a new view of society-第6章

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his　individual　had　been　previously　in　the　management　of　large　establishments；　employing　a　number　of　workpeople；　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Manchester；　and；　in　every　case；　by　the　steady　application　of　certain　general　principles；　he　succeeded　in　reforming　the　habits　of　those　under　his　care；　and　who　always；　among　their　associates　in　similar　employment；　appeared　conspicuous　for　their　good　conduct。　With　this　previous　success　in　remodelling　English　character；　but　ignorant　of　the　local　ideas；　manners；　and　customs；　of　those　now　committed　to　his　management；　the　stranger　commenced　his　task。　　　　　At　that　time　the　lower　classes　of　Scotland；　like　those　of　other　countries；　had　strong　prejudices　against　strangers　having　any　authority　over　them；　and　particularly　against　the　English；　few　of　whom　had　then　settled　in　Scotland；　and　not　one　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　scenes　under　description。　It　is　also　well　known　that　even　the　Scotch　peasantry　and　working　classes　possess　the　habit　of　making　observations　and　reasoning　thereon　with　great　acuteness；　and　in　the　present　case　those　employed　naturally　concluded　that　the　new　purchasers　intended　merely　to　make　the　utmost　profit　by　the　establishment；　from　the　abuses　of　which　many　of　themselves　were　then　deriving　support。　The　persons　employed　at　these　works　were　therefore　strongly　prejudiced　against　the　new　director　of　the　establishment　prejudiced；　because　he　was　a　stranger；　and　from　England　…　because　he　succeeded　Mr　Dale；　under　whose　proprietorship　they　acted　almost　as　they　liked　because　his　religious　creed　was　not　theirs　…　and　because　they　concluded　that　the　works　would　be　governed　by　new　laws　and　regulations；　calculated　to　squeeze；　as　they　often　termed　it；　the　greatest　sum　of　gain　out　of　their　labour。　　　　　In　consequence；　from　the　day　he　arrived　amongst　them　every　means　which　ingenuity　could　devise　was　set　to　work　to　counteract　the　plan　which　he　attempted　to　introduce；　and　for　two　years　it　was　a　regular　attack　and　defence　of　prejudices　and　malpractices　between　the　manager　and　the　population　of　the　place；　without　the　former　being　able　to　make　much　progress；　or　to　convince　the　latter　of　the　sincerity　of　his　good　intentions　for　their　welfare。　He；　however；　did　not　lose　his　patience；　his　temper；　or　his　confidence　in　the　certain　success　of　the　principles　on　which　he　founded　his　conduct。　　　　　These　principles　ultimately　prevailed：　the　population　could　not　continue　to　resist　a　firm　well…directed　kindness；　administering　justice　to　all。　They　therefore　slowly　and　cautiously　began　to　give　him　some　portion　of　their　confidence；　and　as　this　increased；　he　was　enabled　more　and　more　to　develop　his　plans　for　their　amelioration。　It　may　with　truth　be　said；　that　at　this　period　they　possessed　almost　all　the　vices　and　very　few　of　the　virtues　of　a　social　community。　Theft　and　the　receipt　of　stolen　goods　was　their　trade；　idleness　and　drunkenness　their　habit；　falsehood　and　deception　their　garb；　dissensions；　civil　and　religious；　their　daily　practice；　they　united　only　in　a　zealous　systematic　opposition　to　their　employers。　　　　　Here　then　was　a　fair　field　on　which　to　try　the　efficacy　in　practice　of　principles　supposed　capable　of　altering　any　characters。　The　manager　formed　his　plans　accordingly。　He　spent　some　time　in　finding　out　the　full　extent　of　the　evil　against　which　he　had　to　contend；　and　in　tracing　the　true　causes　which　had　produced　and　were　continuing　those　effects。　He　found　that　all　was　distrust；　disorder；　and　disunion；　and　he　wished　to　introduce　confidence；　regularity；　and　harmony。　He　therefore　began　to　bring　forward　his　various　expedients　to　withdraw　the　unfavourable　circumstances　by　which　they　had　hitherto　been　surrounded；　and　to　replace　them　by　others　calculated　to　produce　a　more　happy　result。　He　soon　discovered　that　theft　was　extended　through　almost　all　the　ramifications　of　the　community；　and　the　receipt　of　stolen　goods　through　all　the　country　around。　To　remedy　this　evil；　not　one　legal　punishment　was　inflicted；　not　one　individual　imprisoned；　even　for　an　hour；　but　checks　and　other　regulations　of　prevention　were　introduced；　a　short　plain　explanation　of　the　immediate　benefits　they　would　derive　from　a　different　conduct　was　inculcated　by　those　instructed　for　the　purpose；　who　had　the　best　powers　of　reasoning　among　themselves。　They　were　at　the　same　time　instructed　how　to　direct　their　industry　in　legal　and　useful　occupations；　by　which；　without　danger　or　disgrace；　they　could　really　earn　more　than　they　had　previously　obtained　by　dishonest　practices。　Thus　the　difficulty　of　committing　the　crime　was　increased；　the　detection　afterwards　rendered　more　easy；　the　habit　of　honest　industry　formed；　and　the　pleasure　of　good　conduct　experienced。　　　　　Drunkenness　was　attacked　in　the　same　manner；　it　was　discountenanced　on　every　occasion　by　those　who　had　charge　of　any　department：　its　destructive　and　pernicious　effects　were　frequently　stated　by　his　own　more　prudent　comrades；　at　the　proper　moment　when　the　individual　was　soberly　suffering　from　the　effects　of　his　previous　excess；　pot…　and　public…houses　were　gradually　removed　from　the　immediate　vicinity　of　their　dwellings；　the　health　and　comfort　of　temperance　were　made　familiar　to　them；　by　degrees　drunkenness　disappeared；　and　many　who　were　habitual　bacchanalians　are　now　conspicuous　for　undeviating　sobriety。　　　　　Falsehood　and　deception　met　with　a　similar　fate：　they　were　held　in　disgrace；　their　practical　evils　were　shortly　explained；　and　every　countenance　was　given　to　truth　and　open　conduct。　The　pleasure　and　substantial　advantages　derived　from　the　latter　soon　overcame　the　impolicy；　error；　and　consequent　misery；　which　the　former　mode　of　acting　had　created。　　　　　Dissensions　and　quarrels　were　undermined　by　analagous　expedients。　When　they　could　not　be　readily　adjusted　between　the　parties　themselves；　they　were　stated　to　the　manager；　and　as　in　such　cases　both　disputants　were　usually　more　or　less　in　the　wrong；　that　wrong　was　in　as　few　words　as　possible　explained；　forgiveness　and　friendship　recommended；　and　one　simple　and　easily　remembered　precept　inculcated；　as　the　most　valuable　rule　for　their　whole　conduct；　and　the　advantages　of　which　they　would　experience　every　moment　of　their　lives；　viz。　…　'That　in　future　they　should　endeavour　to　use　the　same　active　exertions　to　make　each　other　happy　and　comfortable；　as　they　had　hitherto　done　to　make　each　other　miserable；　and　by　carrying　this　short　memorandum　in　their　mind；　and　applying　it　on　all　occasions；　they　would　soon　render　that　place　a　paradise；　which；　from　the　most　mistaken　principle　of　action；　they　now　made　the　abode　of　misery。'　The　experiment　was　tried：　the　parties　enjoyed　the　gratification　of　this　new　mode　of　conduct；　references　rapidly　subsided；　and　now　serious　differences　are　scarcely　known。　　　　　Considerable　jealousies　also　existed　on　account　of　one　religious　sect　possessing　a　decided　preference　over　the　others。　This　was　corrected　by　discontinuing　that　preference；　and　by　giving　a　uniform　encouragement　to　those　who　conducted　themselves　well　among　all　the　various　religious　persuasions；　by　recommending　the　same　consideration　to　be　shown　to　the　conscientious　opinions　of　each　sect；　on　the　ground　that　all　must　believe　the　particular　doctrines　which　they　had　been　taught；　and　consequently　that　all　were　in　that　respect　upon　an　equal　footing；　nor　was　it　possible　yet　to　say　which　was　right　or　wrong。　It　was　likewise　inculcated　that　all　should　attend　to　the　essence　of　religion；　and　not　act　as　the　world　was　now　taught　and　trained　to　do；　that　is；　to　overlook　the　substance　and　essence　of　religion；　and　devote　their　talents；　time；　and　money；　to　that　which　is　far　worse　than　its　shadow；　sectarianism；　another　term　for　something　very　injurious　to　society；　and　very　absurd；　which　one　or　other　well…meaning　enthusiast　has　added　to　true　religion；　which；　without　these　defects；　would　soon　form　those　characters　which　every　wise　and　good　man　is　anxious　to　see。　　　　　Such　statements　and　conduct　arrested　sectarian　animosity　and　ignorant　intolerance；　each　retains　full　liberty　of　conscience；　and　in　consequence　each　partakes　of　the　sincere　friendship　of　many　sects　instead　of　one。　They　act　with　cordiality　together　in　the　same　departments　and　pursuits；　and　associate　as　though　the　whole　community　were　not　of　different　sectarian　persuasions；　and　not　one　evil　ensues。　　　　　The　same　principles　were　applied　to　correct　the　irregular　intercourse　of　the　sexes：　such　conduct　was　discountenanced　and　held　in　disgrace；　fines　were　levied　upon　both　parties　for　the　use　of　the　support　fund　of　the　community。　（This　fund　arose　from　each　individual　contributing　one　sixtieth　part　of　their　wages；　which；　under　their　management；　was　applied　to　support　the　sick；　and　injured　by　accident；　and　the　aged。　）　But　because　they　had　once　unfortunately　offended　against　the　established　laws　and　customs　of　society；　they　were　not　forced　to　become　vicious；　abandoned；　and　miserable；　the　door　was　left　open　for　them　to　return　to　the　comforts　of　kind　friends　and　respected　acquaintances；　and；　beyond　any　previous　expectation；　the　evil　became　greatly　diminished。　　　　　The　system　of　receiving　apprentices　from　public　charities　was　abolished；　permanent　settlers　with　large　families　were　encouraged；　and　comfortable　houses　were　built　for　their　accommodation。　　　　　The　practice　of　employing　children　in　the　mills；　of　six；　seven　and　eight　years　of　age；　was　discontinued；　and　their　parents　advised　to　allow　them　to　acquire　health　and　education　until　they　were　ten；　years　old。　（It　may　be　remarked；　that　even　this　age　is　too　early　to　keep　them　at　constant　employment　in　manufactories；　from　six　in　the　morning　to　seven　in　the　evening。　Far　better　would　it　be　for　the　children；　their　parents；　and　for　society；　that　the　first　should　not　commence　employment　until　they　attain　the　age　of　twelve；　when　their　education　might　be　finished；　and　their　bodies　would　be　more　competent　to　undergo　the　fatigue　and　exertions　required　of　them。　When　parents　can　be　trained　to　afford　this　additional　time　to　their　children　without　inconvenience；　they　will；　of　course；　adopt　the　practice　now　recommended。）　　　　　The　children　were　taught　reading；　writing；　and　arithmetic；　during　five　years；　that　is；　from　five　to　ten；　in　the　village　school；　without　expense　to　their　parents。　All　the　modern　improvements　in　education　have　been　adopted；　or　are　in　process　of　adoption。　（To　avoid　the　inconveniences　which　must　ever　arise　from　the　introduction　of　a　particular　creed　into　a　school；　the　children　are　taught　to　read　in　such　books　as　inculcate　those　precepts　of　the　Christian　religion；　which　are　common　to　all　denominations。）　They　may　therefore　be　taught　and　well…trained　before　they　engage　in　any　regular　employment。　Another　important　consideration　is；　that　all　their　instruction　is　rendered　a　pleasure　and　delight　to　them；　they　are　much　more　anxious　for　the　hour　of　school…time　to　arrive　than　to　end；　they　therefore　make　a　rapid　progress；　and　it　may　be　safely　asserted；　that　if　they　shall　not　be　trained　to　form　such　characters　as　may　be　most　desired；　the　fault　will　not　proceed　from　the　children；　the　cause　will　be　in　the　want　of　a　true　knowledge　of　human　nature　in　those　who　have　the　management　of　them　and　their　parents。　　　　　During　the　period　that　these　changes　were　going　forward；　attention　was　given　to　the　domestic　arrangements　of　the　community。　　　　　Their　hous