a new view of society-第17章

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substantial　improvement　in　these　realms；　without　injury　to　any　part　of　the　community；　is　to　make　it　the　clear　and　decided　interest　of　the　Church　to　co…operate　cordially　in　all　the　projected　ameliorations。　Once　found　a　national　church　on　the　true；　unlimited；　and　genuine　principles　of　mental　charity；　and　all　the　members　of　the　state　will　soon　improve　in　every　truly　valuable　quality。　If　the　temperate　and　discerning　of　all　parties　will　not　now　lend　their　aid　to　effect　this　change　by　peaceable　means　（which　may　with　the　greatest　ease　and　with　unerring　certainty　be　done）；　it　is　evident　to　every　calm　observer；　that　the　struggle　by　those　who　now　exist　in　unnecessary　misery；　to　attain　that　degree　of　happiness　which　they　may　attain　in　practice；　cannot　long　be　deferred。　It　will　therefore　prove　true　political　wisdom　to　anticipate　and　guide　these　feelings。　　　　　To　those　who　can　reflect　and　will　attend　to　the　passing　scenes　before　them；　the　times　are　indeed　awfully　interesting；　some　change　of　high　import；　scarcely　yet　perhaps　to　be　scanned　by　the　present　ill…taught　race　of　men；　is　evidently　in　progress：　in　consequence；　well…founded；　prompt；　and　decisive　measures　are　now　required　in　the　British　councils；　to　direct　this　change；　and　to　relieve　the　nation　from　the　errors　of　its　present　systems。　　　　　It　must　surely　then　be　the　desire　of　every　rational　man；　of　every　true　friend　to　humanity；　that　a　cordial　co…operation　and　unity　of　action　should　be　effected　between　the　British　Executive；　the　Parliament；　the　Church；　and　the　People；　to　lay　a　broad　and　firm　foundation　for　the　future　happiness　of　themselves　and　the　world。　　　　　Say　not；　my　countrymen；　that　such　an　event　is　impracticable；　for；　by　adopting　the　evident　means　to　form　a　rational　character　in　man；　there　is　a　plain　and　direct　road　opened；　which；　if　pursued；　will　render　its　accomplishment　not　only　possible　but　certain。　That　road；　too；　will　be　found　the　most　safe　and　pleasant　that　human　beings　have　ever　yet　travelled。　It　leads　direct　to　intelligence　and　true　knowledge；　and　will　show　the　boasted　acquirements　of　Greece；　of　Rome；　and　of　all　antiquity；　to　be　the　mere　weakness　of　mental　infancy。　Those　who　travel　this　road　will　find　it　so　straight　and　well　defined；　that　no　one　will　be　in　danger　of　wandering　from　the　right　course。　Nor　is　it　yet　a　narrow　or　exclusive　path；　it　admits　of　no　exclusion：　every　colour　of　body　and　diversity　of　mind　are　freely　and　alike　admitted。　It　is　open　to　the　human　race；　and　it　is　broad　and　spacious　enough　to　receive　the　whole；　were　they　increased　a　thousandfold。　　　　　We　well　know　that　a　declaration　like　the　one　now　made　must　sound　chimerical　in　the　ears　of　those　who　have　hitherto　wandered　in　the　dark　mazes　of　ignorance；　error；　and　exclusion；　and　who　have　been　taught　folly　and　inconsistencies　only　from　their　cradle。　　　　　But　if　every　known　fact　connected　with　the　subject　proves　that；　from　the　day　in　which　man　first　saw　light　to　that　in　which　the　sun　now　shines；　the　old　collectively　have　taught　the　young　collectively　the　sentiments　and　habits　which　the　young　have　acquired；　and　that　the　present　generation　and　every　following　generation　must　in　like　manner　instruct　their　successors；　then　do　we　say；　with　a　confidence　founded　on　certainty　itself；　that　even　much　more　shall　come　to　pass　than　has　yet　been　foretold　or　promised。　When　these　principles；　derived　from　the　unchangeable　laws　of　nature；　and　equally　revealed　to　all　men；　shall；　as　soon　as　they　will；　be　publicly　established　in　the　world；　no　conceivable　obstacle　can　remain　to　prevent　a　sincere　and　cordial　union　and　co…operation　for　every　wise　and　good　purpose；　not　only　among　all　the　members　of　the　same　state；　but　also　among　the　rulers　of　those　kingdoms　and　empires　whose　enmity　and　rancour　against　each　other　have　been　carried　to　the　utmost　stretch　of　melancholy　folly；　and　even　occasionally　to　a　high　degree　of　madness。　　　　　Such；　my　fellow　men；　are　some；　and　yet　but　a　few；　of　the　mighty　consequences　which　must　result　from　the　public　acknowledgement　of　these　plain；　simple；　and　irresistible　truths。　They　will　not　prove　a　delusive　promise　of　mockery；　but　will　in　reality　speedily　and　effectively　establish　peace；　goodwill；　and　an　ever…active　benevolence　throughout　the　whole　human　race。　　　　　The　public　avowal　of　these　principles；　and　their　general　introduction　into　practice；　will　constitute　the　invaluable　secret；　for　which　the　human　mind；　from　its　birth；　has　been　in　perpetual　search；　its　future　beneficial　consequences　no　man　can　yet　foresee。　　　　　We　will　now　show　how　these　principles　may　be　immediately　and　most　advantageously　introduced　into　general　practice。　　　　　It　has　been　said　that　'the　state　which　shall　possess　the　best　national。　system　of　education；　will　be　the　best　governed'；　and　if　the　principle　on　which　the　reasoning　of　these　Essays　is　founded　be　true；　then　is　that　sentiment　also　true。　Yet　（will　future　ages　credit　the　fact？）　to　this　day　the　British　Government　is　without　any　national　system　of　training　and　education　even　for　its　millions　of　poor　and　uninstructed！！　The　formation　of　the　mind　and　habits　of　its　subjects　is　permitted　to　go　on　at　random；　often　in　the　hands　of　those　who　are　the　most　incompetent　in　the　empire；　and　the　result　is；　the　gross　ignorance　and　disunion　which　now　everywhere　abound！！　　　　　（Even　the　recent　attempts　which　have　been　made　are　conducted　on　the　narrow　principle　of　debasing　man　to　a　mere　irrational　military　machine　which　is　to　be　rapidly　moved　by　animal　force。）　　　　　Instead　of　continuing　such　unwise　proceedings；　a　national　system　for　the　training　and　education　of　the　labouring　classes　ought　to　be　immediately　arranged；　and；　if　judiciously　devised；　it　may　be　rendered　the　most　valuable　improvement　ever　yet　introduced　into　practice。　　　　　For　this　purpose　an　act　should　be　passed　for　the　instruction　of　all　the　poor　and　labouring　classes　in　the　three　kingdoms。　　　　　In　this　act；　provision　should　be　made：　　　　　First　For　the　appointment　of　proper　persons　to　direct　this　new　department　of　government；　which　will　be　found　ultimately　to　prove　the　most　important　of　all　its　departments；　consequently；　those　individuals　who　possess　the　highest　integrity；　abilities；　and　influence　in　the　state；　should　be　appointed　to　its　direction。　　　　　Second　…　For　the　establishment　of　seminaries　in　which　those　individuals　who　shall　be　destined　to　form　the　minds　and　bodies　of　the　future　subjects　of　these　realms　should　be　well　initiated　in　the　art　and　matter　of　instruction。　　　　　This　is；　and　ought　to　be　considered；　an　office　of　the　greatest　practical　trust　and　confidence　in　the　empire；　for　let　this　duty　be　well　performed；　and　the　government　must　proceed　with　ease　to　the　people　and　with　high　gratification　to　those　who　govern。　　　　　At　present　there　are　not　any　individuals　in　the　kingdom　who　have　been　trained　to　instruct　the　rising　generation　as　it　is　for　the　interest　and　happiness　of　all　that　it　should　be　instructed。　The　training　of　those　who　are　to　form　the　future　man；　becomes　a　consideration　of　the　utmost　magnitude；　for；　on　due　reflection；　it　will　appear；　that　instruction　to　the　young　must　be；　of　necessity；　the　only　foundation　upon　which　the　superstructure　of　society　can　be　raised。　Let　this　instruction　continue　to　be　left；　as　heretofore；　to　chance；　and　often　to　the　most　inefficient　members　of　the　community；　and　society　must　still　experience　the　endless　miseries　which　still　arise　from　such　weak　and　puerile　conduct。　On　the　contrary；　let　the　instruction　to　the　young　be　well　devised　and　well　executed；　and　no　subsequent　proceedings　in　the　state　can　be　materially　injurious。　For　it　may　truly　be　said　to　be　a　wonder…working　power；　one　that　merits　the　deepest　attention　of　the　legislature；　with　ease　it　may　be　used　to　train　man　into　a　demon　of　mischief　to　himself　and　to　all　around　him；　or　into　an　agent　of　unlimited　benevolence。　　　　　Third　…　For　the　establishment　of　seminaries　over　the　United　Kingdoms；　to　be　conveniently　placed；　and　of　sufficient　extent　to　receive　all　those　who　require　instruction。　　　　　Fourth　…　For　supplying　the　requisite　expenditure　for　the　building　and　support　of　those　seminaries。　　　　　Fifth　…　For　the　arrangement　of　the　plan　which；　for　the　manner　of　instruction；　upon　a　due　comparison　of　the　various　modes　now　in　practice；　or　which　may　be　devised；　shall　appear　to　be　the　best。　　　　　Sixth　…　For　the　appointment　of　proper　masters　to　each　of　the　schools。　And；　　　　　Last　…　The　matter　of　instruction；　both　for　body　and　mind；　in　these　seminaries；　should　be　substantially　beneficial　to　the　individuals　and　to　the　state。　For　this　is；　or　ought　to　be；　the　sole　motive　for　the　establishment　of　national　seminaries。　　　　　These　are　the　outlines　of　the　provisions　necessary　to　prepare　the　most　powerful　instrument　of　good　that　has　ever　yet　been　placed　in　the　hands　of　man。　　　　　The　last　national　improvement　which　remains　to　be　proposed　in　the　present　state　of　the　public　mind；　is；　that　another　legislative　act　should　be　passed；　for　the　purpose　of　obtaining　regular　and　accurate　information　relative　to　the　value　of　and　demand　for　labour　over　the　United　Kingdoms。　This　information　is　necessary；　preparatory　to　the　adoption　of　measures　which　will　be　proposed；　to　provide　labour　for　those　who　may　be　occasionally　unable　to　procure　other　employment。　　　　　In　this　act　provision　should　be　made；　to　obtain　accurate　quarterly　returns　of　the　state　of　labour　in　each　country　or　smaller　district；　the　returns　to　be　made　either　by　the　clergy；　justices　of　the　peace；　or　other　more　competent　persons。　These　returns　should　contain；　　　　　First　…　The　average　price　of　manual　labour　within　the　district　for　the　period　included　in　the　return。　　　　　Second　…　The　number。　of　those　in　each　district　who　depend　on　their　daily　labour　or　on　the　parish　for　their　support；　and　who　may　be　at　the　period　of　these　returns　unemployed；　and　yet　able　to　labour。　　　　　Third　…　The　number　of　those　who；　at　the　period　of　each　return；　are　but　partially　employed；　and　the　extent　of　that　partial　employment。　　　　　Provision　should　also　be　made　to　obtain　a　statement　of　the　general　occupations　in　which　the　individuals　had　been　formerly　employed；　with　the　best　conjectures　as　to　the　kind　and　quantity　of　work　which　each　may　be　supposed　still　capable　of　performing。　　　　　The　want　of　due　attention　to　this　highly　necessary　branch　of　government；　occasions　thousands　of　our　fellow　subjects　to　be　made　wretched；　while；　from　the　same　cause；　the　revenues　of　the　empire　are　annually　deteriorated　to　an　enormous　amount。　　　　　We　have　stated；　because　it　is　easy　of　proof；　that　the　revenues　of　all　countries　are　derived　directly　or　indirectly；　from　the　labour　of　man；　and　yet　the　British　Government；　which；　with　all　its　errors；　is　among　the　best　devised　and　most　enlightened　that　has　hitherto　been　established；　makes　extravagant　and　unnecessary　waste　of　that　labour。　It　makes　this　waste；　too；　in　the　midst　of　its　greatest　pecuniary　difficulties；　and　when　the　utmost　efforts　of　every　individual　in　the　state　are　requisite！　　　　　This　waste　of　human　labour；　as　it　is　highly　unjust　to　all；　is　not　only　impolitic　in　a　national　view；　but　is　most　cruel　to　the　individuals　who；　in　consequence　of　this　waste；　are　the　immediate　sufferers。　　　　　It　would　be　an　Herculean　task　to　trace　through　all　their　ramifications　the　various　injurious　effects　which　result　from　the　fundamental　errors　by　which　man　has　been；　and　is　governed；