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needs。 It is not the work of logic； but of history； and the
young reasoner shrugs his shoulders at the sight of this old
building； whose site is arbitrary； whose architecture is
incoherent； and whose inconveniences are obvious。 。 。 。 The
majority of young people； above all those who have their way to
make； are more or less Jacobin on leaving college。 。 。 。
Jacobinism is born of social decomposition just as mushrooms are
born of a fermenting soil。 Consider the authentic monuments of
its thoughtthe speeches of Robespierre and Saint…Just； the
debates of the Legislative Assembly and the Convention； the
harangues； addresses； and reports of Girondists and Montagnards。
Never did men speak so much to say so little； the empty verbiage
and swollen emphasis swamp any truth there may be beneath their
monotony and their turgidity。 The Jacobin is full of respect for
the phantoms of his reasoning brain； in his eyes they are more
real than living men； and their suffrage is the only suffrage he
recogniseshe will march onward in all sincerity at the head of
a procession of imaginary followers。 The millions of
metaphysical wills which he has created in the image of his own
will sustain him by their unanimous assent； and he will
project outwards； like a chorus of triumph and acclamation； the
inward echo of his own voice。''
While admiring Taine's description； I think he has not exactly
grasped the psychology of the Jacobin。
The mind of the true Jacobin； at the time of the Revolution as
now； was composed of elements which we must analyse if we are to
understand its function。
This analysis will show in the first place that the Jacobin is
not a rationalist； but a believer。 Far from building his belief
on reason； he moulds reason to his belief； and although his
speeches are steeped in rationalism he employs it very little in
his thoughts and his conduct。
A Jacobin who reasoned as much as he is accused of reasoning
would be sometimes accessible to the voice of reason。 Now；
observation proves； from the time of the Revolution to our own
days； that the Jacobin is never influenced by reasoning； however
just； and it is precisely here that his strength resides。
And why is he not accessible to reason？ Simply because his
vision of things； always extremely limited； does not permit of
his resisting the powerful and passionate impulses which guide
him。
These two elements； feeble reason and strong passions； would not
of themselves constitute the Jacobin mind。 There is another。
Passion supports convictions； but hardly ever creates them。 Now；
the true Jacobin has forcible convictions。 What is to sustain
them？ Here the mystic elements whose action we have already
studied come into play。 The Jacobin is a mystic who has
replaced the old divinities by new gods。 Imbued with the power
of words and formulae； he attributes to these a mysterious
power。 To serve these exigent divinities he does not shrink from
the most violent measures。 The laws voted by our modern Jacobins
furnish a proof of this fact。
The Jacobin mentality is found especially in narrow and
passionate characters。 It implies； in fact； a narrow and rigid
mind； inaccessible to all criticism and to all considerations but
those of faith。
The mystic and affective elements which dominate the mind of the
Jacobin condemn him to an extreme simplicity。 Grasping only the
superficial relations of things； nothing prevents him from taking
for realities the chimerical images which are born of his
imagination。 The sequence of phenomena and their results escape
him。 He never raises his eyes from his dream。
As we may see； it is not by the development of his logical reason
that the Jacobin exceeds。 He possesses very little logic of this
kind； and therefore he often becomes dangerous。 Where a superior
man would hesitate or halt the Jacobin； who has placed his feeble
reason at the service of his impulses； goes forward with
certainty。
So that although the Jacobin is a great reasoner； this does not
mean that he is in the least guided by reason。 When he imagines
he is being led by reason it is really his passions and his
mysticism that lead him。 Like all those who are convinced and
hemmed in by the walls of faith； he can never escape therefrom。
A true aggressive theologian； he is astonishingly like the
disciples of Calvin described in a previous chapter。 Hypnotised
by their faith； nothing could deter them from their object。 All
those who contradicted their articles of faith were considered
worthy of death。 They too seemed to be powerful reasoners。
Ignorant； like the Jacobins； of the secret forces that led them；
they believed that reason was their sole guide； while in reality
they were the slaves of mysticism and passion。
The truly rationalistic Jacobin would be incomprehensible； and
would merely make reason despair。 The passionate and mystical
Jacobin is； on the contrary； easily intelligible。
With these three elementsa very weak reasoning power； very
strong passions； and an intense mysticismwe have the true
psychological components of the mind of the Jacobin。
CHAPTER III
THE REVOLUTIONARY AND CRIMINAL MENTALITIES
1。 The Revolutionary Mentality。
We have just seen that the mystic elements are one of the
components of the Jacobin mentality。 We shall now see that they
enter into another form of mentality which is also clearly
defined； the revolutionary mentality。
In all ages societies have contained a certain number of restless
spirits； unstable and discontented； ready to rebel against any
established order of affairs。 They are actuated by the mere love
of revolt； and if some magic power could realise all their
desires they would simply revolt again。
This special mentality often results from a faulty adaptation of
the individual to his surroundings； or from an excess of
mysticism； but it may also be merely a question of temperament or
arise from pathological disturbances。
The need of revolt presents very different degrees of intensity；
from simple discontent expressed in words directed against men
and things to the need of destroying them。 Sometimes the
individual turns upon himself the revolutionary frenzy that he
cannot otherwise exercise。 Russia is full of these madmen；
who； not content with committing arson or throwing bombs at
hazard into the crowd； finally mutilate themselves； like the
Skopzis and other analogous sects。
These perpetual rebels are generally highly suggestible beings；
whose mystic mentality is obsessed by fixed ideas。 Despite the
apparent energy indicated by their actions they are really weak
characters； and are incapable of mastering themselves
sufficiently to resist the impulses that rule them。 The mystic
spirit which animates them furnishes pretexts for their violence；
and enables them to regard themselves as great reformers。
In nor