m civil war or from foreign
domination.[12125] They have acted generally like able surgeons, if
not through virtue, at least through dynastic sentiment and family
traditions; having practiced from father to son, they had acquired the
professional conscience; their first and only aim was the safety and
health of their patient. It is for this reason that they have not
recklessly undertaken extravagant, bloody, and over-risky operations;
rarely have they given way to temptation through a desire to display
their skill, through the need of dazzling and astonishing the world,
through the novelty, keenness, and success of their saws and scalpels.
They felt that a longer and superior existence to their own was imposed
upon them; they looked beyond them-selves as far as their sight would
reach, and so took measures that the State after them might do without
them, live on intact, remain independent, vigorous, and respected
athwart the vicissitudes of European conflict and the uncertain problems
of coming history. Such, under the ancient regime, was what were called
reasons of state; these had prevailed in the councils of princes for
eight hundred years; along with unavoidable failures and after temporary
deviations, these had become for the time being and remained the
preponderating motive. Undoubtedly they excused or authorized many
breaches of faith, many outrages, and, to come to the word, many crimes;
but, in the political order of things, especially in the management of
external affairs, they furnished a governing and a salutary principle.
Under its constant influence thirty monarchs had labored, and it is thus
that, province after province, they had solidly and enduringly built up
France, by ways and means beyond the reach of individuals but available
to the heads of States.

Now, this principle is lacking with their improvised successor. On the
throne as in the camp, whether general, consul, or emperor, he remains
the military adventurer, and cares only for his own advancement. Owing
to the great defect in the education of both conscience and sentiments,
instead of subordinating himself to the State, he subordinates the State
to him; he does not look beyond his own brief physical existence to the
nation which is to survive him. Consequently, he sacrifices the future
to the present, and his work is not to be enduring. After him the
deluge! Little does he care who utters this terrible phrase; and worse
still, he earnestly wi