led my soul even in my early youth with bitterness. And
that is why I now experience no disappointment. I am convinced that the
crowd, the common herd will always be odious.... Until the time comes
when men shall submit to set up mandarins, and shall have substituted
for the Roman Pope an Academy of Sciences, until that time comes, all
politics, and all society even to its deepest roots, must be merely a
collection of revolting lies (_de blagues ecoeurantes_.)" Nevertheless
in his novel "Bouvard et Pecuchet" Flaubert makes every effort to
destroy faith even in the strength of the principles of science, and to
prove that modern science is as impermanent a structure, as
contradictory and superstitious a system as was the theology of the
Middle Ages. To his disbelief in science Flaubert, moreover, is
constantly giving utterance: thus, for instance, when he comes upon the
Positivism of Comte, he finds this system "unbearably stupid" (_c'est
assommant de betise_).

V

We have thus seen that Flaubert's attempt to reach a compromise with
regard to the preponderating tendency of the age did not succeed; of his
views respecting the structure of society, the only true one is his
insight into the lower classes of the people. "However well you may feed
the animal man, however thickly you gild his stable, even though you
give him the softest and most luxurious litter, still he will ever
remain a beast. The only progress upon which one can count is the effort
to make the beast less of a cannibal. But as to raising the level of his
ideas, or inspiring the masses with a broader conception of God, I
seriously doubt whether this can ever be achieved."

In another letter he frankly admits that he has no faith, no principles
of morality, no political ideals, and in this admission, wrung from the
depths of his heart, the note of despair is already struck: "In the
present day there seems to be as little possibility of establishing any
new belief as of obtaining respect for the old faith. And so I seek and
fail to find that one idea upon which all the rest should depend." These
few words throw a clearer light on the attitude of Flaubert during the
latter years of his life than anything else. Formerly he had found this
idea in his art, while now he assumes that there is another and higher
basis, upon which art itself must rest; but to find this principle is
beyond his power. He seeks forgetfulness in work, but work only brings
exhau