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tearing to pieces； and under the eye of a policeman who he no longer
thinks of condemning。 He even sometimes thinks that policeman and
compartment are useful to him。 Should he consider the millions of
individuals who are trying to mount the social ladder； each striving
to get ahead of the other； it may dawn upon him that the worst of
calamities would be a lack of barriers and of guardians。
Here the worm…eaten barriers have cracked all at once； their easy…
going； timid； incapable guardians having allowed things to take their
course。 Society； accordingly； disintegrated and a pell…mell； is turned
into a turbulent； shouting crowd； each pushing and being pushed； all
alike over…excited and congratulating each other on having finally
obtained elbow…room； and all demanding the new barriers shall be as
fragile and the new guardians as feeble； as defenseless； and as inert
as possible。 This is what has been done。 As a natural consequence；
those who were foremost in the rank have been relegated to the last；
many have been struck down in the fray； while in this permanent state
of disorder； which goes under the name of lasting order； elegant
footwear continue to be stamped upon by hobnailed boots and wooden
shoes。 … The fanatic and the intemperate egoists can now let
themselves go。 They are no longer subject to any ancient
institutions； nor any armed might which can restrain them。 On the
contrary； the new constitution； through its theoretical declarations
and the practical application of these； invites them to let themselves
go。 For； on the one hand； legally； it declares to be based upon
pure reason； beginning with a long string of abstract dogmas from
which its positive prescriptions are assumed to be rigorously deduced。
As a consequence all laws are submitted to the shallow comments of
reasoners and quibblers who will both interpret and break them
according to the principles。＇10＇ On the other hand； as a matter of
fact； it hands over all government powers to the elections and confers
on the clubs the control of the authorities： which is to offer a
premium to the presumption of the ambitious who put themselves forward
because they think themselves capable； and who defame their rulers
purposely to displace them。 … Every government department；
organization or administrative system is like a hothouse which serves
to favor some species of the human plant and wither others。 This one
is the best one for the propagation and rapid increase of the coffee…
house politician； club haranguer； the stump…speaker； the street…
rioter； the committee dictator in short； the revolutionary and the
tyrant。 In this political hothouse wild dreams and conceit will assume
monstrous proportions； and； in a few months； brains that are now only
ardent become hotheads。
Let us trace the effect of this excessive； unhealthy temperature
on imaginations and ambitions。 The old tenement is down； the
foundations of the new one are not yet laid； society has to be made
over again from top to bottom。 All willing men are asked to come and
help； and； as one plain principle suffices in drawing a plan； the
first comer may succeed。 Henceforth political fancies swarm in the
district meetings； in the clubs； in the newspapers； in pamphlets； and
in every head…long； venturesome brain。
〃There is not a merchant's clerk educated by reading the 'Nouvelle
Héloise；'＇11＇ not a school teacher that has translated ten pages of
Livy； not an artist that has leafed through Rollin； not an aesthete
converted into journalists by committing to memory the riddles of the
'Contrat Social；' who does not draft a constitution。 。 。 As nothing is
easier than to perfect a daydream； all perturbed minds gather； and
become excited； in this ideal realm。 They start out with curiosity and
end up with enthusiasm。 The man in the street rushes to the enterprise
in the same manner as a miser to a conjurer promising treasures； and；
thus childishly attracted； each hopes to find at once； what has never
been seen under even the most liberal governments： perpetual
perfection； universal brotherhood； the power of acquiring what one
lacks； and a life composed wholly of enjoyment。〃
One of these pleasures； and a keen one； is to daydream。 One soars
in space。 By means of eight or ten ready…made sentences； found in the
six…penny catechisms circulated by thousands in the country and in the
suburbs of the towns and cities；＇12＇ a village attorney； a customs
clerk； a theater attendant； a sergeant of a soldier's mess； becomes a
legislator and philosopher。 He criticizes Malouet； Mirabeau； the
Ministry； the King； the Assembly； the Church； foreign Cabinets；
France； and all Europe。 Consequently； on these important subjects；
which always seemed forever forbidden to him； he offers resolutions；
reads addresses； makes harangues； obtains applause； and congratulates
himself on having argued so well and with such big words。 To hold fort
on questions that are not understood is now an occupation； a matter of
pride and profit。
〃More is uttered in one day；〃 says an eye…witness；＇13＇ 〃in one section
of Paris than in one year in all the Swiss political assemblies put
together。 An Englishman would give six weeks of study to what we
dispose of in a quarter of an hour。〃
Everywhere； in the town halls； in popular meetings； in the sectional
assemblies； in the wine shops； on the public promenades； on street
corners vanity erects a tribune of verbosity。
〃Contemplate the incalculable activity of such a machine in a
loquacious nation where the passion for being something dominates all
other affections； where vanity has more phases than there are starts
in the firmament； where reputations already cost no more than the
trouble of insisting on their being deserved； where society is divided
between mediocrities and their trumpeters who laud them as divinities；
where so few people are content with their lot； where the corner
grocer is prouder of his epaulette than the Grand Condé of his
Marshal's baton； where agitation without object or resources is
perpetual； where； from the floor…scrubber to the dramatist； from the
academician to the simpleton who gets muddled over the evening
newspaper； from the witty courtier down to his philosophic lackey；
each one revises Montesquieu with the self…sufficiency of a child
which； because it is learning to read； deems itself wise； where self…
esteem； in disputation； caviling and sophistication； destroys all
sensible conversation； where no one utters a word； but to teach； never
imagining that to learn one must keep quiet； where the triumphs of a
few lunatics entice every crackbrain from his den； where； with two
nonsensical ideas put together out of a book that is not understood； a
man assumes to have principles； where swindlers talk about morality；
women of easy virtue about civism； and the most infamous of beings
about the dignity of the species； where the discharged valet of a
gran