I shall also beg him to tolerate the monomania of an old man, and some freedom of language with regard to the only subject which makes him lose his sang froid." "And what is that subject, Monsieur ?" said Camors, with his habitual captivating grace of manner.
"That subject, Monsieur, is the arrogant supremacy assumed by Paris over all the rest of France.

I have not put my foot in the place since 1825, in order to testify the abhorrence with which it inspires me.

You are an educated, sensible young man, and, I trust, a good Frenchman.

Very well! Is it right, I ask, that Paris shall every morning send out to us our ideas ready-made, and that all France shall become a mere humble, servile faubourg to the capital?
Do me the favor, I pray you, Monsieur, to answer that ?" "There is doubtless, my dear sir," replied Camors, "some excess in this extreme centralization of France; but all civilized countries must have their capitals, and a head is just as necessary to a nation as to an individual." "Taking your own image, Monsieur, I shall turn it against you.

Yes, doubtless a head is as necessary to a nation as to an individual; if, however, the head becomes monstrous and deformed, the seat of intelligence will be turned into that of idiocy, and in place of a man of intellect, you have a hydrocephalus.