　Situation　of　a　Frenchman　abroad。　…　It　gives　him　rank。　…

Rapidity　of　promotion。　…　Constant　elimination　and　multiplicity　of

vacancies　in　the　army。　…　Preliminary　elimination　in　the　civil　service。

…　Proscription　of　cultivated　men　and　interruption　of　education　during

the　Revolution。　…　General　or　special　instruction　rare　in　1800。…　Small

number　of　competent　candidates。　…　Easy　promotion　due　to　the　lack　of

competitors。　…　Importance　and　attraction　the　prizes　offered。　…　The

Legion　of　Honor。　…　The　imperial　nobility。　…　Dotations　and　majorities。

…　Emulation。



Let　us　now　consider　the　career　which　he　thus　opens　to　them　and　the

prizes　he　offers。　These　prizes　are　in　full　view；　ranged　along　each

racecourse；　graduated　according　to　distances　and　more　and　more

striking　and　magnificent。　Every　ambition　is　provided　for；　the　highest

as　well　as　the　lowest；　and　these　are　countless；　for　they　consist　of

offices　of　every　grade　in　the　civil　and　military　hierarchies　of　a

great　centralized　State　whose　intervention　is　universal；　under　a

government　which　systematically　tolerates　no　authority　or　influence

outside　of　itself　and　which　monopolizes　every　species　of　social

importance　for　its　own　functionaries。＇35＇　…　All　these　prizes；　even　the

smallest　and　most　insignificant；　are　awarded　by　it。　In　the　first

place；　Napoleon　has　two　or　three　times　as　many　offices　to　bestow；　on

the　soil　of　old　France　alone；　as　the　former　kings；　for；　even　in　the

choice　of　their　staff　of　officials；　the　latter　were　not　always　free；

in　many　places　they　did　not　have；　or　no　longer　had　the　right　of