latter-day pamphlets-第16章
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Yonder； in those dingy habitations； and shops of red herring and tobacco…pipes； where men have not yet quite declared for the Devil； there； I say； is land： here is mere sea…beach。 Thither go with your benevolence； thither to those dingy caverns of the poor； and there instruct and drill and manage； there where some fruit may come from it。 And； above all and inclusive of all； cannot you go to those Solemn human Shams； Phantasm Captains； and Supreme Quacks that ride prosperously in every thoroughfare； and with severe benevolence； ask them； What they are doing here？ They are the men whom it would behoove you to drill a little； and tie to the halberts in a benevolent manner； if you could！ 〃We cannot；〃 say you？ Yes； my friends； to a certain extent you can。 By many well…known active methods； and by all manner of passive methods； you can。 Strive thitherward； I advise you； thither； with whatever social effort there may lie in you！ The well…head and 〃consecrated〃 thrice…accursed chief fountain of all those waters of bitterness；it is they； those Solemn Shams and Supreme
Quacks of yours； little as they or you imagine it！ Them； with severe benevolence； put a stop to； them send to their Father； far from the sight of the true and just；if you would ever see a just world here！
What sort of reformers and workers are you； that work only on the rotten material？ That never think of meddling with the material while it continues sound； that stress it and strain it with new rates and assessments； till once it has given way and declared itself rotten； whereupon you snatch greedily at it； and say； Now let us try to do some good upon it！ You mistake in every way； my friends： the fact is； you fancy yourselves men of virtue； benevolence； what not； and you are not even men of sincerity and honest sense。 I grieve to say it； but it is true。 Good from you； and your operations； is not to be expected。 You may go down！
Howard is a beautiful Philanthropist； eulogized by Burke； and in most men's minds a sort of beatified individual。 How glorious； having finished off one's affairs in Bedfordshire； or in fact finding them very dull； inane； and worthy of being quitted and got away from； to set out on a cruise； over the Jails first of Britain； then； finding that answer； over the Jails of the habitable Globe！ 〃A voyage of discovery； a circum…navigation of charity； to collate distresses； to gauge wretchedness； to take the dimensions of human misery：〃 really it is very fine。 Captain Cook's voyage for the Terra Australis； Ross's； Franklin's for the ditto Borealis： men make various cruises and voyages in this world；for want of money； want of work； and one or the other want；which are attended with their difficulties too； and do not make the cruiser a demigod。 On the whole； I have myself nothing but respect； comparatively speaking； for the dull solid Howard； and his 〃benevolence；〃 and other impulses that set him cruising； Heaven had grown weary of Jail…fevers； and other the like unjust penalties inflicted upon scoundrels；for scoundrels too； and even the very Devil； should not have _more_ than their due；and Heaven； in its opulence； created a man to make an end of that。 Created him； disgusted him with the grocer business； tried him with Calvinism； rural ennui； and sore bereavement in his Bedfordshire retreat；and； in short； at last got him set to his work； and in a condition to achieve it。 For which I am thankful to Heaven； and do also；with doffed hat； humbly salute John Howard。 A practical solid man； if a dull and even dreary； 〃carries his weighing…scales in his pocket：〃 when your jailer answers； 〃The prisoner's allowance of food is so and so； and we observe it sacredly； here； for example； is a ration。〃〃 Hey！ A ration this？〃 and solid John suddenly produces his weighing…scales； weighs it； marks down in his tablets what the actual quantity of it is。 That is the art and manner of the man。 A man full of English accuracy； English veracity； solidity； simplicity； by whom this universal Jail…commission； not to be paid for in money but far otherwise； is set about； with all the slow energy； the patience； practicality； sedulity and sagacity common to the best English commissioners paid in money and not expressly otherwise。
For it is the glory of England that she has a turn for fidelity in practical work； that sham…workers； though very numerous； are rarer than elsewhere； that a man who undertakes work for you will still； in various provinces of our affairs； do it； instead of merely seeming to do it。 John Howard； without pay in money； _did_ this of the Jail…fever； as other Englishmen do work； in a truly workmanlike manner： his distinction was that he did it without money。 He had not 500 pounds or 5；000 pounds a year of salary for it； but lived merely on his Bedfordshire estates； and as Snigsby irreverently expresses it； 〃by chewing his own cud。〃 And； sure enough； if any man might chew the cud of placid reflections； solid Howard； a mournful man otherwise； might at intervals indulge a little in that luxury。No money…salary had he for his work； he had merely the income of his properties； and what he could derive from within。 Is this such a sublime distinction； then？ Well； let it pass at its value。 There have been benefactors of mankind who had more need of money than he； and got none too。 Milton； it is known； did his _Paradise Lost_ at the easy rate of five pounds。 Kepler worked out the secret of the Heavenly Motions in a dreadfully painful manner； 〃going over the calculations sixty times；〃 and having not only no public money； but no private either； and； in fact； writing almanacs for his bread…and…water； while he did this of the Heavenly Motions； having no Bedfordshire estates； nothing but a pension of 18 pounds （which they would not pay him）； the valuable faculty of writing almanacs； and at length the invaluable one of dying； when the Heavenly bodies were vanquished； and battle's conflagration had collapsed into cold dark ashes； and the starvation reached too high a pitch for the poor man。
Howard is not the only benefactor that has worked without money for us； there have been some more；and will be； I hope！ For the Destinies are opulent； and send here and there a man into the world to do work； for which they do not mean to pay him in money。 And they smite him beneficently with sore afflictions； and blight his world all into grim frozen ruins round him；and can make a wandering Exile of their Dante； and not a soft…bedded Podesta of Florence； if they wish to get a _Divine Comedy_ out of him。 Nay that rather is their way； when they have worthy work for such a man； they scourge him manifoldly to the due pitch； sometimes nearly of despair； that he may search desperately for his work； and find it； they urge him on still with beneficent stripes when needful； as is constantly the case between whiles； and； in fact； have privately decided to reward him with beneficent death by and by； and not with money at all。 O my benevolent friend； I honor Howard very much； but it is on this side idolatry a long way； not to an infinite； but to a decidedly finite extent！ And you；put not the modest noble Howard； a truly modest man； to the blush； by forcing these reflections on us！
Cholera Doctors； hired to dive into black dens of infection and despair； they； rushing about all day from lane to lane； with their life in their hand； are found to do their function； which is a much more rugged one than Howard's。 Or what say we； Cholera Doctors？ Ragged losels gathered by beat of drum from the overcrowded streets of cities； and drilled a little and dressed in red； do not they stand fire in an uncensurable manner； and handsomely give their life； if needful； at the rate of a shilling per day？ Human virtue； if we went down to the roots of it； is not so rare。 The materials of human virtue are everywhere abundant as the light of the sun： raw materials；O woe； and loss； and scandal thrice and threefold； that they so seldom are elaborated； and built into a result！ that they lie yet unelaborated； and stagnant in the souls of wide…spread dreary millions； fermenting； festering； and issue at last as energetic vice instead of strong practical virtue！ A Mrs。 Manning 〃dying game；〃ala
