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power； and her right to power； over the mind and heart of man。
Rising from the long degradation of the Middle Ages； which had
really respected her only when unsexed and celibate； the French
woman had assumed； often lawlessly； always triumphantly； her just
freedom； her true place as the equal； the coadjutor； the counsellor
of man。 Of all problems connected with the education of a young
prince； that of the influence of woman was； in the France of the
Ancien Regime； the most important。 And it was just that which
Fenelon did not； perhaps dared not； try to touch； and which he most
certainly could not have solved。 Meanwhile； not only Madame de
Maintenon； but women whose names it were a shame to couple with
hers； must have smiled at； while they hated； the saint who attempted
to dispense not only with them； but with the ideal queen who should
have been the helpmeet of the ideal king。
To those who believe that the world is governed by a living God； it
may seem strange； at first sight； that this moral anarchy was
allowed to endure； that the avenging； and yet most purifying storm
of the French Revolution； inevitable from Louis XIV。's latter years；
was not allowed to burst two generations sooner than it did。 Is not
the answerthat the question always is not of destroying the world；
but of amending it？ And that amendment must always come from
within； and not from without？ That men must be taught to become
men； and mend their world themselves？ To educate men into self…
governmentthat is the purpose of the government of God； and some
of the men of the eighteenth century did not learn that lesson。 As
the century rolled on； the human mind arose out of the slough in
which Le Sage found it； into manifold and beautiful activity；
increasing hatred of shams and lies； increasing hunger after truth
and usefulness。 With mistakes and confusions innumerable they
worked： but still they worked； planting good seed； and when the
fire of the French Revolution swept over the land； it burned up the
rotten and the withered； only to let the fresh herbage spring up
from underneath。
But that purifying fire was needed。 If we inquire why the many
attempts to reform the Ancien Regime； which the eighteenth century
witnessed； were failures one and all； why Pombal failed in Portugal；
Aranda in Spain； Joseph II。 in Austria； Ferdinand and Caroline in
Naplesfor these last； be it always remembered； began as humane and
enlightened sovereigns； patronising liberal opinions； and labouring
to ameliorate the condition of the poor； till they were driven by
the murder of Marie Antoinette into a paroxysm of rage and terror
why； above all； Louis XVI。； who attempted deeper and wiser reforms
than any other sovereign； failed more disastrously than anyis not
the answer this； that all these reforms would but have cleansed the
outside of the cup and the platter； while they left the inside full
of extortion and excess？ It was not merely institutions which
required to be reformed； but men and women。 The spirit of 〃Gil
Blas〃 had to be cast out。 The deadness； selfishness； isolation of
men's souls； their unbelief in great duties； great common causes；
great self…sacrificesin a word； their unbelief in God； and
themselves； and mankindall that had to be reformed； and till that
was done all outward reform would but have left them； at best； in
brute ease and peace； to that soulless degradation； which （as in the
Byzantine empire of old； and seeming in the Chinese empire of to…
day） hides the reality of barbarism under a varnish of civilisation。
Men had to be awakened； to be taught to think for themselves； act
for themselves； to dare and suffer side by side for their country
and for their children； in a word； to arise and become men once
more。
And； what is more； men had to punishto avenge。 Those are fearful
words。 But there is； in this God…guided universe； a law of
retribution； which will find men out； whether men choose to find it
out or not； a law of retribution； of vengeance inflicted justly；
though not necessarily by just men。 The public executioner was
seldom a very estimable personage； at least under the old Regime；
and those who have been the scourges of God have been； in general；
mere scourges； and nothing better； smiting blindly； rashly；
confusedly； confounding too often the innocent with the guilty； till
they have seemed only to punish crime by crime； and replace old sins
by new。 But； however insoluble； however saddening that puzzle be； I
must believeas long as I believe in any God at allthat such men
as Robespierre were His instruments； even in their crimes。
In the case of the French Revolution； indeed； the wickedness of
certain of its leaders was part of the retribution itself。 For the
noblesse existed surely to make men better。 It did； by certain
classes； the very opposite。 Therefore it was destroyed by wicked
men； whom it itself had made wicked。 For over and above all
political； economic； social wrongs； there were wrongs personal；
human； dramatic； which stirred not merely the springs of
covetousness or envy； or even of a just demand for the freedom of
labour and enterprise： but the very deepest springs of rage；
contempt； and hate； wrongs which caused； as I believe； the horrors
of the Revolution。
It is notorious how many of the men most deeply implicated in those
horrors were of the artist classby which I signify not merely
painters and sculptorsas the word artist has now got； somewhat
strangely； to signify； at least in Englandbut what the French
meant by ARTISTESproducers of luxuries and amusements； play…
actors； musicians； and suchlike； down to that 〃distracted peruke…
maker with two fiery torches；〃 who； at the storm of the Bastile；
〃was for burning the saltpetres of the Arsenal； had not a woman run
screaming； had not a patriot； with some tincture of natural
philosophy； instantly struck the wind out of him； with butt of
musket on pit of stomach； overturned the barrels； and stayed the
devouring element。〃 The distracted peruke…maker may have had his
wrongsperhaps such a one as that of poor Triboulet the fool； in
〃Le Roi s'amuse〃and his own sound reasons for blowing down the
Bastile； and the system which kept it up。
For these very ministers of luxurythen miscalled artfrom the
periwig…maker to the play…actorwho like them had seen the
frivolity； the baseness； the profligacy； of the rulers to whose
vices they pandered； whom they despised while they adored！ Figaro
himself may have looked up to his master the Marquis as a superior
being as long as the law enabled the Marquis to send him to the
Bastile by a lettre de cachet； yet Figaro may have known and seen
enough to excuse him； when lettres de cachet were abolished； for
handing the Marquis over to a Comite de Salut Public。 Disappointed
play…actors； like Collet d'Herbois； disappointed poets； like Fabre
d'Olivet； were； they say； especially ferocious。 Why not？
Ingenious； sensitive spirits； used as lap…dogs and singing…birds by
men and women whom they felt to be their own flesh and blood； they
had； it may be； a juster appreciation of the actual worth of their
patrons than had our own Pitt and Burke。 They had played the valet：
and no man was a hero to them。 They had seen the nobleman expose
himself before his own helots： they would try if the helot was not
as good as the nobleman。 The nobleman had played the mountebank：
why should not the mountebank； for once； play the nobleman？ The
nobleman's God had been his five senses； with （to use Mr。 Carlyle's
phrase） the sixth sense of vanity： why should not the mountebank
worship the same God； like Carriere at Nantes； and see what grace
and gifts he too might obtain at that altar？
But why so cruel？ Because； with many of these men； I more than
suspect； there were wrongs to be avenged deeper than any wrongs done
to the sixth sense of vanity。 Wrongs common to them； and to a great
portion of the respectable middle class； and much of the lower
class： but wrongs to which they and their families； being most in
contact with the noblesse； would be especially exposed； namely；
wrongs to women。
Everyone who knows the literature of that time； must know what I
mean： what had gone on for more than a century； it may be more than
two； in France； in Italy； andI am sorry to have to say itGermany
likewise。 All historians know what I mean； and how enormous was the
evil。 I only wonder that they have so much overlooked that item in
the causes of the Revolution。 It seems to me to have been more
patent and potent in the sight of men； as it surely was in the sight
of Almighty God； than all the political and economic wrongs put
together。 They might have issued in a change of dynasty or of laws。
That； issued in the blood of the offenders。 Not a girl was enticed
into Louis XV。's Petit Trianon； or other den of aristocratic
iniquity； but left behind her； parents nurs