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She could get along without the Bourbons； she had done without them for two and twenty years； there had been a break of continuity； they did not suspect the fact。 And how should they have suspected it； they who fancied that Louis XVII。 reigned on the 9th of Thermidor； and that Louis XVIII。
was reigning at the battle of Marengo？
Never； since the origin of history； had princes been so blind in the presence of facts and the portion of divine authority which facts contain and promulgate。
Never had that pretension here below which is called the right of kings denied to such a point the right from on high。
A capital error which led this family to lay its hand once more on the guarantees 〃granted〃 in 1814； on the concessions； as it termed them。
Sad。
A sad thing！
What it termed its concessions were our conquests； what it termed our encroachments were our rights。
When the hour seemed to it to have e； the Restoration； supposing itself victorious over Bonaparte and well…rooted in the country； that is to say； believing itself to be strong and deep； abruptly decided on its plan of action； and risked its stroke。 One morning it drew itself up before the face of France； and； elevating its voice； it contested the collective title and the individual right of the nation to sovereignty； of the citizen to liberty。 In other words； it denied to the nation that which made it a nation； and to the citizen that which made him a citizen。
This is the foundation of those famous acts which are called the ordinances of July。
The Restoration fell。
It fell justly。
But； we admit； it had not been absolutely hostile to all forms of progress。
Great things had been acplished； with it alongside。
Under the Restoration； the nation had grown accustomed to calm discussion； which had been lacking under the Republic； and to grandeur in peace； which had been wanting under the Empire。
France free and strong had offered an encouraging spectacle to the other peoples of Europe。 The Revolution had had the word under Robespierre； the cannon had had the word under Bonaparte； it was under Louis XVIII。 and Charles X。 that it was the turn of intelligence to have the word。
The wind ceased； the torch was lighted once more。 On the lofty heights； the pure light of mind could be seen flickering。 A magnificent； useful； and charming spectacle。
For a space of fifteen years； those great principles which are so old for the thinker； so new for the statesman； could be seen at work in perfect peace； on the public square； equality before the law； liberty of conscience； liberty of speech； liberty of the press； the accessibility of all aptitudes to all functions。
Thus it proceeded until 1830。 The Bourbons were an instrument of civilization which broke in the hands of Providence。
The fall of the Bourbons was full of grandeur； not on their side； but on the side of the nation。
They quitted the throne with gravity； but without authority； their descent into the night was not one of those solemn disappearances which leave a sombre emotion in history； it was neither the spectral calm of Charles I。； nor the eagle scream of Napoleon。
They departed； that is all。
They laid down the crown； and retained no aureole。
They were worthy； but they were not august。 They lacked； in a certain measure； the majesty of their misfortune。 Charles X。 during the voyage from Cherbourg； causing a round table to be cut over into a square table； appeared to be more anxious about imperilled etiquette than about the crumbling monarchy。 This diminution saddened devoted men who loved their persons； and serious men who honored their race。
The populace was admirable。
The nation； attacked one morning with weapons； by a sort of royal insurrection； felt itself in the possession of so much force that it did not go into a rage。
It defended itself； restrained itself； restored things to their places； the government to law； the Bourbons to exile； alas！ and then halted！
It took the old king Charles X。 from beneath that dais which had sheltered Louis XIV。
and set him gently on the ground。 It touched the royal personages only with sadness and precaution。 It was not one man； it was not a few men； it was France； France entire； France victorious and intoxicated with her victory； who seemed to be ing to herself； and who put into practice； before the eyes of the whole world； these grave words of Guillaume du Vair after the day of the Barricades：
〃It is easy for those who are accustomed to skim the favors of the great； and to spring； like a bird from bough to bough； from an afflicted fortune to a flourishing one； to show themselves harsh towards their Prince in his adversity； but as for me； the fortune of my Kings and especially of my afflicted Kings； will always be venerable to me。〃
The Bourbons carried away with them respect； but not regret。 As we have just stated； their misfortune was greater than they were。 They faded out in the horizon。
The Revolution of July instantly had friends and enemies throughout the entire world。
The first rushed toward her with joy and enthusiasm； the others turned away； each according to his nature。
At the first blush； the princes of Europe； the owls of this dawn； shut their eyes； wounded and stupefied； and only opened them to threaten。 A fright which can be prehended； a wrath which can be pardoned。 This strange revolution had hardly produced a shock； it had not even paid to vanquished royalty the honor of treating it as an enemy； and of shedding its blood。
In the eyes of despotic governments； who are always interested in having liberty calumniate itself； the Revolution of July mitted the fault of being formidable and of remaining gentle。
Nothing； however； was attempted or plotted against it。
The most discontented； the most irritated； the most trembling； saluted it； whatever our egotism and our rancor may be； a mysterious respect springs from events in which we are sensible of the collaboration of some one who is working above man。
The Revolution of July is the triumph of right overthrowing the fact。 A thing which is full of splendor。
Right overthrowing the fact。
Hence the brilliancy of the Revolution of 1830； hence； also； its mildness。
Right triumphant has no need of being violent。
Right is the just and the true。
The property of right is to remain eternally beautiful and pure。 The fact； even when most necessary to all appearances； even when most thoroughly accepted by contemporaries； if it exist only as a fact； and if it contain only too little of right； or none at all； is infallibly destined to bee； in the course of time； deformed； impure； perhaps； even monstrous。
If one desires to learn at one blow； to what degree of hideousness the fact can attain； viewed at the distance of centuries； let him look at Machiavelli。
Machiavelli is not an evil genius； nor a demon； nor a miserable and cowardly writer； he is nothing but the fact。
And he is not only the Italian fact； he is the European fact； the fact of the sixteenth century。 He seems hideous； and so he is； in the presence of the moral idea of the nineteenth。
This conflict of right and fact has been going on ever since the origin of society。
To terminate this duel； to amalgamate the pure idea with the humane reality； to cause right to penetrate pacifically into the fact and the fact into right； that is the task of sages。
BOOK FIRST。A FEW PAGES OF HISTORY
CHAPTER II
BADLY SEWED
But the task of sages is one thing； the task of clever men is another。 The Revolution of 1830 came to a sudden halt。
As soon as a revolution has made the coast； the skilful make haste to prepare the shipwreck。
The skilful in our century have conferred on themselves the title of Statesmen； so that this word； statesmen； has ended by being somewhat of a slang word。
It must be borne in mind； in fact； that wherever there is nothing but skill； there is necessarily pettiness。 To say 〃the skilful〃 amounts to saying 〃the mediocre。〃
In the same way； to say 〃statesmen〃 is sometimes equivalent to saying 〃traitors。〃
If； then； we are to believe the skilful； revolutions like the Revolution of July are severed arteries； a prompt ligature is indispensable。
The right； too grandly proclaimed； is shaken。 Also； right once firmly fixed； the state must be strengthened。 Liberty once assured； attention must be directed to power。
Here the sages are not； as yet； separated from the skilful； but they begin to be distrustful。
Power； very good。
But； in the first place； what is power？
In the second； whence es it？ The skilful do not seem to hear the murmured objection； and they continue their manoeuvres。
According to the politicians； who are ingenious in putting the mask of necessity on profitable fictions； the first requirement of a people after a revolution； when this people forms part of a monarchical continent； is to procure for itself a dynasty。 In this way； say they； peace； that is to say； time to dress our wounds； and to repair the house； can be had after a revolution。 The dynasty conceals the scaffolding and covers the ambulance。 Now； it is not always easy to procure a dynasty。
If it is absolutely necessary； the first man of genius or even the first man of fortune who es to hand suffices for the manufacturing of a king。
You have； in the first case； Napoleon； in the second； Iturbide。
But the first family that es to hand does not suffice to make a dynasty。
There is necessarily required a certain modicum of antiquity in a race； and the wrinkle of the centuries cannot be improvised。
If we place ourselves at the point of view of the 〃statesmen；〃 after making all allowances； of course； after a revolution； what are the qualities of the king which result from it？
He may be and it is useful for him to be a revolutionary； that is to say； a participant in his own person in that revolution； that he should have lent a hand to it； that he should have either promised or distinguished himself therein； that he should have touched the axe or wielded the sword in it。
What are the qualities of a dynasty？
It should be national； that is to say； revolutionary at a distance； not through acts mitted； but by reason of ideas accepted。
It should be posed of past and be historic； be posed of future and be sympathetic。
All this explains why the early revolutions contented themselves with finding a man； Cromwell or Napoleon； and why the second absolutely insisted on finding a family； the House of Brunswick or the House of Orleans。
Royal houses resemble those Indian fig…trees； each branch of which； bending over to the earth； takes root and bees a fig…tree itself。 Each branch may bee a dynasty。
On the sole condition that it shall bend down to the people。
Such is the theory of the skilful。
Here； then； lies the great art：
to make a little render to success the sound of a catastrophe in order that those who profit by it may tremble from it also； to season with fear every step that is taken； to augment the curve of the transition to the point of retarding progress； to dull that aurora； to denounce and retrench the harshness of enthusiasm； to cut all angles and nails； to wad triumph； to muffle up right； to envelop the giant…people in flannel； and to put it to bed very speedily； to impose a diet on that excess of health； to put Hercules on the treatment of a convalescent； to dilute the event with the expedient； to offer to spirits thirsting for the ideal that nectar thinned out with a potion； to take one's precautions against too much success； to garnish the revolution with a shade。
1830 practised this theory； already applied to England by 1688。
1830 is a revolution arrested midway。
Half of progress； quasi…right。 Now； logic knows not the 〃almost；〃 absolutely as the sun knows not the candle。
Who arrests revolutions half…way？ The bourgeoisie？
Why？
Because the bourgeoisie is interest which has reached satisfaction。 Yesterday it was appetite； to…day it is plenitude； to…morrow it will be satiety。
The phenomenon of 1814 after Napoleon was reproduced in 1830 after Charles X。
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