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a vindication of the rights of woman-第46节

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g。  This is only a covert fear; the apprehensive timidity of indolent slugs; who guard; by sliming it over; the snug place; which they consider in the light of an hereditary estate; and eat; drink; and enjoy themselves; instead of fulfilling the duties; excepting a few empty forms; for which it was endowed。  These are the people who most strenuously insist on the will of the founder being observed; crying out against all reformation; as if it were a violation of justice。  I am now alluding particularly to the relicks of popery retained in our colleges; where the protestant members seem to be such sticklers for the established church; but their zeal never makes them lose sight of the spoil of ignorance; which rapacious priests of superstitious memory have scraped together。  No; wise in their generation; they venerate the prescriptive right of possession; as a strong hold; and still let the sluggish bell tingle to prayers; as during the days; when the elevation of the host was supposed to atone for the sins of the people; lest one reformation should lead to another; and the spirit kill the letter。  These Romish customs have the most baneful effect on the morals of our clergy; for the idle vermin who two or three times a day perform; in the most slovenly manner a service which they think useless; but call their duty; soon lose a sense of duty。 At college; forced to attend or evade public worship; they acquire an habitual contempt for the very service; the performance of which is to enable them to live in idleness。  It is mumbled over as an affair of business; as a stupid boy repeats his task; and frequently the college cant escapes from the preacher the moment after he has left the pulpit; and even whilst he is eating the dinner which he earned in such a dishonest manner。 Nothing; indeed; can be more irreverent than the cathedral service as it is now performed in this country; neither does it contain a set of weaker men than those who are the slaves of this childish routine。  A disgusting skeleton of the former state is still exhibited; but all the solemnity; that interested the imagination; if it did not purify the heart; is stripped off。  The performance of high mass on the continent must impress every mind; where a spark of fancy glows; with that awful melancholy; that sublime tenderness; so near a…kin to devotion。  I do not say; that these devotional feelings are of more use; in a moral sense; than any other emotion of taste; but I contend; that the theatrical pomp which gratifies our senses; is to be preferred to the cold parade that insults the understanding without reaching the heart。 Amongst remarks on national education; such observations cannot be misplaced; especially as the supporters of these establishments; degenerated into puerilities; affect to be the champions of religion。  Religion; pure source of comfort in this vale of tears! how has thy clear stream been muddied by the dabblers; who have presumptuously endeavoured to confine in one narrow channel; the living waters that ever flow toward God the sublime ocean of existence!  What would life be without that peace which the love of God; when built on humanity; alone can impart?  Every earthly affection turns back; at intervals; to prey upon the heart that feeds it; and the purest effusions of benevolence; often rudely damped by men; must mount as a free…will offering to Him who gave them birth; whose bright image they faintly reflect。 In public schools; however; religion; confounded with irksome ceremonies and unreasonable restraints; assumes the most ungracious aspect:  not the sober austere one that commands respect whilst it inspires fear; but a ludicrous cast; that serves to point a pun。 For; in fact; most of the good stories and smart things which enliven the spirits that have been concentrated at whist; are manufactured out of the incidents to which the very men labour to give a droll turn who countenance the abuse to live on the spoil。 There is not; perhaps; in the kingdom; a more dogmatical or luxurious set of men; than the pedantic tyrants who reside in colleges and preside at public schools。  The vacations are equally injurious to the morals of the masters and pupils; and the intercourse; which the former keep up with the nobility; introduces the same vanity and extravagance into their families; which banish domestic duties and comforts from the lordly mansion; whose state is awkwardly aped on a smaller scale。  The boys; who live at a great expence with the masters and assistants; are never domesticated; though placed there for that purpose; for; after a silent dinner; they swallow a hasty glass of wine; and retire to plan some mischievous trick; or to ridicule the person or manners of the very people they have just been cringing to; and whom they ought to consider as the representatives of their parents。 Can it then be a matter of surprise; that boys become selfish and vicious who are thus shut out from social converse? or that a mitre often graces the brow of one of these diligent pastors? The desire of living in the same style; as the rank just above them; infects each individual and every class of people; and meanness is the concomitant of this ignoble ambition; but those professions are most debasing whose ladder is patronage; yet out of one of these professions the tutors of youth are in general chosen。  But; can they be expected to inspire independent sentiments; whose conduct must be regulated by the cautious prudence that is ever on the watch for preferment? So far; however; from thinking of the morals of boys; I have heard several masters of schools argue; that they only undertook to teach Latin and Greek; and that they had fulfilled their duty; by sending some good scholars to college。 A few good scholars; I grant; may have been formed by emulation and discipline; but; to bring forward these clever boys; the health and morals of a number have been sacrificed。 The sons of our gentry and wealthy commoners are mostly educated at these seminaries; and will any one pretend to assert; that the majority; making every allowance; come under the description of tolerable scholars? It is not for the benefit of society that a few brilliant men should be brought forward at the expence of the multitude。  It is true; that great men seem to start up; as great revolutions occur; at proper intervals; to restore order; and to blow aside the clouds that thicken over the face of truth; but let more reason and virtue prevail in society; and these strong winds would not be necessary。 Public education; of every denomination; should be directed to form citizens; but if you wish to make good citizens; you must first exercise the affections of a son and a brother。  This is the only way to expand the heart; for public affections; as well as public virtues; must ever grow out of the private character; or they are merely meteors that shoot athwart a dark sky; and disappear as they are gazed at and admired。 Few; I believe; have had much affection for mankind; who did not first love their parents; their brothers; sisters; and even the domestic brutes; whom they first played with。  The exercise of youthful sympathies forms the moral temperature; and it is the recollection of these first affections and pursuits; that gives life to those that are afterwards more under the direction of reason。  In youth; the fondest friendships are formed; the genial juices mounting at the same time; kindly mix; or; rather the heart; tempered for the reception of friendship; is accustomed to seek for pleasure in something more noble than the churlish gratification of appetite。 In order then to inspire a love of home and domestic pleasures; children ought to be educated at home; for riotous holidays only make them fond of home for their own sakes。  Yet; the vacations; which do not foster domestic affections; continually disturb the course of study; and render any plan of improvement abortive which includes temperance; still; were they abolished; children would be entirely separated from their parents; and I question whether they would become better citizens by sacrificing the preparatory affections; by destroying the force of relationships that render the marriage state as necessary as respectable。  But; if a private education produce self…importance; or insulates a man in his family; the evil is only shifted; not remedied。 This train of reasoning brings me back to a subject; on which I mean to dwell; the necessity of establishing proper day…schools。 But these should be national establishments; for whilst school…masters are dependent on the caprice of parents; little exertion can be expected from them; more than is necessary to please ignorant people。  Indeed; the necessity of a master's giving the parents some sample of the boy's abilities; which during the vacation; is shown to every visiter; is productive of more mischief than would at first be supposed。  For they are seldom done entirely; to speak with moderation; by the child itself; thus the master countenances falsehoods; or winds the poor machine up to some extraordinary exertion; that injures the wheels; and stops the progress of gradual improvement。  The memory is loaded with unintelligible words; to make a show of; without the understanding's acqu

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