CONDORCET.

179

crime; the tone which inviolable probity inspires, andwhich art cannot imitate, obtained signal success forthis work. Those who were fortunate enough to beintimate with Condorcet easily raised the veil underwhich he concealed himself.” In the same way, headopted the name of a citizen of Newhaven, when hewrote to refute a hook by De Lolme , in praise of theEnglish constitution, insisting, in particular, on thebenefits arising from two legislative chambers. Con-dorcet argued that all just government ought to befounded on giving preponderance to the majority; andhe brought all his logic to prove that to confide thetask of legislation to two chambers, one of whichshould propose and the other sanction laws, was to giveto the minority a power superior to that enjoyed by themajority; since that which had been proposed unani-mously in one chamber might be rejected by a slight ma-jority in the other. He went on to establish maxims andlegal fictions by which it would be possible to ascertain thedesires of the majority in a state,—a question that oc-cupied his serious consideration in other works. Con-dorcet , in these writings, showed his attachment to allthat should ameliorate the social condition, and enlargethe sphere of intellect among his fellow-creatures. Hedid not, in his reasonings, give sufficient force to theinfluence of passion, especially when exerted overmasses, nor the vast power which the many have whenthey assert themselves, nor the facility with which theinterested few can lead assembled numbers into error andcrime. D’Alembert called Condorcet a volcano coveredby snow. There are men of great personal susceptibility,uncontrolable passions, and excitable imaginations, whohave the same power over their fellow-creatures that firehas over materials cast upon it—they impart their energy,even though it be for self-destruction, to all around.There are others;, and among such was Condorcet , ofgreat but regulated enthusiasm of soul; — which en-thusiasm, derived from abstract principles and foundedon severe reason, is more steady, more disinterested,n 2