Dr. Renault was, as I have said, an excellent teacher. I, however, was not an excellent student. Even though the class was fascinating to me, and I attended lecture regularly, my marks did not always show it. Indeed in those days, I got better marks for my dark tan (a wondrous by-product of my Arab roots) than for my class essays. Too bad the ladies who evaluated my tan were not the ones evaluating my schoolwork. In any event, back to the lectures.
“The latter decade of the 1830’s was a remarkable era of cultural progress in France. As it always had, France drew together great thinkers, philosophers, and artists drawn to Paris by the generous encouragement of the bourgeois government. Industrial, economic, and even military technology took a backseat to the pursuit of esoteric theories of rationalism, empiricism, and state & government studies. This cultural outpouring happened…”
An interruption from one of the students; Corbett was his name I believe…
“M. Le professor, a question if you please?
“Yes, M. Corbett.” I was a bit surprised Dr. Renault allowed the interruption as most professors, especially at UAN, just ignored student’s inquiries.
“Thank you, sir. I was wondering sir how it was that France maintained such a cultural establishment in the midst of territorial expansion. Would not she have benefited from a focus on industrialization, or perhaps even militarization,”
Snickering began to be heard through the room as Corbett asked his question. It was a ridiculous question after all, but Dr. Renault entertained it. “… uh, I mean… should not we have …, uh…” Dr. Renault mercifully cut him off before our stifled chuckles became peals of laughter.
“M. Corbett, where did you complete your secondary?” Dr. Renualt did not look at him as he asked the question, preferring instead to focus on the pungent pipe he was lighting. “In Algeria, sir.” “And your primary?” Corbett looked at the ground then. “In Guiana, sir.” His words were barely a whisper. “Come again M. Corbett?” “Guiana, sir.”
Dr. Renault looked at him over the top of his glasses while inhaling deeply from his pipe. “Yes, of course.” Those words explained everything, or at least were meant to, although I confess, I did not know then (nor am I sure now) exactly what he meant to convey.
“Class, M. Corbett asks a question that gives me occasion to highlight the superiority of French thought even in those days. For us to focus on military technology at the expense of culture would have made us… well armed barbarians, not unlike those to the east. (by this he meant the Germans of course) Undue concern for wealth & industry would make us like that omnipresent nation of shopkeepers. The French have always chosen the superior way. Culture, the arts, literature; these are the things that raise the stature, élan, honor, and dignity of a nation in the eyes of the world. To choose any other path, any other way, is to depart from the greatest and best traditions of the noble French nation. It can not be other than that we should lead the world in the noblest traditions and arts of mankind. It is the best that is in man; all else follows from that.”
All of us sat in stunned silence and Corbett stood there silently; all of us absorbing what we’d heard. Then Corbett began to clap, and we all joined in. Before I knew it, we were all on our feet. Vive la France! Vive la France! It was a great day.