the ancien regime(古兵团)-第18节
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mis… education； and feeling their sting and their brand day by day on his
own spirit； Miss Edgeworth might never have reformed our nurseries； or
Dr。 Arnold our public schools。
And so with the rest of the philosophes。 That there were charlatans
among them； vain men； pretentious men； profligate men； selfish； self…
seeking； and hypocritical men； who doubts？ Among what class of men
were there not such in those evil days？ In what class of men are there not
such now； in spite of all social and moral improvement？ But nothing but
the conviction； among the average； that they were in the rightthat they
were fighting a battle for which it was worth while to dare； and if need be
to suffer； could have enabled them to defy what was then public opinion；
backed by overwhelming physical force。
Their intellectual defects are patent。 No one can deny that their
inductions were hasty and partial： but then they were inductions as
opposed to the dull pedantry of the schools； which rested on tradition only
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half believed； or pretended to be believed。 No one can deny that their
theories were too general and abstract； but then they were theories as
opposed to the no…theory of the Ancien Regime； which was； 〃Let us eat
and drink； for to…morrow we die。〃
Theoriesprinciplesby them if men do not live； by them men are； at
least； stirred into life； at the sight of something more noble than
themselves。 Only by great ideas； right or wrong； could such a world as
that which Le Sage painted； be roused out of its slough of foul self…
satisfaction； and equally foul self…discontent。
For mankind is ruled and guided； in the long run； not by practical
considerations； not by self…interest； not by compromises； but by theories
and principles； and those of the most abstruse； delicate； supernatural； and
literally unspeakable kind； which； whether they be according to reason or
not； are so little according to logicthat is； to speakable reasonthat they
cannot be put into speech。 Men act； whether singly or in masses； by
impulses and instincts for which they give reasons quite incompetent；
often quite irrelevant； but which they have caught from each other； as they
catch fever or small…pox； as unconsciously； and yet as practically and
potently； just as the nineteenth century has caught from the philosophers
of the eighteenth most practical rules of conduct； without even （in most
cases） having read a word of their works。
And what has this century caught from these philosophers？ One rule
it has learnt； and that a most practical oneto appeal in all cases； as much
as possible； to 〃Reason and the Laws of Nature。〃 That； at least； the
philosophers tried to do。 Often they failed。 Their conceptions of reason
and of the laws of nature being often incorrect； they appealed to unreason
and to laws which were not those of nature。 〃The fixed idea of them all
was；〃 says M。 de Tocqueville； 〃to substitute simple and elementary rules；
deduced from reason and natural law； for the complicated traditional
customs which governed the society of their time。〃 They were often rash；
hasty； in the application of their method。 They ignored whole classes of
facts； which； though spiritual and not physical； are just as much facts； and
facts for science； as those which concern a stone or a fungus。 They
mistook for merely complicated traditional customs； many most sacred
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institutions which were just as much founded on reason and natural law； as
any theories of their own。 But who shall say that their method was not
correct？ That it was not the only method？ They appealed to reason。
Would you have had them appeal to unreason？ They appealed to natural
law。 Would you have had them appeal to unnatural law？law according
to which God did not make this world？ Alas！ that had been done too
often already。 Solomon saw it done in his time； and called it folly； to
which he prophesied no good end。 Rabelais saw it done in his time； and
wrote his chapters on the 〃Children of Physis and the Children of
Antiphysis。〃 But； born in an evil generation； which was already； even in
1500； ripening for the revolution of 1789； he was sensual and； I fear；
cowardly enough to hide his light； not under a bushel； but under a dunghill；
till men took him for a jester of jests； and his great wisdom was lost to the
worse and more foolish generations which followed him； and thought they
understood him。
But as for appealing to natural law for that which is good for men； and
to reason for the power of discerning that same goodif man cannot find
truth by that method； by what method shall he find it？
And thus it happened that； though these philosophers and
encyclopaedists were not men of science； they were at least the heralds
and the coadjutors of science。
We may call them； and justly； dreamers； theorists； fanatics。 But we
must recollect that one thing they meant to do； and did。 They recalled
men to facts； they bid them ask of everything they saw What are the
facts of the case？ Till we know the facts； argument is worse than useless。
Now the habit of asking for the facts of the case must deliver men
more or less from that evil spirit which the old Romans called 〃Fama；〃
from her whom Virgil described in the AEneid as the ugliest； the falsest；
and the cruellest of monsters。
From 〃Fama；〃 from rumours； hearsays； exaggerations； scandals；
superstitions； public opinionswhether from the ancient public opinion
that the sun went round the earth； or the equally public opinion； that those
who dared to differ from public opinion were hateful to the deity； and
therefore worthy of deathfrom all these blasts of Fame's lying trumpet
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they helped to deliver men； and they therefore helped to insure something
like peace and personal security for those quiet； modest； and generally
virtuous men； who； as students of physical science； devoted their lives；
during the eighteenth century； to asking of natureWhat are the facts of
the case？
It was no coincidence； but a connection of cause and effect； that during
the century of philosopher sound physical science throve； as she had never
thriven before； that in zoology and botany； chemistry and medicine；
geology and astronomy； man after man； both of the middle and the noble
classes； laid down on more and more sound； because more and more
extended foundations； that physical science which will endure as an
everlasting heritage to mankind； endure； even though a second Byzantine
period should reduce it to a timid and traditional pedantry； or a second
irruption of barbarians sweep it away for awhile； to revive again （as
classic philosophy revived in the fifteenth century） among new and more
energetic races； when the kingdom of God shall have been taken away
from us； and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof。
An eternal heritage； I say； for the human race； which once gained； can
never be lost； which stands； and will stand； marches； and will march；
proving its growth； its health； its progressive force； its certainty of final
victory； by those very changes； disputes； mistakes； which the ignorant and
the bigoted hold up to scorn； as proofs of its uncertainty and its rottenness；
because they never have dared or cared to ask boldlyWhat are the facts
of the cas
