按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
mind which renders the sentiments livelier。〃＇14＇ Henceforth this will
no longer be a chain but 〃the acquittance of an agreeable debt which
every citizen owes to his country。 。 。 Divorce is the protecting
spirit of marriage。〃＇15＇
On a background of classic pedantry； with only vague and narrow
notions of ordinary instruction； lacking exact and substantial
information； flow obscenities and enlarged commonplaces enveloped in a
mythological gauze； spouting in long tirades as maxims from the
revolutionary manual。 Such is the superficial culture and verbal
argumentation from which vulgar and dangerous ingredients the
intelligence of the new legislators is formed。＇16＇
III。
Aspects of their sessions。 Scenes and display at the club。 Co…
operation of spectators。
From this we can imagine what their sessions were。 〃More in…coherent
and especially more passionate than those of the Constituent
Assembly〃＇17＇ they present the same but intensified characteristics。
The argument is weaker； the invective more violent； and the dogmatism
more intemperate。 Inflexibility degenerates into insolence； prejudice
into fanaticism； and near…sightedness into blindness。 Disorder
becomes a tumult and constant din an uproar。 Suppose； says an eye…
witness；
〃a classroom with hundreds of pupils quarreling and every instant on
the point of seizing each other by the hair。 Their dress neglected；
their attitudes angry； with sudden transitions from shouting to
hooting 。 。 is a sight hard to imagine and to which nothing can be
compared。〃
It lacks nothing for making it a club of the lowest species。 Here； in
advance； we contemplate the ways of the future revolutionary
inquisition。 They welcome burlesque denunciations； enter into petty
police investigations； weigh the tittle…tattle of porters and the
gossip of servant…girls； devote an all…night session to the secrets of
a drunkard。＇18＇ They enter on their official report and without any
disapproval； the petition of M。 Huré； 〃living at Pont…sur…Yonne； who；
over his own signature； offers one hundred francs and his arm to
become a killer of tyrants。〃 Repeated and multiplied hurrahs and
applause with the felicitations of the president is the sanction of
scandalous or ridiculous private misconduct seeking to display itself
under the cover of public authority。 Anacharsis Clootz； 〃a Mascarille
officially stamped；〃 who proposes a general war and who hawks about
maps of Europe cut up in advance into departments beginning with
Savoy； Belgium and Holland 〃and thus onward to the Polar Sea；〃 is
thanked and given a seat on the benches of the Assembly。＇19＇
Compliments are made to the Vicar of Sainte…Marguerite and his wife is
given a seat in the Assembly and who； introducing 〃his new family；〃
thunders against clerical celibacy。＇20＇ Crowds of men and women are
permitted to traverse the hall letting out political cries。 Every sort
of indecent； childish and seditious parade is admitted to the bar of
the house。＇21＇ To…day it consists of 〃citoyennes of Paris；〃 desirous
of being drilled in military exercises and of having for their
commandants 〃former French guardsmen；〃 to…morrow children come and
express their patriotism with 〃touching simplicity；〃 regretting that
〃their trembling feet do not permit them to march； no； fly against the
tyrants；〃 next to these come convicts of the Chateau … Vieux escorted
by a noisy crowd； at another time the artillerymen of Paris； a
thousand in number； with drums beating； delegates from the provinces；
the faubourgs and the clubs come constantly； with their furious
harangues； and imperious remonstrances； their exactions； their threats
and their summonses。 In the intervals between the louder racket a
continuous hubbub is heard in the clatter of the tribunes。＇22＇ At each
session 〃the representatives are chaffed by the spectators； the nation
in the gallery is judge of the nation on the floor；〃 it interferes in
the debates； silences the speakers； insults the president and orders
the reporter of a bill to quit the tribune。 One interruption； or a
simple murmur； is not all； there are twenty； thirty； fifty in an hour；
clamoring； stamping； yells and personal abuse。 After countless useless
entreaties； after repeated calls to order； 〃received with hooting；〃
after a dozen 〃regulations that are made； revised； countermanded and
posted up〃 as if better to prove the impotence of the law； of the
authorities and of the Assembly itself； the usurpations of these
intruders keep on increasing。 They have shouted for ten months 〃Down
with the civil list！ Down with the ministerials！ Down with those curs！
Silence； slaves！' On the 26th of July； Brissot himself is to appear
lukewarm and be struck on the face with two plums。 〃Three or four
hundred individuals without either property； title； or means of
subsistence 。 。 。 have become the auxiliaries； petitioners and umpires
of the legislature；〃 their paid violence completely destroying
whatever is still left of the Assembly's reason。＇23＇
IV。
The Parties。… The 〃Right。〃 … 〃Center。〃 … The 〃Left。〃 … Opinions and
sentiments of the Girondins。 … Their Allies of the extreme 〃left。〃
In an assembly thus composed and surrounded； it is easy to foresee on
which side the balance will turn。 Through the meshes of the
electoral net which the Jacobins have spread over the whole country；
about one hundred well…meaning individuals of the common run；
tolerably sensible and sufficiently resolute； Mathieu Dumas； Dumolard；
Becquet； Gorguereau； Vaublanc； Beugnot； Girardin； Ramond； Jaucourt；
were able to pass and form the party of the 〃Right。〃＇24＇ They resist
to as great an extent as possible； and seem to have obtained a
majority。 For； of the four hundred deputies who have their seats in
the center； one hundred and sixty…four are inscribed on the rolls with
them at the Feuillants club； while the rest； under the title of
〃Independents；〃 pretend to be of no party。＇25＇ Besides； the whole of
these four hundred； through monarchical traditions； respect the King；
timid and sensible； violence is repugnant to them。 They distrust the
Jacobins； dread what is unknown； desire to be loyal to the
Constitution and to live in peace。 Nevertheless； the pompous dogmas of
the revolutionary catechism still have their prestige with them； they
cannot comprehend how the Constitution which they like produces the
anarchy which they detest； they are 〃foolish enough to bemoan the
effects while swearing to maintain their causes； totally deficient in
spirit； in union and in boldness；〃 they float backwards and forwards
between contradictory desires； while their predisposition to order
merely awaits the steady impulsion of a vigorous will to turn it in
the opposite direction。 On such docile material the 〃Left〃 can work
effectively。 It comprises； indeed； but one hundred and thirty…six
registered Jacobins and about a hundred others who； in almost all
cases； vote with the party；＇26＇ rigidity of opinion； however； more
than compensates for lack of numbers。 In the front row are Guadet；
Brissot； Gensonné； Veygniaud； Ducos； and Condorcet； the future chiefs
of the Girondists； all of them lawyers or writers captivated by
deductive politics； absolute in their convictions and proud of their
faith。 According to them principles are true and must be applied
without reservation；＇27＇ whoever would stop half…way is wanting in
courage or intelligence。 As for themselves their minds are made up to
push through。 With the self…confidence of youth and of theorists they
draw their own conclusions and hug themselves with their strong belief
in them。 〃These gentlemen；〃 says a keen observer；＇28＇
〃professed great disdain for their predecessors； the Constituents；
treating them as short…sighted and prejudiced people incapable of
profiting by circumstances。〃
〃To the observations of wisdom； and disinterested wisdom；＇29＇ they
replied with a scornful smile； indicative of the aridity proceeding
from self…conceit。 One exhausted himself in reminding them of events
and in deducing causes from these； one passed in turn from theory to
experience and from experience to theory to show them their identity
and； when they condescended to reply it was to deny the best
authenticated facts and contest the plainest observations by opposing
to these a few trite maxims although eloquently expressed。 Each
regarded the other as if they alone were worthy of being heard； each
encouraging the other with the idea that all resistance to their way
of looking at things was pusillanimity。〃
In their own eyes they alone are capable and they alone are patriotic。
Because they have read Rousseau and Mably； because their tongue is
untied and their pen flowing； because they know how to handle the
formul？ of books and reason out an abstract proposition； they fancy
that they are statesmen。＇30＇ Because they have read Plutarch and 〃Le
Je