[56] The Revolution," pp. 356-358. (Laff. I. pp. 825-826.) - Marmont, "Mémoires," I. 122. (Letter to his mother, January 12, 1795.) "Behold your son zealously fulfilling his duties, deserving of his country and serving the republic. . . . We should not be worthy of liberty if we did nothing to obtain it."[57] Compare the "Journal du sergent Fricasse," and "les Cahiers du capitaine Coignet." Fricasse is a volunteer who enlists in the defence of the country; Coignet is a conscript ambitious of distinguishing himself, and he says to his masters: "I promise to come back with the fusil d'honneur or I shall be dead."[58] Marmont, I., 186, 282, 296. (In Italy, 1796.) "At this epoch, our ambition was quite secondary; we were solely concerned about our duties and amusements. The frankest and most cordial union existed amongst us all. . . . No sentiment of envy, no low passion found room in our breasts. (Then) what excitement, what grandeur, what hopes and what gayety! . . . Each had a presentiment of an illimitable future and yet entertained no idea of personal ambition or calculation." -George Sand, "Histoire de ma vie." (Correspondence of her father, Commander Dupin.) - Stendhal, "Vie de Napoléon." "At this epoch (1796), nobody in the army had any ambition. I have known officers to refuse promotion so as not to quit their regiment or their mistress.
[59] Roederer, III., 556. (Burgos, April 9, 1809, conversation with General Lasalle written down the same evening.) " You pass through Paris?" "Yes, it's the shortest way. I shall get there at five in the morning; I shall order a pair of boots, get my wife with child and then leave for Germany." - Roederer remarks to him that one risks one's life and fights for the sake of promotion and to profit by rising in the world. "No, not at all. One takes pleasure in it. One enjoys fighting; it is pleasure enough in itself to fight! You are in the midst of the uproar, of the action, of the smoke. And then, on acquiring reputation you have had the fun of making it. When you have got your fortune you know that your wife and children won't suffer.
That is enough. As for myself, I could die to-morrow." (The details of this conversation are admirable; no document gives a better idea of the officer of the epoch.)[60] Compare with the idea of an ideal Chaver (kibbutznik).: Melford E. Spiro, wrote "Kibbutz. Venture in Utopia." 60 and described how the Israeli kibbutzim as early as 1917 wanted the ideal kibbutzim to be:
Loyal to his people A brother to his fellows A man of truth A helpful and dependable brother A lover of nature Obedient to the orders of his leaders Joyful and gay Economical and generous A man of courage Pure in thoughts, words, and deeds (opposition to drinking, smoking and sexual relationships).
[61] Balzac has closely studied and admirably portrayed this type in a "Ménage de Gar?on." - See other similar characters in Mérimée ("Les Mécontens," and "les Espagnols en Danemark"); in Stendhal ("le Chasseur vert"). I knew five or six of them in my youth.
[62] Words of Marshal Marmont: "So long as he declared 'Everything for France,' I served him enthusiastically; when he said, 'France and myself' I served him zealously; when he said, 'myself and France,' Iserved him with devotion. It is only when he said, 'Myself without France,' that I left him."[63] An expression found by Joseph de Maistre.
[64] An expression heard by Mickiewicz in his childhood.
[65] These sums are given, the former by Mérimée and the latter by Sainte- Beuve.
[66] M. de Champagny "Souvenirs," III., 183. Napoleon, passing his marshals in review, said to him (1811): "None of them can take my place in the command of my armies; some are without the talent, and others would carry on war for their own benefit. Didn't that burly Soult want to be king of Portugal?" "Well, sire, war need not be carried on any longer." "Yes, but how maintain my army? And I must have an army."[67] "Souvenirs", by PASQUIER (Etienne-Dennis, duc), chancelier de France. in VI volumes, Librarie Plon, Paris 1893. IV., 112.
(According to the papers of Savary, many of Napoleon's letters and statements by M. de Saint-Aignan.)[68] "Mémorial," Aug.26, 1816.
[69] The driving motor of unlimited capitalism as well, a driving force only to be tempered by the law and by a desire for social admiration of different kinds. (SR.)[70] "Travels in France during the years 1814 and 1815." (Edinburgh, 1816, 2 vols.) - The author, a very good observer, thus sums up the principle of the system: "To give active employment to all men of talent and enterprise." There is no other condition: "Birth, education, moral character were completely set aside." - Hence the general defect of the system. "The French have literally no idea of any duties which they must voluntarily, without the prospect of reward, undertake for their country. It never enters their heads that a man may be responsible for the neglect of those public duties for the performance of which he receives no regular salary."