a new view of society-第3章

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courts　the　most　ample　and　free　discussion　of　the　subject；　courts　it　for　the　sake　of　humanity　…　for　the　sake　of　his　fellow　creatures　millions　of　whom　experience　sufferings　which；　were　they　to　be　unfolded；　would　compel　those　who　govern　the　world　to　exclaim　…　'Can　these　things　exist　and　we　have　no　knowledge　of　them？'　but　they　do　exist　and　even　the　heart…rending　statements　which　are　made　known　to　the　public　during　the　discussions　upon　negro…slavery；　do　not　exhibit　more　afflicting　scenes　than　those　which；　in　various　parts　of　the　world；　daily　arise　from　the　injustice　of　society　towards　itself；　from　the　inattention　of　mankind　to　the　circumstances　which　incessantly　surround　them；　and　from　the　want　of　a　correct　knowledge　of　human　nature　in　those　who　govern　and　control　the　affairs　of　men。　　　　　If　these　circumstances　did　not　exist　to　an　extent　almost　incredible；　it　would　be　unnecessary　now　to　contend　for　a　principle　regarding　Man；　which　scarcely　requires　more　than　to　be　fairly　stated　to　make　it　self…evident。　　　　　This　principle　is；　that　'Any　general　character；　from　the　best　to　the　worst；　from　the　most　ignorant　to　the　most　enlightened；　may　be　given　to　any　community；　even　to　the　world　at　large；　by　the　application　of　proper　means；'　which　means　are　to　a　great　extent　at　the　command　and　under　the　control　of　those　who　have　influence　in　the　affairs　of　men；'　　　　　The　principle　as　now　stated　is　a　broad　one；　and；　if　it　should　be　found　to　be　true；　cannot　fail　to　five　a　new　character　to　legislative　proceedings；　and　such　a　character　as　will　be　most　favourable　to　the　well…being　of　society。　　　　　That　this　principle　is　true　to　the　utmost　limit　of　the　terms；　is　evident　from　the　experience　of　all　past　ages；　and　from　every　existing　fact。　　　　　Shall　misery；　then；　most　complicated　and　extensive；　be　experienced；　from　the　prince　to　the　peasant；　throughout　all　the　nations　of　the　world；　and　shall　its　cause　and　the　means　of　its　prevention　be　known；　and　yet　these　means　withheld？　The　undertaking　is　replete　with　difficulties　which　can　only　be　overcome　by　those　who　have　influence　in　society：　who；　by　foreseeing　its　important　practical　benefits；　may　be　induced　to　contend　against　those　difficulties；　and　who；　when　its　advantages　are　clearly　seen　and　strongly　felt；　will　not　suffer　individual　considerations　to　be　put　in　competition　with　their　attainment。　It　is　true　their　ease　and　comfort　may　be　for　a　time　sacrificed　to　those　prejudices；　but；　if　they　persevere；　the　principles　on　which　this　knowledge　is　founded　must　ultimately　universally　prevail。　　　　　In　preparing　the　way　for　the　introduction　of　these　principles；　it　cannot　now　be　necessary　to　enter　into　the　detail　of　acts　to　prove　that　children　can　be　trained　to　acquire　'any　language；　sentiments；　belief；　or　any　bodily　habits　and　manners；　not　contrary　to　human　nature'。　　　　　For　that　this　has　been　done；　the　history　of　every　nation　of　which　we　have　records；　abundantly　confirms；　and　that　this　is；　and　may　be　again　done；　the　facts　which　exist　around　us　and　throughout　all　the　countries　in　the　world；　prove　to　demonstration。　　　　　Possessing；　then；　the　knowledge　of　a　power　so　important；　which　when　understood　is　capable　of　being　wielded　with　the　certainty　of　a　law　of　nature；　and　which　would　gradually　remove　the　evils　which　now　chiefly　afflict　mankind；　shall　we　permit　it　to　remain　dormant　and　useless；　and　suffer　the　plagues　of　society　perpetually　to　exist　and　increase？　　　　　No：　the　time　is　now　arrived　when　the　public　mind　of　this　country；　and　the　general　state　of　the　world；　call　imperatively　for　the　introduction　of　this　all…pervading　principle；　not　only　in　theory；　but　into　practice。　　　　　Nor　can　any　human　power　now　impede　its　rapid　progress。　Silence　will　not　retard　its　course；　and　opposition　will　give　increased　celerity　to　its　movements。　The　commencement　of　the　work　will；　in　fact；　ensure　its　accomplishment；　henceforth　all　the　irritating　angry　passions；　arising　from　ignorance　of　the　true　cause　of　bodily　and　mental　character；　will　gradually　subside；　and　be　replaced　by　the　most　frank　and　conciliating　confidence　and　goodwill。　　　　　Nor　will　it　be　possible　hereafter　for　comparatively　a　few　individuals　unintentionally　to　occasion　the　rest　of　mankind　to　be　surrounded　by　circumstances　which　inevitably　form　such　characters　as　they　afterwards　deem　it　a　duty　and　a　right　to　punish　even　to　death；　and　that；　too；　while　they　themselves　have　been　the　instruments　of　forming　those　characters。　Such　proceedings　not　only　create　innumerable　evils　to　the　directing　few；　but　essentially　retard　them　and　the　great　mass　of　society　from　attaining　the　enjoyment　of　a　high　degree　of　positive　happiness。　Instead　of　punishing　crimes　after　they　have　permitted　the　human　character　to　be　formed　so　as　to　commit　them；　they　will　adopt　the　only　means　which　can　be　adopted　to　prevent　the　existence　of　those　crimes；　means　by　which　they　may　be　most　easily　prevented。　　　　　Happily　for　poor　traduced　and　degraded　human　nature；　the　principle　for　which　we　now　contend　will　speedily　divest　it　of　all　the　ridiculous　and　absurd　mystery　with　which　it　has　been　hitherto　enveloped　by　the　ignorance　of　preceding　times：　and　all　the　complicated　and　counteracting　motives　for　good　conduct；　which　have　been　multiplied　almost　to　infinity；　will　be　reduced　to　one　single　principle　of　action；　which；　by　its　evident　operation　and　sufficiency；　shall　render　this　intricate　system　unnecessary：　and　ultimately　supersede　it　in　all　parts　of　the　earth。　That　principle　is　the　happiness　of　self；　clearly　understood　and　uniformly　practised；　which　can　only　be　attained　by　conduct　that　must　promote　the　happiness　of　the　community。　　　　　For　that　power　which　governs　and　pervades　the　universe　has；　evidently　so　formed　man；　that　he　must　progressively　pass　from　a　state　of　ignorance　to　intelligence；　the　limits　of　which　it　is　not　for　man　himself　to　define；　and　in　that　progress　to　discover；　that　his　individual　happiness　can　be　increased　and　extended　only　in　proportion　as　he　actively　endeavours　to　increase　and　extend　the　happiness　of　all　around　him。　The　principle　admits　neither　of　exclusion　nor　of　limitation；　and　such　appears　evidently　the　state　of　the　public　mind；　that　it　will　now　seize　and　cherish　this　principle　as　the　most　precious　boon　which　it　has　yet　been　allowed　to　attain。　The　errors　of　all　opposing　motives　will　appear　in　their　true　light；　and　the　ignorance　whence　they　arose　will　become　so　glaring；　that　even　the　most　unenlightened　will　speedily　reject　them。　　　　　For　this　state　of　matters；　and　for　all　the　gradual　changes　contemplated；　the　extraordinary　events　of　the　present　times　have　essentially　contributed　to　prepare　the　way。　　　　　Even　the　late　Ruler　of　France；　although　immediately　influenced　by　the　most　mistaken　principles　of　ambition；　has　contributed　to　this　happy　result；　by　shaking　to　its　foundation　that　mass　of　superstition　and　bigotry；　which　on　the　continent　of　Europe　had　been　accumulating　for　ages；　until　it　had　so　overpowered　and　depressed　the　human　intellect；　that　to　attempt　improvement　without　its　removal　would　have　been　most　unavailing。　And　in　the　next　place；　by　carrying　the　mistaken　selfish　principles　in　which　mankind　have　been　hitherto　educated　to　the　extreme　in　practice；　he　has　rendered　their　error　manifest；　and　left　no　doubt　of　the　fallacy　of　the　source　whence　they　originated。　　　　　These　transactions；　in　which　millions　have　been　immolated；　or　consigned　to　poverty　and　bereft　of　friends；　will　be　preserved　in　the　records　of　time；　and　impress　future　ages　with　a　just　estimation　of　the　principles　now　about　to　be　introduced　into　practice；　and　will　thus　prove　perpetually　useful　to　all　succeeding　generations。　　　　　For　the　direful　effects　of　Napoleon's　government　have　created　the　most　deep…rooted　disgust　at　notions　which　could　produce　a　belief　that　such　conduct　was　glorious；　or　calculated　to　increase　the　happiness　of　even　the　individual　by　whom　it　was　pursued。　And　the　late　discoveries　and　proceedings　of　the　Rev　Dr　Bell　and　Mr　Joseph　Lancaster　have　also　been　preparing　the　way；　in　a　manner　the　most　opposite；　but　yet　not　less　effectual；　by　directing　the　public　attention　to　the　beneficial　effects；　on　the　young　and　unresisting　mind；　of　even　the　limited　education　which　their　systems　embrace。　　　　　They　have　already　effected　enough　to　prove　that　all　which　is　now　in　contemplation　respecting　the　training　of　youth　may　be　accomplished　without　fear　of　disappointment。　And　by　so　doing；　as　the　consequences　of　their　improvements　cannot　be　confined　within　the　British　Isles；　they　will　for　ever　be　ranked　among　the　most　important　benefactors　of　the　human　race；　but　henceforward　to　contend　for　any　new　exclusive　system　will　be　in　vain：　the　public　mind　is　already　too　well　informed；　and　has　too　far　passed　the　possibility　of　retrogression；　much　longer　to　permit　the　continuance　of　any　such　evil。　　　　　For　it　is　now　obvious　that　such　a　system　must　be　destructive　of　the　happiness　of　the　excluded；　by　their　seeing　others　enjoy　what　they　are　not　permitted　to　possess；　and　also　that　it　tends；　by　creating　opposition　from　the　justly　injured　feelings　of　the　excluded；　in　proportion　to　the　extent　of　the　exclusion；　to　diminish　the　happiness　even　of　the　privileged：　the　former　therefore　can　have　no　rational　motive　for　its　continuance。　　　　　If；　however；　owing　to　the　irrational　principles　by　which　the　world　has　been　hitherto　governed；　individuals；　or　sects；　or　parties；　shall　yet　by　their　plans　of　exclusion　attempt　to　retard　the　amelioration　of　society；　and　prevent　the　introduction　into　PRACTICE　of　that　truly　just　spirit　which　knows　no　exclusion；　such　facts　shall　yet　be　brought　forward　as　cannot　fail　to　render　all　their　efforts　vain。　　　　　It　will　therefore　be　the　essence　of　wisdom　in　the　privileged　class　to　co…operate　sincerely　and　cordially　with　those　who　desire　not　to　touch　one　iota　of　the　supposed　advantages　which　they　now　possess；　and　whose　first　and　last　wish　is　to　increase　the　particular　happiness　of　those　classes；　as　well　as　the　general　happiness　of　society。　A　very　little　reflection　on　the　part　of　the　privileged　will　ensure　this　line　of　conduct；　whence；　without　domestic　revolution　without　war　or　bloodshed　nay；　without　prematurely　disturbing　any　thing　which　exists；　the　world　will　be　prepared　to　receive　principles　which　are　alone　calculated　to　build　up　a　system　of　happiness；　and　to　destroy　those　irritable　feelings　which　have　so　long　afflicted　society　solely　because　society　has　hitherto　been　ignorant　of　the　true　means　by　which　the　most　useful　and　valuable　character　may　be　formed。　　　　　This　ignorance　being　removed；　experience　will　soon　teach　us　how　to　form　character；　individually　and　generally；　so　as　to　give　the　greatest　sum　of　happiness　to　the　individual　and　to　mankind。　　　　　These　principles　require　only　to　be　known　in　order　to　establish　themselves；　the　outline　of　our　future　proceedings　then　becomes　clear　and　defined；　nor　will　they　permit　us　henceforth　to　wander　from　the　right　path。　They　direct　that　the　governing　powers　of　all　countries　should　establish　rational　plans　for　the　education　and　general　formation　of　the　characters　of　their　subjects。　These　plans　must　be　devised　to　train　children　from　their　earliest　infancy　in　good　habits　of　every　description　which　will　of　course　prevent　them　from　acquiring　those　of　falsehood　and　deception）。　They　must　afterwards　be　rationally　educated；　and　their　labour　be　usefully　directed。