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permanent guillotine and the final anarchy； or the ensuing return
to tradition and order； guided by the iron hand of a soldier？
In the development of events which ensued from the early actions
of the revolutionary Assemblies the most striking； perhaps； was
the rise and development of the government of the crowdof mob
rule。
Behind the facts which we have been consideringthe taking of
the Bastille； the invasion of Versailles； the massacres of
September； the attack on the Tuileries； the murder of the Swiss
Guards； and the downfall and imprisonment of the kingwe can
readily perceive the laws affecting the psychology of crowds and
their leaders。
We shall now see that the power of the multitude will
progressively increase； overcome all other powers； and finally
replace them。
CHAPTER III
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE CONVENTION
1。 The Legend of the Convention。
The history of the Convention is not merely fertile in
psychological documents。 It also shows how powerless the
witnesses of any period and even their immediate successors are
to form an exact idea of the events which they have witnessed；
and the men who have surrounded them。
More than a century has elapsed since the Revolution； and men are
only just beginning to form judgments concerning this period
which； if still often doubtful enough； are slightly more accurate
than of old。
This happens； not only because new documents are being drawn from
the archives； but because the legends which enveloped that
sanguinary period in a magical cloud are gradually vanishing with
the passage of time。
Perhaps the most tenacious legend of all was that which until
formerly used to surround the personages to whom our fathers
applied the glorious epithet； ‘‘the Giants of the Convention。''
The struggles of the Convention against France in insurrection
and Europe in arms produced such an impression that the heroes of
this formidable struggle seemed to belong to a race of supermen
or Titans。
The epithet ‘‘giant'' seemed justified so long as the events of
the period were confused and massed together。 Regarded as
connected when it was simply simultaneous； the work of the armies
was confounded with that of the Convention。 The glory of the
first recoiled upon the second； and served as an excuse for the
hecatombs of the Terror； the ferocity of the civil war； and the
devastation of France。
Under the penetrating scrutiny of modern criticism； the
heterogeneous mass of events has been slowly disentangled。 The
armies of the Republic have retained their old prestige； but we
have been forced to recognise that the men of the Convention；
absorbed entirely by their intestine conflicts； had very little
to do with their victories。 At the most two or three members of
the committees of the Assembly were concerned with the armies；
and the fact that they were victorious was due； apart from their
numbers and the talents of their young generals； to the
enthusiasm with which a new faith had inspired them。
In a later chapter； devoted to the revolutionary armies； we shall
see how they conquered Europe in arms。 They set out inspired by
the ideas of liberty and equality which constituted the new
gospel； and once on the frontiers； which were to keep them so
long； they retained a special mentality； very different from that
of the Government； which they first knew nothing of and
afterwards despised。
Having no part whatever in their victories； the men of the
Convention contented themselves with legislating at hazard
according to the injunctions of the leaders who directed them；
and who claimed to be regenerating France by means of the
guillotine。
But it was thanks to these valiant armies that the history of the
Convention was transformed into an apotheosis which affected
several generations with a religious respect which even to…day is
hardly extinct。
Studying in detail the psychology of the ‘‘Giants'' of the
Convention； we find their magnitude shrink very rapidly。 They
were in general extremely mediocre。 Their most fervent
defenders； such as M。 Aulard； are obliged to admit as much。
This is how M。 Aulard puts it in his History of the French
Revolution：
‘‘It has been said that the generation which from 1789 to 1799
did such great and terrible things was a generation of giants；
or； to put it more plainly； that it was a generation more
distinguished than that which preceded it or that which followed。
This is a retrospective illusion。 The citizens who formed the
municipal and Jacobin or nationalist groups by which the
Revolution was effected do not seem to have been superior； either
in enlightenment or in talents； to the Frenchmen of the time of
Louis XV。 or of Louis Philippe。 Were those exceptionally gifted
whose names history has retained because they appeared on the
stage of Paris； or because they were the most brilliant orators
of the various revolutionary Assemblies？ Mirabeau； up to a
certain point； deserved the title of genius； but as to the rest
Robespierre； Danton； Vergniaudhad they truly more talent； for
example； than our modern orators？ In 1793； in the time of the
supposed ‘giants；' Mme。 Roland wrote in her memoirs： ‘France was
as though drained of men； their dearth during this revolution is
truly surprising； there have scarcely been any but pigmies。' ''
If after considering the men of the Convention individually we
consider them in a body； we may say that they did not shine
either by intelligence or by virtue or by courage。 Never did a
body of men manifest such pusillanimity。 They had no courage
save in their speeches or in respect of remote dangers。 This
Assembly； so proud and threatening in its speech when addressing
royalty； was perhaps the most timid and docile political
collectivity that the world has ever known。 We see it slavishly
obedient to the orders of the clubs and the Commune； trembling
before the popular delegations which invaded it daily； and
obeying the injunctions of the rioters to the point of handing
over to them its most brilliant members。 The Convention affords
the world a melancholy spectacle； voting； at the popular behest；
laws so absurd that it is obliged to annul them as soon as the
rioters have quitted the hall。
Few Assemblies have given proof of such weakness。 When we wish
to show how low a popular Government can fall we have only to
point to the Convention。
2。 Results of the Triumph of the Jacobin Religion
Among the causes that gave the Convention its special
physiognomy； one of the most important was the definite
establishment of a revolutionary religion。 A dogma which was at
first in process of formation was at last finally erected。
This dogma was composed of an aggregate of somewhat inconsistent
elements。 Nature； the rights of man； liberty； equality； the
social contract； hatred of tyrants； and popular sovereignty
formed the articles of a gospel which； to its disciples； was
above discussion。 The new truths had found apostles who were
certain of their power； and who finally； like believers all the
world over； sought to impose them by force。 No heed should be
taken of the opinion of unbelievers； they all deserved to be
exterminated。
The hatred of heretics having been always； as we have seen； in
respect of the Reformation； an irreducible characteristic of
great beliefs； we can readily comprehend the intolerance of the
Jacobin religion。
The history of the Reformation proves also that the conflict
between two allied beliefs is very bitter。 We must not；
therefore； be astonished that in the Convention the Jacobins
fought furiously against the other republicans； whose faith
hardly differed from their own。
The propaganda of the new apostles was very energetic。 To
convert the provinces they sent thither zealous disciples
escorted by guillotines。 The inquisitors of the new faith would
have no paltering with error。 As Robespierre said； ‘‘The
republic is the destruction of everything that is opposed to
it。'' What matter that the country refused to be regenerated？
It should be regenerated despite itself。 ‘‘We will make a
cemetery of France；'' said Carrier； ‘‘rather than fail to
regenerate it in our own way。''
The Jacobin policy derived from the new faith was very simple。
It consisted in a sort of equalitarian Socialism； directed by a
dictatorship which would brook no opposition。
Of practical ideas consistent with the economic necessities and
the true nature of man； the theorists who ruled France would have
nothing to say。 Speech and the guillotine sufficed them。 Their
speeches were childish。 ‘‘Never a fact；'' says Taine； ‘‘nothing
but abstractions； strings of sentences about Nature； reason； the
people； tyrants； liberty： like so many puffed…out balloons
uselessly jostling in space。 If we did not know that