the village rector-第35章

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　　greater　proof　of　the　uselessness　of　the　present　institution？　Can't
　　they　see　that　when　they　have　stimulated　a　man　of　talent　by　all
　　those　preparations　he　will　make　a　fierce　struggle　before　he　allows
　　himself　to　become　a　nonentity？　Is　this　good　policy　on　the　part　of
　　the　State？　On　the　contrary；　is　not　the　State　lighting　the　fire　of
　　ardent　ambitions；　which　must　find　fuel　somewhere。

　　Among　the　six　hundred　young　men　whom　they　put　forth　every　year
　　there　are　exceptions；men　who　resist　what　may　be　called　their
　　demonetization。　I　know　some　myself；　and　if　I　could　tell　you　their
　　struggles　with　men　and　things　when　armed　with　useful　projects　and
　　conceptions　which　might　bring　life　and　prosperity　to　the　half…dead
　　provinces　where　the　State　has　sent　them；　you　would　feel　that　a　man
　　of　power；　a　man　of　talent；　a　man　whose　nature　is　a　miracle；　is　a
　　hundredfold　more　unfortunate　and　more　to　be　pitied　than　the　man
　　whose　lower　nature　lets　him　submit　to　the　shrinkage　of　his
　　faculties。

　　I　have　made　up　my　mind；　therefore；　that　I　would　rather　direct　some
　　commercial　or　industrial　enterprise；　and　live　on　small　means　while
　　trying　to　solve　some　of　the　great　problems　still　unknown　to
　　industry　and　to　society；　than　remain　at　my　present　post。

　　You　will　tell　me；　perhaps；　that　nothing　hinders　me　from　employing
　　the　leisure　that　I　certainly　have　in　using　my　intellectual　powers
　　and　seeking　in　the　stillness　of　this　commonplace　life　the　solution
　　of　some　problem　useful　to　humanity。　Ah！　monsieur；　don't　you　know
　　the　influence　of　the　provinces；the　relaxing　effect　of　a　life
　　just　busy　enough　to　waste　time　on　futile　labor；　and　not　enough　to
　　use　the　rich　resources　our　education　has　given　us？　Don't　think　me；
　　my　dear　protector；　eaten　up　by　the　desire　to　make　a　fortune；　nor
　　even　by　an　insensate　desire　for　fame。　I　am　too　much　of　a
　　calculator　not　to　know　the　nothingness　of　glory。　Neither　do　I　want
　　to　marry；　seeing　the　fate　now　before　me；　I　think　my　existence　a
　　melancholy　gift　to　offer　any　woman。　As　for　money；　though　I　regard
　　it　as　one　of　the　most　powerful　means　given　to　social　man　to　act
　　with；　it　is；　after　all；　but　a　means。

　　I　place　my　whole　desire　and　happiness　on　the　hope　of　being　useful
　　to　my　country。　My　greatest　pleasure　would　be　to　work　in　some
　　situation　suited　to　my　faculties。　If　in　your　region；　or　in　the
　　circle　of　your　acquaintances；　you　should　hear　of　any　enterprise
　　that　needed　the　capacities　you　know　me　to　possess；　think　of　me；　I
　　will　wait　six　months　for　your　answer　before　taking　any　step。

　　What　I　have　written　here；　dear　sir　and　friend；　others　think。　I
　　have　seen　many　of　my　classmates　or　older　graduates　caught　like　me
　　in　the　toils　of　some　specialty；geographical　engineers；　captain…
　　professors；　captains　of　engineers；　who　will　remain　captains　all
　　their　lives；　and　now　bitterly　regret　they　did　not　enter　active
　　service　with　the　army。　Reflecting　on　these　miserable　results；　I
　　ask　myself　the　following　questions；　and　I　would　like　your　opinion
　　on　them；　assuring　you　that　they　are　the　fruit　of　long　meditation；
　　clarified　in　the　fires　of　suffering：

　　What　is　the　real　object　of　the　State？　Does　it　truly　seek　to　obtain
　　fine　capacities？　The　system　now　pursued　directly　defeats　that　end；
　　it　has　crated　the　most　thorough　mediocrities　that　any　government
　　hostile　to　superiority　could　desire。　Does　it　wish　to　give　a　career
　　to　its　choice　minds？　As　a　matter　of　fact；　it　affords　them　the
　　meanest　opportunities；　there　is　not　a　man　who　has　issued　from　the
　　Ecoles　who　does　not　bitterly　regret；　when　he　gets　to　be　fifty　or
　　sixty　years　of　age；　that　he　ever　fell　into　the　trap　set　for　him　by
　　the　promises　of　the　State。　Does　it　seek　to　obtain　men　of　genius？
　　What　man　of　genius；　what　great　talent　have　the　schools　produced
　　since　1790？　If　it　had　not　been　for　Napoleon　would　Cachin；　the　man
　　of　genius　to　whom　France　owes　Cherbourg；　have　existed？　Imperial
　　despotism　brought　him　forward；　the　constitutional　regime　would
　　have　smothered　him。　How　many　men　from　the　Ecoles　are　to　be　found
　　in　the　Academy　of　Sciences？　Possibly　two　or　three。　The　man　of
　　genius　develops　always　outside　of　the　technical　schools。　In　the
　　sciences　which　those　schools　teach　genius　obeys　only　its　own　laws；
　　it　will　not　develop　except　under　conditions　which　man　cannot
　　control；　neither　the　State　nor　the　science　of　mankind；
　　anthropology；　understands　them。　Riquet；　Perronet；　Leonardo　da
　　Vinci；　Cachin；　Palladio；　Brunelleschi；　Michel…Angelo；　Bramante；
　　Vauban；　Vicat；　derive　their　genius　from　causes　unobserved　and
　　preparatory；　which　we　call　chance；the　pet　word　of　fools。　Never；
　　with　or　without　schools；　are　mighty　workmen　such　as　these　wanting
　　to　their　epoch。

　　Now　comes　the　question；　Does　the　State　gain　through　these
　　institutions　the　better　doing　of　its　works　of　public　utility；　or
　　the　cheaper　doing　of　them？　As　for　that；　I　answer　that　private
　　enterprises　of　a　like　kind　get　on　very　well　without　the　help　of
　　our　engineers；　and　next；　the　government　works　are　the　most
　　extravagant　in　the　world；　and　the　additional　cost　of　the　vast
　　administrative　staff　of　the　/Ponts　et　Chaussees/　is　immense。　In
　　all　other　countries；　in　Germany；　England；　Italy；　where
　　institutions　like　ours　do　not　exist；　works　of　this　character　are
　　better　done　and　far　less　costly　than　in　France。　Those　three
　　nations　are　remarkable　for　new　and　useful　inventions　in　this　line。
　　I　know　it　is　the　fashion　to　say；　in　speaking　of　our　Ecoles；　that
　　all　Europe　envies　them；　but　for　the　last　fifteen　years　Europe；
　　which　closely　observes　us；　has　not　established　others　like　them。
　　England；　that　clever　calculator；　has　better　schools　among　her
　　working　population；　from　which　come　practical　men　who　show　their
　　genius　the　moment　they　rise　from　practice　to　theory。　Stephenson
　　and　MacAdam　did　not　come　from　schools　like　ours。

　　But　what　is　the　good　of　talking？　When　a　few　young　and　able
　　engineers；　full　of　ardor；　solve；　at　the　outset　of　their　career；
　　the　problem　of　maintaining　the　roads　of　France；　which　need　some
　　hundred　millions　spent　upon　them　every　quarter　of　a　century　（and
　　which　are　now　in　a　pitiable　state）；　they　gain　nothing　by　making
　　known　in　reports　and　memoranda　their　intelligent　knowledge；　it　is
　　immediately　engulfed　in　the　archives　of　the　general　Direction；
　　that　Parisian　centre　where　everything　enters　and　nothing　issues；
　　where　old　men　are　jealous　of　young　ones；　and　all　the　posts　of
　　management　are　used　to　shelve　old　officers　or　men　who　have
　　blundered。

　　This　is　why；　with　a　body　of　scientific　men　spread　all　over　the
　　face　of　France　and　constituting　a　part　of　the　administration；a
　　body　which　ought　to　enlighten　every　region　on　the　subject　of　its
　　resources；this　is　why　we　are　still　discussing　the　practicability
　　of　railroads　while　other　countries　are　making　theirs。　If　ever
　　France　was　to　show　the　excellence　of　her　institution　of　technical
　　schools；　it　should　have　been　in　this　magnificent　phase　of　public
　　works；　which　is　destined　to　change　the　face　of　States　and　nations；
　　to　double　human　life；　and　modify　the　laws　of　space　and　time。
　　Belgium；　the　United　States　of　America；　England；　none　of　whom　have
　　an　Ecole　Polytechnique；　will　be　honeycombed　with　railroads　when
　　French　engineers　are　still　surveying　ours；　and　selfish　interests；
　　hidden　behind　all　projects；　are　hindering　their　execution。

　　Thus　I　say　that　as　for　the　State；　it　derives　no　benefit　from　its
　　technical　schools；　as　for　the　individual　pupil　of　those　schools；
　　his　earnings　are　poor；　his　ambition　crushed；　and　his　life　a　cruel
　　deception。　Most　assuredly　the　powers　he　has　displayed　between
　　sixteen　and　twenty…six　years　of　age　would；　if　he　had　been　cast
　　upon　his　own　resources；　have　brought　him　more　fame　and　more　wealth
　　than　the　government　in　whom　he　trusted　will　ever　give　him。　As　a
　　commercial　man；　a　learned　man；　a　military　man；　this　choice
　　intellect　would　have　worked　in　a　vast　centre　where　his　precious
　　faculties　and　his　ardent　ambition　would　not　be　idiotically　and
　　prematurely　repressed。

　　Where；　then；　is　progress？　Man　and　State　are　both　kept　backward　by
　　this　system。　Does　not　the　experience　of　a　whole　generation　demand
　　a　reform　in　the　practical　working　of　these　institutions？　The　duty
　　of　culling　from　all　France　during　each　generation　the　choice　minds
　　destined　to　become　the　learned　and　the　scientific　of　the　nation　is
　　a　sacred　office；　the　priests　of　which；　the　arbiters　of　so　many
　　fates；　should　be　trained　by　special　study。　Mathematical　knowledge
　　is　perhaps　less　necessary　to　them　than　physiological　knowledge。
　　And　do　you　not　think　that　they　need　a　little　of　that　second…sight
　　which　is　the　witchcraft　of　great　men？　As　it　is；　the　examiners　are
　　former　professors；　honorable　men　grown　old　in　harness；　who　limit
　　their　work　to　selecting　the　best　themes。　They　are　unable　to　do
　　what　is　really　demanded　of　them；　and　yet　their　functions　are　the
　　noblest　in　the　State　and　demand　extraordinary　men。

　　Do　not　think；　dear　sir　and　friend；　that　I　blame　only　the　Ecole
　　itself；　no；　I　blame　the　system　by　which　it　is　recruited。　This
　　system　is　the　/concours/；　competition；a　modern　invention；
　　essentially　bad；　bad　not　only　in　science；　but　wherever　it　is
　　employed；　in　arts；　in　all　selections　of　men；　of　projects；　of
　　things。　If　it　is　a　reproach　to　our　great　Ecoles　that　they　have　not
　　produced　men　superior　to　other　educational　establishments；　it　is
　　still　more　shameful　that　the　/grand　prix/　of　the　Institute　has　not
　　as　yet　furnished　a　single　great　painter；　great　musician；　great
　　architect；　great　sculptor；　just　as　the　suffrage　for　the　last
　　twenty　years　has　not　elected　out　of　its　tide　of　mediocrities　a
　　single　great　statesman。　My　observation　makes　me　detect；　as　I
　　think；　an　error　which　vitiates　in　France　both　education　and
　　politics。　It　is　a　cruel　error；　and　it　rests　on　the　following
　　principle；　which　organizers　have　misconceived：

　　/Nothing；　either　in　experience　or　in　the　nature　of　things；　can
　　give　a　certainty　that　the　intellectual　qualities　of　the　adult
　　youth　will　be　those　of　the　mature　man。/

　　At　this　moment　I　am　intimate　with　a　number　of　distinguished　men
　　who　concern　themselves　with　all　the　moral　maladies　which　are　now
　　afflicting　France。　They　see；　as　I　do；　that　our　highest　education
　　is　manufacturing　temporary　capacities；temporary　because　they
　　are　without　exercise　and　without　future；　that　such　education　is
　　without　profit　to　the　State　because　it　is　devoid　of　the　vigor　of
　　belief　and　feeling。　Our　whole　system　of　public　education　needs
　　overhauling；　and　the　work　should　be　presided　over　by　some　man　of
　　great　knowledge；　powerful　will；　and　gifted　with　that　legislative
　　genius　which　has　never　been　met　with　among　moderns；　except　perhaps
　　in　Jean…Jacques　Rousseau。

　　Possibly　our　superfluous　numbers　might　be　employed　in　giving
　　elementary　instruction　so　much　needed　by　the　people。　The
　　deplorable　amount　of　crime　and　misdemeanors　shows　a　social　disease
　　directly　arising　from　the　half…education　given　the　masses；　which
　　tends　to　the　destruction　of　social　ties　by　making　the　people
　　refl