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exactly as religious dogmas but as sentiments of social import without
which we cannot be a good citizen or a loyal subject。〃 These articles
embrace 〃the existence of a powerful； intelligent； beneficent；
foreseeing and provident divinity； the future life； the happiness of
the righteous； the punishment of the wicked； the sacredness of the
social contract and of the laws。＇29＇ Without forcing anyone to believe
in this creed； whoever does not believe in it must be expelled from
the State； it is necessary to banish such persons not on account of
impiety； but as unsociable beings； incapable of sincerely loving law
and justice and； if need be； of giving up life for duty。〃
Take heed that this profession of faith be not a vain one； for a
new inquisition is to test its sincerity。
〃Should any person； after having publicly recognized these dogmas；
act as an unbeliever； let him be punished with death。 He has committed
the greatest of crimes： he has lied before the law。〃
Truly； as I said above； we are in a convent
V。 SOCIAL CONTRACT； SUMMARY。
Complete triumph and last excesses of classic reason。 … How it
becomes monomania。 … Why its work is not enduring。
These articles are all inevitable consequences of the social
contract。 The moment I enter the corporation I abandon my own
personality； I abandon； by this act； my possessions； my children； my
church； and my opinions。 I cease to be proprietor； father； Christian
and philosopher。 The state is my substitute in all these functions。 In
place of my will； there is henceforth the public will； that is to say；
in theory； the mutable absolutism of a majority counted by heads；
while in fact； it is the rigid absolutism of the assembly； the
faction； the individual who is custodian of the public authority。 …
On this principle an outburst of boundless conceit takes place。 The
very first year Grégoire states in the tribune of the Constituent
Assembly； 〃we might change religion if we pleased； but we have no such
desire。〃 A little later the desire comes； and it is to be carried out；
that of Holbach is proposed； then that of Rousseau； and they dare go
much farther。 In the name of Reason； of which the State alone is the
representative and interpreter； they undertake to unmake and make
over； in conformity with Reason and with Reason only； all customs；
festivals； ceremonies； and costumes； the era； the calendar； weights
and measures； the names of the seasons； months； weeks and days； of
places and monuments； family and baptismal names； complimentary
titles； the tone of discourse； the mode of salutation； of greeting； of
speaking and of writing； in such a fashion； that the Frenchman； as
formerly with the puritan or the Quaker； remodeled even in his inward
substance； exposes； through the smallest details of his conduct and
exterior； the dominance of the all…powerful principle which refashions
his being and the inflexible logic which controls his thoughts。 This
constitutes the final result and complete triumph of the classic
spirit。 Installed in narrow brains； incapable of entertaining two
related ideas； it is to become a cold or furious monomania； fiercely
and unrelentingly destroying a past it curses； and attempting to
establish a millennium； and all in the name of an illusory contract；
at once anarchical and despotic； which unfetters insurrection and
justifies dictatorship； all to end in a conflicting social order
resembling sometimes a drunken orgy of demons； and sometimes a Spartan
convent； all aimed at replacing the real human being； slowly formed by
his past with an improvised robot； who； through its own debility； will
collapse when the external and mechanical force that keeps it up will
no longer sustain it。
____________________________________________________________________
Notes：
＇1＇ Barrère； 〃Point du jour；〃 No。 1； （June 15； 1789）。 〃 You are
summoned to give history a fresh start。〃
＇2＇ Condorcet； ibid。； 〃Tableau des progrès de l'esprit humain；〃 the
tenth epoch。 〃The methods of the mathematical sciences； applied to new
objects； have opened new roads to the moral and political sciences。〃 …
Cf。 Rousseau； in the 〃Contrat Social；〃 the mathematical calculation of
the fraction of sovereignty to which each individual is entitled。
＇3＇ Saint…Lambert； 〃Catéchisme universel；〃 the first dialogue； p。
17。
＇4＇ Condorcet； ibid。； ninth epoch。 〃From this single truth the
publicists have been able to derive the rights of man。〃
＇5＇ Rousseau still entertained admiration for Montesquieu but； at
the same time； with some reservation； afterwards； however； the theory
developed itself； every historical right being rejected。 〃Then；〃 says
Condorcet； （ibid。； ninth epoch）； 〃they found themselves obliged
abandon a false and crafty policy which； forgetful of men deriving
equal rights through their nature； attempted at one time to estimate
those allowed to them according to extent of territory； the
temperature of the climate； the national character； the wealth of the
population； the degree of perfection of their commerce and industries；
and again to apportion the same rights unequally among diverse classes
of men； bestowing them on birth； riches and professions； and thus
creating opposing interests and opposing powers； for the purpose of
subsequently establishing an equilibrium alone rendered necessary by
these institutions themselves and which the danger of their tendencies
by no means corrects。〃
＇6＇ Condillac； 〃Logique。〃
＇7＇ 〃Histoire de France par Estampes；〃 1789。 （In the collection of
engravings； Bibliotheque Nationale de Paris。）
＇8＇ Mme。 de Genlis； 〃Souvenirs de Félicie；〃 371…391。
＇9＇ De Tocqueville； 〃L'Ancien régime；〃 237。 … Cf。 〃L'an 2440；〃 by
Mercier； III。 vols。 One of these lovely daydreams in all its detail
may be found here。 The work was first published in 1770。 〃The
Revolution；〃 says one of the characters； 〃was brought about without an
effort； through the heroism of a great man； a royal philosopher worthy
of power； because he despised it；〃 etc。 （Tome II。 109。）
＇10＇ 〃Mémoires de M。 Bouillé；〃 p。70。 … Cf。 Barante； 〃Tableau de la
litt。 fran？aise au dixhuitième siècle；〃 p。 318。 〃Civilization and
enlightenment were supposed to have allayed all passions and softened
all characters。 It seemed as if morality had become easy of practice
and that the balance of social order was so well adjusted that nothing
could disturb it。〃
＇11＇ See in Rousseau； in the 〃Lettre à M。 de Beaumont；〃 a scene of
this description； the establishment of deism and toleration；
associated with a similar discourse。
＇12＇ Roux et Buchez； 〃Histoire parlementaire；〃 IV。 322； the address
made on the 11th Feb。； 1790。 〃What an affecting and sublime address；〃
says a deputy。 It was greeted by the Assembly； with 〃unparalleled
applause。〃 The whole address ought to have been quoted entire。
＇13＇ The number of cerebral cells is e