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enlightened to drag on in a rut。 In conformity with the fashion of
the time it works by deduction； after the method of Rousseau；
according to an abstract notion of right； of the State and of the
social compact。＇26＇ According to this process； by virtue of
political geometry alone； they shall have the perfect vessel and
since it perfect it follows that it will sail； and that much better
than any empirical craft。 … They legislate according to this
principle； and one may imagine the nature of their discussions。
There are no convincing facts； no pointed arguments； nobody would
ever imagine that the speakers were gathered together to conduct
real business。 Through speech after speech； strings of hollow
abstractions are endlessly renewed as in a meeting of students in
rhetoric for the purpose of practice； or in a society of old
bookworms for their own amusement。 On the question of the veto
〃each orator in turn； armed with his portfolio； reads a dissertation
which has no bearing whatever〃 on the preceding one； which makes a
〃sort of academical session；〃＇27＇ a succession of pamphlets fresh
every morning for several days。 On the question of the Rights of
Man fifty…four speakers are placed on the list。
〃I remember；〃 says Dumont； 〃that long discussion； which lasted for
weeks； as a period of deadly boredom； vain disputes over words； a
metaphysical jumble； and most tedious babble； the Assembly was
turned into a Sorbonne lecture…room；〃
and all this while chateaux were burning； while town…halls were
being sacked； and courts dared no longer hold assize； while the
distribution of wheat was stopped； and while society was in course
of dissolution。 In the same manner the theologians of the Easter
Roman Empire kept up their wrangles about the uncreated light of
Mount Tabor while Mahomet II was battering the walls of
Constantinople with his cannon。 … Ours； of course； are another
sort of men； juvenile in feeling； sincere； enthusiastic； even
generous； and further； more devoted； laborious； and in some cases
endowed with rare talent。 But neither zeal； nor labor； nor talent
are of any use when not employed in the service of a sound idea； and
if in the service of a false one； the greater they are the more
mischief they do。
Towards the end of the year 1789； there can be not doubt of this；
and the parties now formed reveal their presumption； improvidence；
incapacity； and obstinacy。 〃This Assembly；〃 writes the American
ambassador；＇28＇ 〃may be divided into three parties；
one called the aristocrats； consists of the high clergy； the
parliamentary judges； and such of the nobility as think they ought
to form a separate order。〃 This is the party which offers resistance
to follies and errors； but with follies and errors almost equally
great。 In the beginning 〃the prelates；＇29＇ instead of conciliating
the curés； kept them at a humiliating distance； affecting
distinctions； exacting respect；〃 and； in their own chamber； 〃ranging
themselves apart on separate benches。〃 The nobles； on the other
hand； the more to alienate the commons； began by charging these
with； 〃revolt； treachery； and treason；〃 and by demanding the use of
military force against them。 Now that the victorious Third…Estate
has again overcome them and overwhelms them with numbers； they
become still more maladroit； and conduct the defense much less
efficiently than the attack。 〃In the Assembly；〃 says one of them；
〃they do not listen； but laugh and talk aloud；〃 they take pains to
embitter their adversaries and the galleries by their impertinence。
〃They leave the chamber when the President puts the question and
invite the deputies of their party to follow them； or cry out to
them not to take part in the deliberation ： through this desertion；
the clubbists become the majority； and decree whatever they please。〃
It is in this way that the appointment of judges and bishops is
withdrawn from the King and assigned to the people。 Again； after
the return from Varennes； when the Assembly finds out that the
result of its labors is impracticable and wants to make it less
democratic； the whole of the right side refuses to share in the
debates； and； what is worse； votes with the revolutionaries to
exclude the members of the Constituent from the Legislative
Assembly。 Thus； not only does it abandon its own cause； but it
commits self…destruction； and its desertion ends in suicide。
A second party remains； 〃the middle party；〃＇30＇ which consists of
well…intentioned people from every class； sincere partisans of a
good government； but； unfortunately； they have acquired their ideas
of government from books； and are admirable on paper。 But as it
happens that the men who live in the world are very different from
imaginary men who dwell in the heads of philosophers； it is not to
be wondered at if the systems taken out of books are fit for nothing
but to be upset by another book。 Intellects of this stamp are the
natural prey of utopians。 Lacking the ballast of experience they
are carried away by pure logic and serve to enlarge the flock of
theorists。 … The latter form the third party； which is called the
〃enragés （the wild men）； and who； at the expiration of six months；
find themselves 〃the most numerous of all。〃
〃It is composed；〃 says Morris； 〃of that class which in America is
known by the name of pettifogging lawyers； together with a host of
curates and many of those persons who in all revolutions throng to
the standard of change because they are not well。＇31＇ This last
party is in close alliance with the populace and derives from this
circumstance very great authority。〃
All powerful passions are on its side； not merely the irritation
of the people tormented by misery and suspicion； not merely the
ambition and self…esteem of the bourgeois； in revolt against the
ancient régime； but also the inveterate bitterness and fixed ideas
of so many suffering minds and so many factious intellects；
Protestants； Jansenists； economists； philosophers； men who； like
Fréteau； Rabout…Saint…Etienne； Volney； Sieyès； are hatching out a
long arrears of resentments or hopes； and who only await the
opportunity to impose their system with all the intolerance of
dogmatism and of faith。 To minds of this stamp the past is a dead
letter； example is no authority； realities are of no account； they
live in their own Utopia。 Sieyès； the most important of them all；
judges that 〃the whole English constitution is charlatanism；
designed for imposing on the people；〃＇32＇ he regards the English 〃as
children in the matter of a constitution；〃 and thinks that he is
capable of giving France a much better one。 Dumont； who sees the
first committees at the houses of Brissot and Clavières； goes away
with as much anxiety as 〃disgust。〃
〃It is impossible；〃 he says； 〃to depict the confusion of ideas；
the license of the imagination； the burlesque of popular notions。
One wou