of refinement in the arts-第1章

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Of　Refinement　in　the　Arts


by　David　Hume





　　　　LUXURY　is　a　word　of　an　uncertain　signification；　and　may　be
taken　in　a　good　as　well　as　in　a　bad　sense。　In　general；　it　means
great　refinement　in　the　gratification　of　the　senses；　and　any
degree　of　it　may　be　innocent　or　blameable；　according　to　the　age；
or　country；　or　condition　of　the　person。　The　bounds　between　the
virtue　and　the　vice　cannot　here　be　exactly　fixed；　more　than　in
other　moral　subjects。　To　imagine；　that　the　gratifying　of　any
sense；　or　the　indulging　of　any　delicacy　in　meat；　drink；　or
apparel；　is　of　itself　a　vice；　can　never　enter　into　a　head；　that
is　not　disordered　by　the　frenzies　of　enthusiasm。　I　have；　indeed；
heard　of　a　monk　abroad；　who；　because　the　windows　of　his　cell
opened　upon　a　noble　prospect；　made　a　covenant　with　his　eyes　never
to　turn　that　way；　or　receive　so　sensual　a　gratification。　And　such
is　the　crime　of　drinking　CHAMPAGNE　or　BURGUNDY；　preferably　to
small　beer　or　porter。　These　indulgences　are　only　vices；　when　they
are　pursued　at　the　expence　of　some　virtue；　as　liberality　or
charity；　in　like　manner　as　they　are　follies；　when　for　them　a　man
ruins　his　fortune；　and　reduces　himself　to　want　and　beggary。　Where
they　entrench　upon　no　virtue；　but　leave　ample　subject　whence　to
provide　for　friends；　family　and　every　proper　object　of　generosity
or　compassion；　they　are　entirely　innocent；　and　have　in　every　age
been　acknowledged　such　by　almost　all　moralists。　To　be　entirely
occupied　with　the　luxury　of　the　table；　for　instance；　without　any
relish　for　the　pleasures　of　ambition；　study；　or　conversation；　is
a　mark　of　stupidity　and　is　incompatible　with　any　vigour　of　temper
or　genius。　To　confine　one's　expence　entirely　to　such　a
gratification；　without　regard　to　friends　or　family；　is　an
indication　of　a　heart　destitute　of　humanity　or　benevolence。　But
if　a　man　reserve　time　sufficient　for　all　laudable　pursuits；　and
money　sufficient　for　all　generous　purposes；　he　is　free　from　every
shadow　of　blame　or　reproach。
　　　　Since　luxury　may　be　considered　either　as　innocent　or
blameable；　one　may　be　surprized　at　those　preposterous　opinions；
which　have　been　entertained　concerning　it；　while　men　of　libertine
principles　bestow　praises　even　on　vicious　luxury；　and　represent
it　as　highly　advantageous　to　society；　and　on　the　other　hand；　men
of　severe　morals　blame　even　the　most　innocent　luxury　and
represent　it　as　the　source　of　all　the　corruptions；　disorders；　and
factions；　incident　to　civil　government。　We　shall　here　endeavour
to　correct　both　these　extremes；　by　proving；　first；　that　the　ages
of　refinement　are　both　the　happiest　and　most　virtuous；　secondly；
that　wherever　luxury　ceases　to　be　innocent；　it　also　ceases　to　be
beneficial；　and　when　carried　a　degree　too　far；　is　a　quality
pernicious；　though　perhaps　not　the　most　pernicious；　to　political
society。
　　　　To　prove　the　first　point；　we　need　but　consider　the　effects　of
refinement　both　on　private　and　on　public　life。　Human　happiness；
according　to　the　most　received　notions；　seems　to　consist　in　three
ingredients；　action；　pleasure；　and　indolence：　And　though　these
ingredients　ought　to　be　mixed　in　different　proportions；　according
to　the　particular　disposition　of　the　person；　yet　no　one
ingredient　can　be　entirely　wanting；　without　destroying；　in　some
measure；　the　relish　of　the　whole　composition。　Indolence　or
repose；　indeed；　seems　not　of　itself　to　contribute　much　to　our
enjoyment；　but；　like　sleep；　is　requisite　as　an　indulgence　to　the
weakness　of　human　nature；　which　cannot　support　an　uninterrupted
course　of　business　or　pleasure。　That　quick　march　of　the　spirits；
which　takes　a　man　from　himself；　and　chiefly　gives　satisfaction；
does　in　the　end　exhaust　the　mind；　and　requires　some　intervals　of
repose；　which；　though　agreeable　for　a　moment；　yet；　if　prolonged；
beget　a　languor　and　lethargy；　that　destroys　all　enjoyment。
Education；　custom；　and　example；　have　a　mighty　influence　in
turning　the　mind　to　any　of　these　pursuits；　and　it　must　be　owned；
that；　where　they　promote　a　relish　for　action　and　pleasure；　they
are　so　far　favourable　to　human　happiness。　In　times　when　industry
and　the　arts　flourish；　men　are　kept　in　perpetual　occupation；　and
enjoy；　as　their　reward；　the　occupation　itself；　as　well　as　those
pleasures　which　are　the　fruit　of　their　labour。　The　mind　acquires
new　vigour；　enlarges　its　powers　and　faculties；　and　by　an
assiduity　in　honest　industry；　both　satisfies　its　natural
appetites；　and　prevents　the　growth　of　unnatural　ones；　which
commonly　spring　up；　when　nourished　by　ease　and　idleness。　Banish
those　arts　from　society；　you　deprive　men　both　of　action　and　of
pleasure；　and　leaving　nothing　but　indolence　in　their　place；　you
even　destroy　the　relish　of　indolence；　which　never　is　agreeable；
but　when　it　succeeds　to　labour；　and　recruits　the　spirits；
exhausted　by　too　much　application　and　fatigue。
　　　　Another　advantage　of　industry　and　of　refinements　in　the
mechanical　arts；　is；　that　they　commonly　produce　some　refinements
in　the　liberal；　nor　can　one　be　carried　to　perfection；　without
being　accompanied；　in　some　degree；　with　the　other。　The　same　age；
which　produces　great　philosophers　and　politicians；　renowned
generals　and　poets；　usually　abounds　with　skilful　weavers；　and
ship…carpenters。　We　cannot　reasonably　expect；　that　a　piece　of
woollen　cloth　will　be　wrought　to　perfection　in　a　nation；　which　is
ignorant　of　astronomy；　or　where　ethics　are　neglected。　The　spirit
of　the　age　affects　all　the　arts；　and　the　minds　of　men；　being　once
roused　from　their　lethargy；　and　put　into　a　fermentation；　turn
themselves　on　all　sides；　and　carry　improvements　into　every　art
and　science。　Profound　ignorance　is　totally　banished；　and　men
enjoy　the　privilege　of　rational　creatures；　to　think　as　well　as　to
act；　to　cultivate　the　pleasures　of　the　mind　as　well　as　those　of
the　body。
　　　　The　more　these　refined　arts　advance；　the　more　sociable　men
become：　nor　is　it　possible；　that；　when　enriched　with　science；　and
possessed　of　a　fund　of　conversation；　they　should　be　contented　to
remain　in　solitude；　or　live　with　their　fellow…citizens　in　that
distant　manner；　which　is　peculiar　to　ignorant　and　barbarous
nations。　They　flock　into　cities；　love　to　receive　and　communicate
knowledge；　to　show　their　wit　or　their　breeding；　their　taste　in
conversation　or　living；　in　clothes　or　furniture。　Curiosity
allures　the　wise；　vanity　the　foolish；　and　pleasure　both。
Particular　clubs　and　societies　are　every　where　formed：　Both　sexes
meet　in　an　easy　and　sociable　manner；　and　the　tempers　of　men；　as
well　as　their　behaviour；　refine　apace。　So　that；　beside　the
improvements　which　they　receive　from　knowledge　and　the　liberal
arts；　it　is　impossible　but　they　must　feel　an　encrease　of
humanity；　from　the　very　habit　of　conversing　together；　and
contributing　to　each　other's　pleasure　and　entertainment。　Thus
industry；　knowledge；　and　humanity；　are　linked　together　by　an
indissoluble　chain；　and　are　found；　from　experience　as　well　as
reason；　to　be　peculiar　to　the　more　polished；　and；　what　are
commonly　denominated；　the　more　luxurious　ages。
　　　　Nor　are　these　advantages　attended　with　disadvantages；　that
bear　any　proportion　to　them。　The　more　men　refine　upon　pleasure；
the　less　will　they　indulge　in　excesses　of　any　kind；　because
nothing　is　more　destructive　to　true　pleasure　than　such　excesses。
One　may　safely　affirm；　that　the　TARTARS　are　oftener　guilty　of
beastly　gluttony；　when　they　feast　on　their　dead　horses；　than
EUROPEAN　courtiers　with　all　their　refinements　of　cookery。　And　if
libertine　love；　or　even　infidelity　to　the　marriage…bed；　be　more
frequent　in　polite　ages；　when　it　is　often　regarded　only　as　a
piece　of　gallantry；　drunkenness；　on　the　other　hand；　is　much　less
common：　A　vice　more　odious；　and　more　pernicious　both　to　mind　and
body。　And　in　this　matter　I　would　appeal；　not　only　to　an　OVID　or　a
PETRONIUS；　but　to　a　SENECA　or　a　CATO。　We　know；　that　CAESAR；
during　CATILINE'S　conspiracy；　being　necessitated　to　put　into
CATO'S　hands　a　billet…doux；　which　discovered　an　intrigue　with
SERVILIA；　CATO'S　own　sister；　that　stern　philosopher　threw　it　back
to　him　with　indignation；　and　in　the　bitterness　of　his　wrath；　gave
him　the　appellation　of　drunkard；　as　a　term　more　opprobrious　than
that　with　which　he　could　more　justly　have　reproached　him。
　　　　But　industry；　knowledge；　and　humanity；　are　not　advantageous
in　private　life　alone：　They　diffuse　their　beneficial　influence　on
the　public；　and　render　the　government　as　great　and　flourishing　as
they　make　individuals　happy　and　prosperous。　The　encrease　and
consumption　of　all　the　commodities；　which　serve　to　the　ornament
and　pleasure　of　life；　are　advantageous　to　society；　because；　at
the　same　time　that　they　multiply　those　innocent　gratifications　to
individuals；　they　are　a　kind　of　storehouse　of　labour；　which；　in
the　exigencies　of　state；　may　be　turned　to　the　public　service。　In
a　nation；　where　there　is　no　demand　for　such　superfluities；　men
sink　into　indolence；　lose　all　enjoyment　of　life；　and　are　useless
to　the　public；　which　cannot　maintain　or　support　its　fleets　and
armies；　from　the　industry　of　such　slothful　members。
　　　　The　bounds　of　all　the　EUROPEAN　kingdoms　are；　at　present；
nearly　the　same　they　were　two　hundred　years　ago：　But　what　a
difference　is　there　in　the　power　and　grandeur　of　those　kingdoms？
Which　can　be　ascribed　to　nothing　but　the　encrease　of　art　and
industry。　When　CHARLES　VIII　of　FRANCE　invaded　ITALY；　he　carried
with　him　about　20；000　men：　Yet　this　armament　so　exhausted　the
nation；　as　we　learn　from　GUICCIARDIN；　that　for　some　years　it　was
not　able　to　make　so　great　an　effort。　The　late　king　of　FRANCE；　in
time　of　war；　kept　in　pay　above　400；000　men；　though　from
MAZARINE'S　death　to　his　own；　he　was　engaged　in　a　course　of　wars
that　lasted　near　thirty　years。
　　　　This　industry　is　much　promoted　by　the　knowledge　inseparable
from　ages　of　art　and　refinement；　as；　on　the　other　hand；　this
knowledge　enables　the　public　to　make　the　best　advantage　of　the
industry　of　its　subjects。　Laws；　order；　police；　discipline；　these
can　never　be　carried　to　any　degree　of　perfection；　before　human
reason　has　refined　itself　by　exercise；　and　by　an　application　to
the　more　vulgar　arts；　at　least；　of　commerce　and　manufacture。　Can
we　expect；　that　a　government　will　be　well　modelled　by　a　people；
who　know　not　how　to　make　a　spinning…wheel；　or　to　employ　a　loom　to
advantage？　Not　to　mention；　that　all　ignorant　ages　are　infested
with　superstition；　which　throws　the　government　off　its　bias；　and
disturbs　men　in　the　pursuit　of　their　interest　and　happiness。
　　　　Knowledge　in　the　arts　of　government　naturally　begets　mildness
and　moderation；　by　instructing　men　in　the　advantages　of　humane
maxims　above　rigour　and　severity；　which　drive　subjects　into
rebellion；　and　make　the　return　to　submission　impracticable；　by
cutting　off　all　hopes　of　pardon。　When　the　tempers　of　men　are
softened　as　well　as　their　knowledge　improved；　this　humanity
appears　still　more　conspicuous；　and　is　the　chief　characteristic
which　distinguishes　a　civilized　age　from　times　of　barbarity　and
ignorance。　Factions　are　then　less　inveterate；　revolutions　less
tragical；　authority　less　severe；　and　seditions　less　frequent。
Even　foreign　wars　abate　of　their　cruelty；　and　after　the　field　of
battle；　where　honour　and　interest　steel　men　against　compassion