(In 1994 there were 247 000 primary school teachers (instituteurs) in public schools in France.

Taine could not foresee that the French schools and universities should become an enormous industry, the number of teachers and universities multiplied by ten and the number of government functionaries multiplied by 20 and that the annual 50 000 vacancies should find more than a million candidates, the young overeducated persons dreaming of becoming functionaries and hence "safe" for life.

(SR.))] [Footnote 63106: In this respect, very instructive indications may be found in the autobiography of Jules Vales, "l'Enfant," "le Bachelier," and "l'Insurge." Since 1871, not only in literature do the successful works of men of talent but, again, the abortive attempts of impotent innovators and blasted half-talents, converge to this point."].