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the origins of contemporary france-1-第83章

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Yonder that of Hindostan or of the Mongolian; here that of the Semite

or the European; in our Europe that of the German; the Latin or the

Slave; in such a way that its contradictions; instead of condemning

it; justify it; its diversity producing its adaptation and its

adaptation producing benefits。    This is no barren formula。  A

sentiment of such grandeur; of such comprehensive and penetrating

insight; an idea by which Man; compassing the vastness and depth of

things; so greatly oversteps the ordinary limits of his mortal

condition; resembles an illumination; it is easily transformed into a

vision; it is never remote from ecstasy; it can express itself only

through symbols; it evokes divine figures。'8'Religion in its nature is

a metaphysical poem accompanied by faith。  Under this title it is

popular and efficacious; for; apart from an invisible select few; a

pure abstract idea is only an empty term; and truth; to be apparent;

must be clothed with a body。  It requires a form of worship; a legend;

and ceremonies in order to address the people; women; children; the

credulous; every one absorbed by daily cares; any understanding in

which ideas involuntarily translate themselves through imagery。  Owing

to this palpable form it is able to give its weighty support to the

conscience; to counterbalance natural egoism; to curb the mad onset of

brutal passions; to lead the will to abnegation and devotion; to tear

Man away from himself and place him wholly in the service of truth; or

of his kind; to form ascetics; martyrs; sisters of charity and

missionaries。  Thus; throughout society; religion becomes at once a

natural and precious instrumentality。  On the one hand men require it

for the contemplation of infinity and to live properly ; if it were

suddenly to be taken away from them their souls would be a mournful

void; and they would do greater injury to their neighbors。  Besides; it

would be vain to attempt to take it away from them; the hand raised

against it would encounter only its envelope; it would be repelled

after a sanguinary struggle; its germ lying too deep to be extirpated。



And when; at length; after religion and custom; we regard the

State; that is to say; the armed power possessing both physical force

and moral authority; we find for it an almost equally noble origin。  It

has; in Europe at least; from Russia to Portugal and from Norway to

the two Sicilies; in its origin and essence; a military foundation in

which heroism constitutes itself the champion of right。  Here and there

in the chaos of tribes and crumbling societies; some man has arisen

who; through his ascendancy; rallies around him a loyal band; driving

out intruders; overcoming brigands; re…establishing order; reviving

agriculture; founding a patrimony; and transmitting as property to his

descendants his office of hereditary justiciary and born general。

Through this permanent delegation a great public office is removed

from competition; fixed in one family; sequestered in safe hands;

thenceforth the nation possesses a vital center and each right obtains

a visible protector。  If the sovereign confines himself to his

traditional responsibilities; is restrained in despotic tendencies;

and avoids falling into egoism; he provides the country with the best

government of which the world has any knowledge。  Not alone is it the

most stable; capable of continuation; and the most suitable for

maintaining together a body of 20 or 30 million people; but again one

of the most noble because devotion dignifies both command and

obedience and; through the prolongation of military tradition;

fidelity and honor; from grade to grade; attaches the leader to his

duty and the soldier to his commander。    Such are the strikingly

valid claims of social traditions which we may; similar to an

instinct; consider as being a blind form of reason。  That which makes

it fully legitimate is that reason herself; to become efficient; is

obliged to borrow its form。  A doctrine becomes inspiring only through

a blind medium。  To become of practical use; to take upon itself the

government of souls; to be transformed into a spring of action; it

must be deposited in minds given up to systematic belief; of fixed

habits; of established tendencies; of domestic traditions and

prejudice; and that it; from the agitated heights of the intellect;

descends into and become amalgamated with the passive forces of the

will; then only does it form a part of the character and become a

social force。  At the same time; however; it ceases to be critical and

clairvoyant; it no longer tolerates doubt and contradiction; nor

admits further restrictions or nice distinctions; it is either no

longer cognizant of; or badly appreciates; its own evidences。  We of

the present day believe in infinite progress about the same as people

once believed in original sin; we still receive ready…made opinions

from above; the Academy of Sciences occupying in many respects the

place of the ancient councils。  Except with a few special savants;

belief and obedience will always be unthinking; while Reason would

wrongfully resent the leadership of prejudice in human affairs; since;

to lead; it must itself become prejudiced。





III。  REASON AT WAR WITH ILLUSION。



The classic intellect incapable of accepting this point of view。  …

…  The past and present usefulness of tradition are misunderstood。  

Reason undertakes to set them aside。



  Unfortunately; in the eighteenth century; reason was classic; not

only the aptitude but the documents which enable it to comprehend

tradition were absent。   In the first place; there was no knowledge of

history; learning was; due to its dullness and tediousness; refused;

learned compilations; vast collections of extracts and the slow work

of criticism were held in disdain。  Voltaire made fun of the

Benedictines。  Montesquieu; to ensure the acceptance of his 〃Esprit des

lois;〃 indulged in wit about laws。  Reynal; to give an impetus to his

history of commerce in the Indies; welded to it the declamation of

Diderot。  The Abbé Barthélemy covered over the realities of Greek

manners and customs with his literary varnish。  Science was expected to

be either epigrammatic or oratorical; crude or technical details would

have been objectionable to a public composed of people of the good

society; correctness of style therefore drove out or falsified those

small significant facts which give a peculiar sense and their original

relief to ancient personalities。    Even if writers had dared to

note them; their sense and bearing would not have been understood。  The

sympathetic imagination did not exist'9'; people were incapable of

going out of themselves; of betaking themselves to distant points of

view; of conjecturing the peculiar and violent states of the human

brain; the decisive and fruitful moment during which it gives birth to

a vigorous creation; a religion destined to rule; a state that is sure

to endure。  Th
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