a new view of society-第4部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

　times：　and　all　the　complicated　and　counteracting　motives　for　good　conduct；　which　have　been　multiplied　almost　to　infinity；　will　be　reduced　to　one　single　principle　of　action；　which；　by　its　evident　operation　and　sufficiency；　shall　render　this　intricate　system　unnecessary：　and　ultimately　supersede　it　in　all　parts　of　the　earth。　That　principle　is　the　happiness　of　self；　clearly　understood　and　uniformly　practised；　which　can　only　be　attained　by　conduct　that　must　promote　the　happiness　of　the　community。　　　　　For　that　power　which　governs　and　pervades　the　universe　has；　evidently　so　formed　man；　that　he　must　progressively　pass　from　a　state　of　ignorance　to　intelligence；　the　limits　of　which　it　is　not　for　man　himself　to　define；　and　in　that　progress　to　discover；　that　his　individual　happiness　can　be　increased　and　extended　only　in　proportion　as　he　actively　endeavours　to　increase　and　extend　the　happiness　of　all　around　him。　The　principle　admits　neither　of　exclusion　nor　of　limitation；　and　such　appears　evidently　the　state　of　the　public　mind；　that　it　will　now　seize　and　cherish　this　principle　as　the　most　precious　boon　which　it　has　yet　been　allowed　to　attain。　The　errors　of　all　opposing　motives　will　appear　in　their　true　light；　and　the　ignorance　whence　they　arose　will　become　so　glaring；　that　even　the　most　unenlightened　will　speedily　reject　them。　　　　　For　this　state　of　matters；　and　for　all　the　gradual　changes　contemplated；　the　extraordinary　events　of　the　present　times　have　essentially　contributed　to　prepare　the　way。　　　　　Even　the　late　Ruler　of　France；　although　immediately　influenced　by　the　most　mistaken　principles　of　ambition；　has　contributed　to　this　happy　result；　by　shaking　to　its　foundation　that　mass　of　superstition　and　bigotry；　which　on　the　continent　of　Europe　had　been　accumulating　for　ages；　until　it　had　so　overpowered　and　depressed　the　human　intellect；　that　to　attempt　improvement　without　its　removal　would　have　been　most　unavailing。　And　in　the　next　place；　by　carrying　the　mistaken　selfish　principles　in　which　mankind　have　been　hitherto　educated　to　the　extreme　in　practice；　he　has　rendered　their　error　manifest；　and　left　no　doubt　of　the　fallacy　of　the　source　whence　they　originated。　　　　　These　transactions；　in　which　millions　have　been　immolated；　or　consigned　to　poverty　and　bereft　of　friends；　will　be　preserved　in　the　records　of　time；　and　impress　future　ages　with　a　just　estimation　of　the　principles　now　about　to　be　introduced　into　practice；　and　will　thus　prove　perpetually　useful　to　all　succeeding　generations。　　　　　For　the　direful　effects　of　Napoleon's　government　have　created　the　most　deep…rooted　disgust　at　notions　which　could　produce　a　belief　that　such　conduct　was　glorious；　or　calculated　to　increase　the　happiness　of　even　the　individual　by　whom　it　was　pursued。　And　the　late　discoveries　and　proceedings　of　the　Rev　Dr　Bell　and　Mr　Joseph　Lancaster　have　also　been　preparing　the　way；　in　a　manner　the　most　opposite；　but　yet　not　less　effectual；　by　directing　the　public　attention　to　the　beneficial　effects；　on　the　young　and　unresisting　mind；　of　even　the　limited　education　which　their　systems　embrace。　　　　　They　have　already　effected　enough　to　prove　that　all　which　is　now　in　contemplation　respecting　the　training　of　youth　may　be　accomplished　without　fear　of　disappointment。　And　by　so　doing；　as　the　consequences　of　their　improvements　cannot　be　confined　within　the　British　Isles；　they　will　for　ever　be　ranked　among　the　most　important　benefactors　of　the　human　race；　but　henceforward　to　contend　for　any　new　exclusive　system　will　be　in　vain：　the　public　mind　is　already　too　well　informed；　and　has　too　far　passed　the　possibility　of　retrogression；　much　longer　to　permit　the　continuance　of　any　such　evil。　　　　　For　it　is　now　obvious　that　such　a　system　must　be　destructive　of　the　happiness　of　the　excluded；　by　their　seeing　others　enjoy　what　they　are　not　permitted　to　possess；　and　also　that　it　tends；　by　creating　opposition　from　the　justly　injured　feelings　of　the　excluded；　in　proportion　to　the　extent　of　the　exclusion；　to　diminish　the　happiness　even　of　the　privileged：　the　former　therefore　can　have　no　rational　motive　for　its　continuance。　　　　　If；　however；　owing　to　the　irrational　principles　by　which　the　world　has　been　hitherto　governed；　individuals；　or　sects；　or　parties；　shall　yet　by　their　plans　of　exclusion　attempt　to　retard　the　amelioration　of　society；　and　prevent　the　introduction　into　PRACTICE　of　that　truly　just　spirit　which　knows　no　exclusion；　such　facts　shall　yet　be　brought　forward　as　cannot　fail　to　render　all　their　efforts　vain。　　　　　It　will　therefore　be　the　essence　of　wisdom　in　the　privileged　class　to　co…operate　sincerely　and　cordially　with　those　who　desire　not　to　touch　one　iota　of　the　supposed　advantages　which　they　now　possess；　and　whose　first　and　last　wish　is　to　increase　the　particular　happiness　of　those　classes；　as　well　as　the　general　happiness　of　society。　A　very　little　reflection　on　the　part　of　the　privileged　will　ensure　this　line　of　conduct；　whence；　without　domestic　revolution　without　war　or　bloodshed　nay；　without　prematurely　disturbing　any　thing　which　exists；　the　world　will　be　prepared　to　receive　principles　which　are　alone　calculated　to　build　up　a　system　of　happiness；　and　to　destroy　those　irritable　feelings　which　have　so　long　afflicted　society　solely　because　society　has　hitherto　been　ignorant　of　the　true　means　by　which　the　most　useful　and　valuable　character　may　be　formed。　　　　　This　ignorance　being　removed；　experience　will　soon　teach　us　how　to　form　character；　individually　and　generally；　so　as　to　give　the　greatest　sum　of　happiness　to　the　individual　and　to　mankind。　　　　　These　principles　require　only　to　be　known　in　order　to　establish　themselves；　the　outline　of　our　future　proceedings　then　becomes　clear　and　defined；　nor　will　they　permit　us　henceforth　to　wander　from　the　right　path。　They　direct　that　the　governing　powers　of　all　countries　should　establish　rational　plans　for　the　education　and　general　formation　of　the　characters　of　their　subjects。　These　plans　must　be　devised　to　train　children　from　their　earliest　infancy　in　good　habits　of　every　description　which　will　of　course　prevent　them　from　acquiring　those　of　falsehood　and　deception）。　They　must　afterwards　be　rationally　educated；　and　their　labour　be　usefully　directed。　Such　habits　and　education　will　impress　them　with　an　active　and　ardent　desire　to　promote　the　happiness　of　every　individual；　and　that　without　the　shadow　of　exceptions　for　sect；　or　party；　or　country；　or　climate。　They　will　also　ensure；　with　the　fewest　possible　exceptions；　health；　strength；　and　vigour　of　body；　for　the　happiness　of　man　can　be　erected　only　on　the　foundations　of　health　of　body　and　Peace　of　mind。　　　　　And　that　health　of　body　and　peace　of　mind　may　be　preserved　sound　and　entire；　through　youth　and　manhood；　to　old　age；　it　becomes　equally　necessary　that　the　irresistible　propensities　which　form　a　part　of　his　nature；　and　which　now　produce　the　endless　and　ever　multiplying　evils　with　which　humanity　is　afflicted；　should　be　so　directed　as　to　increase　and　not　to　counteract　his　happiness。　　　　　The　knowledge　however　thus　introduced　will　make　it　evident　to　the　understanding；　that　by　far　the　greater　part　of　the　misery　with　which　man　is　encircled　may　be　easily　dissipated　and　removed；　and　that　with　mathematical　precision　he　may　be　surrounded　with　those　circumstances　which　must　gradually　increase　his　happiness。　　　　　Hereafter；　when　the　public　at　large　shall　be　satisfied　that　these　principles　can　and　will　withstand　the　ordeal　through　which　they　must　inevitably　pass；　when　they　shall　prove　themselves　true　to　the　clear　comprehension　and　certain　conviction　of　the　unenlightened　as　well　as　the　learned；　and　when；　by　the　irresistible　power　of　truth；　detached　from　falsehood；　they　shall　establish　themselves　in　the　mind；　no　more　to　be　removed　but　by　the　entire　annihilation　of　human　intellect；　then　the　consequent　practice　which　they　direct　shall　be　explained；　and　rendered　easy　of　adoption。　　　　　In　the　meantime；　let　no　one　anticipate　evil；　even　in　the　slightest　degree；　from　these　principles；　they　are　not　innoxious　only；　but　pregnant　with　consequences　to　be　wished　and　desired　beyond　all　others　by　every　individual　in　society。　　　　　Some　of　the　best　intentioned　among　the　various　classes　in　society　may　still　say；　'All　this　is　very　delightful　and　very　beautiful　in　theory。　but　visionaries　alone　expect　to　see　it　realized。'　To　this　remark　only　one　reply　can　or　ought　to　be　made；　that　these　principles　have　been　carried　most　successfully　into　practice。　　　　　（The　beneficial　effects　of　this　practice　have　been　experienced　for；　many　years　among　a　population　of　between　two　and　three　thousand　at　New　Lanark；　in　Scotland；　at　Munich；　in　Bavaria；　and　in　the　Pauper　Colonies；　at　Fredericks…oord。）　　　　　The　present　Essays；　therefore；　are　not　brought　forward　as　mere　matter　of　speculation；　to　amuse　the　idle　visionary　who　thinks　in　his　closet；　and　never　acts　in　the　world；　but　to　create　universal　activity；　pervade　society　with　a　knowledge　of　its　true　interests；　and　direct　the　public　mind　to　the　most　important　object　to　which　it　can　be　directed　to　a　national　proceeding　for　rationally　forming　the　character　of　that　immense　mass　of　population　which　is　now　allowed　to　be　so　formed　as　to　fill　the　world　with　crimes。　　　　　Shall　questions　of　merely　local　and　temporary　interest；　whose　ult