wealbk05-第30章

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benumb　the　understandings　of　all　the　inferior　ranks　of　people。　A

man　without　the　proper　use　of　the　intellectual　faculties　of　a

man；　is；　if　possible；　more　contemptible　than　even　a　coward；　and

seems　to　be　mutilated　and　deformed　in　a　still　more　essential　part

of　the　character　of　human　nature。　Though　the　state　was　to　derive

no　advantage　from　the　instruction　of　the　inferior　ranks　of

people；　it　would　still　deserve　its　attention　that　they　should　not

be　altogether　uninstructed。　The　state；　however；　derives　no

inconsiderable　advantage　from　their　instruction。　The　more　they

are　instructed　the　less　liable　they　are　to　the　delusions　of

enthusiasm　and　superstition；　which；　among　ignorant　nations；

frequently　occasion　the　most　dreadful　disorders。　An　instructed

and　intelligent　people；　besides；　are　always　more　decent　and

orderly　than　an　ignorant　and　stupid　one。　They　feel　themselves；

each　individually；　more　respectable　and　more　likely　to　obtain　the

respect　of　their　lawful　superiors；　and　they　are　therefore　more

disposed　to　respect　those　superiors。　They　are　more　disposed　to

examine；　and　more　capable　of　seeing　through；　the　interested

complaints　of　faction　and　sedition；　and　they　are；　upon　that

account；　less　apt　to　be　misled　into　any　wanton　or　unnecessary

opposition　to　the　measures　of　government。　In　free　countries；

where　the　safety　of　government　depends　very　much　upon　the

favourable　judgment　which　the　people　may　form　of　its　conduct；　it

must　surely　be　of　the　highest　importance　that　they　should　not　be

disposed　to　judge　rashly　or　capriciously　concerning　it。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ARTICLE　III　　　　Of　the　Expense　of　the

Institutions　for　the　Instruction　of

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　People　of　all　Ages　

　　　　　The　institutions　for　the　instruction　of　people　of　all　ages

are　chiefly　those　for　religious　instruction。　This　is　a　species　of

instruction　of　which　the　object　is　not　so　much　to　render　the

people　good　citizens　in　this　world；　as　to　prepare　them　for

another　and　a　better　world　in　a　life　to　come。　The　teachers　of　the

doctrine　which　contains　this　instruction；　in　the　same　manner　as

other　teachers；　may　either　depend　altogether　for　their

subsistence　upon　the　voluntary　contributions　of　their　hearers；　or

they　may　derive　it　from　some　other　fund　to　which　the　law　of　their

country　may　entitle　them；　such　as　a　landed　estate；　a　tithe　or

land　tax；　an　established　salary　or　stipend。　Their　exertion；　their

zeal　and　industry；　are　likely　to　be　much　greater　in　the　former

situation　than　in　the　latter。　In　this　respect　the　teachers　of　new

religions　have　always　had　a　considerable　advantage　in　attacking

those　ancient　and　established　systems　of　which　the　clergy；

reposing　themselves　upon　their　benefices；　had　neglected　to　keep

up　the　fervour　of　faith　and　devotion　in　the　great　body　of　the

people；　and　having　given　themselves　up　to　indolence；　were　become

altogether　incapable　of　making　any　vigorous　exertion　in　defence

even　of　their　own　establishment。　The　clergy　of　an　established　and

well…endowed　religion　frequently　become　men　of　learning　and

elegance；　who　possess　all　the　virtues　of　gentlemen；　or　which　can

recommend　them　to　the　esteem　of　gentlemen：　but　they　are　apt

gradually　to　lose　the　qualities；　both　good　and　bad；　which　gave

them　authority　and　influence　with　the　inferior　ranks　of　people；

and　which　had　perhaps　been　the　original　causes　of　the　success　and

establishment　of　their　religion。　Such　a　clergy；　when　attacked　by

a　set　of　popular　and　bold；　though　perhaps　stupid　and　ignorant

enthusiasts；　feel　themselves　as　perfectly　defenceless　as　the

indolent；　effeminate；　and　full…fed　nations　of　the　southern　parts

of　Asia　when　they　were　invaded　by　the　active；　hardy；　and　hungry

Tartars　of　the　North。　Such　a　clergy；　upon　such　an　emergency；　have

commonly　no　other　resource　than　to　call　upon　the　civil　magistrate

to　persecute；　destroy　or　drive　out　their　adversaries；　as

disturbers　of　the　public　peace。　It　was　thus　that　the　Roman

Catholic　clergy　called　upon　the　civil　magistrates　to　persecute

the　Protestants；　and　the　Church　of　England　to　persecute　the

Dissenters；　and　that　in　general　every　religious　sect；　when　it　has

once　enjoyed　for　a　century　or　two　the　security　of　a　legal

establishment；　has　found　itself　incapable　of　making　any　vigorous

defence　against　any　new　sect　which　chose　to　attack　its　doctrine

or　discipline。　Upon　such　occasions　the　advantage　in　point　of

learning　and　good　writing　may　sometimes　be　on　the　side　of　the

established　church。　But　the　arts　of　popularity；　all　the　arts　of

gaining　proselytes；　are　constantly　on　the　side　of　its

adversaries。　In　England　those　arts　have　been　long　neglected　by

the　well…endowed　clergy　of　the　established　church；　and　are　at

present　chiefly　cultivated　by　the　Dissenters　and　by　the

Methodists。　The　independent　provisions；　however；　which　in　many

places　have　been　made　for　dissenting　teachers　by　means　of

voluntary　subscriptions；　of　trust　rights；　and　other　evasions　of

the　law；　seem　very　much　to　have　abated　the　zeal　and　activity　of

those　teachers。　They　have　many　of　them　become　very　learned；

ingenious；　and　respectable　men；　but　they　have　in　general　ceased

to　be　very　popular　preachers。　The　Methodists；　without　half　the

learning　of　the　Dissenters；　are　much　more　in　vogue。

　　　　　In　the　Church　of　Rome；　the　industry　and　zeal　of　the　inferior

clergy　are　kept　more　alive　by　the　powerful　motive　of

self…interest　than　perhaps　in　any　established　Protestant　church。

The　parochial　clergy　derive；　many　of　them；　a　very　considerable

part　of　their　subsistence　from　the　voluntary　oblations　of　the

people；　a　source　of　revenue　which　confession　gives　them　many

opportunities　of　improving。　The　mendicant　orders　derive　their

whole　subsistence　from　such　oblations。　It　is　with　them　as　with

the　hussars　and　light　infantry　of　some　armies；　no　plunder；　no

pay。　The　parochial　clergy　are　like　those　teachers　whose　reward

depends　partly　upon　their　salary；　and　partly　upon　the　fees　or

honoraries　which　they　get　from　their　pupils；　and　these　must

always　depend　more　or　less　upon　their　industry　and　reputation。

The　mendicant　orders　are　like　those　teachers　whose　subsistence

depends　altogether　upon　the　industry。　They　are　obliged；

therefore；　to　use　every　art　which　can　animate　the　devotion　of　the

common　people。　The　establishment　of　the　two　great　mendicant

orders　of　St。　Dominic　and　St。　Francis；　it　is　observed　by

Machiavel；　revived；　in　the　thirteenth　and　fourteenth　centuries；

the　languishing　faith　and　devotion　of　the　Catholic　Church。　In

Roman　Catholic　countries　the　spirit　of　devotion　is　supported

altogether　by　the　monks　and　by　the　poorer　parochial　clergy。　The

great　dignitaries　of　the　church；　with　all　the　accomplishments　of

gentlemen　and　men　of　the　world；　and　sometimes　with　those　of　men

of　learning；　are　careful　enough　to　maintain　the　necessary

discipline　over　their　inferiors；　but　seldom　give　themselves　any

trouble　about　the　instruction　of　the　people。

　　　　　〃Most　of　the　arts　and　professions　in　a　state；〃　says　by　far

the　most　illustrious　philosopher　and　historian　of　the　present

age；　〃are　of　such　a　nature　that；　while　they　promote　the　interests

of　the　society；　they　are　also　useful　or　agreeable　to　some

individuals；　and　in　that　case；　the　constant　rule　of　the

magistrate；　except　perhaps　on　the　first　introduction　of　any　art；

is　to　leave　the　profession　to　itself；　and　trust　its　encouragement

to　the　individuals　who　reap　the　benefit　of　it。　The　artisans；

finding　their　profits　to　rise　by　the　favour　of　their　customers；

increase　as　much　as　possible　their　skill　and　industry；　and　as

matters　are　not　disturbed　by　any　injudicious　tampering；　the

commodity　is　always　sure　to　be　at　all　times　nearly　proportioned

to　the　demand。

　　　　　〃But　there　are　also　some　callings；　which；　though　useful　and

even　necessary　in　a　state；　bring　no　advantage　or　pleasure　to　any

individual；　and　the　supreme　power　is　obliged　to　alter　its　conduct

with　regard　to　the　retainers　of　those　professions。　It　must　give

them　public　encouragement　in　order　t