wealbk05-第3章

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the　wisdom　of　the　state　only　which　can　render　it　for　his　interest

to　give　up　the　greater　part　of　his　time　to　this　peculiar

occupation：　and　states　have　not　always　had　this　wisdom；　even　when

their　circumstances　had　become　such　that　the　preservation　of

their　existence　required　that　they　should　have　it。

　　　　　A　shepherd　has　a　great　deal　of　leisure；　a　husbandman；　in　the

rude　state　of　husbandry；　has　some；　an　artificer　or　manufacturer

has　none　at　all。　The　first　may；　without　any　loss；　employ　a　great

deal　of　his　time　in　martial　exercises；　the　second　may　employ　some

part　of　it；　but　the　last　cannot　employ　a　single　hour　in　them

without　some　loss；　and　his　attention　to　his　own　interest

naturally　leads　him　to　neglect　them　altogether。　These

improvements　in　husbandry　too；　which　the　progress　of　arts　and

manufactures　necessarily　introduces；　leave　the　husbandman　as

little　leisure　as　the　artificer。　Military　exercises　come　to　be　as

much　neglected　by　the　inhabitants　of　the　country　as　by　those　of

the　town；　and　the　great　body　of　the　people　becomes　altogether

unwarlike。　That　wealth；　at　the　same　time；　which　always　follows

the　improvements　of　agriculture　and　manufactures；　and　which　in

reality　is　no　more　than　the　accumulated　produce　of　those

improvements；　provokes　the　invasion　of　all　their　neighbours。　An

industrious；　and　upon　that　account　a　wealthy　nation；　is　of　all

nations　the　most　likely　to　be　attacked；　and　unless　the　state

takes　some　new　measures　for　the　public　defence；　the　natural

habits　of　the　people　render　them　altogether　incapable　of

defending　themselves。

　　　　　In　these　circumstances　there　seem　to　be　but　two　methods　by

which　the　state　can　make　any　tolerable　provision　for　the　public

defence。

　　　　　It　may　either；　first；　by　means　of　a　very　rigorous　police；

and　in　spite　of　the　whole　bent　of　the　interest；　genius；　and

inclinations　of　the　people；　enforce　the　practice　of　military

exercises；　and　oblige　either　all　the　citizens　of　the　military

age；　or　a　certain　number　of　them；　to　join　in　some　measure　the

trade　of　a　soldier　to　whatever　other　trade　or　profession　they　may

happen　to　carry　on。

　　　　　Or；　secondly；　by　maintaining　and　employing　a　certain　number

of　citizens　in　the　constant　practice　of　military　exercises；　it

may　render　the　trade　of　a　soldier　a　particular　trade；　separate

and　distinct　from　all　others。

　　　　　If　the　state　has　recourse　to　the　first　of　those　two

expedients；　its　military　force　is　said　to　consist　in　a　militia；

if　to　the　second；　it　is　said　to　consist　in　a　standing　army。　The

practice　of　military　exercises　is　the　sole　or　principal

occupation　of　the　soldiers　of　a　standing　army；　and　the

maintenance　or　pay　which　the　state　affords　them　is　the　principal

and　ordinary　fund　of　their　subsistence。　The　practice　of　military

exercises　is　only　the　occasional　occupation　of　the　soldiers　of　a

militia；　and　they　derive　the　principal　and　ordinary　fund　of　their

subsistence　from　some　other　occupation。　In　a　militia；　the

character　of　the　labourer；　artificer；　or　tradesman；　predominates

over　that　of　the　soldier；　in　a　standing　army；　that　of　the　soldier

predominates　over　every　other　character：　and　in　this　distinction

seems　to　consist　the　essential　difference　between　those　two

different　species　of　military　force。

　　　　　Militias　have　been　of　several　different　kinds。　In　some

countries　the　citizens　destined　for　defending　the　states　seem　to

have　been　exercised　only；　without　being；　if　I　may　say　so；

regimented；　that　is；　without　being　divided　into　separate　and

distinct　bodies　of　troops；　each　of　which　performed　its　exercises

under　its　own　proper　and　permanent　officers。　In　the　republics　of

ancient　Greece　and　Rome；　each　citizen；　as　long　as　he　remained　at

home；　seems　to　have　practised　his　exercises　either　separately　and

independently；　or　with　such　of　his　equals　as　he　liked　best；　and

not　to　have　been　attached　to　any　particular　body　of　troops　till

he　was　actually　called　upon　to　take　the　field。　In　other

countries；　the　militia　has　not　only　been　exercised；　but

regimented。　In　England；　in　Switzerland；　and；　I　believe；　in　every

other　country　of　modern　Europe　where　any　imperfect　military　force

of　this　kind　has　been　established；　every　militiaman　is；　even　in

time　of　peace；　attached　to　a　particular　body　of　troops；　which

performs　its　exercises　under　its　own　proper　and　permanent

officers。

　　　　　Before　the　invention　of　firearms；　that　army　was　superior　in

which　the　soldiers　had；　each　individually；　the　greatest　skill　and

dexterity　in　the　use　of　their　arms。　Strength　and　agility　of　body

were　of　the　highest　consequence；　and　commonly　determined　the

state　of　battles。　But　this　skill　and　dexterity　in　the　use　of

their　arms　could　be　acquired　only；　in　the　same　manner　as　fencing

is　at　present；　by　practising；　not　in　great　bodies；　but　each　man

separately；　in　a　particular　school；　under　a　particular　master；　or

with　his　own　particular　equals　and　companions。　Since　the

invention　of　firearms；　strength　and　agility　of　body；　or　even

extraordinary　dexterity　and　skill　in　the　use　of　arms；　though　they

are　far　from　being　of　no　consequence；　are；　however；　of　less

consequence。　The　nature　of　the　weapon；　though　it　by　no　means　puts

the　awkward　upon　a　level　with　the　skilful；　puts　him　more　nearly

so　than　he　ever　was　before。　All　the　dexterity　and　skill；　it　is

supposed；　which　are　necessary　for　using　it；　can　be　well　enough

acquired　by　practising　in　great　bodies。

　　　　　Regularity；　order；　and　prompt　obedience　to　command　are

qualities　which；　in　modern　armies；　are　of　more　importance　towards

determining　the　fate　of　battles　than　the　dexterity　and　skill　of

the　soldiers　in　the　use　of　their　arms。　But　the　noise　of　firearms；

the　smoke；　and　the　invisible　death　to　which　every　man　feels

himself　every　moment　exposed　as　soon　as　he　comes　within

cannon…shot；　and　frequently　a　long　time　before　the　battle　can　be

well　said　to　be　engaged；　must　render　it　very　difficult　to

maintain　any　considerable　degree　of　this　regularity；　order；　and

prompt　obedience；　even　in　the　beginning　of　a　modern　battle。　In　an

ancient　battle　there　was　no　noise　but　what　arose　from　the　human

voice；　there　was　no　smoke；　there　was　no　invisible　cause　of　wounds

or　death。　Every　man；　till　some　mortal　weapon　actually　did

approach　him；　saw　clearly　that　no　such　weapon　was　near　him。　In

these　circumstances；　and　among　troops　who　had　some　confidence　in

their　own　skill　and　dexterity　in　the　use　of　their　arms；　it　must

have　been　a　good　deal　less　difficult　to　preserve　some　degree

regularity　and　order；　not　only　in　the　beginning；　but　through　the

whole　progress　of　an　ancient　battle；　and　till　one　of　the　two

armies　was　fairly　defeated。　But　the　habits　of　regularity；　order；

and　prompt　obedience　to　command　can　be　acquired　only　by　troops

which　are　exercised　in　great　bodies。

　　　　　A　militia；　however；　in　whatever　manner　it　may　be　either

disciplined　or　exercised；　must　always　be　much　inferior　to　a

well…disciplined　and　well…exercised　standing　army。

　　　　　The　soldiers　who　are　exercised　only　once　a　week；　or　once　a

month；　can　never　be　so　expert　in　the　use　of　their　arms　as　those

who　are　exercised　every　day；　or　every　other　day；　and　though　this

circumstance　may　not　be　of　so　much　consequence　in　modern　as　it

was　in　ancient　times；　yet　the　acknowledged　superiority　of　the

Prussian　troops；　owing；　it　is　said；　very　much　to　their　superior

expertness　in　their　exercise；　may　satisfy　us　that　it　is；　even　at

this　day；　of　very　considerable　consequence。

　　　　　The　soldiers　who　are　bound　to　obey　their　officer　only　once　a

week　or　once　a　month；　and　who　are　at　all　other　times　at　liberty

to　manage　their　own　affairs　their　own　way；　without　being　in　any

respect　accountable　to　him；　can　never　be　under　the　same　awe　in

his　presence；　can　never　have　the　same　disposition　to　ready

obedience；　with　those　whose　whole　life　and　conduct　are　every　day

directed　by　him；　and　who　every　day　even　rise　and　go　to　bed；　or　at

least　retire　to　their　quarters；　according　to　his　orders。　In　what

is　called　discipline；　or