Constant and Modernity

I found this interesting speech given by Constant about modern perceptions of liberty vs. the ancients'. It was interesting to read his thoughts on modernity in light of "Adolphe." This may be going out on a limb, but after hearing what Constant has to say on the private vs. politcal, I can almost make an assumption that Adolphe represents the "political" and Ellenore the "individual" in this context.
The article is a bit lengthy and wordy, (and, frankly, boring most of the time) so I've picked out two highlights. But if you're interested in the whole thing, the link can be found below (though my computer still seems to refuse to successfully hyper-link).

"Individual liberty, I repeat, is the true modern liberty. Political liberty is its guarantee, consequently political liberty is indispensable. But to ask the peoples of our day to sacrifice, like those of the past, the whole of their individual liberty to political liberty, is the surest means of detaching them from the former and, once this result has been achieved, it would be only too easy to deprive them of the latter."

"The danger of modern liberty is that, absorbed in the enjoyment of our private independence, and in the pursuit of our particular interests, we should surrender our right to share in political power too easily."


http://www.uark.edu/depts/comminfo/cambridge/ancients.html