nd how glad we were to be present at that wedding； celebrated according to the custom in Berry from time immemorial。
It is easy to see the meaning of all these things。 They show us how natural kindliness is to the heart of man。 If we try to find out why Germain and Marie appear so delightful to us； we shall discover that it is because they are simple…hearted； and follow the dictates of Nature。 Nature must not be deformed； therefore； by constraint nor transformed by convention； as it leads straight to virtue。
We have heard the tune of this song before； and we have seen the blossoming of some very fine pastoral poems and a veritable invasion of sentimental literature。 In those days tears were shed plentifully over poetry； novels and plays。 We have had Bernardin de Saint…Pierre； Sedaine； Florian and Berquin。 The Revolution； brutal and sanguinary as it was； did not interrupt the course of these romantic effusions。 Never were so many tender epithets used as during the years of the Reign of Terror； and in official processions Robespierre was adorned with flowers like a village bride。
This taste for pastoral things； at the time of the Revolution； was not a mere coincidence。 The same principles led up to the idyll in literature and to the Revolution in history。 Man was supposed to be naturally good； and the idea was to take away from him all the restraints which had been invented for curbing his nature。 Political and religious authority； moral discipline and the prestige of tradition had all formed a kind of network of impediments； by which man had been imprisoned by legislators who were inclined to pessimism。 By doing away with all these fetters； the Golden Age was to be restored and universal happiness was to be established。 Such was the faith of the believers in the millennium of 1789； and of 1848。 The same dream began over and over again； from Diderot to Lamartine and from Jean…Jacques to George Sand。 The same state of mind which we see reflected in _La Mare au Diable_ was to make of George Sand the revolutionary writer of 1848。 We can now understand the _role_ which the novelist played in the second Republic。 It is one of the most surprising pages in the history of this extraordinary character。
The joy with which George Sand welcomed the Republic can readily be imagined。 She had been a Republican ever since the days of Michel of Bourges； and a democrat since the time when； as a little girl； she took the side of her plebeian mother against 〃the old Countesses。〃 For a long time she had been wishing for and expecting a change of government。 She would not have been satisfied with less than this。 She was not much moved by the Thiers…Guizot duel； and it would have given her no pleasure to be killed for the sake of Odilon Barrot。 She was a disciple of Romanticism； and she wanted a storm。 When the storm broke； carrying all before it； a throne； a whole society with its institutions； she hurried away from her peaceful Nohant。 She wanted to breathe the atmosphere of a revolution； and she was soon intoxicated by it。
〃Long live the Republic；〃 she wrote in her letters。 〃What a dream and what enthusiasm； and then； too； what behaviour； what order in Paris。 I have just arrived； and I saw the last of the barricades。 The people are great； sublime； simple and generous； the most admirable people in the universe。 I spent nights without any sleep and days without sitting down。 Every one was wild and intoxicated with delight； for after going to sleep in the mire they have awakened in heaven。〃＇39＇
＇39＇ _Correspondance： _ To Ch。 Poncy； March 9； 1848。
She goes on dreaming thus of the stars。 Everything she hears； everything she sees enchants her。 The most absurd measures delight her。 She either thinks they are most noble； liberal steps to have taken； or else they are very good jokes。
〃Rothschild；〃 she writes； 〃expresses very fine sentiments about liberty at present。 The Provisional Government is keeping him in sight； as it does not wish him to make off with his money； and so will put some of the troops on his track。 The most amusing things are happening。〃 A little later on she writes： 〃The Government and the people expect to have bad deputies； but they have agreed to put them through the window。 You must come； and we will go and see all this and have fun。〃＇40＇
＇40＇ _Correspondance：_ To Maurice Sand； March 24； 1848。
She was thoroughly entertained； and that is very significant。 We must not forget the famous phrase that sounded the death…knell of the July monarchy； 〃La France s'ennuie。〃 France had gone in for a revolution by way of being entertained。
George Sand was entertained； then； by what was taking place。 She went down into the street where there was plenty to see。 In the mornings there were the various coloured posters to be read。 These had been put up in the night； and they were in prose and in verse。
Processions were also organized； and men； women and children； with banners unfurled； marched along to music to the Hotel de Ville； carrying baskets decorated with ribbons and flowers。 Every corporation and every profession considered itself bound in honour to congratulate the Government and to encourage it in its well…doing。 One day the procession would be of the women who made waistcoats or breeches； another day of the water…carriers； or of those who had been decorated in July or wounded in February； then there were the pavement…layers； the washerwomen； the delegates from the Paris night…soil men。 There were delegates； too； from the Germans； Italians； Poles； and most of the inhabitants of Montmartre and of Batignolles。 We must not forget the trees of Liberty； as George Sand speaks of meeting with three of these in one day。 〃Immense pines；〃 she writes； 〃carried on the shoulders of fifty working…men。 A drum went first； then the flag； followed by bands of these fine tillers of the ground； strong…looking； serious men with wreaths of leaves on their head； and a spade； pick…axe or hatchet over their shoulder。 It was magnificent； finer than all the _Roberts_ in the world。〃＇41＇ Such was the tone of her letters。
＇41＇ _Correspondance。_
She had the Opera from her windows and an Olympic circus at every cross…road。 Paris was certainly _en fete_。 In the evenings it was just as lively。 There were the Clubs； and there were no less than three hundred of these。 Society women could go to them and hear orators in blouses proposing incendiary movements； which made them shudder deliciously。 Then there were the theatres。 Rachel； draped in antique style； looking like a Nemesis； declaimed the _Marseillaise_。 And all night long the excitement continued。 The young men organized torchlight processions； with fireworks； and insisted on peaceably…inclined citizens illuminating。 It was like a Nationial Fete day； or the Carnival； continuing all the week。
All this was the common； everyday aspect of Paris； but there were the special days as well to break the monotony of all this。 There were the manifestations； which had the great advantage of provoking counter…manifestations。 On the 16th of March； there was the manifestation of the National Guard； who were tranquil members of society； but on the 17th there was a counter…manifestation of the Clubs and workingmen。 On such days the meeting…place would be at the Bastille； and from morning to night groups； consisting of several hundred thousand men； would march about Paris； sometimes in favour of the Assembly against the Provisional Government； and sometimes in favour of the Provisional Government against the Assembly。 On the 17th of April； George Sand was in the midst of the crowd； in front of the Hotel de Ville； in order to see better。 On the 15th of May； as the populace was directing its efforts against the Palais Bourbon； she was in the Rue de Bourgogne； in her eagerness not to miss anything。 As she was passing in front of a _cafe_； she saw a woman haranguing the crowd in a very animated way from one of the windows。 She was told that this woman was George Sand。 Women were extremely active in this Revolution。 They organized a Legion for themselves； and were styled _〃Les Vesuviennes_。〃 They had their clubs； their banquets and their newspapers。 George Sand was far from approving all this feminine agitation； but she did not condemn it altogether。 She considered that 〃women and children； disinterested as they are in all political questions； are in more direct intercourse with the spirit that breathes from above over the agitations of this world。〃＇42＇ It was for them； therefore； to be the inspirers of politics。 George Sand was one of these inspirers。 In order to judge what counsels this Egeria gave； we have only to read some of her letters。 On the 4th of March； she wrote as follows to her friend Girerd： 〃Act vigorously； my dear brother。 In our present situation； we must have even more than devotion and loyalty； we must have fanaticism if necessary。〃 In conclusion； she says that he is not to hesitate 〃in sweeping away all that is of a _bourgeois_ nature。〃 In April she wrote to Lamartine； reproaching him with his moderation and endeavouring to excite his revolutionary spirit。 Later on； although she was not of a very warlike disposition； she regretted that they had not； like their ancestors of 1793； cemented their Revolution at home by a war with the nations。
＇42＇ _Correspondance：_ To the Citizen Thore； May 28； 1848。
〃If； instead of following Lamartine's stupid； insipid policy；〃 she then wrote； 〃we had challenged all absolute monarchies； we should have had war outside； but union at home； and strength； in consequence of this； it home and abroad。〃＇43＇ Like the great ancestors； she declared that the revolutionary idea is neither that of a sect nor of a party。 〃It is a religion；〃 she says； 〃that we want to proclaim。〃 All this zeal； this passion and this persistency in a woman is not surprising； but one does not feel much confidence in a certain kind of inspiration for politics after all this。
＇43＇ _Correspondance：_ To Mazzini； October 10； 1849。
My reason for dwelling on the subject is that George Sand did not content herself with merely looking on at the events that were taking place； or even with talking about them wi