Remy de Gourmont, “Nietzsche and the Affair” (1899/1904)

Draft translation of “Nietzsche et l’affaire,” Épilogues: Réflexions sur la vie: 1899–1901 (Paris: Mercure de France, 1904), pp. 90–2, dated October 1899. Gourmont advances an ironically antidreyfusard position: Dreyfus’ guilty verdict is “favourable to civilization,” to the “mechanism of social conventions” understood as “forces”; “Right” or “Justice” do not enter into it.

PDF of this translation at academia.edu.

 

I do not know if we can say that, in the present Affair, Force has triumphed over Right, even if we retain the common senses of these words, such as Mr. Havet might understand, on a good day; but if we suppose as much, the spectacle would be salutary and opportune. Every right being founded upon force, it would be no bad thing if this mechanism of social conventions were sometimes set in motion before the astounded populace, and if we were to witness the brutal motion of causes in the open air. But there is no Right opposed to Force. There are forces; and in this case it is the force of cohesion that has prevailed over the force of disaggregation. The Dreyfus Affair is a problem of mechanics; it has been provisionally resolved in a manner extremely favourable to civilization [1].

By one of those chances that seem subject to a superhuman logic, just as this question of justice has arisen, the works of Nietzsche have begun to be published. At the very moment the slaves made one of their periodic attempts on civilized life, Mr. Henri Albert has, by means of his fine translation, put within reach of those who do not know German the very pages in which the last great philosopher, with his haughty verve, warns us of the peril that menaces the modern world. The theory of the two moralities—which a recent article expounded in these very pages—is one of Nietzsche’s finest conceptions. Keeping to matters bearing upon Justice, it reveals to us the eternal antinomy between slaves, who speak of pity, and masters, who speak of force. For the slave, virtues are negative; they are what he requires of his masters: gentleness, generosity, indulgence; for the master, virtues are positive; they are what he would inculcate in his slaves; and they come down to one single thing: obedience. Thus, while the civilization of masters is necessarily a hierarchy of obedience, the civilization of slaves is an anarchy of sentimentality. Now, this opposition was never more visible than in the evolution of the present Affair. Instinctively, and without examining the facts, the one takes the side of sentiment, the other the side of force. Making an exception for some critical minds set upon taking sides, and some minds of a juridical cast moved only by concerns for rule and right order, these two categories encompass nearly all those who have followed events with interest. If we condense convictions into emblems, the one would say: my force creates my justice; the other: my justice creates my force. The first rely upon a fact; the second upon an abstraction. Evidently, abstraction can only ever triumph over fact very fleetingly: the result of the trial at Rennes is therefore in conformity with the logical course of things.

However, it is never necessary for force to use all its power. Here, I would distinguish myself from Nietzsche, were I to embark upon a philosophical discussion; and I would let pity and disdain enter together into the masters’ house. The vanquished must be finished, or treated with humanity.

 

Note

1. [In August–September 1899, a second trial found Captain Alfred Dreyfus guilty of treason.]