ABSTRACT
Reason and arguments are incapable of combating certain words and formulas. They are uttered with solemnity in the presence of crowds, and as soon as they have been pronounced an expression of respect is visible on every countenance, and all heads are bowed. The images evoked by words being independent of their sense, they vary from age to age and from people to people, the formulas remaining identical. From the dawn of civilisation onwards crowds have always undergone the influence of illusions. Experience constitutes almost the only effective process by which a truth may be solidly established in the mind of the masses, and illusions grown too dangerous be destroyed. The error of the crowd was shared at the time by its leaders, as happens so often in connection with opinions dealing with generalisations.
