. . The government knows no party； a royalist is placed along with a determined republican， each being， so to say， neutralized by the other. The First Consul， more a King than Louis XIV.， has called the ablest men to his councils without caring what they were." - Anne Plumptre， "A Narrative of Three Years' Residence in France from 1802to 1805，" I.， 326， 329. "The class denominated the people is most certainly， taking it in the aggregate， favorably disposed to Bonaparte. Any tale of distress from the Revolution was among this class always ended with this， 'but now， we are quiet， thanks to God and to Bonaparte.'" - Mallet-Dupan， with his accustomed perspicacity， ("Mercure Britainnique，" Nos. for November 25 and December 10， 1799)， at once comprehended the character and harmony of this last revolution. "The possible domination of the Jacobins chilled all ages and most conditions. . . . Is that nothing， to be preserved， even for one year， against the ravages of a faction， under whose empire nobody can sleep tranquilly， and find that faction driven from all places of authority just at a time when everybody feared its second outburst， with its torches， its assassins， its assessors， and its agrarian laws， over the whole French territory？.... That Revolution， of an entirely new species， appeared to us as fundamental as that of 1789.
[151] The Ancient Régime， p. 144.
End of The French Revolution， Volume 3
The Modern Regime， Volume 1 [Napoleon]
The Origins of Contemporary France， Volume 5by Hippolyte A. Taine Contents：
PREFACE
BOOK FIRST. Napoleon Bonaparte.
Chapter I. Historical Importance of his Character and Genius.
Chapter II. His Ideas， Passions and Intelligence.
BOOK SECOND. Formation and Character of the New State.
Chapter I. The Institution of Government.
Chapter II. Use and Abuse of Government Services.
Chapter III. The New Government Organization.
BOOK THIRD. Object and Merits of the System.
Chapter I. Recovery of Social Order.
Chapter II. Taxation and Conscription.
Chapter III. Ambition and Self-esteem.
BOOK FOURTH. Defect and Effects of the System.
Chapter I. Local Society.
Chapter II. Local society since 1830.
___________________________________________________________________PREFACEThe following third and last part of the Origins of Contemporary France is to consist of two volumes. After the present volume， the second is to treat of the Church， the School and the Family， describe the modern milieu and note the facilities and obstacles which a society like our own encounters in this new milieu： here， the past and the present meet， and the work already done is continued by the work which is going on under our eyes. - -The undertaking is hazardous and more difficult than with the two preceding parts. For the Ancient Régime and the Revolution are henceforth complete and finished periods； we have seen the end of both and are thus able to comprehend their entire course. On the contrary， the end of the ulterior period is still wanting ； the great institutions which date from the Consulate and the Empire， either consolidation or dissolution， have not yet reached their historic term： since 1800， the social order of things， notwithstanding eight changes of political form， has remained almost intact. Our children or grandchildren will know whether it will finally succeed or miscarry； witnesses of the denouement， they will have fuller light by which to judge of the entire drama. Thus far four acts only have been played； of the fifth act， we have simply a presentiment. - On the other hand， by dint of living under this social system， we have become accustomed to it； it no longer excites our wonder； however artificial it may be it seems to us natural. We can scarcely conceive of another that is healthier； and what is much worse， it is repugnant to us to do so. For， such a conception would soon lead to comparisons and hence to a judgment and， on many points， to an unfavorable judgment， one which would be a censure， not only of our institutions but of ourselves. The machine of the year VIII，[1]
applied to us for three generations， has permanently shaped and fixed us as we are， for better or for worse. If， for a century， it sustains us， it represses us for a century. We have contracted the infirmities it imports - stoppage of development， instability of internal balance， disorders of the intellect and of the will， fixed ideas and ideas that are false. These ideas are ours； therefore we hold on to them， or， rather， they have taken hold of us. To get rid of them， to impose the necessary recoil on our mind， to transport us to a distance and place us at a critical point of view， where we can study ourselves， our ideas and our institutions as scientific objects， requires a great effort on our part， many precautions， and long reflection. - Hence， the delays of this study； the reader will pardon them on considering that an ordinary opinion， caught on the wing， on such a subject， does not suffice. In any event， when one presents an opinion on such a subject one is bound to believe it. I can believe in my own only when it has become precise and seems to me proven.
Menthon Saint-Bernard， September， 1890.
