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An ignored transverse Current might periodically give overhong to the French political, social, and economic life since the Revolution : the one of the Baron Jean de Batz (1754 - 1822) and the Count François-Antoine de Boissy d'Anglas (1756 - 1826).
We call it the "Dawn Path", as its aim would be to improve everyday life through the opening of a new day after Dawn, with an optimistic pragmatism.
We attracted already your attention about those two men of exception, with our original article published on "Global politics and economics" on August 2nd, 2019 : "Uchronic history V : De Batz - Boissy d'Anglas, an overlooked friendship !".
Their potentially remaining Current is Southern, but it has also touched all the Atlantic West, and even the courageous "Nameless City" which terribly suffered among others under the Jacobines, on the opposite side of France (Lyon). The unusual peculiarity of Lyon is that it even lost its name, during the Revolution !
Our two protagonists were coming indeed from the South-West of France for the first one (castle of Gouts, recalling the word "Guts" in English), and from the South-East for the second (Annonay).
Their common trend was marked by tolerance, a proven resourcefulness, and a remarkable ingeniosity to adapt and survive an extremely dangerous and chaotic period.
And in many respects, this useful and practical Path (in a similar time) would appear paradoxically so moderate and discreet in the facts, that many observers would have never been able to identify it, for more than two centuries !
It would be the Middle Path : the one of France Appeasement. Not excessively domineering, but smart and jovial fellows, those two noblemen gave the taste of the forgotten terroirs and the heartland of France.
They opposed from the right beginning to the supremacist Jacobines a surprising but successful resistance, with their own focused way : to iniquitous blindness, repeated massacres, and cruelty, they opposed their skill, their tact, and their efficiency...and last but not least their humanity !
As a matter of fact, the ingenious and genuine Current they gave us by Historical Legacy, simply based upon will, self-help, and common sense, wouldn't seek to brutally submit individuals - whoever they are -, to incomprehensible and inhuman diktats.
It would simply take people as they are, by respecting their basic rights whatever the gender, age, or origin.
It considers France, above all, as a truly living geographical entity which is deserving great respect.
So then very paradoxically, though it wouldn't promise any "Great Evening", it would carry in itself the "Great Evening" !
Some fine observers might even see in it the astonishingly intertwined and old-world expressions of an idealized "Royalism" (as chivalrous, orderly, and glorious), and the "Sermon on the Mountain" with its suggested beatitudes (Saint Matthew, V-7), totally mixed up !
It would appear as a transcendent underground Current, with its crossed and discreet influences, making (or unmaking) a Majority. Imperceptible and enigmatic, only the most enlightened minds would be able to follow (...or guess) its meanders. In fact, it seems rather stealthy, although precise as an unknown driving force.
It would draw its impressive and effective power, from its force of active cohesion : it would interact as a kind of political and social "collagen", to give a quite expressive image of Regeneration !
This "Dawn Path" might be the one of an eternal France which is refusing to die, and is showing every day with a penetrating obstination how much it is staying alive and vivid.
It would be the gathering of the rediscovered souls and abilities, and not the dispersion !
Sometimes, its sudden boldness could almost appear as the sound half-joke of a Musketeer from Gascony. In fact during all his adventurous and very rich life, Jean de Batz tried to behave like another very famous man in his family, Charles de Batz - better known under the name of D'Artagnan (1611~ 1615 - 1673). And like him, he died with the highly honourable title of "Marschal of the King", with the secrets of his most formidable challenges and historical achievements.
Coming back to our two heroes of the day, the Baron Jean de Batz and the Count François-Antoine de Boissy d'Anglas, it is important to recall an overlooked anecdote.
It is clearly thought nowadays, that the rapid release of Jean de Batz with a waiver of all charges, after the very brief Royalist startle of Vendémiaire 13th, Year IV (October 5th, 1795), was not only due to the secret help of Mademoiselle "Désirée" Thilorier (his future wife) and the Marchioness of Janson (aka Marie-Antoinette), but also to the very discreet intervention of the influent Count Boissy d'Anglas !
Active Hope, astuteness as well as incredible luck through realization, and panache, remain their sovereign "Engines" beyond centuries !
They must have felt happy when they retired from life at the Sunset of their astonishing destiny, by contemplating retrospectively all their actions of brilliance and their daring strokes !
To conclude, this amazing Path would draw its strength and stimulating power from a "land of plenty" ("pays de cocagne" in French), which has never been entirely imaginary !
It would be representing the light in front of obscurity, even it wouldn't be afraid of the owl's cry of Chouans on a Moonless night !
As a recognized Wealth Creative Maker, the Baron Jean de Batz wouldn't certainly have denied the unlocking impact of the mysterious letter "k", that Lord John Maynard Keynes, Baron of Tilton (1883 - 1946) put on evidence far after, as the "multiplicator of wealth" for the largest number !
The fact our "new D'Artagnan" created the first Life Insurance Company in France is another peculiarity. In this new field, he was able to develop an international network in the background.
As he was a very convinced man, the Baron de Batz ensured himself the success of this operational activity for Royals. Didn't he intervene in person in the two bold operations of rescue of the King Louis XVI (along the "52 rue de Beauregard" in Paris, in the morning of January 21st, 1793), and the Queen Marie-Antoinette (near the way out of the Conciergerie Jail in Paris too, on the decisive night of August 30th, 1793) ?
To go further, it has to be added that he saved a lot of proscribed people. Before they could take refuge abroad, he sheltered them in his discreet residence of the "rue de Charonne", or at one of his friends' place, "rue de Cléry" for instance. The latter is situated just behind the "rue de Beauregard", when you pass the shortest street of Paris (5.75 meters long) in between the numbers "50" and "52 rue de Beauregard" precisely, the staircase "rue des degrés" : it should have been called the "rue du Miracle de la Vierge" (the "street of the Virgin Miracle"), owing to its historical importance in a quite determining momentum.
Against all odds, the sacred and very discreet alliance the Baron de Batz and the Count Boissy d'Anglas forged more than two centuries ago, would still be operating like the holy heart of an archetype to the service of eternal France.
It worked creatively by putting an end to the Revolution, with the very original regime of Directoire (1795 - 1799).
This oecumenic Current would be indeed very paradoxical, but above all it would be Serenity, Joy of Life, and Serendipity in this world of permanent recreation !
In our first chronicle of "Uchronic history", when we talked about the overlooked force of the supposingly non-existent "New Chouans" for the presidential election, we had obviously such an ignored Current in mind.
Read again what we wrote on February 1st, 2017, in our article untitled 'The surge of "nostalgy" in the new France : a uchronic history for fantasy from 2017 !'In our first chronicle of "Uchronic history", when we talked about the overlooked force of the supposingly non-existent "New Chouans" for the presidential election, we had obviously such an ignored Current in mind.
With a distance of almost three years now, you can see how effective became what we guessed.
We particularly concluded about the presidential election which had to come three months later, that "nostalgy is the secret key to understand French people".
And today, confidence in the alluring heuristic of the notch could be added !
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