CONDORCET: A BIOGRAPHY. 211 



Condorcet is about to take part iu the most important events of our rev- 

 olution. 



If it is true, as a celebrated diplomatist has said, that speech often 

 serves to disguise thought, we may add that under certain circumstances, 

 silence is a very unequivocal means of expression. Suppose, for example, 

 that I say nothing of the political life of Condorcet, who would believe 

 that it was not made up of blamable deeds ? Ileaven forbid that I 

 should voluntarily give reason for a conjecture so contrary to the truth, 

 that I should become the tacit auxiliary of the many scurrilous writers 

 who attacked with a sort of fury the former secretary of this Academy. 

 Every one, in his own cause, has assuredly the right to meet with silent 

 contempt the abuse of adversaries he may consider beneath notice ; but 

 this alone is not sufficient for him whose mission it is to defend an hon- 

 orable citizen, an illustrious brother, the victim of the basest calumnies. 

 In the society of Turgot our brother became a man of progress not 

 only in social but political economy. Placed near the seat of power for 

 eighteen months, he saw in their most secret details the play of the worm- 

 eaten wheels of the ancient monarchy. Condorcet comprehended their 

 insufficiency, and, although changes were to him i)ersonally prejudicial, 

 he never allowed an opportunity to escape of urging their necessity. I 

 do not know whether such noble disinterestedness is common at pres- 

 ent; it was not at least iu the times of which I speak. Witness, for 

 instance, the naive question addressed to Condorcet by aFermier (jeiwral, 

 enjoying an income of two or three thousand livres: " Why innovate? 

 Are we not well offf 



No, assuredly ; honest men were not common in the days when Tur- 

 got, the minister, said to our confrere: "You do very wrong to write to 

 me by the post; you may injure yourself and your friends. Write to 

 me, I pray you, only by special opportunity, or by my couriers." 



The '■'■hlaclc cabinet" opening letters addressed to a minister! Is any- 

 thing further necessary to show the character of the times ? In order to 

 understand the ameliorations France desired, Condorcet did not need to 

 consult the instructions that in 1789 the members of the constituent 

 assembly brought from all parts of the kingdom. His programme of 

 action, perfectly in accord with the best conceived resolutions of the 

 provincial assemblies, was written out in advance. He had foiiud its 

 elements in an earnest and philosophical study of the natural rights, of 

 which a society well organized will not, and cannot, deprive the most 

 humble citizen. The ideas,, the wishes, the hopes of our confrere form 

 the chief interest of the IJfe of Turgot, published in 178G. Today, 

 even, when most of the privileges claimed by Condorcet in the name of 

 reason and humanity have been definitely acquired, publicists may still 

 learn much from reading the work of our confrere. They will see iu it, 

 with astonishment perhaps, but also with full conviction, that the 

 vague principle of the greatest good of society has often been a fruitful 

 source of inj irious laws, while they will always secure regulations and 



