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y asked for nothing more。 Throughout the successive ages this ideal has scarcely varied。 Nothing has a greater effect on the imagination of crowds of every category than theatrical representations。 The entire audience experiences at the same time the same emotions； and if these emotions are not at once transformed into acts； it is because the most unconscious spectator cannot ignore that he is the victim of illusions； and that he has laughed or wept over imaginary adventures。 Sometimes； however； the sentiments suggested by the images are so strong that they tend； like habitual suggestions； to transform themselves into acts。 The story has often been told of the manager of a popular theatre who； in consequence of his only playing sombre dramas； was obliged to have the actor who took the part of the traitor protected on his leaving the theatre； to defend him against the violence of the spectators； indignant at the crimes； imaginary though they were； which the traitor had committed。 We have here； in my opinion； one of the most remarkable indications of the mental state of crowds； and especially of the facility with which they are suggestioned。 The unreal has almost as much influence on them as the real。 They have an evident tendency not to distinguish between the two。
The power of conquerors and the strength of States is based on the popular imagination。 It is more particularly by working upon this imagination that crowds are led。 All great historical facts； the rise of Buddhism； of Christianity； of Islamism； the Reformation； the French Revolution； and； in our own time； the threatening invasion of Socialism are the direct or indirect consequences of strong impressions produced on the imagination of the crowd。
Moreover； all the great statesmen of every age and every country； including the most absolute despots； have regarded the popular imagination as the basis of their power； and they have never attempted to govern in opposition to it 〃It was by becoming a Catholic；〃 said Napoleon to the Council of State； 〃that I terminated the Vendeen war。 By becoming a Mussulman that I obtained a footing in Egypt。 By becoming an Ultramontane that I won over the Italian priests； and had I to govern a nation of Jews I would rebuild Solomon's temple。〃 Never perhaps since Alexander and Caesar has any great man better understood how the imagination of the crowd should be impressed。 His constant preoccupation was to strike it。 He bore it in mind in his victories； in his harangues； in his speeches； in all his acts。 On his deathbed it was still in his thoughts。
How is the imagination of crowds to be impressed？ We shall soon see。 Let us confine ourselves for the moment to saying that the feat is never to be achieved by attempting to work upon the intelligence or reasoning faculty； that is to say； by way of demonstration。 It was not by means of cunning rhetoric that Antony succeeded in making the populace rise against the murderers of Caesar； it was by reading his will to the multitude and pointing to his corpse。
Whatever strikes the imagination of crowds presents itself under the shape of a startling and very clear image； freed from all accessory explanation； or merely having as accompaniment a few marvellous or mysterious facts： examples in point are a great victory； a great miracle； a great crime； or a great hope。 Things must be laid before the crowd as a whole； and their genesis must never be indicated。 A hundred petty crimes or petty accidents will not strike the imagination of crowds in the least； whereas a single great crime or a single great accident will profoundly impress them； even though the results be infinitely less disastrous than those of the hundred small accidents put together。 The epidemic of influenza； which caused the death but a few years ago of five thousand persons in Paris alone； made very little impression on the popular imagination。 The reason was that this veritable hecatomb was not embodied in any visible image； but was only learnt from statistical information furnished weekly。 An accident which should have caused the death of only five hundred instead of five thousand persons； but on the same day and in public； as the outcome of an accident appealing strongly to the eye； by the fall； for instance； of the Eiffel Tower； would have produced； on the contrary； an immense impression on the imagination of the crowd。 The probable loss of a transatlantic steamer that was supposed； in the absence of news； to have gone down in mid…ocean profoundly impressed the imagination of the crowd for a whole week。 Yet official statistics show that 850 sailing vessels and 203 steamers were lost in the year 1894 alone。 The crowd； however； was never for a moment concerned by these successive losses； much more important though they were as far as regards the destruction of life and property； than the loss of the Atlantic liner in question could possibly have been。
It is not； then； the facts in themselves that strike the popular imagination； but the way in which they take place and are brought under notice。 It is necessary that by their condensation； if I may thus express myself； they should produce a startling image which fills and besets the mind。 To know the art of impressing the imagination of crowds is to know at the same time the art of governing them。
CHAPTER IV
A RELIGIOUS SHAPE ASSUMED BY ALL THE CONVICTIONS OF CROWDS
What is meant by the religious sentimentIt is independent of the worship of a divinityIts characteristicsThe strength of convictions assuming a religious shapeVarious examplesPopular gods have never disappearedNew forms under which they are revivedReligious forms of atheismImportance of these notions from the historical point of view The Reformation； Saint Bartholomew； the Terror； and all analogous events are the result of the religious sentiments of crowds and not of the will of isolated individuals。
We have shown that crowds do not reason； that they accept or reject ideas as a whole； that they tolerate neither discussion nor contradiction； and that the suggestions brought to bear on them invade the entire field of their understanding and tend at once to transform themselves into acts。 We have shown that crowds suitably influenced are ready to sacrifice themselves for the ideal with which they have been inspired。 We have also seen that they only entertain violent and extreme sentiments； that in their case sympathy quickly becomes adoration； and antipathy almost as soon as it is aroused is transformed into hatred。 These general indications furnish us already with a presentiment of the nature of the convictions of crowds。
When these convictions are closely examined； whether at epochs marked by fervent religious faith； or by great political upheavals such as those of the last century； it is apparent that they always assume a peculiar form which I cannot better define than by giving it the name of a religious sentiment。
This sentiment has very simple characteristics； such as worship of a being supposed superior； fear of the power with which the being is credited； blind submission to its commands； inability to discuss its dogmas； the desire to spread them； and a tendency t