a new view of society-第14章

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with　mathematics　now　entertain　of　the　demonstrations　of　Euclid。　And　when　thus　comprehended；　the　all　prevailing　principle　of　known　life；　the　desire　of　happiness；　will　compel　them　without　deviation　to　pursue　it　in　practice。　　　　　It　is　much　to　be　regretted　that　the　strength　and　capacity　of　the　minds　of　children　are　yet　unknown；　their　faculties　have　been　hitherto　estimated　by　the　folly　of　instruction　which　has　been　given　to　them；　while；　if　they　were　never　taught　to　acquire　error；　they　would　speedily　exhibit　such　powers　of　mind；　as　would　convince　the　most　incredulous　how　much　the　human　intellect　has　been　injured　by　the　ignorance　of　former　and　present　treatment。　　　　　It　is　therefore　indeed　important　that　the　mind　from　its　birth　should　receive　those　ideas　only　which　are　consistent　with　each　other；　which　are　in　unison　with　all　the　known　facts　of　the　creation；　and　which　are　therefore　true。　Now；　however；　from　the　day　they　are　born；　the　minds　of　children　are　impressed　with　false　notions　of　themselves　and　of　mankind；　and　in　lieu　of　being　conducted　into　the　plain　path　leading　to　health　and　happiness；　the　utmost　pains　are　taken　to　compel　them　to　pursue　an　opposite　direction；　in　which　they　can　attain　only　inconsistency　and　error。　　　　　Let　the　plan　which　has　now　been　recommended　be　steadily　put　in　practice　from　infancy；　without　counteraction　from　the　systems　of　education　which　now　exist；　and　characters；　even　in　youth；　may　be　formed；　that　in　true　knowledge；　and　in　every　good　and　valuable　quality；　will　not　only　greatly　surpass　the　wise　and　learned　of　the　present　and　preceding　times；　but　will　appear；　as　they　really　will　be；　a　race　of　rational　or　superior　beings。　It　is　true；　this　change　cannot　be　instantaneously　established；　it　cannot　be　created　by　magic；　or　by　a　miracle；　it　must　be　effected　gradually　and　to　accomplish　it　finally　will　prove　a　work　of　labour　and　of　years。　For　those　who　have　been　misinstructed　from　infancy；　who　have　now　influence　and　are　active　in　the　world；　and　whose　activity　is　directed　by　the　false　notions　of　their　forefathers；　will　of　course　endeavour　to　obstruct　the　change。　Those　who　have　been　systematically　impressed　with　early　errors；　and　conscientiously　think　them　to　be　truths；　will　of　necessity；　while　such　errors　remain；　endeavour　to　perpetuate　them　in　their　children。　Some　simple　but　general　method；　therefore；　becomes　necessary　to　counteract　as　speedily　as　possible　an　evil　of　so　formidable　a　magnitude。　　　　　It　was　this　view　of　the　subject　which　suggested　the　utility　of　preparing　the　means　to　admit　of　evening　lectures　in　the　New　Institution；　and　it　is　intended　they　should　be　given；　during　winter；　three　nights　in　the　week；　alternately　with　dancing。　　　　　To　the　ill…trained　and　ill…taught　these　lectures　may　be　made　invaluable；　and　these　are　now　numerous；　for　the　far　greater　part　of　the　population　of　the　world　has　been　permitted　to　pass　the　proper　season　for　instruction　without　being　trained　to　be　rational；　and　they　have　acquired　only　the　ideas　and　habits　which　proceed　from　ignorant　association　and　erroneous　instruction。　　　　　It　is　intended　that　the　lectures　should　be　familiar　discourses；　delivered　in　plain　impressive　language；　to　instruct　the　adult　part　of　the　community　in　the　most　useful　practical　parts　of　knowledge　in　which　they　are　deficient；　particularly　in　the　proper　method　of　training　their　children　to　become　rational　creatures；　how　to　expend　the　earnings　of　their　own　labour　to　advantage；　and　how　to　appropriate　the　surplus　gains　which　will　be　left　to　them；　in　order　to　create　a　fund　which　will　relieve　them　from　the　anxious　fear　of　future　want；　and　thus　give　them；　under　the　many　errors　of　the　present　system；　that　rational　confidence　in　their　own　exertions　and　good　conduct；　without　which；　consistency　of　character　or　domestic　comfort　cannot　be　obtained；　and　ought　not　to　be　expected。　The　young　people　may　be　also　questioned　relative　to　their　progress　in　useful　knowledge；　and　allowed　to　ask　for　explanations。　In　short；　these　lectures　may　be　made　to　convey；　in　an　amusing　and　agreeable　manner；　highly　valuable　and　substantial　information　to　those　who　are　now　the　most　ignorant　in　the　community；　and　by　similar　means；　which　at　a　trifling　expense　may　be　put　into　action　over　the　whole　kingdom；　the　most　important　benefits　may　be　given　to　the　labouring　classes；　and　through　them；　to　the　whole　mass　of　society。　　　　　For　it　should　be　considered　that　the　far　greater　part　of　the　population　belong　to　or　have　risen　from　the　labouring　classes；。　and　by　them　the　happiness　and　comfort　of　all　ranks；　not　excluding　the　highest；　are　very　essentially　influenced：　because　even　much　more　of　the　character　of　children　in　all　families　is　formed　by　the　servants；　than　is　ever　supposed　by　those　unaccustomed　to　trace　with　attention　the　human　mind　from　earliest　infancy。　It　is　indeed　impossible　that　children　in　any　situation　can　be　correctly　trained；　until　those　who　surround　them　from　infancy　shall　be　previously　well　instructed；　and　the　value　of　good　servants　may　be　duly　appreciated　by　those　who　have　experienced　the　difference　between　the　very　good　and　very　bad。　　　　　The　last　part　of　the　intended　arrangement　of　the　New　Institution　remains　yet　to　be　described。　This　is　the　Church　and　its　doctrines；　and　they　involve　considerations　of　the　highest　interest　and　importance；　inasmuch　as　a　knowledge　of　truth　on　the　subject　of　religion　would　permanently　establish　the　happiness　of　man；　for　it　is　the　inconsistencies　alone；　proceeding　from　the　want　of　this　knowledge；　which　have　created；　and　still　create；　a　great　proportion　of　the　miseries　which　exist　in　the　world。　　　　　The　only　certain　criterion　of　truth　is；　that　it　is　ever　consistent　with　itself；　it　remains　one　and　the　same　under　every　view　and　comparison　of　it　which　can　be　made；　while　error　will　not　stand　the　test　of　this　investigation　and　comparison；　because　it　ever　leads　to　absurd　conclusions。　　　　　Those　whose　minds　are　equal　to　the　subject　will；　ere　this；　have　discovered；　that　the　principles　in　which　mankind　have　been　hitherto　instructed；　and　by　which　they　have　been　governed；　will　not　bear　the　test　of　this　criterion。　Investigate　and　compare　them；　they　betray　absurdity；　folly；　and　weakness；　hence　the　infinity　of　jarring　opinions；　dissensions；　and　miseries；　which　have　hitherto　prevailed。　　　　　Had　any　one　of　the　various　opposing　systems　which　have　governed　the　world　and　disunited　man　from　man；　been　true；　without　any　mixture　of　error　…　that　system；　very　speedily　after　its　public　promulgation；　would　have　pervaded　society；　and　compelled　all　men　to　have　acknowledged　its　truth。　　　　　The　criterion；　however；　which　has　been　stated；　shows；　that　they　are　all；　without　an　exception；　in　part　inconsistent　with　the　works　of　nature；　that　is；　with　the　facts　which　exist　around　us。　Those　systems　therefore　must　have　contained　some　fundamental　errors；　and　it　is　utterly　impossible　for　man　to　become　rational；　or　enjoy　the　happiness　he　is　capable　of　attaining；　until　those　errors　are　exposed　and　annihilated。　　　　　Each　of　those　systems　contains　some　truth　with　more　error；　hence　it　is　that　no　one　of　them　has　gained；　or　is　likely　to　gain；　universality。　　　　　The　truth　which　the　several　systems　possess；　serves　to　cover　and　perpetuate　the　errors　which　they　contain；　but　those　errors　are　most　obvious　to　all　who　have　not　from　infancy　been　taught　to　receive　them。　　　　　Is　proof　demanded？　Ask；　in　succession；　those　who　are　esteemed　the　most　intelligent　and　enlightened　of　every　sect　and　party；　what　is　their　opinion　of　every　other　sect　and　party　throughout　the　world。　Is　it　not　evident　that；　without　one　exception；　the　answer　will　be；　that　they　all　contain　errors　so　clearly　in　opposition　to　reason　and　equity；　that　he　can　only　feel　pity　and　deep　commiseration　for　the　individuals　whose　minds　have　been　thus　perverted　and　rendered　irrational？　And　this　reply　they　will　all　make；　unconscious　that　they　themselves　are　of　the　number　whom　they　commiserate。　　　　　The　doctrines　which　have　been　taught　to　every　known　sect；　combined　with　the　external　circumstances　by　which　they　have　been　surrounded；　have　been　directly　calculated；　and　could　not　fail；　to　produce　the　characters　which　have　existed。　And　the　doctrines　in　which　the　inhabitants　of　the　world　are　now　instructed；　combined　with　the　external　circumstances