a new view of society-第24章

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　upon　a　due　comparison　of　the　various　modes　now　in　practice；　or　which　may　be　devised；　shall　appear　to　be　the　best。　　　　　Sixth　…　For　the　appointment　of　proper　masters　to　each　of　the　schools。　And；　　　　　Last　…　The　matter　of　instruction；　both　for　body　and　mind；　in　these　seminaries；　should　be　substantially　beneficial　to　the　individuals　and　to　the　state。　For　this　is；　or　ought　to　be；　the　sole　motive　for　the　establishment　of　national　seminaries。　　　　　These　are　the　outlines　of　the　provisions　necessary　to　prepare　the　most　powerful　instrument　of　good　that　has　ever　yet　been　placed　in　the　hands　of　man。　　　　　The　last　national　improvement　which　remains　to　be　proposed　in　the　present　state　of　the　public　mind；　is；　that　another　legislative　act　should　be　passed；　for　the　purpose　of　obtaining　regular　and　accurate　information　relative　to　the　value　of　and　demand　for　labour　over　the　United　Kingdoms。　This　information　is　necessary；　preparatory　to　the　adoption　of　measures　which　will　be　proposed；　to　provide　labour　for　those　who　may　be　occasionally　unable　to　procure　other　employment。　　　　　In　this　act　provision　should　be　made；　to　obtain　accurate　quarterly　returns　of　the　state　of　labour　in　each　country　or　smaller　district；　the　returns　to　be　made　either　by　the　clergy；　justices　of　the　peace；　or　other　more　competent　persons。　These　returns　should　contain；　　　　　First　…　The　average　price　of　manual　labour　within　the　district　for　the　period　included　in　the　return。　　　　　Second　…　The　number。　of　those　in　each　district　who　depend　on　their　daily　labour　or　on　the　parish　for　their　support；　and　who　may　be　at　the　period　of　these　returns　unemployed；　and　yet　able　to　labour。　　　　　Third　…　The　number　of　those　who；　at　the　period　of　each　return；　are　but　partially　employed；　and　the　extent　of　that　partial　employment。　　　　　Provision　should　also　be　made　to　obtain　a　statement　of　the　general　occupations　in　which　the　individuals　had　been　formerly　employed；　with　the　best　conjectures　as　to　the　kind　and　quantity　of　work　which　each　may　be　supposed　still　capable　of　performing。　　　　　The　want　of　due　attention　to　this　highly　necessary　branch　of　government；　occasions　thousands　of　our　fellow　subjects　to　be　made　wretched；　while；　from　the　same　cause；　the　revenues　of　the　empire　are　annually　deteriorated　to　an　enormous　amount。　　　　　We　have　stated；　because　it　is　easy　of　proof；　that　the　revenues　of　all　countries　are　derived　directly　or　indirectly；　from　the　labour　of　man；　and　yet　the　British　Government；　which；　with　all　its　errors；　is　among　the　best　devised　and　most　enlightened　that　has　hitherto　been　established；　makes　extravagant　and　unnecessary　waste　of　that　labour。　It　makes　this　waste；　too；　in　the　midst　of　its　greatest　pecuniary　difficulties；　and　when　the　utmost　efforts　of　every　individual　in　the　state　are　requisite！　　　　　This　waste　of　human　labour；　as　it　is　highly　unjust　to　all；　is　not　only　impolitic　in　a　national　view；　but　is　most　cruel　to　the　individuals　who；　in　consequence　of　this　waste；　are　the　immediate　sufferers。　　　　　It　would　be　an　Herculean　task　to　trace　through　all　their　ramifications　the　various　injurious　effects　which　result　from　the　fundamental　errors　by　which　man　has　been；　and　is　governed；　nor　is　the　world　yet　fully　prepared　for　such　development。　We　shall；　therefore；　now　merely　sketch　some　of　the　most　direct　and　palpable　of　these　effects；　relative　to　the　oversight　of　governments　in　regard　to　the　non…application　or　misapplication　of　the　labour　of　the　poor　and　unoccupied。　　　　　It　has　been　shown　that　the　governing　powers　of　any　country　may　easily　and　economically　give　the　subjects　just　sentiments　and　the　best　habits；　and　so　long　as　this　shall　remain　unattempted；　governments　will　continue　to　neglect　their　most　important　duties　as　well　as　interests。　Such　neglect　now　exists　in　Britain；　where；　in　lieu　of　the　governing　powers　making　any　effort　to　attain　these　inestimable　benefits　for　the　individuals　belonging　to　the　empire；　they　must　content　themselves　with　the　existence　of　laws　which　must　create　sentiments　and　habits　highly　injurious　to　the　welfare　of　the　individuals　and　of　the　state。　　　　　Many　of　these　laws；　by　their　never…failing　effects；　speak　in　a　language　which　no　one　can　misunderstand；　and　say　to　the　unprotected　and　untaught；；　Remain　in　ignorance；　and　let　your　labour　be　directed　by　that　ignorance；。　for　while　you　can　Procure　what　is　sufficient　to　support　life　by　such　labour；　although　that　life　should　be　an　existence　in　abject　poverty；　disease；　and　misery；　we　will　not　trouble　ourselves　with　you；　or　any　of　your　proceedings；　when；　however；　you　can　no　longer　procure　work；　or　obtain　the　means　to　support　nature；　then　apply　for　relief　to　the　parish；　and　you　shall　be　maintained　in　idleness。'　　　　　And　in　ignorance　and　idleness；　even　in　this　country；　where　manual　labour　is　or　always　might　be　made　valuable；　hundreds　of　thousands　of　men；　women；　and　children　are　daily　supported。　No　one　acquainted　with　human　nature　will　suppose　that　men；　women；　and　children；　can　be　long　maintained　in　ignorance　and　idleness；　without　becoming　habituated　to　crime。　　　　　（It　would；　perhaps；　prove　an　interesting　calculation；　and　useful　to　government；　to　estimate　how　much　its　finances　would　be　improved；　by　giving　proper　employment　to　a　million　of　its　subjects；　rather　than　by　supporting　that　million　in　ignorance；　idleness；　and　crime。　　　　　Will　it　exceed　the　bounds　of　moderation　to　say；　that　a　million　of　the　population　so　employed；　under　the　direction　of　an　intelligent　government；　might　earn　to　the　state　ten　pounds　each　annually；　or　ten　millions　sterling　per　annum？　Ten　millions　per　year　would　be　obtained；　by　each　individual　earning　less　than　four　shillings　per　week；　and　any　part　of　the　population　of　these　kingdoms；　including　within　the　average　the　too　young　and　the　too　old　for　labour；　may　be　made　to　earn；　under　proper　arrangements；　more　than　four　shillings　per　week　to　the　state；　besides　creating　an　innumerable　train　of　other　more　beneficial　consequences。）　　　　　Why　then；　are　there　any　idle　poor　in　these　kingdoms？　Solely　because　so　large　a　part　of　the　population　have　been　permitted　to　grow　up　to　manhood　in　gross　ignorance；　and　because；　when　they　are；　or　easily　may　be　trained　to　be　willing　to　labour；　useful　and　productive　employment　has　not　been　provided　for　them。　　　　　All　men　may；　by　judicious　and　proper　laws　and　training；　readily　acquire　knowledge　and　habits　which　will　enable　them；　if　they　be　permitted；　to　produce　far　more　than　they　need　for　their　support　and　enjoyment：　and　thus　any　population；　in　the　fertile　parts　of　the　earth；　may　be　taught　to　live　in　plenty　and　in　happiness；　without　the　checks　of　vice　and　misery。　　　　　Mr　Malthus　is；　however；　correct；　when　he　says　that　the　population　of　the　world　is　ever　adapting　itself　to　the　quantity　of　food　raised　for　its　support；　but　he　has　not　told　us　how　much　more　food　an　intelligent　and　industrious　people　will　create　from　the　same　soil；　than　will　be　produced　by　one　ignorant　and　ill…governed。　It　is；　however；　as　one　to　infinity。　　　　　For　man　knows　not　the　limit　to　his　power　of　creating　food。　How　much　has　this　power　been　latterly　increased　in　these　islands！　And　in　them　such　knowledge　is　in　its　infancy。　Yet　compare　even　this　power　of　raising　food　with　the　efforts　of　the　Bosgemens　or　other　savages；　and　it　will　be　found；　perhaps；　as　one　to　a　thousand。　　　　　Food　for　man　may　also　be　considered　as　a　compound　of　the　original　elements；　of　the　qualities；　combinations；　and　control　of　which；　chemistry　is　daily　adding　to　our　knowledge；　nor　is　it　yet　for　man　to　say　to　what　this　knowledge　may　lead；　or　where　it　may　end。　　　　　The　sea；　it　may　be　remarked　also；　affords　an　inexhaustible　source　of　food。　It　may　then　be　safely　asserted　that　the　population　of　the　world　may　be　allowed　naturally　to　increase　for　many　thousand　years；　and　yet；　under　a　system　of　government　founded　on　the　principles　for　the　truth　of　which　we　contend；　the　whole　may　continue　to　live　in　abundance　and　happiness；　without　one　check　of　vice　or　misery；　and　under　the　guidance　of　these　principles；　human　labour；　properly　directed；　may　be　made　far　more　than　sufficient　to　enable　the　population　of　the　world　to　live　in　the　highest　state　of　human　enjoyment。　　　　　Shall　we　then　continue　to　allow　misery　to　predominate；　and　the　labour　of　man　to　be　most　absurdly　applied　or　wasted；　when　it　mi