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when war was decided upon he mounted the tribune of the Jacobins
and declared that he would give his two daughters to the two
first soldiers to be wounded by the enemy。 He wanted the
nobles to be killed； &c。 Now； Monge was the most gentle and
feeble of men； and wouldn't have had a chicken killed if he had
had to do it with his own hands； or even to have it done in his
presence。''
3。 A Suggested Explanation of the Progressive Exaggeration of
Sentiments in Assemblies。
If collective sentiments were susceptible of exact quantitative
measurement； we might translate them by a curve which； after a
first gradual ascent； runs upward with extreme rapidity and then
falls almost vertically。 The equation of this curve might be
called the equation of the variations of collective sentiments
subjected to a constant excitation。
It is not always easy to explain the acceleration of certain
sentiments under the influence of a constant exciting cause。
Perhaps； however； one may say that if the laws of psychology are
comparable to those of mechanics； a cause of invariable
dimensions acting in a continuous fashion will rapidly increase
the intensity of a sentiment。 We know； for example； that a force
which is constant in dimension and direction； such as gravity
acting upon a mass； will cause an accelerated movement。 The
speed of a free object falling in space under the influence of
gravity will be about 32 feet during the first second； 64 feet
during the next； 96 feet during the next； &c。 It would be easy；
were the moving body allowed to fall from a sufficient height； to
give it a velocity sufficient to perforate a plate of steel。
But although this explanation is applicable to the acceleration
of a sentiment subjected to a constant exciting cause； it
does not tell us why the effects of acceleration finally and
suddenly cease。 Such a fall is only comprehensible if we bring
in physiological factorsthat is； if we remember that pleasure；
like pain； cannot exceed certain limits； and that all sensations；
when too violent； result in the paralysis of sensation。 Our
organism can only support a certain maximum of joy； pain； or
effort； and it cannot support that maximum for long together。
The hand which grasps a dynamometer soon exhausts its effort； and
is obliged suddenly to let go。
The study of the causes of the rapid disappearance of certain
groups of sentiments in assemblies will remind us of the fact
that beside the party which is predominant by means of its
strength or prestige there are others whose sentiments；
restrained by this force or prestige； have not reached their full
development。 Some chance circumstance may somewhat weaken the
prevailing party； when immediately the suppressed sentiments of
the adverse parties may become preponderant。 The Mountain
learned this lesson after Thermidor。
All analogies that we may seek to establish between the laws of
material phenomena and those which condition the evolution of
affective and mystic factors are evidently extremely rough。 They
must be so until the mechanism of the cerebral functions is
better understood than it is to…day。
PART II
THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
BOOK I
THE ORIGINS OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
CHAPTER I
THE OPINIONS OF HISTORIANS CONCERNING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
1。 The Historians of the Revolution。
The most contradictory opinions have been expressed respecting
the French Revolution； and although only a century separates us
from the period in question it seems impossible as yet to judge
it calmly。 For de Maistre it was ‘‘a satanic piece of work；''
and ‘‘never was the action of the spirit of darkness so evidently
manifested。'' For the modern Jacobins it has regenerated the
human race。
Foreigners who live in France still regard it as a subject to be
avoided in conversation。
‘‘Everywhere；'' writes Barrett Wendell； ‘‘this memory and these
traditions are still endowed with such vitality that few persons
are capable of considering them dispassionately。 They still
excite both enthusiasm and resentment； they are still regarded
with a loyal and ardent spirit of partisanship。 The better you
come to understand France the more clearly you see that even to…
day no study of the Revolution strikes any Frenchman as
having been impartial。''
This observation is perfectly correct。 To be interpretable with
equity； the events of the past must no longer be productive of
results and must not touch the religious or political beliefs
whose inevitable intolerance I have denoted。
We must not therefore be surprised that historians express very
different ideas respecting the Revolution。 For a long time to
come some will still see in it one of the most sinister events of
history； while to others it will remain one of the most glorious。
All writers on the subject have believed that they have related
its course with impartiality； but in general they have merely
supported contradictory theories of peculiar simplicity。 The
documents being innumerable and contradictory； their conscious or
unconscious choice has readily enabled them to justify their
respective theories。
The older historians of the RevolutionThiers； Quinet； and；
despite his talent； Michelet himself； are somewhat eclipsed to…
day。 Their doctrines were by no means complicated； a historic
fatalism prevails generally in their work。 Thiers regarded the
Revolution as the result of several centuries of absolute
monarchy； and the Terror as the necessary consequence of foreign
invasion。 Quinet described the excesses of 1793 as the result of
a long…continued despotism； but declared that the tyranny of the
Convention was unnecessary； and hampered the work of the
Revolution。 Michelet saw in this last merely the work of the
people； whom he blindly admired； and commenced the glorification
continued by other historians。
The former reputation of all these historians has been to a great
extent effaced by that of Taine。 Although equally impassioned；
he threw a brilliant light upon the revolutionary period； and it
will doubtless be long before his work is superseded。
Work so important is bound to show faults。 Taine is admirable in
the representation of facts and persons； but he attempts to judge
by the standard of rational logic events which were not dictated
by reason； and which； therefore； he cannot interpret。 His
psychology； excellent when it is merely descriptive； is very weak
as soon as it becomes explanatory。 To affirm that Robespierre
was a pedantic ‘‘swotter'' is not to reveal the causes of his
absolute power over the Convention； at a time when he had spent
several months in decimating it with perfect impunity。 It has
very justly been said of Taine that he saw well and understood
little。
Despite these restrictions his work is highly remarkable and has
not been equalled。 We may judge of his immense influence by the
exasperation which he causes among the faithful defenders of
Jacobin orthodoxy； of which M。 Aulard； professor at the Sorbonne；
is to…day the high priest。 The latter has devoted two years to
writing a pamphlet against Taine； every line of which is steeped
in passion。 All this time spent in rectifying a few material
errors which are not really significant has only resulted in the
perpetration of the very same errors。
Reviewing his work； M。 A。 Cochin shows that M。 Aulard has at
least on every other occasion been deceived by his quotations；
whereas Taine erred far more rarely。 The same historian shows
also that we must not trust M。 Aulard's sources。
‘‘These sourcesproceedings； pamphlets； journals； and the
speeches and writings of patriotsare precisely the authentic
publications of patriotism； edited by patriots； and edited； as a
rule； for the benefit of the public。 He ought to have seen in
all this simply the special pleading of the defendant： he had；
before his eyes； a ready…made history of the Revolution； which
presents； side by side with each of the acts of the ‘People；'
from the massacres of September to the law of Prairial； a ready…
made explanation according to the republican system of defence。''
Perhaps the fairest criticism that one can make of the work of
Taine is that it was left incomplete。 He studied more especially
the role of the populace and its leaders during the
revolutionary period。 This inspired him with pages vibrating
with an indignation which we can still admire； but several
important aspects of the Revolution escaped him。
Whatever one may think of the Revolution； an irreducible
difference will always exist between historians of the school of
Taine and those of the school of M。 Aulard。 The latter regards
the sovereign people as admirable； while the former shows us that
when abandoned to its instincts and liberated from all social
restraint it relapses i