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wicked。 For over and above all political； economic； social wrongs； there
were wrongs personal； human； dramatic； which stirred not merely the
springs of covetousness or envy； or even of a just demand for the freedom
of labour and enterprise： but the very deepest springs of rage； contempt；
and hate； wrongs which caused； as I believe； the horrors of the Revolution。
It is notorious how many of the men most deeply implicated in those
horrors were of the artist classby which I signify not merely painters and
sculptorsas the word artist has now got； somewhat strangely； to signify；
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at least in Englandbut what the French meant by ARTISTESproducers
of luxuries and amusements； play… actors； musicians； and suchlike； down
to that 〃distracted peruke… maker with two fiery torches；〃 who； at the
storm of the Bastile； 〃was for burning the saltpetres of the Arsenal； had not
a woman run screaming； had not a patriot； with some tincture of natural
philosophy； instantly struck the wind out of him； with butt of musket on
pit of stomach； overturned the barrels； and stayed the devouring element。〃
The distracted peruke…maker may have had his wrongsperhaps such a
one as that of poor Triboulet the fool； in 〃Le Roi s'amuse〃and his own
sound reasons for blowing down the Bastile； and the system which kept it
up。
For these very ministers of luxurythen miscalled artfrom the
periwig…maker to the play…actorwho like them had seen the frivolity； the
baseness； the profligacy； of the rulers to whose vices they pandered； whom
they despised while they adored！ Figaro himself may have looked up to
his master the Marquis as a superior being as long as the law enabled the
Marquis to send him to the Bastile by a lettre de cachet； yet Figaro may
have known and seen enough to excuse him； when lettres de cachet were
abolished； for handing the Marquis over to a Comite de Salut Public。
Disappointed play…actors； like Collet d'Herbois； disappointed poets； like
Fabre d'Olivet； were； they say； especially ferocious。 Why not？ Ingenious；
sensitive spirits； used as lap…dogs and singing…birds by men and women
whom they felt to be their own flesh and blood； they had； it may be； a
juster appreciation of the actual worth of their patrons than had our own
Pitt and Burke。 They had played the valet： and no man was a hero to
them。 They had seen the nobleman expose himself before his own helots：
they would try if the helot was not as good as the nobleman。 The
nobleman had played the mountebank： why should not the mountebank；
for once； play the nobleman？ The nobleman's God had been his five
senses； with （to use Mr。 Carlyle's phrase） the sixth sense of vanity： why
should not the mountebank worship the same God； like Carriere at Nantes；
and see what grace and gifts he too might obtain at that altar？
But why so cruel？ Because； with many of these men； I more than
suspect； there were wrongs to be avenged deeper than any wrongs done to
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the sixth sense of vanity。 Wrongs common to them； and to a great
portion of the respectable middle class； and much of the lower class： but
wrongs to which they and their families； being most in contact with the
noblesse； would be especially exposed； namely； wrongs to women。
Everyone who knows the literature of that time； must know what I
mean： what had gone on for more than a century； it may be more than
two； in France； in Italy； andI am sorry to have to say itGermany
likewise。 All historians know what I mean； and how enormous was the
evil。 I only wonder that they have so much overlooked that item in the
causes of the Revolution。 It seems to me to have been more patent and
potent in the sight of men； as it surely was in the sight of Almighty God；
than all the political and economic wrongs put together。 They might
have issued in a change of dynasty or of laws。 That； issued in the blood of
the offenders。 Not a girl was enticed into Louis XV。's Petit Trianon； or
other den of aristocratic iniquity； but left behind her； parents nursing
shame and sullen indignation； even while they fingered the ill…gotten price
of their daughter's honour； and left behind also； perhaps； some unhappy
boy of her own class； in whom disappointment and jealousy were
transformedand who will blame him？into righteous indignation； and a
very sword of God； all the more indignant； and all the more righteous； if
education helped him to see； that the maiden's acquiescence； her pride in
her own shame； was the ugliest feature in the whole crime； and the most
potent reason for putting an end； however fearful； to a state of things in
which such a fate was thought an honour and a gain； and not a disgrace
and a ruin； in which the most gifted daughters of the lower classes had
learnt to think it more noble to becomethat which they becamethan the
wives of honest men。
If you will read fairly the literature of the Ancien Regime； whether in
France or elsewhere； you will see that my facts are true。 If you have
human hearts in you； you will see in them； it seems to me； an explanation
of many a guillotinade and fusillade； as yet explained only on the ground
of madnessan hypothesis which （as we do not yet in the least understand
what madness is） is no explanation at all。
An age of decay； incoherence； and makeshift； varnish and gilding upon
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worm…eaten furniture； and mouldering wainscot； was that same Ancien
Regime。 And for that very reason a picturesque age； like one of its own
landscapes。 A picturesque bit of uncultivated mountain； swarming with
the prince's game； a picturesque old robber schloss above； now in ruins；
and below； perhaps； the picturesque new schloss； with its French fountains
and gardens； French nymphs of marble； and of flesh and blood likewise；
which the prince has partially paid for； by selling a few hundred young
men to the English to fight the Yankees。 The river； too； is picturesque；
for the old bridge has not been repaired since it was blown up in the Seven
Years' War； and there is but a single lazy barge floating down the stream；
owing to the tolls and tariffs of his Serene Highness； the village is
picturesque； for the flower of the young men are at the wars； and the place
is tumbling down； and the two old peasants in the foreground； with the
single goat and the hamper of vine… twigs； are very picturesque likewise；
for they are all in rags。
How sad to see the picturesque element eliminated； and the quiet
artistic beauty of the scene destroyed；to have steamers puffing up and
down the river； and a railroad hurrying along its banks the wealth of the
Old World； in exchange for the wealth of the Newor hurrying； it may be；
whole regiments of free and educated citizen… soldiers； who fight； they
know for what。 How sad to see the alto schloss desecrated by tourists；
and the neue schloss converted into a cold…water cure。 How sad to see
the village； church and all； built up again brand…new； and whitewashed to
the very steeple…top； a new school at the town…enda new crucifix by the
wayside。 How sad to see the old folk well clothed in the fabrics of
England or Belgium； doing an easy trade in milk and fruit； because the
land they till has become their own； and not the prince's； while their sons
are thriving farmers on the prairies of the far West。 Very unpicturesque；
no doubt； is wealth and progress； peace and safety； cleanliness and comfort。
But they possess advantages unknown to the Ancien Regime； which was；
if nothing else； picturesque。 Men could paint amusing and often pretty
pictures of its people and its places。
Consider that word； 〃picturesque。〃 It； and the notion of