Fancy every one's
having a hand in the government? Can you imagine a city ruled by its
citizens? Why, the citizens are the team, and the team cannot be driver.
To put to the vote is to throw to the winds. Would you have states
driven like clouds? Disorder cannot build up order. With chaos for an
architect, the edifice would be a Babel. And, besides, what tyranny is
this pretended liberty! As for me, I wish to enjoy myself; not to
govern. It is a bore to have to vote; I want to dance. A prince is a
providence, and takes care of us all. Truly the king is generous to take
so much trouble for our sakes. Besides, he is to the manner born. He
knows what it is. It's his business. Peace, War, Legislation,
Finance--what have the people to do with such things? Of course the
people have to pay; of course the people have to serve; but that should
suffice them. They have a place in policy; from them come two essential
things, the army and the budget. To be liable to contribute, and to be
liable to serve; is not that enough? What more should they want? They
are the military and the financial arm. A magnificent _role_. The king
reigns for them, and they must reward him accordingly. Taxation and the
civil list are the salaries paid by the peoples and earned by the
prince. The people give their blood and their money, in return for which
they are led. To wish to lead themselves! what an absurd idea! They
require a guide; being ignorant, they are blind. Has not the blind man
his dog? Only the people have a lion, the king, who consents to act the
dog. How kind of him! But why are the people ignorant? because it is
good for them. Ignorance is the guardian of Virtue. Where there is no
perspective there is no ambition. The ignorant man is in useful
darkness, which, suppressing sight, suppresses covetousness: whence
innocence. He who reads, thinks; who thinks, reasons. But not to reason
is duty; and happiness as well. These truths are incontestable; society
is based on them.

Thus had sound social doctrines been re-established in England; thus had
the nation been reinstated. At the same time a correct taste in
literature was reviving. Shakespeare was despised, Dryden admired.
"_Dryden is the greatest poet of England, and of the century_," said
Atterbury, the translator of "Achitophel." It was about the time when M.
Huet, Bishop of Avranches, wrote to Saumaise, who had done the author
of "Paradise Lost" the honour to refute and abuse him, "_Ho