I
am inclined to blame the virtuous magistrate for having so patiently, so
diffidently endured their ridiculous pretensions, their unbearable
assumption of power.

From the earliest steps in the important study of nature, it becomes
evident that facts unveiled to us in the lapse of centuries, are but a
very small fraction, if we compare them with those that still remain to
be discovered. Placing ourselves in that point of view, deficiency in
diffidence would just be the same as deficiency in judgment. But, by the
side of positive diffidence, if I may be allowed the expression,
relative diffidence comes in. This is often a delusion; it deceives no
one, yet occasions a thousand difficulties. Bailly often confounded
them. We may regret, I think, that in many instances, the learned
academician disdained to throw in the face of his vain fellow-labourers
these words of an ancient philosopher: "When I examine myself, I find I
am but a pigmy; when I compare myself, I think I am a giant."

If I were to cover with a veil that which appeared to me susceptible of
criticism in the character of Bailly, I should voluntarily weaken the
praises that I have bestowed on several acts of his administration. I
will not commit this fault, no more than I have done already in alluding
to the communications of the mayor with the presuming Eschevins.

I will therefore acknowledge that on several occasions, Bailly, in my
opinion, showed himself influenced by a petty susceptibility, if not
about his personal prerogatives, yet about those of his station.

I think also that Bailly might be accused of an occasional want of
foresight.

Imaginative and sensitive, the philosopher allowed his thoughts to
centre too exclusively on the difficulties of the moment. He persuaded
himself, from an excess of good-will, that no new storm would follow the
one that he had just overcome. After every success, whether great or
small, against the intrigues of the court, or prejudices, or anarchy,
whether President of the National Assembly or Mayor of Paris, our
colleague thought the country saved. Then his joy overflowed; he would
have wished to spread it over all the world. It was thus that on the day
of the definite reunion of the nobility with the other two orders, the
27th of June, 1789, Bailly going from Versailles to Chaillot, after the
close of the session, leaned half his body out of his carriage door, and
announced the happy tidings with loud exclamations