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generous； and further； more devoted； laborious； and in some cases
endowed with rare talent。 But neither zeal； nor labor； nor talent
are of any use when not employed in the service of a sound idea； and
if in the service of a false one； the greater they are the more
mischief they do。
Towards the end of the year 1789； there can be not doubt of this；
and the parties now formed reveal their presumption； improvidence；
incapacity； and obstinacy。 〃This Assembly；〃 writes the American
ambassador；＇28＇ 〃may be divided into three parties；
one called the aristocrats； consists of the high clergy； the
parliamentary judges； and such of the nobility as think they ought
to form a separate order。〃 This is the party which offers resistance
to follies and errors； but with follies and errors almost equally
great。 In the beginning 〃the prelates；＇29＇ instead of conciliating
the curés； kept them at a humiliating distance； affecting
distinctions； exacting respect；〃 and； in their own chamber； 〃ranging
themselves apart on separate benches。〃 The nobles； on the other
hand； the more to alienate the commons； began by charging these
with； 〃revolt； treachery； and treason；〃 and by demanding the use of
military force against them。 Now that the victorious Third…Estate
has again overcome them and overwhelms them with numbers； they
become still more maladroit； and conduct the defense much less
efficiently than the attack。 〃In the Assembly；〃 says one of them；
〃they do not listen； but laugh and talk aloud；〃 they take pains to
embitter their adversaries and the galleries by their impertinence。
〃They leave the chamber when the President puts the question and
invite the deputies of their party to follow them； or cry out to
them not to take part in the deliberation ： through this desertion；
the clubbists become the majority； and decree whatever they please。〃
It is in this way that the appointment of judges and bishops is
withdrawn from the King and assigned to the people。 Again； after
the return from Varennes； when the Assembly finds out that the
result of its labors is impracticable and wants to make it less
democratic； the whole of the right side refuses to share in the
debates； and； what is worse； votes with the revolutionaries to
exclude the members of the Constituent from the Legislative
Assembly。 Thus； not only does it abandon its own cause； but it
commits self…destruction； and its desertion ends in suicide。
A second party remains； 〃the middle party；〃＇30＇ which consists of
well…intentioned people from every class； sincere partisans of a
good government； but； unfortunately； they have acquired their ideas
of government from books； and are admirable on paper。 But as it
happens that the men who live in the world are very different from
imaginary men who dwell in the heads of philosophers； it is not to
be wondered at if the systems taken out of books are fit for nothing
but to be upset by another book。 Intellects of this stamp are the
natural prey of utopians。 Lacking the ballast of experience they
are carried away by pure logic and serve to enlarge the flock of
theorists。 … The latter form the third party； which is called the
〃enragés （the wild men）； and who； at the expiration of six months；
find themselves 〃the most numerous of all。〃
〃It is composed；〃 says Morris； 〃of that class which in America is
known by the name of pettifogging lawyers； together with a host of
curates and many of those persons who in all revolutions throng to
the standard of change because they are not well。＇31＇ This last
party is in close alliance with the populace and derives from this
circumstance very great authority。〃
All powerful passions are on its side； not merely the irritation
of the people tormented by misery and suspicion； not merely the
ambition and self…esteem of the bourgeois； in revolt against the
ancient régime； but also the inveterate bitterness and fixed ideas
of so many suffering minds and so many factious intellects；
Protestants； Jansenists； economists； philosophers； men who； like
Fréteau； Rabout…Saint…Etienne； Volney； Sieyès； are hatching out a
long arrears of resentments or hopes； and who only await the
opportunity to impose their system with all the intolerance of
dogmatism and of faith。 To minds of this stamp the past is a dead
letter； example is no authority； realities are of no account； they
live in their own Utopia。 Sieyès； the most important of them all；
judges that 〃the whole English constitution is charlatanism；
designed for imposing on the people；〃＇32＇ he regards the English 〃as
children in the matter of a constitution；〃 and thinks that he is
capable of giving France a much better one。 Dumont； who sees the
first committees at the houses of Brissot and Clavières； goes away
with as much anxiety as 〃disgust。〃
〃It is impossible；〃 he says； 〃to depict the confusion of ideas；
the license of the imagination； the burlesque of popular notions。
One would think that they saw before them the world on the day after
the Creation。〃
They seem to think； indeed； that human society does not exist； and
that they are appointed to create it。 Just as well might
ambassadors 〃of hostile tribes； and of diverse interests； set
themselves to arrange their common lot as if nothing had previously
existed。〃 There is no hesitation。 They are satisfied that the
thing can be easily done； and that； with two or three axioms of
political philosophy； the first man that comes may make himself
master of it。 Immoderate conceit of this kind among men of
experience would seem ridiculous； in this assembly of novices it is
a strength。 A flock which has lost its way follows those who
appears to forge ahead； they are the most irrational but they are
the most confident； and in the Chamber as in the nation it is the
daredevils who become leaders。
III。 THE POWER OF SIMPLE； GENERAL IDEAS。
Ascendancy of the revolutionary party … Theory in its favor … The
constraint thus imposed on men's minds … Appeal to the passions …
Brute force on the side of the party … It profits by this …
Oppression of the minority。
Two advantages give this party the ascendancy； and these advantages
are of such importance that henceforth whoever possesses them is
sure of being master。 … In the first place the prevailing theory is
on the side of the revolutionaries； and they alone are； in the
second place； determined thoroughly to apply it。 This party；
therefore； is the only one which is consistent and popular in the
face of adversaries who are unpopular and inconsequent。 Nearly all
of the latter； indeed； defenders of the ancient régime； or partisans
of a limited monarchy； are likewise imbued with abstract principles
and philosophical speculation。 The most refractory nobles have
advocated the rights of man in their memorials。 Mounier； the
principal opponent of the demagogues； was the leader of the commons
when they proclaimed themselves to be the National …Assembly。＇33＇
This is enough： they have entered the narrow defile which leads to
the abyss。 They had no idea of it at the first start； but one step
leads to another； and； willing or unwilling； they march on； or are
pushed on。 When the abyss comes in sight it is too late； they have
been driven there by the logical results of their own concessions；
they can do nothing but wax eloquent and indignant； having abandoned
their vantage ground； they find no halting…place remaining。 … There
is an enormous power in general ideas； especially if they are
simple； and appeal to the passions。 None are simpler than these；
since they are reducible to the axiom which assumes the rights of
man； and subordinate to them every institution； old or new。 None
are better calculated to inflame the sentiments； since the doctrine
enlists human arrogance and pride in its service； and； in the name
of justice； consecrates all the demands of independence and
domination。 Consider three…fourths of the deputies； immature and
prejudiced； possessing no information but a few formulas of the
current philosophy； with no thread to guide them but pure logic；
abandoned to the declamation of lawyers； to the wild utterances of
the newspapers； to the promptings of self…esteem； to the hundred
thousand tongues which； on all sides； at the bar of the Assembly； at
the tribune； in the clubs； in the streets； in their own breasts；
repeat unanimously to them； and every day； the same flattery：
〃You are sovereign and omnipotent。 Right is vested in you alone。
The King exists only to execute your will。 Every order； every
corporation； every power； every civil or ecclesiastical association
is illegitimate and null the moment you declare it to be so。 You
may even transform religion。 You are the fathers of the country。
You have saved France； you will regenerate humanity。 The whole
world looks on you in admiration； finish