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and narration； but always in the air； in the empty space of pure
generalities。 Condillac declares that the arithmetical method is
adapted to psychology and that the elements of our ideas can be
defined by a process analogous 〃to the rule of three。〃 Sieyès holds
history in profound contempt； and believes that he had 〃perfected the
science of politics〃＇40＇ at one stroke； through an effort of the
brain； in the style of Descartes； who thus discovers analytic
geometry。 Destutt de Tracy； in undertaking to comment on Montesquieu；
finds that the great historian has too servilely confined himself to
history； and attempts to do the work over again by organizing society
as it should be； instead of studying society as it is。 … Never were
such systematic and superficial institutions built up with such a
moderate extract of human nature。＇41＇ Condillac； employing sensation；
animates a statue； and then； by a process of pure reasoning； following
up its effects； as he supposes； on smell； taste； hearing； sight and
touch； fashions a complete human soul。 Rousseau； by means of a
contract； founds political association； and； with this given idea；
pulls down the constitution； government and laws of every balanced
social system。 In a book which serves as the philosophical testament
of the century；＇42＇ Condorcet declares that this method is the 〃final
step of philosophy； that which places a sort of eternal barrier
between humanity and its ancient infantile errors。〃 〃By applying it
to morals； politics and political economy the moral sciences have
progressed nearly as much as the natural sciences。 With its help we
have been able to discover the rights of man。〃 As in mathematics； they
have been deduced from one primordial statement only； which statement；
similar to a first principle in mathematics； becomes a fact of daily
experience； seen by all and therefore self…evident。 … This school of
thought is to endure throughout the Revolution； the Empire and even
into the Restoration；＇43＇ together with the tragedy of which it is the
sister； with the classic spirit their common parent； a primordial；
sovereign power； as dangerous as it is useful； as destructive as it is
creative； as capable of propagating error as truth； as astonishing in
the rigidity of its code； the narrow…mindedness of its yoke and in the
uniformity of its works as in the duration of its reign and the
universality of its ascendancy。＇44＇
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Notes：
＇1＇ Voltaire； 〃Dict。 Phil。；〃 see the articles on Language。 〃Of all
the languages in Europe the French is most generally used because it
is the best adapted to conversation。 Its character is derived from
that of the people who speak it。 For more than a hundred and fifty
years past； the French have been the most familiar with （good） society
and the first to avoid all embarrassment 。 。 。 It is a better currency
than any other； even if it should lack weight。〃
＇2＇ HIST： honnête homme means gentleman。 （SR。）
＇3＇ Descartes； ed。 Cousin； XI。 333； I。 121； 。 。 。 Descartes
depreciates 〃simple knowledge acquired without the aid of reflection；
such as languages； history； geography； and； generally； whatever is not
based on experience。 。 。 。 It is no more the duty of an honest man to
know Greek or Latin than to know the Swiss or Breton languages； nor
the history of the Romano…Germanic empire any more than of the
smallest country in Europe。〃
＇4＇ Molière； 〃Les Femmes Savantes；〃 and 〃La Critique de l'école des
femmes。〃 The parts of Dorante with Lycidas and of Clitandre with
Trissotin。
＇5＇ The learned Huet； （1630…1721）； true to the taste of the sixteenth
century； describes this change very well from his point of view。 〃When
I entered the world of letters these were still flourishing； great
reputations maintained their supremacy。 I have seen letters decline
and finally reach an almost entire decay。 For I scarcely know a person
of the present time that one can truly call a savant。〃 The few
Benedictines like Ducange and Mabillon； and later； the academician
Fréret； the president Bouhier of Dijon； in short； the veritable
erudites exercise no influence。
＇6＇ Nicole； 〃Oeuvres morales；〃 in the second essay on Charity and
Self…love； 142。
＇7＇ Voltaire； 〃Dialogues；〃 〃L'intendant des menus et l'abbé Grizel；〃
129。
＇8＇ Maury adds with his accustomed coarseness； 〃We； in the French
Academy； looked upon the members of the Academy of Sciences as our
valets。〃 … These valets at that time consisted of Lavoisier；
Fourcroy； Lagrange； Laplace； etc。 （A narrative by Joseph de Maistre；
quote by Sainte…Beuve； 〃Causeries du lundi；〃 IV。 283。）
＇9＇ This description makes me think of the contemporary attitudes
pejoratively called 〃politically correctness。〃 Thus the drawings…room
audience of the 18th century have today been replaced by the
〃political correct〃 elite holding sway in teacher training schools；
schools of journalism； the media and hence among the television
public。 The same mechanism which moved the upper class in the 18th
century moves it in the 20th century。。 （S。R。）
＇10＇ Today in 1999 we may speak of the TV mold forced by the measured
popularity or 〃ratings〃of the programs。 （SR。
＇11＇ Vaugelas； 〃Remarques sur la langue fran？aise：〃 〃It is the mode
of speech of the most sensible portion of the court； as well as the
mode of writing of the most sensible authors of the day。 It is better
to consult women and those who have not studied than those who are
very learned in Greek and in Latin。〃
＇12＇ One of the causes of the fall and discredit of the Marquis
d'Argenson in the eighteenth century； was his habit of using these。
＇13＇ Vaugelas； ibid。。 〃Although we may have eliminated one…half of
his phrases and terms we nevertheless obtain in the other half all the
riches of which we boast and of which we make a display。〃 … Compare
together a lexicon of two or three writers of the sixteenth century
and one of two or three writers of the seventeenth。 A brief statement
of the results of the comparison is here given。 Let any one； with pen
in hand； note the differences on a hundred pages of any of these
texts； and he will be surprised at it。 Take； for examples； two writers
of the same category； and of secondary grade； Charron and Nicole。
＇14＇ For instance； in the article 〃Ignorance；〃 in the 〃Dict。
Philosophique。〃
＇15＇ La Harpe； 〃Cours de Littérature；〃 ed。 Didot。 II。 142。
＇16＇ A battle…axe used by the Franks。 … TR。
＇17＇ I cite an example haphazard from the 〃Optimiste〃 （1788）； by
Colin d'Harleville。 In a certain description； 〃The scene represents a
bosquet filled with odoriferous trees。〃 … The classic spirit rebels
against stating the species of tree； whether lilacs； lindens or
hawthorns。 … In paintings of landscapes of this era we have the same
thing； the trees being generalized； … of no known species。