democracy in america-1-第5部分

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I　admit　that；　in　a　democratic　State　thus　constituted；　society　will　not　be　stationary；　but　the　impulses　of　the　social　body　may　be　regulated　and　directed　forwards；　if　there　be　less　splendor　than　in　the　halls　of　an　aristocracy；　the　contrast　of　misery　will　be　less　frequent　also；　the　pleasures　of　enjoyment　may　be　less　excessive；　but　those　of　comfort　will　be　more　general；　the　sciences　may　be　less　perfectly　cultivated；　but　ignorance　will　be　less　common；　the　impetuosity　of　the　feelings　will　be　repressed；　and　the　habits　of　the　nation　softened；　there　will　be　more　vices　and　fewer　crimes。　In　the　absence　of　enthusiasm　and　of　an　ardent　faith；　great　sacrifices　may　be　obtained　from　the　members　of　a　commonwealth　by　an　appeal　to　their　understandings　and　their　experience；　each　individual　will　feel　the　same　necessity　for　uniting　with　his　fellow…citizens　to　protect　his　own　weakness；　and　as　he　knows　that　if　they　are　to　assist　he　must　co…operate；　he　will　readily　perceive　that　his　personal　interest　is　identified　with　the　interest　of　the　community。　　The　nation；　taken　as　a　whole；　will　be　less　brilliant；　less　glorious；　and　perhaps　less　strong；　but　the　majority　of　the　citizens　will　enjoy　a　greater　degree　of　prosperity；　and　the　people　will　remain　quiet；　not　because　it　despairs　of　amelioration；　but　because　it　is　conscious　of　the　advantages　of　its　condition。　　If　all　the　consequences　of　this　state　of　things　were　not　good　or　useful；　society　would　at　least　have　appropriated　all　such　as　were　useful　and　good；　and　having　once　and　for　ever　renounced　the　social　advantages　of　aristocracy；　mankind　would　enter　into　possession　of　all　the　benefits　which　democracy　can　afford。

But　here　it　may　be　asked　what　we　have　adopted　in　the　place　of　those　institutions；　those　ideas；　and　those　customs　of　our　forefathers　which　we　have　abandoned。　　The　spell　of　royalty　is　broken；　but　it　has　not　been　succeeded　by　the　majesty　of　the　laws；　the　people　has　learned　to　despise　all　authority；　but　fear　now　extorts　a　larger　tribute　of　obedience　than　that　which　was　formerly　paid　by　reverence　and　by　love。

I　perceive　that　we　have　destroyed　those　independent　beings　which　were　able　to　cope　with　tyranny　single…handed；　but　it　is　the　Government　that　has　inherited　the　privileges　of　which　families；　corporations；　and　individuals　have　been　deprived；　the　weakness　of　the　whole　community　has　therefore　succeeded　that　influence　of　a　small　body　of　citizens；　which；　if　it　was　sometimes　oppressive；　was　often　conservative。　　The　division　of　property　has　lessened　the　distance　which　separated　the　rich　from　the　poor；　but　it　would　seem　that　the　nearer　they　draw　to　each　other；　the　greater　is　their　mutual　hatred；　and　the　more　vehement　the　envy　and　the　dread　with　which　they　resist　each　other's　claims　to　power；　the　notion　of　Right　is　alike　insensible　to　both　classes；　and　Force　affords　to　both　the　only　argument　for　the　present；　and　the　only　guarantee　for　the　future。　　The　poor　man　retains　the　prejudices　of　his　forefathers　without　their　faith；　and　their　ignorance　without　their　virtues；　he　has　adopted　the　doctrine　of　self…interest　as　the　rule　of　his　actions；　without　understanding　the　science　which　controls　it；　and　his　egotism　is　no　less　blind　than　his　devotedness　was　formerly。　　If　society　is　tranquil；　it　is　not　because　it　relies　upon　its　strength　and　its　well…being；　but　because　it　knows　its　weakness　and　its　infirmities；　a　single　effort　may　cost　it　its　life；　everybody　feels　the　evil；　but　no　one　has　courage　or　energy　enough　to　seek　the　cure；　the　desires；　the　regret；　the　sorrows；　and　the　joys　of　the　time　produce　nothing　that　is　visible　or　permanent；　like　the　passions　of　old　men　which　terminate　in　impotence。

We　have；　then；　abandoned　whatever　advantages　the　old　state　of　things　afforded；　without　receiving　any　compensation　from　our　present　condition；　we　have　destroyed　an　aristocracy；　and　we　seem　inclined　to　survey　its　ruins　with　complacency；　and　to　fix　our　abode　in　the　midst　of　them。

The　phenomena　which　the　intellectual　world　presents　are　not　less　deplorable。　　The　democracy　of　France；　checked　in　its　course　or　abandoned　to　its　lawless　passions；　has　overthrown　whatever　crossed　its　path；　and　has　shaken　all　that　it　has　not　destroyed。　　Its　empire　on　society　has　not　been　gradually　introduced　or　peaceably　established；　but　it　has　constantly　advanced　in　the　midst　of　disorder　and　the　agitation　of　a　conflict。　　In　the　heat　of　the　struggle　each　partisan　is　hurried　beyond　the　limits　of　his　opinions　by　the　opinions　and　the　excesses　of　his　opponents；　until　he　loses　sight　of　the　end　of　his　exertions；　and　holds　a　language　which　disguises　his　real　sentiments　or　secret　instincts。　　Hence　arises　the　strange　confusion　which　we　are　witnessing。　I　cannot　recall　to　my　mind　a　passage　in　history　more　worthy　of　sorrow　and　of　pity　than　the　scenes　which　are　happening　under　our　eyes；　it　is　as　if　the　natural　bond　which　unites　the　opinions　of　man　to　his　tastes　and　his　actions　to　his　principles　was　now　broken；　the　sympathy　which　has　always　been　acknowledged　between　the　feelings　and　the　ideas　of　mankind　appears　to　be　dissolved；　and　all　the　laws　of　moral　analogy　to　be　dissolved；　and　all　the　laws　of　moral　analogy　to　be　abolished。　

Zealous　Christians　may　be　found　amongst　us　whose　minds　are　nurtured　in　the　love　and　knowledge　of　a　future　life；　and　who　readily　espouse　the　cause　of　human　liberty　as　the　source　of　all　moral　greatness。　　Christianity；　which　has　declared　that　all　men　are　equal　in　the　sight　of　God；　will　not　refuse　to　acknowledge　that　all　citizens　are　equal　in　the　eye　of　the　law。　　But；　by　a　singular　concourse　of　events；　religion　is　entangled　in　those　institutions　which　democracy　assails；　and　it　is　not　unfrequently　brought　to　reject　the　equality　it　loves；　and　to　curse　that　cause　of　liberty　as　a　foe　which　it　might　hallow　by　its　alliance。

By　the　side　of　these　religious　men　I　discern　others　whose　looks　are　turned　to　the　earth　more　than　to　Heaven；　they　are　the　partisans　of　liberty；　not　only　as　the　source　of　the　noblest　virtues；　but　more　especially　as　the　root　of　all　solid　advantages；　and　they　sincerely　desire　to　extend　its　sway；　and　to　impart　its　blessings　to　mankind。　　It　is　natural　that　they　should　hasten　to　invoke　the　assistance　of　religion；　for　they　must　know　that　liberty　cannot　be　established　without　morality；　nor　morality　without　faith；　but　they　have　seen　religion　in　the　ranks　of　their　adversaries；　and　they　inquire　no　further；　some　of　them　attack　it　openly；　and　the　remainder　are　afraid　to　defend　it。

In　former　ages　slavery　has　been　advocated　by　the　venal　and　slavish…minded；　whilst　the　independent　and　the　warm…hearted　were　struggling　without　hope　to　save　the　liberties　of　mankind。　　But　men　of　high　and　generous　characters　are　now　to　be　met　with；　whose　opinions　are　at　variance　with　their　inclinations；　and　who　praise　that　servility　which　they　have　themselves　never　known。　　Others；　on　the　contrary；　speak　in　the　name　of　liberty；　as　if　they　were　able　to　feel　its　sanctity　and　its　majesty；　and　loudly　claim　for　humanity　those　rights　which　they　have　always　disowned。　　There　are　virtuous　and　peaceful　individuals　whose　pure　morality；　quiet　habits；　affluence；　and　talents　fit　them　to　be　the　leaders　of　the　surrounding　population；　their　love　of　their　country　is　sincere；　and　they　are　prepared　to　make　the　greatest　sacrifices　to　its　welfare；　but　they　confound　the　abuses　of　civilization　with　its　benefits；　and　the　idea　of　evil　is　inseparable　in　their　minds　from　that　of　novelty。

Not　far　from　this　class　is　another　party；　whose　object　is　to　materialize　mankind；　to　hit　upon　what　is　expedient　without　heeding　what　is　just；　to　acquire　knowledge　without　faith；　and　prosperity　apart　from　virtue；　assuming　the　title　of　the　champions　of　modern　civilization；　and　placing　themselves　in　a　station　which　they　usurp　with　insolence；　and　from　which　they　are　driven　by　their　own　unworthiness。　　Where　are　we　then？　　The　religionists　are　the　enemies　of　liberty；　and　the　friends　of　liberty　attack　religion；　the　high…　minded　and　the　noble　advocate　subjection；　and　the　meanest　and　most　servile　minds　preach　independence；　honest　and　enlightened　citizens　are　opposed　to　all　progress；　whilst　men　without　patriotism　and　without　principles　are　the　apostles　of　civilization　and　of　intelligence。　　Has　such　been　the　fate　of　the　centuries　which　have　preceded　our　own？　　and　has　man　always　inhabited　a　world　like　the　present；　where　nothing　is　linked　together；　where　virtue　is　without　genius；　and　genius　without　honor；　where　the　love　of　order　is　confounded　with　a　taste　for　oppression；　and　the　holy　rites　of　freedom　with　a　contempt　of　law；　where　the　light　thrown　by　conscience　on　human　actions　is　dim；　and　where　nothing　seems　to　be　any　longer　forbidden　or　allowed；　honorable　or　shameful；　false　or　true？　　I　cannot；　however；　believe　that　the　Creator　made　man　to　leave　him　in　an　endless　struggle　with　the　intellectual　miseries　which　surround　us：　God　destines　a　calmer　and　a　more　certain　future　to　the　communities　of　Europe；　I　am　unacquainted　with　His　designs；　but　I　shall　not　cease　to　believe　in　them　because　I　cannot　fathom　them；　and　I　had　rather　mistrust　my　own　capacity　than　His　justice。　

There　is　a　country　in　the　world　where　the　great　revolution　which　I　am　speaking　of　seems　nearly　to　have　reached　its　natural　limits；　it　has　been　effected　with　ease