登陆注册
14926100000141

第141章

Open them and each contains a treasure; here is placed in narrow compass a rich store of reflections, of emotions, of discoveries, our enjoyment being the more intense because we can easily retain all this for a moment in the palm of our hand. "That which usually forms a grand conception," he himself says, "is a thought so expressed as to reveal a number of other thoughts, and suddenly disclosing what we could not anticipate without patient study." This, indeed, is his manner; he thinks with summaries; he concentrates the essence of despotism in a chapter of three lines. The summary itself often bears the air of an enigma, of which the charm is twofold; we have the pleasure of comprehension accompanying the satisfaction of divining.

In all subjects he maintains this supreme discretion, this art of indicating without enforcing, these reticences, the smile that never becomes a laugh.

"In my defense of the 'Esprit des Lois,"' he says, "that which gratifies me is not to see venerable theologians crushed to the ground but to see them glide down gently."He excels in tranquil irony, in polished disdain,[16] in disguised sarcasm. His Persians judge France as Persians, and we smile at their errors; unfortunately the laugh is not against them but against ourselves, for their error is found to be a verity[17]. This or that letter, in a sober vein, seems a comedy at their expense without reflecting upon us, full of Muslim prejudices and of oriental conceit;[18] reflect a moment, and our conceit, in this relation, appears no less. Blows of extraordinary force and reach are given in passing, as if thoughtlessly, against existing institutions, against the transformed Catholicism which "in the present state of Europe, cannot last five hundred years," against the degenerate monarchy which causes useful citizens to starve to fatten parasite courtiers[19].

The entire new philosophy blooms out in his hands with an air of innocence, in a pastoral romance, in a simple prayer, in an artless letter[20]. None of the gifts which serve to arrest and fix the attention are wanting in this style, neither grandeur of imagination nor profound sentiment, vivid characterization, delicate gradations, vigorous precision, a sportive grace, unlooked-for burlesque, nor variety of representation. But, amidst so many ingenious tricks, apologues, tales, portraits and dialogues, in earnest as well as when masquerading, his deportment throughout is irreproachable and his tone is perfect. If; as an author, he develops a paradox it is with almost English gravity. If he fully exposes indecency it is with decent terms. In the full tide of buffoonery, as well as in the full blast of license, he is ever the well-bred man, born and brought up in the aristocratic circle in which full liberty is allowed but where good-breeding is supreme, where every idea is permitted but where words are weighed, where one has the privilege of saying what he pleases, but on condition that he never forgets himself.

A circle of this kind is a small one, comprising only a select few;to be understood by the multitude requires another tone of voice.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 深宫锁妃:鸾凤还巢斗中宫

    深宫锁妃:鸾凤还巢斗中宫

    明明无心成宫囚,却要被皇后误会勾引,赶尽杀绝,命悬一线。皇上霸爱,本想给她保护,却将她推向风口浪尖!两年后,她强势回宫,拔掉所有势力,朝堂后宫,维她一人!皇后举着三尺白领,追悔莫及,却看见她含笑走来,额上的凤钗,身上的凤服,一颦一笑,艳绝天下。这是她的新身份——崇文皇后!“皇后娘娘,你输了……”她从她身边走过,含笑依在万人至尊的帝王身边,风华绝代。从善良天真到狠辣无情,她是踩着尖刀在皇宫舞蹈……从姐妹情深到众叛亲离,她为的不过是保命而已!形势所逼,不独领风骚,就独埋沟壑,她并非无情,却终究无情……
  • 青少年应该知道的电子生化人

    青少年应该知道的电子生化人

    本文从计算机,电子元件入手,以高端生化技术以及先进的科技理念为基础,详细阐述了电子生化人的基本概念、特征、构造原理与人类的关系,未来的发展前景以及给社会带来的影响等。
  • 他做了老板情人的情人

    他做了老板情人的情人

    方可儿是一个美丽的女人,经过了无尽的风雨沧桑,艰辛苦恋,才与自己心爱的人走进婚姻的殿堂,可正当她在婚姻的幸福里美美的享受着。她心爱的老公却背叛了她,做了别人的情人……
  • 原来是你从未离去

    原来是你从未离去

    我们都怀念曾经的自己,却忘记了我们早已不是曾经的自己,所谓的永恒,只不过是自欺欺人罢了。
  • 守护甜心之落雪碎梦

    守护甜心之落雪碎梦

    本书原名《守护甜心:梦的飞翔》樱花树下,一个少年抱着粉色头发的少女,静静的躺在树下……少年那薄薄的嘴唇轻轻的印在少女的额头上,如羽毛一般的吻……留下了一句话“梦若在,爱永在”……“这一是我辜负了你,下一世,我定来到你身边……”“我爱你……”……[此文为唯梦文,几梦党慎入]
  • 九零童年

    九零童年

    九零后的青春记忆,九零后的感悟。九零后的孩子是既早熟又晚熟的一代,真正懂事之前的青春,都叫做童年。
  • 异域人族崛起

    异域人族崛起

    汉末没落世家子弟,宋元交替时期蒙古牧奴,大明永乐时期锦衣卫百户,八十年代工厂技工,现代求生狂。五个来自不同时代,有着不同思想的穿越者,来到一个陌生的世界后会发生怎么样的化学反应?放眼望去,这个世界万族群立,人族尚未脱离兽人,魔法斗气尚未出现,五人又该何去何从?当内力和斗气互相交融,练气和冥想互相借鉴后,会产生怎么样的变化?五人是如何,把魔法斗气文明科技树点歪,变成东方修真文明的?敬请期待!
  • 诛仙续

    诛仙续

    天地不仁,以万物为刍狗。中原大地,沃野千里。青云门人才辈出,天音寺慈悲为怀,焚香谷低调行事。鬼王宗,合欢派,万毒门,长生堂已成过往烟云。魔教合力,兽妖大劫,鬼王袭击,给青云带来了什么?身怀佛,道,魔及五卷天书的张小凡命运如何?是否与陆雪琪比翼双飞?碧瑶就这么沉睡吗?张小凡到底最喜欢哪一个?随着萧大侠的足迹,让我们走进诛仙世界中那未完的故事,尽情挥洒情意。
  • 人祖戒指

    人祖戒指

    ……“老陈,你不厚道,放开我姑姑。”……“蓉儿,我的蓉儿啊。”
  • 中国行会制度史

    中国行会制度史

    本书介绍了行会的起源,萌芽时代,隋唐时代的行会,宋代的行会,元明时代的行会,会馆,近代手工业行会,近代商业行会等。