large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_06_yonge_64kb_68
large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_06_yonge_64kb
English
12344
The king himself was dully aware that he was living on the crust of a volcano, but he said it would last his time; and so it did. THE KING HIMSELF WAS DULLY AWARE THAT HE WAS LIVING ON THE CRUST OF A VOLCANO BUT HE SAID IT WOULD LAST HIS TIME AND SO IT DID
laying thousands passed unnoticed, and even if, by any wonder, prosperity smiled on the peasant, he durst not live in any kind of comfort, lest the stewards of his lord or of Government should pounce on his wealth. 16. Reaction.--Meantime there was a strong feeling that change must come. Classical literature was studied, and Greek and Roman manners and institutions were thought ideal perfection. There was great disgust at the fetters of a highly artificial life in which every one was bound, and at the institutions which had been so misused. Writers arose, among whom Voltaire and Rousseau were the most eminent, who aimed at the overthrow of all the ideas which had come to be thus abused. The one by his caustic wit, the other by his enthusiastic simplicity, gained willing ears, and, the writers in a great Encyclopædia then in course of publication, contrived to attack most of the notions which had been hitherto taken for granted, and were closely connected with faith and with government. CROPS THAT FAMINES SLAYING THOUSANDS PASSED UNNOTICED AND EVEN IF BY ANY WONDER PROSPERITY SMILED ON THE PEASANT HE DURST NOT LIVE IN ANY KIND OF COMFORT LEST THE STEWARDS OF HIS LORD OR OF GOVERNMENT SHOULD POUNCE ON HIS WEALTH SIXTEEN REACTION MEANTIME THERE WAS A STRONG FEELING THAT CHANGE MUST COME CLASSICAL LITERATURE WAS STUDIED AND GREEK AND ROMAN MANNERS AND INSTITUTIONS WERE THOUGHT IDEAL PERFECTION THERE WAS GREAT DISGUST AT THE FETTERS OF A HIGHLY ARTIFICIAL LIFE IN WHICH EVERYONE WAS BOUND AND AT THE INSTITUTIONS WHICH HAD BEEN SO MISUSED WRITERS AROSE AMONG WHOM VOLTAIRE AND ROUSSEL WERE THE MOST EMINENT WHO AIMED AT THE OVERTHROW OF ALL THE IDEAS WHICH HAD COME TO BE THUS ABUSED THE ONE BY HIS CAUSTIC WIT THE OTHER BY HIS ENTHUSIASTIC SIMPLICITY GAINED WILLING EARS AND THE WRITERS IN A GREAT ENCYCLOPAEDIA THEN IN COURSE OF PUBLICATION CONTRIVED TO ATTACK MOST OF THE NOTIONS WHICH HAD BEEN HITHERTO TAKEN FOR GRANTED AND WERE CLOSELY CONNECTED WITH FAITH AND WITH GOVERNMENT
large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_06_yonge_64kb
file
download/librilight/large/12344/historyoffrance_1807_librivox_64kb_mp3/historyoffrance_06_yonge_64kb.flac