《旧制度与大革命·卷二·第十七章·何以施恩反而激起民变》第4节
It must be admitted that at the bottom of all these charitable feelings there remained a strong bias of contempt for these wretched beings whose miseries the higher classes so sincerely wished to relieve: and that we are somewhat reminded, by this display of compassion, of the notion of Madame Duchâtelet, who, as Voltaire’s secretary tells us, did not scruple to undress herself before her attendants, not thinking it by any means proved that lackeys are men. And let it not be supposed that Louis XVI. or his ministers were the only persons who held the dangerous language which I have just cited; the privileged persons, who were about to become the first objects of the popular fury, expressed themselves in exactly the same manner before their inferiors. It must be admitted that in France the higher classes of society had begun to pay attention to the condition of the poor before they had any reason to fear them; they interested themselves in their fate at a time when they had not begun to believe that the sufferings of the poor were the precursors of their own perdition. This was peculiarly visible in the ten years which preceded 1789; the peasants were the constant objects of compassion, their condition was continually discussed, the means of affording them relief were examined, the chief abuses from which they suffered were exposed, and the fiscal laws which pressed most heavily upon them were condemned; but the manner in which this new-born sympathy was expressed was as imprudent as the long-continued insensibility which had preceded it. If we read the reports of the Provincial Assemblies which met in some parts of France in 1779, and subsequently throughout the kingdom, and if we study the other public records left by them, we shall be touched by the generous sentiments expressed in them, and astonished at the wonderful imprudence of the language in which they are expressed.
注释摘要
托克维尔在这一段里抛出了一个表面矛盾、实则尖锐的论断：上层阶级对民众苦难的关怀越是真诚，表达这种关怀的方式就越是轻率，而轻率恰恰源于他们心底不曾消散的轻蔑。他用夏特莱夫人的逸事做了一个极具画面感的类比。夏特莱夫人是启蒙时代的名媛，曾与伏尔泰同居，以数学和物理学造诣闻名。伏尔泰的秘书回忆说，这位夫人可以毫无顾忌地在仆人面前更衣，因为她并不真正相信仆人是完全意…