those of their competitors; end in that。 From the agitators of 1789
to the tyrants of 1798; from Mirabeau to Barras; each labors only to
forcibly open the gates of riches and authority and to close them
behind them。〃
'146' Mallet…Dupan; ibid。; No。 for April 10; 1799。 On the Jacobins。
〃The sources of their enmities; the prime motive of their fury; their
coup…d'état lay in their constant mistrust of each other 。 。 。 。
Systematic; immoral factionists; cruel through necessity and
treacherous through prudence; will always attribute perverse
intentions。 Carnot admits that there were not ten men in the
Convention that were conscious of probity。〃
'147' See in this respect 〃Histoire de ma Vie;〃 by George Sand;
volumes 2; 3 and 4; the correspondence of her father enlisted as a
volunteer in 1798 and a lieutenant at Marengo。 … Cf。 Marshal
Marmont; 〃Memoires;〃 I。; 186; 282; 296; 304。 〃Our ambition; at this
moment; was wholly secondary; we were occupied solely with our duties
or pleasures。 The most cordial and frankest union prevailed amongst
us all。〃
'148' 〃Journal de Marche du sergent Fracasse。〃 … 〃 Les Cahiers du
capitaine Coignet。〃 … Correspondence of Maurice Dupin in 〃Histoire de
ma Vie;〃 by George Sand。
'149' 〃Les Cahiers du Capitaine Coignet;〃 p。76。 〃And then we saw the
big gentlemen getting out of the windows。 Mantles; caps and feathers
lay on the floor and the grenadiers ripped off the lace。〃 … Ibid。; 78;
Narration by the grenadier Chome: 〃 The pigeons all flew out of the
window and we had the hall to ourselves。〃
'150' Dufort de Cheverney; 〃 Mémoires;〃 September 1; 1800。
〃Bonaparte; being fortunately placed at the head of the government;
advanced the Revolution more than fifty years; the cup of crimes was
full and overflowing。 He cut off the seven hundred and fifty heads of
the hydra; concentrated power in his own hands; and prevented the
primary assemblies from sending us another third of fresh scoundrels
in the place of those about to take themselves off。 。 。 。 Since I
stopped writing things are so changed as to make revolutionary events
appear as if they had transpired more than twenty years ago。 。 。 。
The people are no longer tormented on account of the decade; which is
no longer observed except by the authorities。 。 。 。 One can travel
about the country without a passport。 。 。 。 Subordination is
established among the troops; all the conscripts are coming back。 。
。 。 The government knows no party; a royalist is placed along with a
determined republican; each being; so to say; neutralized by the
other。 The First Consul; more a King than Louis XIV。; has called the
ablest men to his councils without caring what they were。〃 … Anne
Plumptre; 〃A Narrative of Three Years' Residence in France from 1802
to 1805;〃 I。; 326; 329。 〃The class denominated the people is most
certainly; taking it in the aggregate; favorably disposed to
Bonaparte。 Any tale of distress from the Revolution was among this
class always ended with this; 'but now; we are quiet; thanks to God
and to Bonaparte。'〃 … Mallet…Dupan; with his accustomed perspicacity;
(〃Mercure Britainnique;〃 Nos。 for November 25 and December 10; 1799);
at once comprehended the character and harmony of this last
revolution。 〃The possible domination of the Jacobins chilled all ages
and most conditions。 。 。 。 Is that nothing; to be preserved; even
for one year; against the ravages of a faction; under whose empire
nobody can sleep tranquilly; and find that faction driven from all
places of authority just at a time when everybody feared its second
outburst; with its torches; its assassins; its assessors; and its
agrarian laws; over the whole French territory?。。。。 That Revolution;
of an entirely new species; appeared to us as fundamental as that of
1789。
'151' The Ancient Régime; p。 144。
End of The French Revolution; Volume 3
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