emician　that　he　spared　a　book　　which　had　already　excited　the　indignation　of　the　magistrates。　　M。　Vivien　is　not　the　only　official　to　whom　I　have　been　indebted；　since　my　first　publication；　for　assistance　and　protection；　but　such　generosity　in　the　political　arena　is　so　rare　that　one　may　acknowledge　it　graciously　and　freely。　　I　have　always　thought；　for　my　part；　that　bad　institutions　made　bad　magistrates；　just　as　the　cowardice　and　hypocrisy　of　certain　bodies　results　solely　from　the　spirit　which　governs　them。　　Why；　for　instance；　in　spite　of　the　virtues　and　talents　for　which　they　are　so　noted；　are　the　academies　generally　centres　of　intellectual　repression；　stupidity；　and　base　intrigue？　　That　question　ought　to　be　proposed　by　an　academy：　there　would　be　no　lack　of　competitors。
  〃I　feel　as　deeply　as　you；　sir；　the　abuses　which　you　point　out；　but　I　have　so　great　an　affection　for　order；not　that　common　and　strait…laced　order　with　which　the　police　are　satisfied；　but　the　majestic　and　imposing　order　of　human　societies；that　I　sometimes　find　myself　embarrassed　in　attacking　certain　abuses。　　I　like　to　rebuild　with　one　hand　when　I　am　compelled　to　destroy　with　the　other。　　In　pruning　an　old　tree；　we　guard　against　destruction　of　the　buds　and　fruit。　　You　know　that　as　well　as　any　one。　　You　are　a　wise　and　learned　man；　you　have　a　thoughtful　mind。　　The　terms　by　which　you　characterize　the　fanatics　of　our　day　are　strong　enough　to　reassure　the　most　suspicious　imaginations　as　to　your　intentions；　but　you　conclude　in　favor　of　the　abolition　of　property！　　You　wish　to　abolish　the　most　powerful　motor　of　the　human　mind；　you　attack　the　paternal　sentiment　in　its　sweetest　illusions；　with　one　word　you　arrest　the　formation　of　capital；　and　we　build　henceforth　upon　the　sand　instead　of　on　a　rock。　　That　I　cannot　agree　to；　and　for　that　reason　I　have　criticised　your　book；　so　full　of　beautiful　pages；　so　brilliant　with　knowledge　and　fervor！
  〃I　wish；　sir；　that　my　impaired　health　would　permit　me　to　examine　with　you；　page　by　page；　the　memoir　which　you　have　done　me　the　honor　to　address　to　me　publicly　and　personally；　I　think　I　could　offer　some　important　criticisms。　　For　the　moment；　I　must　content　myself　with　thanking　you　for　the　kind　words　in　which　you　have　seen　fit　to　speak　of　me。　　We　each　possess　the　merit　of　sincerity；　I　desire　also　the　merit　of　prudence。　　You　know　how　deep…seated　is　the　disease　under　which　the　working…people　are　suffering；　I　know　how　many　noble　hearts　beat　under　those　rude　garments；　and　I　feel　an　irresistible　and　fraternal　sympathy　with　the　thousands　of　brave　people　who　rise　early　in　the　morning　to　labor；　to　pay　their　taxes；　and　to　make　our　country　strong。　　I　try　to　serve　and　enlighten　them；　whereas　some　endeavor　to　mislead　them。　　You　have　not　written　directly　for　them。　　You　have　issued　two　magnificent　manifestoes；　the　second　more　guarded　than　the　first；　issue　a　third　more　guarded　than　the　second；　and　you　will　take　high　rank　in　science；　whose　first　precept　is　calmness　and　impartiality。
  〃Farewell；　sir！　　No　man's　esteem　for　another　can　exceed　mine　for　you。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃BLANQUI。〃
  I　should　certainly　take　some　exceptions　to　this　noble　and　eloquent　letter；　but　I　confess　that　I　am　more　inclined　to　realize　the　prediction　with　which　it　terminates　than　to　augment　needlessly　the　number　of　my　antagonists。　　So　much　controversy　fatigues　and　wearies　me。　　The　intelligence　expended　in　the　warfare　of　words　is　like　that　employed　in　battle：　it　is　intelligence　wasted。　　M。　Blanqui　acknowledges　that　property　is　abused　in　many　harmful　ways；　I　call　PROPERTY　the　sum　these　abuses　exclusively。　　To　each　of　us　property　seems　a　polygon　whose　angles　need　knocking　off；　but；　the　operation　performed；　M。　Blanqui　maintains　that　the　figure　will　still　be　a　polygon　（an　hypothesis　admitted　in　mathematics；　although　not　proven）；　while　I　consider　that　this　figure　will　be　a　circle。　　Honest　people　can　at　least　understand　one　another。
  For　the　rest；　I　allow　that；　in　the　present　state　of　the　question；　the　mind　may　legitimately　hesitate　before　deciding　in　favor　of　the　abolition　of　property。　　To　gain　the　victory　for　one's　cause；　it　does　not　suffice　simply　to　overthrow　a　principle　generally　recognized；　which　has　the　indisputable　merit　of　systematically　recapitulating　our　political　theories；　it　is　also　necessary　to　establish　the　opposite　principle；　and　to　formulate　the　system　which　must　proceed　from　it。　　Still　further；　it　is　necessary　to　show　the　method　by　which　the　new　system　will　satisfy　all　the　moral　and　political　needs　which　induced　the　establishment　of　the　first。　　On　the　following　conditions；　then；　of　subsequent　evidence；　depends　the　correctness　of　my　preceding　arguments：
  The　discovery　of　a　system　of　absolute　equality　in　which　all　existing　institutions；　save　property；　or　the　sum　of　the　abuses　of　property；　not　only　may　find　a　place；　but　may　themselves　serve　as　instruments　of　equality：　individual　liberty；　the　division　of　power；　the　public　ministry；　the　jury　system；　administrative　and　judicial　organization；　the　unity　and　completeness　of　instruction；　marriage；　the　family；　heredity　in　direct　and　collateral　succession；　the　right　of　sale　and　exchange；　the　right　to　make　a　will；　and　even　birthright；a　system　which；　better　than　property；　guarantees　the　formation　of　capital　and　keeps　up　the　courage　of　all；　which；　from　a　superior　point　of　view；　explains；　corrects；　and　completes　the　theories　of　association　hitherto　proposed；　from　Plato　and　Pythagoras　to　Babeuf；　Saint　Simon；　and　Fourier；　a　system；　finally；　which；　serving　as　a　means　of　transition；　is　immediately　applicable。
  A　work　so　vast　requires；　I　am　aware；　the　united　efforts　of　twenty　Montesquieus；　nevertheless；　if　it　is　not　given　to　a　single　man　to　finish；　a　single　one　can　commence；　the　enterprise。　　The　road　that　he　shall　traverse　will　suffice　to　show　the　end　and　assure　the　result。
  WHAT　IS　PROPERTY？　OR；　AN　INQUIRY　INTO　THE　PRINCIPLE　OF　RIGHT　AND　OF　GOVERNMENT。　　FIRST　MEMOIR。　　_Adversus　hostem　aeterna　auctertas　esto。_
  Against　the　enemy；　revendication　is　eternal。　LAW　OF　THE　TWELVE　TABLES。
  CHAPTER　I。　METHOD　PURSUED　IN　THIS　WORK。THE　IDEA　OF　A　REVOLUTION。
  If　I　were　asked　to　answer　the　following　question：　　WHAT　IS　SLAVERY？　　and　I　should　answer　in　one　word；　IT　IS　MURDER；　my　meaning　would　be　understood　at　once。　　No　extended　argument　would　be　required　to　show　that　the　power　to　take　from　a　man　his　thought；　his　will；　his　personality；　is　a　power　of　life　and　death；　and　that　to　enslave　a　man　is　to　kill　him。　　Why；　then；　to　this　other　question：　　WHAT　IS　PROPERTY！　may　I　not　likewise　answer；　IT　IS　ROBBERY；　without　the　certainty　of　being　misunderstood；　the　second　proposition　being　no　other　than　a　transformation　of　the　first？
  I　undertake　to　discuss　the　vital　principle　of　our　government　and　our　institutions；　property：　　I　am　in　my　right。　　I　may　be　mistaken　in　the　conclusion　which　shall　result　from　my　investigations：　　I　am　in　my　right。　　I　think　best　to　place　the　last　thought　of　my　book　first：　still　am　I　in　my　right。
  Such　an　author　teaches　that　property　is　a　civil　right；　born　of　occupation　and　sanctioned　by　law；　another　maintains　that　it　is　a　natural　right；　originating　in　labor；and　both　of　these　doctrines；　totally　opposed　as　they　may　seem；　are　encouraged　and　applauded。　　I　contend　that　neither　labor；　nor　occupation；　nor　law；　can　create　property；　that　it　is　an　effect　without　a　cause：　am　I　censurable？
  But　murmurs　arise！
  PROPERTY　IS　ROBBERY！　　That　is　the　war…cry　of　'93！　　That　is　the　signal　of　revolutions！
  Reader；　calm　yourself：　　I　am　no　agent　of　discord；　no　firebrand　of　sedition。　　I　anticipate　history　by　a　few　days；　I　disclose　a　truth　whose　development　we　may　try　in　vain　to　arrest；　I　write　the　preamble　of　our　future　constitution。　　This　proposition　which　seems　to　you　blasphemousPROPERTY　IS　ROBBERYwould；　if　our　prejudices　allowed　us　to　consider　it；　be　recognized　as　the　lightning…rod　to　shield　us　from　the　coming　thunderbolt；　but　too　many　interests　stand　in　the　way！　。　。　。　　Alas！　philosophy　will　not　change　the　course　of　events：　destiny　will　fulfill　itself　regardless　of　prophecy。　　Besides；　must　not　justice　be　done　and　our　education　be　finished？
  PROPERTY　IS　ROBBERY！　。　。　。　　What　a　revolution　in　human　ideas！　　PROPRIETOR　and　ROBBER　have　been　at　all　times　expressions　as　contradictory　as　the　beings　whom　they　designate　are　hostile；　all　languages　have　perpetuated　this　opposition。　　On　what　authority；　then；　do　you　venture　to　attack　universal　consent；　and　give　the　lie　to　the　human　race？　　Who　are　you；　that　you　should　question　the　judgment　of　the　nations　and　the　ages？
  Of　what　consequence　to　you；　reader；　is　my　obscure　individuality？　　I　live；　like　you；　in　a　century　in　which　reason　submits　only　to　fact　and　to　evidence。　　My　name；　like　yours；　is　TRUTH…　SEEKER。＇1＇　　My　mission　is　written　in　these　words　of　the　law：　　SPEAK　WITHOUT　HATRED　AND　WITHOUT　FEAR；　TELL　THAT　WHICH　THOU　KNOWEST！　　The　work　of　our　race　is　to　build　the　temple　of　science；　and　this　science　includes　man　and　Nature。　　Now；　truth　reveals　itself　to　all；　to…day　to　Newton　and　Pascal；　tomorrow　to　the　herdsman　in　the　valley　and　the　journeyman　in　the　shop。　　Each　one　contributes　his　stone　to　the　edifice；　and；　his　task　accomplished；　disappears。　　Eternity　precedes　us；　eternity　follo