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Siméon； councilor of State and then minister of justice in Westphalia；
Portalis is made minister of worship； and Fontanes grand…master of the
University。 The First Consul passes the sponge over all political
antecedents： not only does he summon to his side the moderates and
half…moderates of the Constituent and Legislative Assemblies； of the
Convention and of the Directory； but again he seeks recruits among
pure royalists and pure Jacobins； among the men the most devoted to
the ancient Régime and amongst those most compromised by the
Revolution； at both extremities of the most extreme opinions。 We have
just seen； on the one side； what hereditary favorites of a venerable
royalty； what born supporters of the deposed dynasty； are elevated by
him to the first of his magisterial； clerical and court dignities。 On
the other hand； apart from Chasset； Roederer and Grégoire； apart from
Fourcroy； Bérlier and Réal； apart from Treilhard and Boulay de La
Meurthe； he employs others branded or noted for terrible acts； Barère
himself； at least for a certain period； and in the sole office he was
fitted for； that of a denunciator； gazetteer and stimulator of public
opinion； everybody has a place according to his faculties； and each
has rank according to his usefulness and merit。 Barère； consequently；
becomes a paid spy and pamphleteer； Drouet； the postmaster； who
arrested the royal family at Varennes； becomes sub…prefect at Sainte…
Menehould； Jean…Bon Saint…André； one of the Committee of Public
Safety； is made prefect at Mayence； Merlin de Douai； reporter of the
law against suspects； is prosecuting attorney in the court of
cassation； Fouché； whose name tells all； becomes minister of state and
Duke of Otranto； nearly all of the survivors of the Convention are
made judges of première instancc or of appeal； revenue…collectors；
deputies； prefects； foreign consuls； police commissioners； inspectors
of reviews； head…clerks in the post…offices； custom…houses and tax…
offices； while； in 1808； among these functionaries； one hundred and
thirty were regicides。＇10＇
II。 Ambitions during the Ancient Regime。
The need of success。 … Initiation and conditions of promotion under
the old monarchy。 … Effect on minds。 … Ambitions are limited。 … The
external outlets open to them。 …
To make one's way； get ahead； and succeed in the world is now the
dominant thought in the minds of men。 Before 1789； this thought had
not acquired sovereign control in their minds； it found that there
were rival ideas to contend with； and it had only half…developed
itself； its roots had not sunk down deep enough to monopolize the
activity of the imagination； to absorb the will and possess the mind
entirely； and the reason is that it lacked both air and victuals。
Promotion； under the old monarchy； was slow； and in the first place；
because the monarchy was old and because in every order which is not
new each new generation finds that every office is filled； and next；
because； in this old order founded on tradition and heredity； future
vacancies were supplied long beforehand。 The great social staircase
led to several stories ； each man could ascend every step of his own
flight； but he could not mount above it； the landing reached； he found
closed doors and nearly insurmountable barriers。 The story above was
reserved to its own inhabitants； they occupied it now and were still
to occupy it in time to come； the inevitable successors of the titular
possessor were seen around him on each step； his equals； peers and
neighbors； one or the other often designated by name as his legal
heir； the purchaser of his survivorship。 In those days； not only was
the individual himself considered； his merits and his services； but
likewise his family and ancestry； his state and condition； the society
he entered into； the 〃salon〃 he maintained； his fortune and his
followers； these antecedents and surroundings composed the quality of
the personage； without this requisite quality； he could not go beyond
the landing…place。 Strictly speaking； a personage born on the upper
steps of one story might sometimes succeed in mounting the lowest
steps of the next story； but there he stopped。 In short； it was always
considered by those on the lower story that the upper story was
inaccessible and； moreover； uninhabitable。
Accordingly； most of the public offices； in the finances； in the
administration； in the judiciary； in the parliaments； in the army； at
court； were private property as is now the case with the places of
advocates； notaries and brokers； they had to be bought to enable one
to follow these pursuits； and were very dear； one had to possess a
large capital and be content beforehand to derive only a mediocre
revenue from it； 10； 5 and sometimes 3 ％ on the purchase…money。＇11＇
The place once acquired； especially if an important one； involved
official parade； receptions； an open table； a large annual outlay；＇12＇
it often ran the purchaser in debt ； he knew that his acquisition
would bring him more consideration than crowns。 On the other hand； to
obtain possession of it； he had to secure the good…will of the body of
which he became a member； or of the patron who bestowed the office。
That is to say； he must be regarded by his future colleagues as
acceptable； or by the patron as a guest； invited； and feasible friend；
in other words； provide sponsors for himself； furnish guarantees；
prove that he was well…off and well…educated； that his ways and
manners qualified him for the post； and that； in the society he was
about to enter； he would not turn out unsuitable。 To maintain one's
self in office at court one was obliged to possess the tone of
Versailles； quite different from that of Paris and the provinces。＇13＇
To maintain one's self in a high parliamentary position； one was
expected to possess local alliances； moral authority； the traditions
and deportment handed down from father to son in the old magistrate
families； and which a mere advocate； an ordinary pleader； could not
arrive at。＇14＇ In short； on this staircase； each distinct story
imposed on its inmates a sort of distinct costume； more or less
costly； embroidered and gilded； I mean a sum of outward and inward
habits and connections； all obligatory and indispensable； comprising
title； particle and name： the announcement of any bourgeois name by a
lackey in the ante…chamber would be considered a discord；
consequently； one had one's self ennobled in the current coin； or
assumed a noble name gratis。 Caron； son of a watchmaker； became
Beaumarchais； Nicolas； a foundling； called himself M。 de Champfort；
Danton； in public documents； signed himself d'Anton； in the same way；
a man without a dress…coat hires or borrows one； no matter how； on
going out to dine； all this was tolerated and accepted as a sign of
good behavior and of final conformity with custom； as in testimony of
respect for the usages of good society。
Through this visible separation o