贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > a new view of society >

第12章

a new view of society-第12章

小说: a new view of society 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



cording to the habits which have been given to him from infancy。     The Sabbath; in many parts of Scotland; is not a day of innocent and cheerful recreation to the labouring man; nor can those who are confined all the week to sedentary occupations; freely partake; without censure; of the air and exercise to which nature invites them; and which their health demands。     The errors of the times of superstition and bigotry still hold some sway; and compel those who wish to preserve a regard to their respectability in society; to an overstrained demeanour; and this demeanour sometimes degenerates into hypocrisy; and is often the cause of great inconsistency。 It is destructive of every open; honest; generous; and manly feeling。 It disgusts many; and drives them to the opposite extreme。 It is sometimes the cause of insanity。 It is founded on ignorance; and defeats its own object。     While erroneous customs prevail in any country; it would evince an ignorance of human nature in any individual to offend against them; until he has convinced the community of their error。     To counteract; in some degree; the inconvenience which arose from the misapplication of the Sabbath; it became necessary to introduce on the other days of the week some innocent amusement and recreation for those whose labours were unceasing; and in winter almost uniform。 In summer; the inhabitants of the village of New Lanark have their gardens and potato grounds to cultivate; they have walks laid out to give them health and the habit of being gratified with the ever…changing scenes of nature … for those scenes afford not only the most economical; but also the most innocent pleasures which man can enjoy; and all men may be easily trained to enjoy them。     In winter the community are deprived of these healthy occupations and amusements; they are employed ten hours and three…quarters every day in the week; except Sunday; and generally every individual continues during that time at the same work: and experience has shown that the average health and spirits of the community are several degrees lower in winter than in summer; and this in part may be fairly attributed to that cause。     These considerations suggested the necessity of rooms for innocent amusements and rational recreation。     Many well…intentioned individuals; unaccustomed to witness the conduct of those among the lower orders who have been rationally treated and trained; may fancy such an assemblage will necessarily become a scene of confusion and disorder; instead of which; however; it proceeds with uniform propriety。 it is highly favourable to the health; spirits; and dispositions of the individuals so engaged; and if any irregularity should arise; the cause will be solely owing to the parties who attempt to direct the proceedings being deficient in a practical knowledge of human nature。     It has been and ever will be found far more easy to lead mankind to virtue; or to rational conduct; by providing them with well…regulated innocent amusements and recreations; than by forcing them to submit to useless restraints; which tend only to create disgust; and often to connect such feelings even with that which is excellent in itself; merely because it has been judiciously associated。     Hitherto; indeed; in all ages and in all countries; man seems to have blindly conspired against the happiness of man; and to have remained as ignorant of himself as he was of the solar system prior to the days of Copernicus and Galileo。     Many of the learned and wise among our ancestors were conscious of this ignorance; and deeply lamented its effects; and some of them recommended the partial adoption of those principles which can alone relieve the world from the miserable effects of ignorance。     The time; however; for the emancipation of the human mind had not then arrived: the world was not prepared to receive it。 The history of humanity shows it to be an undeviating law of nature; that man shall not prematurely break the shell of ignorance; that he must patiently wait until the principle of knowledge has pervaded the whole mass of the interior; to give it life and strength sufficient to bear the light of day。     Those who have duly reflected on the nature and extent of the mental movements of the world for the last half…century; must be conscious that great changes are in progress; that man is about to advance another important step towards that degree of intelligence which his natural powers seem capable of attaining。 Observe the transactions of the passing hours; see the whole mass of mind in full motion; behold it momentarily increasing in vigour; and preparing ere long to burst its confinement。 But what is to be the nature of this change? A due attention to the facts around us; and to those transmitted by the invention of printing from former ages; will afford a satisfactory reply。     From the earliest ages it has been the practice of the world to act on the supposition that each individual man forms his own character; and that therefore he is accountable for all his sentiments and habits; and consequently merits reward for some and punishment for others。 Every system which has been established among men has been founded on these erroneous principles。 When; however; they shall be brought to the test of fair examination; they will be found not only unsupported; but in direct opposition to all experience; and to the evidence of our senses。     This is not a slight mistake; which involves only trivial consequences; it is a fundamental error of the highest possible magnitude; it enters into all our proceedings regarding man from his infancy; and it will be found to be the true and sole origin of evil。 It generates and perpetuates ignorance; hatred; and revenge; where; without such error; only intelligence; confidence; and kindness; would exist。 It has hitherto been the Evil Genius of the world。 It severs man from man throughout the various regions of the earth; and makes enemies of those who; but for this gross error; would have enjoyed each other's kind offices and sincere friendship。 It is; in short; an error which carries misery in all its consequences。     This error cannot much longer exist; for every day will make it more and more evident that the character of man is; without a single exception; always formed for him; that it may be; and is; chiefly created by his predecessors; that they give him; or may give him; his ideas and habits; which are the powers that govern and direct his conduct。 Man; therefore; never did; nor is it possible he ever can;form his own character。     The knowledge of this important fact has not been derived from any of the wild and heated speculations of an ardent and ungoverned imagination; on the contrary; it proceeds from a long and patient study of the theory and practice of human nature; under many varied circumstances; it will be found to be a deduction drawn from such a multiplicity of facts; as to afford the most complete demonstration。     Had not mankind been misinstructed from infancy on this subject; making it necessary that they should unlearn what they have been taught; the simple statement of this truth would render it instantly obvious to every rational mind。 Men would know that their predecessors might have given them the habits of ferocious cannibalism; or of the highest known benevolence and intelligence; and by the acquirement of this knowledge they would soon learn that; as parents; preceptors; and legislators united; they possess the means of training the rising generations to either of those extremes; that they may with the greatest certainty make them the conscientious worshippers of Juggernaut; or of the most pure spirit; possessing the essence of every excellence which the human imagination can conceive; that they may train the young to become effeminate; deceitful; ignorantly selfish; intemperate; revengeful; murderous of course ignorant; irrational; and miserable; or to be manly; just; generous; temperate; active; kind; and benevolent that is intelligent; rational; and happy。 The knowledge of these principles having been derived from facts which perpetually exist; they defy ingenuity itself to confute them; nay; the most severe scrutiny will make it evident tha

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的