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priests； draped in their albs and with tricolored belts； officiate
around Talleyrand； Bishop of Autun； three hundred drums and twelve
hundred musicians all play at once； forty piece of cannon are
discharged at one volley； and four hundred thousand cheers go up as
if from one threat。 Never was such an effort made to intoxicate the
senses and strain the nerves beyond their powers of endurance！ … The
moral machine is made to vibrate to the same and even to a greater
extent。 For more than a year past； harangues； proclamations；
addresses； newspapers and events have daily added one degree more to
the pressure。 On this occasion； thousands of speeches； multiplied
by myriads of newspapers； carry the enthusiasm to the highest pitch。
Declamation foams and rolls along in a steady stream of rhetoric
everywhere throughout France。＇7＇ In this state of excitement the
difference between magniloquence and sincerity； between the false
and the true； between show and substance； is no longer
distinguishable。 The Federation becomes an opera which is seriously
played in the open street … children have parts assigned them in it；
it occurs to no one that they are puppets； and that the words taken
for an expression of the heart are simply memorized speeches that
have been put into their mouths。 At Besan？on； on the return of the
confederates； hundreds of 〃youthful citizens〃 from twelve to
fourteen years of age；＇8＇ in the national uniform； 〃with sword in
hand；〃 march up to the standard of Liberty。 Three little girls from
eleven to thirteen years old and two little boy of nine years each
pronounce 〃a discourse full of fire and breathing nothing but
patriotism；〃 after which； a young lady of fourteen； raising her
voice and pointing to the flag； harangues in turn the crowd； the
deputies； the National Guard； the mayor； and the commander of the
troops； the scene ending with a ball。 This is the universal finale
… men and women； children and adults； common people and men of the
world； chiefs and subordinates； all； everywhere； frisk about as in
the last act of a pastoral drama。 At Paris； … writes an eye…
witness； 〃I saw chevaliers of Saint…Louis and chaplains dancing in
the street with people belonging to their department。〃＇9＇ At the
Champ de Mars； on the day of the Federation； notwithstanding that
rain was falling in torrents； 〃the first arrivals began to dance；
and those who came after them； joining in； formed a circle which
soon spread over a portion of the Champ de Mars。 。 。 。Three
hundred thousand spectators kept time with their hands。〃 On the
following days dancing is kept up on the Champ de Mars and in the
streets； and there is drinking and carousing； 〃there was a ball with
refreshments at the Corn…Exchange； and on the site of the Bastille。〃
… At Tours； where fifty…two detachments from the neighboring
provinces are collected； about four o'clock in the afternoon；＇10＇
through an irresistible outburst of insane gaiety； 〃the officers；
inferior officers； and soldiers； pell…mell； race through the
streets； some with saber in hand and others dancing and shouting
'Vive le Roi！' 'Vive la Nation！' flinging up their hats and
compelling every one they met to join in the dance。 One of the
canons of the cathedral； who happens to be passing quietly along；
has a grenadier's cap put on his head；〃 and is dragged into the
circle； and after him two monks； 〃they are often embraced；〃 and then
allowed to depart。 The carriages of the mayor and the Marquise de
Montausier arrive； people mount up behind； get inside； and seat
themselves in front； as many as can find room； and force the
coachmen to parade through the principal streets in this fashion。
There is no malice in it； nothing but sport and the overflow of
spirits。 〃Nobody was maltreated or insulted； although almost every
one was drunk。〃 … Nevertheless； there is one bad symptom： the
soldiers of the Anjou regiment leave their barracks the following
day and 〃pass the whole night abroad； no one being able to hinder
them。〃 And there is another of still graver aspect； at Orleans；
after the companies of the National Militia had danced on the square
in the evening； 〃a large number of volunteers marched in procession
through the town with drums； shouting out with all their might that
the aristocracy must be destroyed； and that priests and aristocrats
should be strung up to the lamp post。 They enter a suspected
coffee…house； drive out the inmates with insults； lay hands on a
gentleman who is supposed not to have cried out as correctly and as
lustily as themselves； and come near to hanging him。＇11＇ … Such is
the fruit of the philosophy and the attitudes of the eighteenth
century。 Men believed that； for the organization of a perfect
society and the permanent establishment of freedom； justice； and
happiness on earth； an inspiration of sentiments and an act of the
will would suffice。 The inspiration came and the act was fulfilled；
they have been carried away； delighted； affected and out of their
minds。 Now comes the reaction； when they have to fall back upon
themselves。 The effort has succeeded in accomplishing all that it
could accomplish； namely； a deluge of emotional demonstrations and
slogans； a verbal and not a real contract ostentatious fraternity
skin…deep； a well…meaning masquerade； an outpouring of feeling
evaporating through its own pageantry … in short； an agreeable
carnival of a day's duration。
The reason is that in the human mind there are two strata。 One
superficial； of which men are conscious； the other deep down； of
which they are unconscious。＇12＇ The former unstable and vacillating
like shifting sand； the latter stable and fixed like a solid rock；
to which their caprices and agitation never descend。 The latter
alone determines the general inclination of the soil； the main
current of human activity necessarily following the bent thus
prepared for it。 … Certainly embraces have been interchanged and
oaths have been taken； but after； as before the ceremony； men are
just what many centuries of administrative thralldom and one century
of political literature have made them。 Their ignorance and
presumption； their prejudices； hatreds； and distrusts； their
inveterate intellectual and emotional habits are still preserved。
They are human； and their stomachs need to be filled daily。 They
have imagination； and； if bread be scarce； they fear that they may
not get enough of it。 They prefer to keep their money rather than
to give it away。 For this reason they spurn the claims which the
State and individuals have upon them as much as possible。 They
avoid paying their debts。 They willingly lay their hands on public
property which is badly protected； finally they are disposed to
regard gendarmes and proprietors as detrimental； and all the more so
because this has been repeated to them over and over again； day
after day； for a whole year。 … On the other hand there is no change
in the situation of things。 They are ever living in a disorganized
community； under an impracticable constitution； the passions which
sap public order being only the more stimulated by the semblance of
fraternity under which they seemed to be allayed。 Men cannot be
persuaded with impunity that the millennium has come； for they will
want to enjoy it immediately； and will tolerate no deception
practiced on their expectations。 In this violent state； fired by
boundless expectations； all their whims appear reasonable and all
their opinions rational。 They are no longer able to find faults
with or control themselves。 In their brain； overflowing with
emotions and enthusiasm； there is no room but for one intense；
absorbing； fixed idea。 Each is confident and over…confident in his
own opinion； all become impassioned； imperious； and intractable。
Having assumed that all obstacles are taken out of the way； they
grow indignant at each obstacle they actually encounter。 Whatever
it may be； they shatter it on the instant； and their over…excited
imagination covers with the fine name of patriotism their natural
appetite for despotism and domination。
France； accordingly； in the three years which follow the taking of
the Bastille； presents a strange spectacle。 In the words we find
charity and in the laws symmetry； while the actual events present a
spectacle of disorder and violence。 Afar； is the reign of
philosophy； close up is the chaos of the Carlovingian era。
〃Foreigners；〃 remarks an observer；＇13＇ 〃are not aware that； with a
great extension of political rights； the liberty of the individual
is in law reduced to nothing； while in practice it is subject to the
caprice of sixty thousand constitutional assemblies； that no citizen
enjoys any protection against the annoyances of these popular
assemblies； that； according to the opinions which they entertain of
persons and things； they act in one place in one way and in another
place in another way。 Here；