For others it is the knowledge how to burn a will and live respected,
be looked up to and popular, instead of stealing a watch with
half-a-dozen aggravating circumstances, after a previous conviction,
and so perishing, hated and dishonored, in the Place de Greve."
"Will Nathan's work live?"
"He has very clever collaborators, sir."
"Or Canalis?"
"He is a great man; let us say no more about him."
"You are all drunk!"
"The consequence of a Constitution is the immediate stultification of
intellects. Art, science, public works, everything, is consumed by a
horribly egoistic feeling, the leprosy of the time. Three hundred of
your bourgeoisie, set down on benches, will only think of planting
poplars. Tyranny does great things lawlessly, while Liberty will
scarcely trouble herself to do petty ones lawfully."
"Your reciprocal instruction will turn out counters in human flesh,"
broke in an Absolutist. "All individuality will disappear in a people
brought to a dead level by education."
"For all that, is not the aim of society to secure happiness to each
member of it?" asked the Saint-Simonian.
"If you had an income of fifty thousand livres, you would not think
much about the people. If you are smitten with a tender passion for
the race, go to Madagascar; there you will find a nice little nation
all ready to Saint-Simonize, classify, and cork up in your phials, but
here every one fits into his niche like a peg in a hole.
Pages:
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87