The Arcades Project - Operi

the Sirens to he crew of his ship and aired upon the shores of all the parties the
ever-varied music of his convictions, M. de Lamartine, in his never-ending odyssey,
has just gently beached his aeolian hark under the porthoes of the Stock
Exchange." Auguste Blanqui, Critique sociale (Paris, 1885), vol. 2, p. 100 ("'Lamartine
et Rothschild," April 1850). [a20a,4]
Doctrine of Blanqui: "No! No one has access to the secret of the future. Scarcely
possihle for even the most clairvoyant are certain presentiments, rapid glimpses, a
vague and fugitive coup d' oeil. The Revolution alone, as it clears the terrain, will
reveal the horizon, will gradually remove the veils and open up the roads, or
rather the multiple paths, that lead to the new order. Those who pretend to have in
their pocket a complete map of this unknown land-they truly are madmen."
Auguste Blanqui, Critique sociale (Paris, 1885), vol. 2, pp. 115-116 C'Les Sectes
et. la Revolution," Octoher 1866). [a20a,5]
Parliament of 1849: "In a speech delivered to the National Assemhly on April 14,
M. Considerant, a disciple . .. of Fourier, had this to say: The time of ohedience
is past: men feel that they are equal, and they want to he free. They do not helieve
any longer, and they wish to enjoy themselves. There you have the state
of souls. '_I . You mean the stat.e of hrutes!' interrupted M. de La Rochcjaquelein."
L. B. Bonjean, Socialisme et sens commun (Pm"is, M:ay 18/19), pp. 28-29.
[a21,1]
"M. Dumas (of the Institut) exclaims: I . The hlincling dust of foolish theories raised
by the whirlwind of Fehruary has dissipated in the air, and, in the wake of' this
vanished cloud, the year 1844 reappears with its shining countenance and its
sublime doctrine of material interests. '" Auguste Blanqui, Critique sociale (Paris,
1885), vol. 2 p. 10tt ("Discours de Lamartine," 1850). [a21,2J
In 1850, Blanqui pens a polemic: I.I.Rapport gigantesque de Thiel'S sur l'assistance
publique." [a2 1,3]
I . ·Will matter . .. assume the form of a single point in the sky? Or he content with a
thousand, ten thousand, a hundred thousand points that would barely enlarge its
meager domain? No-its vocation, its law, is infinity. It will not in the least allow
itself to be outflanked by the void. Space ·will not become its dungeon." A. Blanqui,
L'Eternite par ies astres: Hypothese lLstro1tmnique (Paris, 1872), p. 54. [a21,4]
At the end of a meeting in the early days of the Third Repuhlic: '"'Louise lVliehel
announced that an effort would he made to contact the wives and children of
imprisoned comrades. '"What we ask of YOll, ' she said, '"is not an act of charity hut
an act. of solidarity; for those who hestow charity, when they do hest.ow it., are
proud and self-satisfied, but we-we are never satisfied. m Daniel Halevy. Pays
parisiens (Paris