按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
into a fact； fully established； it is that of Rousseau； in 1789 and
during the three following years。 For； not only are his principles
embodied in the laws； and the Constitution throughout animated with
his spirit； but it seems as if the nation looked upon his
ideological gambols； his abstract fiction； as serious。 This fiction
it carried out in every particular。 A social contract； at one
spontaneous and practical； an immense gathering of men associating
together freely for the first time for the recognition of their
respective rights； forming a specific compact； and binding
themselves by a solemn oath： such is the social recipe prescribed by
the philosophers； and which is carried out to the letter。 Moreover；
as this recipe is esteemed infallible； the imagination is worked
upon and the sensibilities of the day are brought into play。 It is
admitted that men； on again becoming equals； have again become
brothers。＇2＇ A sudden and amazing harmony of all volitions and all
intelligences will restore the golden age on earth。 It is proper；
accordingly； to regard the social contract as a festival； an
affecting； sublime idyll； in which； from one end of France to the
other； all； hand in hand； should assemble and swear to the new
compact； with song； with dance； with tears of joy； with shouts of
gladness； the worthy beginning of public felicity。 With unanimous
assent； indeed； the idyll is performed as if according to a written
program。
On the 29th of November； 1789； at Etoile； near Valence； the
federations began。＇3＇ Twelve thousand National Guards； from the two
banks of the Rh？ne； promise 〃to remain for ever united； to insure
the circulation of grain； and to maintain the laws passed by the
National Assembly。〃 On the 13th of December； at Montélimart； six
thousand men； the representatives of 27 000 other men； take a
similar oath and confederate themselves with the foregoing。 … Upon
this the excitement spreads from month to month and from province to
province。 Fourteen towns of the bailiwicks of Franche…Comté form a
patriotic league。 At Pontivy； Brittany enters into federal
relations with Anjou。 One thousand National Guards of Vivarais and
Languedoc send their delegates to Voute。 48 000 in the Vosges send
their deputies to Epinal。 During February； March； April； and May；
1790； in Alsace； Champagne； Dauphiny； Orléanais； Touraine； Lyonnais；
and Provence； there is the same spectacle。 At Draguignan eight
thousand National Guards take the oath in the presence of 20 000
spectators。 At Lyons 50 000 men； delegates of more than 500 000
others take the civic oath。 … But local unions are not sufficient to
complete the organization of France ； a general union of all
Frenchmen must take place。 Many of the various National Guards have
already written to Paris for the purpose of affiliating themselves
with the National Guard there； and； one the 5th of June； the
Parisian municipal body having proposed it； the Assembly decrees the
universal federation。 It is to take place on the 14th of July；
everywhere on the same day； both at the center and at the
extremities of the kingdom。 There is to be one in the principal
town of each district and of each department； and one in the
capital。 To the latter each body of the National Guards is to send
deputies in the proportion of one man to every two hundred； and each
regiment one officer； one non…commissioned officer； and four
privates。 Fourteen thousand representatives of the National Guard
of the provinces appear on the Champ de Mars； the theater of the
festival； also eleven to twelve thousand representatives of the land
and marine forces； besides the National Guard of Paris； and sixty
thousand spectators on the surrounding slopes； with a still greater
crowd on the heights of Chaillot and of Passy。 All rise to their
feet and swear fidelity to the nation； to the law； to the King and
to the new Constitution。 When the report of the cannon is heard
which announces the taking of the oath； those of the Parisians who
have remained at home； men； women； and children； raise their hands
in the direction of the Champ de Mars and likewise make their
affirmation。 In every principal town of every district； department；
and commune in France there is the same oath on the same day。 Never
was there a more perfect social compact heard of。 Here； for the
first time in the world； everybody beholds a veritable legitimate
society； for it is founded on free pledges； on solemn stipulations；
and on actual consent。 They possess the authentic act and the dated
official report of it。＇4＇
There is still something more … the time and the occasion betoken a
union of all hearts。 The barriers which have hitherto separated men
from each other are all removed and without effort。 Provincial
antagonisms are now to cease： the confederates of Brittany and Anjou
write that they no longer desire to be Angevins and Bretons； but
simply Frenchmen。 All religious discords are to come to an end： at
Saint…Jean…du…Gard； near Alais； the Catholic curé and the Protestant
pastor embrace each other at the altar； the pastor occupies the best
seat in the church； and at the Protestant meeting…house the curé has
the place of honor； and listens to the sermon of the pastor。＇5＇
Distinctions of rank and condition will no longer exist； at Saint…
Andéol 〃 the honor of taking the oath in the name of the people is
conferred on two old men； one ninety…three and the other ninety…four
years of age； one a noble and a colonel of the National Guard； and
the other a simple peasant。〃 At Paris； two hundred thousand persons
of all conditions； ages； and sexes； officers and soldiers； monks and
actors； school…boys and masters； dandies and ragamuffins； elegant
ladies and fishwives； workmen of every class and the peasants from
the vicinity； all flocked to the Champ de Mars to dig the earth
which was not ready； and in a week； trundling wheelbarrows and
handling the pick…ax as equals and comrades； all voluntarily yoked
in the same service； converted a flat surface into a valley between
two hills。 … At Strasbourg； General Luckner； commander…in…chief；
worked a whole afternoon in his shirt…sleeves just like the
commonest laborer。 The confederates are fed； housed； and have their
expenses paid everywhere on all the roads。 At Paris the publicans
and keepers of furnished houses lower their prices of their own
accord； and do not think of robbing their new guests。 〃The
districts；〃 moreover； 〃feast the provincials to their heart's
content。＇6＇ There are meals every day for from twelve to fifteen
hundred people。〃 Provincials and Parisians； soldiers and bourgeois；
seated and mingled together； drink each other's health and embrace。
The soldiers； especially； and the inferior officers are surrounded；
welcomed； and entertained to such an extent that they lose their
heads； their health； and more besides。 One 〃old trooper； who had
been over fifty years in the service； died on the way home； used up
with cordials and excess of pleasure。〃 In short； the joy is
excessive； as it should be on the great day when the wish of an
entire century is accomplished。 … Behold ideal felicity； as
displayed in the books and illustrations of the time！ The natural
man buried underneath an artificial civilization is disinterred； and
again appears as in early days； as in Tahiti； as in philosophic and
literary pastorals； as in bucolic and mythological operas；
confiding； affectionate； and happy。 〃The sight of all these beings
again restored to the sweet sentiments of primitive brotherhood is
an exquisite delight almost too great for the soul to support；〃 and
the Frenchman； more light…hearted and far more childlike than he is
to…day； gives himself up unrestrainedly to his social； sympathetic；
and generous instincts。 Whatever the imagination of the day offers
him to increase his emotions； all the classical； rhetorical； and
dramatic material at his command； are employed for the embellishment
of his festival。 Already wildly enthusiastic； he is anxious to
increase his enthusiasm。 … At Lyons； the fifty thousand confederates
from the south range themselves in line of battle around an
artificial rock； fifty feet high； covered with shrubs； and
surmounted by a Temple of Concord in which stands a huge statue of
Liberty； the steps of the rock are decked with flags； and a solemn
mass precedes the administration of the oath。 … At Paris； an alter
dedicated to the nation is erected in the middle of the Champ de
Mars； which is transformed into a colossal circus。 The regular
troops and the federations of the departments stand in position
around it； the King being in front with the Queen and the dauphin；
while near them are the princes and princesses in a gallery； and the
members of the National Assembly in an amphitheater； two hundred
priests； draped in their albs and with tricolored belts； officiate
around Talleyrand； Bishop of