ple who resign themselves to
this flagrant error, also fall speedily into anarchy and decline; for
God does not permit that nature and the laws of His works should be
forgotten and outraged to such an extent with impunity.

During my course of lectures from 1828 to 1830, it was my prevailing
idea to contend against this injurious tendency of the public mind, to
bring it back to an intelligent and impartial appreciation of our old
social system, to inspire an affectionate respect for the early history
of France; and thus to contribute, as far as I could, to establish
between the different elements of our ancient and modern society,
whether monarchical, aristocratic, or popular, that mutual esteem and
harmony which an attack of revolutionary fever may suspend, but which
soon becomes once more indispensable to the liberty as well as to the
prosperity of the citizens, to the strength and tranquillity of the
State.

I had some reason to think that I succeeded to a great extent in my
design. My audience, numerous and diversified, youths and experienced
men, natives and foreigners, appeared to take a lively interest in the
ideas I expounded. These notions assimilated with the general
impressions of their minds, without demanding complete subservience, so
as to combine the charms of sympathy and novelty. My listeners found
themselves, not thrown back into retrograding systems, but urged forward
in the path of just and liberal reflection. By the side of my historical
lessons, but without concert, and in spite of wide differences of
opinion between us, literary and philosophic instruction received from
my two friends, MM. Villemain and Cousin, a corresponding character and
impulse. Opposite breezes produced the same movement; we bestowed no
thought on the events and questions of the day, and we felt no desire to
bring them to the attention of the public by whom we were surrounded. We
were openly and freely devoted to great general interests, great
recollections, and great hopes for man and human associations; caring
only to propagate our ideas, not indifferent as to their possible
results, but not impatient to attain them; gratified by the intellectual
advance in the midst of which we lived, and confident in the ultimate
ascendency of the truth which we flattered ourselves we should possess
and in the liberty we hoped to enjoy.

It would certainly have been profitable for us, and as I also believe
for the country, if this inte