按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
agent； councilor or companion of his pleasures； he might have become
prime…minister to Tippoo Sahib； or other potentate； lived in a palace；
kept a harem and had lacs of rupees； undoubtedly； he would have filled
his prisons and occasionally emptied them by a massacre； as at Paris
in September； but it would have been according to local custom； and
operating only on the lives of Sheikhs and Mahrattas。 Bonaparte； after
the fall of his protectors； the two Robespierres； finding his career
arrested； wanted to enter the Sultan's service； accompanied by Junot；
Muiron； Marmont and other comrades； he could have carried to
Constantinople rarer commodities； much better compensated in the
Orient than in the Occident； namely military honor and administrative
talent； he would have dealt in these two products； as he did in Egypt；
at the right time and in the right place； at the highest price；
without our conscientious scruples and without our European
refinements of probity and humanity。 No imagination can picture what
he would have become there： certainly some pasha； like Djezzar in
Syria； or a khedive like Mahomet…Ali； afterwards at Cairo； he already
saw himself in the light of a conqueror； like Ghengis…Khan；＇18＇ a
founder like Alexander or Baber； a prophet like Mahomet； as he himself
declares； 〃one could work only on a grand scale in the Orient；〃 and
there he would have worked on a grand scale； Europe； perhaps； would
have gained by it； and especially France。
III。 Ambition and Selection。
The Revolution provides an internal outlet and an unlimited career。 …
Effect of this。 … Exigencies and pretensions of the modern man。 …
Theoretical rule of selection among rivals。 … Popular suffrage raised
to be lord and judge。 … Consequence of its verdict。 … Unworthiness of
its choice。
But the Revolution arrived and the ambitions which； under the ancient
Régime； found a field abroad or cooled down at home； arose on the
natal soil and suddenly expanded beyond all calculation。 After 1789；
France resembles a hive in a state of excitement； in a few hours； in
the brief interval of an August morning； each insect puts forth two
huge wings； soars aloft and 〃all whirl together pell…mell；〃 many fall
to the ground half cut to pieces and begin to crawl upward as before；
others； with more strength or with better luck； ascend and glitter on
the highways of the atmosphere。 … Every great highway and every other
road is open to everybody through the decrees of the Constituent…
Assembly； not only for the future； but even immediately。 The sudden
dismissal of the entire ruling staff； executive； or consultative；
political； administrative； provincial； municipal； ecclesiastical；
educational； military； judicial and financial； summon to take office
all who covet it and who have a good opinion of themselves。 All
previously existing conditions； birth； fortune； education； old family
and all apprenticeships； customs and ways which retard and limit
advancement； are abolished： There are no longer any guarantees or
sponsors； all Frenchmen are eligible to all employments； all grades of
the legal and social hierarchy are conferred by a more or less direct
election； a suffrage becoming more and more popular； by a mere
numerical majority。 Consequently； in all branches of the government
under central or local authority and patronage； there is the
installation of a new staff of officials。 The transposition which
everywhere substitutes the old inferior to the old superior； is
universal；＇19＇ 〃lawyers for judges； bourgeois for statesmen； former
plebeians for former nobles； soldiers for officers； officers for
generals； curés for bishops； vicars for curés； monks for vicars；
stock…jobbers for financiers； self…taught persons for administrators；
journalists for publicists； rhetoricians for legislators； and the poor
for the rich。〃 A sudden jump from the bottom to the top of the social
ladder by a few； from the lowest to the highest rung； from the rank of
sergeant to that of major…general； from the condition of a pettifogger
or starving newspaper…hack to the possession of supreme authority；
even to the effective exercise of omnipotence and dictatorship … such
is the capital； positive； striking work of the Revolution。
At the same time； and as an after…effect； a revolution is going on in
minds and the moral effect of the show is greater and more lasting
than the events themselves。 The minds have been stirred to their very
depths； stagnant passions and slumbering pretensions are aroused。 The
multitude of offices presented and expected vacancies 〃has excited the
thirst for power； stimulated self…esteem； and fired the hopes of men
the most inept。 An fierce； gross presumption has freed the ignorant
and the foolish of any feeling of modesty or incompetence； they have
deemed themselves capable of everything because the law awards public
office simply to the able。 Everybody had a perspective glimpse of
gratified ambition； the soldier dreamt only of displacing the officer；
the officer of becoming general； the clerk of supplanting the head
administrator； the lawyer of yesterday of the supreme court； the curé
of becoming bishop； the most frivolous littérateur of seating himself
on the legislative bench。 Places and positions； vacant due to the
promotion of so many parvenus； provided in their turn a vast career to
the lower classes。 Seeing a public functionary issue out of
nothingness； where is the shoeblack whose soul would not stir with
ambition？〃 … This new sentiment must be taken into account： for；
whether reasonable or not； it is going to last； maintain its energy；
stimulate men with extraordinary force＇20＇ and become one of the great
incentives of will and action。 Henceforth； government and
administration are to become difficult matters； the forms and plans of
the old social architecture are no longer applicable； like
construction is not possible with materials of a different kind；
whether with stable or unstable materials； with men who do not dream
of quitting their condition or with men who think of nothing but that。
In effect； whatever vacancy may occur； each aspirant thinks himself
fit for it； and only one of the aspirants can obtain it。 Accordingly
some rule of preference must be adopted outside of the opinion that
each candidate entertains of himself。 Accordingly； at a very early
date； one was established； and there could be no better one； namely；
that； among the competitors for the place； the most competent to fill
it should be chosen。 Unfortunately； the judge； ordinary； extraordinary
and supreme； instituted to decide in this case； was the plurality of
male； adult Frenchmen； counted by heads； that is to say a collective
being in which the small intelligent； élite body is drowned in the
great rude mass； of all juries； the most incompetent； the easiest
duped and misled； the least able to comprehend the questions laid
before it and the consequences of its answer； the worst informed