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All the passions being more or less aroused； including ambition
and vanity； we see the development of jealousy and envy of those
who have succeeded more quickly than others。
The effect of jealousy； always important in times of revolution；
was especially so during the great French Revolution。 Jealousy
of the nobility constituted one of its most important factors。
The middle classes had increased in capacity and wealth； to the
point of surpassing the nobility。 Although they mingled with the
nobles more and more； they felt； none the less； that they were
held at a distance； and this they keenly resented。 This frame of
mind had unconsciously made the bourgeoisie keen supporters of
the philosophic doctrine of equality。
Wounded self…love and jealousy were thus the causes of
hatreds that we can scarcely conceive today； when the social
influence of the nobility is so small。 Many members of the
ConventionCarrier； Marat； and othersremembered with anger
that they had once occupied subordinate positions in the
establishments of great nobles。 Mme。 Roland was never able to
forget that； when she and her mother were invited to the house of
a great lady under the ancien regime； they had been sent to
dine in the servants' quarters。
The philosopher Rivarol has very well described in the following
passage； already cited by Taine； the influence of wounded self…
love and jealousy upon the revolutionary hatreds：
‘‘It is not；'' he writes； ‘‘the taxes； nor the lettres de
cachet； nor any of the other abuses of authority； it is not the
sins of the intendants； nor the long and ruinous delays of
justice； that has most angered the nation； it is the prejudices
of the nobility for which it has exhibited the greatest hatred。
What proves this clearly is the fact that it is the bourgeois；
the men of letters； the men of money； in fact all those who are
jealous of the nobility； who have raised the poorer inhabitants
of the cities against them； and the peasants in the country
districts。''
This very true statement partly justifies the saying of Napoleon：
‘‘Vanity made the Revolution； liberty was only the pretext。''
Enthusiasm。The enthusiasm of the founders of the Revolution
equalled that of the apostles of the faith of Mohammed。 And it
was really a religion that the bourgeois of the first Assembly
thought to found。 They thought to have destroyed an old
world； and to have built a new one upon its ruins。 Never
did illusion more seductive fire the hearts of men。 Equality and
fraternity； proclaimed by the new dogmas； were to bring the reign
of eternal happiness to all the peoples。 Man had broken for ever
with a past of barbarity and darkness。 The regenerated world
would in future be illuminated by the lucid radiance of pure
reason。 On all hands the most brilliant oratorical formulae
saluted the expected dawn。
That this enthusiasm was so soon replaced by violence was due to
the fact that the awakening was speedy and terrible。 One can
readily conceive the indignant fury with which the apostles of
the Revolution attacked the daily obstacles opposed to the
realisation of their dreams。 They had sought to reject the past；
to forget tradition； to make man over again。 But the past
reappeared incessantly； and men refused to change。 The
reformers； checked in their onward march； would not give in。
They sought to impose by force a dictatorship which speedily made
men regret the system abolished； and finally led to its return。
It is to be remarked that although the enthusiasm of the first
days did not last in the revolutionary Assemblies； it survived
very much longer in the armies； and constituted their chief
strength。 To tell the truth； the armies of the Revolution were
republican long before France became so； and remained republican
long after France had ceased to be so。
The variations of character considered in this chapter； being
conditioned by certain common aspirations and identical changes
of environment； finally became concrete in a small number
of fairly homogeneous mentalities。 Speaking only of the more
characteristic； we may refer them to four types： the Jacobin；
mystic； revolutionary； and criminal mentalities。
CHAPTER II
THE MYSTIC MENTALITY AND THE JACOBIN MENTALITY
1。 Classification of Mentalities predominant in Time of
Revolution。
The classifications without which the study of the sciences is
impossible must necessarily establish the discontinuous in the
continuous； and for that reason are to a certain extent
artificial。 But they are necessary； since the continuous is only
accessible in the form of the discontinuous。
To create broad distinctions between the various mentalities
observable in time of revolution； as we are about to do； is
obviously to separate elements which encroach upon one another；
which are fused or superimposed。 We must resign ourselves to
losing a little in exactitude in order to gain in lucidity。 The
fundamental types enumerated at the end of the preceding chapter；
and which we are about to describe； synthetise groups which would
escape analysis were we to attempt to study them in all their
complexity。
We have shown that man is influenced by different logics； which
under normal conditions exist in juxtaposition； without mutually
influencing one another。 Under the action of various events they
enter into mutual conflict； and the irreducible differences
which divide them are visibly manifested； involving considerable
individual and social upheavals。
Mystic logic； which we shall presently consider as it appears in
the Jacobin mind； plays a very important part。 But it is not
alone in its action。 The other forms of logicaffective logic；
collective logic； and rational logicmay predominate according
to circumstances。
2。 The Mystic Mentality。
Leaving aside for the moment the influence of affective；
rational； and collective logic； we will occupy ourselves solely
with the considerable part played by the mystic elements which
have prevailed in so many revolutions； and notably in the French
Revolution。
The chief characteristic of the mystic temperament consists in
the attribution of a mysterious power to superior beings or
forces； which are incarnated in the form of idols； fetiches；
words； or formulae。
The mystic spirit is at the bottom of all the religious and most
political beliefs。 These latter would often vanish could we
deprive them of the mystic elements which are their chief
support。
Grafted on the sentiments and passionate impulses which it
directs； mystic logic constitutes the might of the great popular
movements。 Men who would be by no means ready to allow
themselves to be killed for the best of reasons will readily
sacrifice their lives to a mystic ideal which has become an
object of adoration。
The principles of the Revolution speedily inspired a wave of
mystic enthusiasm analogous to those provoked by the various
religious beliefs which had preceded it。 All they did was to
change the orientation of a mental ancestry which the
centuries had solidified。
So there is nothing astonishing in the savage zeal of the men of
the Convention。 Their mystic mentality was the same as that of
the Protestants at the time of the Reformation。 The principal
heroes of the TerrorCouthon； Saint…Just； Robespierre； &c。were
Apostles。 Like Polyeuctes； destroying the altars of the false
gods to propagate his faith； they dreamed of converting the
globe。 Their enthusiasm spilled itself over the earth。
Persuaded that their magnificent formulae were sufficient to
overturn thrones； they did not hesitate to declare war upon
kings。 And as a strong faith is always superior to a doubtful
faith； they victoriously faced all Europe。
The mystic spirit of the leaders of the Revolution was betrayed
in the least details of their public life。 Robespierre；
convinced that he was supported by the Almighty； assured his
hearers in a speech that the Supreme Being had ‘‘decreed the
Republic since the beginning of time。'' In his quality of High
Pontiff of a State religion he made the Convention vote a decree
declaring that ‘‘the French People recognises the existence of
the Supreme Being and the immortality of the soul。'' At the
festival of this Supreme Being； seated on a kind of throne； he
preached a lengthy sermon。
The Jacobin Club； directed by Robespierre； finally assumed all
the functions of a council。 There Maximilien proclaimed ‘‘the
idea of a Great Being who watches over oppressed innocence and
who punishes triumphant crime。''
All the heretics who criticised the Jacobin orthodoxy were
excommunicatedthat is； were sent to the Revolutionary Tribunal；
which they left only for the scaffold。
The mystic mentality of which Robespierre was the most celebrated
representative did not die with