wealbk05-第32章

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though　of　a　very　unphilosophical　origin；　it　would　probably　by

this　time　have　been　productive　of　the　most　philosophical　good

temper　and　moderation　with　regard　to　every　sort　of　religious

principle。　It　has　been　established　in　Pennsylvania；　where；　though

the　Quakers　happen　to　be　the　most　numerous；　the　law　in　reality

favours　no　one　sect　more　than　another；　and　it　is　there　said　to

have　been　productive　of　this　philosophical　good　temper　and

moderation。

　　　　　But　though　this　equality　of　treatment　should　not　be

productive　of　this　good　temper　and　moderation　in　all；　or　even　in

the　greater　part　of　the　religious　sects　of　a　particular　country；

yet　provided　those　sects　were　sufficiently　numerous；　and　each　of

them　consequently　too　small　to　disturb　the　public　tranquillity；

the　excessive　zeal　of　each　for　its　particular　tenets　could　not

well　be　productive　of　any　very　harmful　effects；　but；　on　the

contrary；　of　several　good　ones：　and　if　the　government　was

perfectly　decided　both　to　let　them　all　alone；　and　to　oblige　them

all　to　let　alone　one　another；　there　is　little　danger　that　they

would　not　of　their　own　accord　subdivide　themselves　fast　enough　so

as　soon　to　become　sufficiently　numerous。

　　　　　In　every　civilised　society；　in　every　society　where　the

distinction　of　ranks　has　once　been　completely　established；　there

have　been　always　two　different　schemes　or　systems　of　morality

current　at　the　same　time；　of　which　the　one　may　be　called　the

strict　or　austere；　the　other　the　liberal；　or；　if　you　will；　the

loose　system。　The　former　is　generally　admired　and　revered　by　the

common　people：　the　latter　is　commonly　more　esteemed　and　adopted

by　what　are　called　people　of　fashion。　The　degree　of

disapprobation　with　which　we　ought　to　mark　the　vices　of　levity；

the　vices　which　are　apt　to　arise　from　great　prosperity；　and　from

the　excess　of　gaiety　and　good　humour；　seems　to　constitute　the

principal　distinction　between　those　two　opposite　schemes　or

systems。　In　the　liberal　or　loose　system；　luxury；　wanton　and　even

disorderly　mirth；　the　pursuit　of　pleasure　to　some　degree　of

intemperance；　the　breach　of　chastity；　at　least　in　one　of　the　two

sexes；　etc。；　provided　they　are　not　accompanied　with　gross

indecency；　and　do　not　lead　to　falsehood　or　injustice；　are

generally　treated　with　a　good　deal　of　indulgence；　and　are　easily

either　excused　or　pardoned　altogether。　In　the　austere　system；　on

the　contrary；　those　excesses　are　regarded　with　the　utmost

abhorrence　and　detestation。　The　vices　of　levity　are　always

ruinous　to　the　common　people；　and　a　single　week's　thoughtlessness

and　dissipation　is　often　sufficient　to　undo　a　poor　workman　for

ever；　and　to　drive　him　through　despair　upon　committing　the　most

enormous　crimes。　The　wiser　and　better　sort　of　the　common　people；

therefore；　have　always　the　utmost　abhorrence　and　detestation　of

such　excesses；　which　their　experience　tells　them　are　so

immediately　fatal　to　people　of　their　condition。　The　disorder　and

extravagance　of　several　years；　on　the　contrary；　will　not　always

ruin　a　man　of　fashion；　and　people　of　that　rank　are　very　apt　to

consider　the　power　of　indulging　in　some　degree　of　excess　as　one

of　the　advantages　of　their　fortune；　and　the　liberty　of　doing　so

without　censure　or　reproach　as　one　of　the　privileges　which　belong

to　their　station。　In　people　of　their　own　station；　therefore；　they

regard　such　excesses　with　but　a　small　degree　of　disapprobation；

and　censure　them　either　very　slightly　or　not　at　all。

　　　　　Almost　all　religious　sects　have　begun　among　the　common

people；　from　whom　they　have　generally　drawn　their　earliest　as

well　as　their　most　numerous　proselytes。　The　austere　system　of

morality　has；　accordingly；　been　adopted　by　those　sects　almost

constantly；　or　with　very　few　exceptions；　for　there　have　been

some。　It　was　the　system　by　which　they　could　best　recommend

themselves　to　that　order　of　people　to　whom　they　first　proposed

their　plan　of　reformation　upon　what　had　been　before　established。

Many　of　them；　perhaps　the　greater　part　of　them；　have　even

endeavoured　to　gain　credit　by　refining　upon　this　austere　system；

and　by　carrying　it　to　some　degree　of　folly　and　extravagance；　and

this　excessive　rigour　has　frequently　recommended　them　more　than

anything　else　to　the　respect　and　veneration　of　the　common　people。

　　　　　A　man　of　rank　and　fortune　is　by　his　station　the

distinguished　member　of　a　great　society；　who　attend　to　every　part

of　his　conduct；　and　who　thereby　oblige　him　to　attend　to　every

part　of　it　himself。　His　authority　and　consideration　depend　very

much　upon　the　respect　which　this　society　bears　to　him。　He　dare

not　do　anything　which　would　disgrace　or　discredit　him　in　it；　and

he　is　obliged　to　a　very　strict　observation　of　that　species　of

morals；　whether　liberal　or　austere；　which　the　general　consent　of

this　society　prescribes　to　persons　of　his　rank　and　fortune。　A　man

of　low　condition；　on　the　contrary；　is　far　from　being　a

distinguished　member　of　any　great　society。　While　he　remains　in　a

country　village　his　conduct　may　be　attended　to；　and　he　may　be

obliged　to　attend　to　it　himself。　In　this　situation；　and　in　this

situation　only；　he　may　have　what　is　called　a　character　to　lose。

But　as　soon　as　he　comes　into　a　great　city　he　is　sunk　in　obscurity

and　darkness。　His　conduct　is　observed　and　attended　to　by　nobody；

and　he　is　therefore　very　likely　to　neglect　it　himself；　and　to

abandon　himself　to　every　sort　of　low　profligacy　and　vice。　He

never　emerges　so　effectually　from　this　obscurity；　his　conduct

never　excites　so　much　the　attention　of　any　respectable　society；

as　by　his　becoming　the　member　of　a　small　religious　sect。　He　from

that　moment　acquires　a　degree　of　consideration　which　he　never　had

before。　All　his　brother　sectaries　are；　for　the　credit　of　the

sect；　interested　to　observe　his　conduct；　and　if　he　gives　occasion

to　any　scandal；　if　he　deviates　very　much　from　those　austere

morals　which　they　almost　always　require　of　one　another；　to　punish

him　by　what　is　always　a　very　severe　punishment；　even　where　no

civil　effects　attend　it；　expulsion　or　excommunication　from　the

sect。　In　little　religious　sects；　accordingly；　the　morals　of　the

common　people　have　been　almost　always　remarkably　regular　and

orderly；　generally　much　more　so　than　in　the　established　church。

The　morals　of　those　little　sects；　indeed；　have　frequently　been

rather　disagreeably　rigorous　and　unsocial。

　　　　　There　are　two　very　easy　and　effectual　remedies；　however；　by

whose　joint　operation　the　state　might；　without　violence；　correct

whatever　was　unsocial　or　disagreeably　rigorous　in　the　morals　of

all　the　little　sects　into　which　the　country　was　divided。

　　　　　The　first　of　those　remedies　is　the　study　of　science　and

philosophy；　which　the　state　might　render　almost　universal　among

all　people　of　middling　or　more　than　middling　rank　and　fortune；

not　by　giving　salaries　to　teachers　in　order　to　make　them

negligent　and　idle；　but　by　instituting　some　sort　of　probation；

even　in　the　higher　and　more　difficult　sciences；　to　be　undergone

by　every　person　before　he　was　permitted　to　exercise　any　liberal

profession；　or　before　he　could　be　received　as　a　candidate　for　any

honourable　office　of　trust　or　profit。　If　the　state　imposed　upon

this　order　of　men　the　necessity　of　learning；　it　would　have　no

occasion　to　give　itself　any　trouble　about　providing　them　with

proper　teachers。　They　would　soon　find　better　teachers　for

themselves　than　any　whom　the　state　could　provide　for　them。

Science　is　the　great　antidote　to　the　poison　of　enthusiasm　and

superstition；　and　where　all　the　superior　ranks　of　people　were

secured　from　it；　the　inferior　ranks　could　not　be　much　exposed　to

it。

　　　　　The　second　of　those　remedies　is　the　frequency　and　gaiety　of

public　diversions。　The　state；　by　encouraging；　that　is　by　giving

entire　liberty　to　all　those　who　for　their　own　interest　would

attempt　without　scandal　or　indecency；　to　amuse　and　divert　the

people　by　painting；　poetry；　music；　dancing；　by　all　sorts　of

dramatic　representations　and　exhibitions；　would