wealbk05-第25节

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



part　of　her　education。　It　seldom　happens　that　a　man；　in　any　part

of　his　life；　derives　any　conveniency　or　advantage　from　some　of

the　most　laborious　and　troublesome　parts　of　his　education。

　　　　　Ought　the　public；　therefore；　to　give　no　attention；　it　may　be

asked；　to　the　education　of　the　people？　Or　if　it　ought　to　give

any；　what　are　the　different　parts　of　education　which　it　ought　to

attend　to　in　the　different　orders　of　the　people？　and　in　what

manner　ought　it　to　attend　to　them？

　　　　　In　some　cases　the　state　of　the　society　necessarily　places

the　greater　part　of　individuals　in　such　situations　as　naturally

form　in　them；　without　any　attention　of　government；　almost　all　the

abilities　and　virtues　which　that　state　requires；　or　perhaps　can

admit　of。　In　other　cases　the　state　of　the　society　does　not　place

the　part　of　individuals　in　such　situations；　and　some　attention　of

government　is　necessary　in　order　to　prevent　the　almost　entire

corruption　and　degeneracy　of　the　great　body　of　the　people。

　　　　　In　the　progress　of　the　division　of　labour；　the　employment　of

the　far　greater　part　of　those　who　live　by　labour；　that　is；　of　the

great　body　of　the　people；　comes　to　be　confined　to　a　few　very

simple　operations；　frequently　to　one　or　two。　But　the

understandings　of　the　greater　part　of　men　are　necessarily　formed

by　their　ordinary　employments。　The　man　whose　whole　life　is　spent

in　performing　a　few　simple　operations；　of　which　the　effects　are

perhaps　always　the　same；　or　very　nearly　the　same；　has　no　occasion

to　exert　his　understanding　or　to　exercise　his　invention　in

finding　out　expedients　for　removing　difficulties　which　never

occur。　He　naturally　loses；　therefore；　the　habit　of　such　exertion；

and　generally　becomes　as　stupid　and　ignorant　as　it　is　possible

for　a　human　creature　to　become。　The　torpor　of　his　mind　renders

him　not　only　incapable　of　relishing　or　bearing　a　part　in　any

rational　conversation；　but　of　conceiving　any　generous；　noble；　or

tender　sentiment；　and　consequently　of　forming　any　just　judgment

concerning　many　even　of　the　ordinary　duties　of　private　life。　Of

the　great　and　extensive　interests　of　his　country　he　is　altogether

incapable　of　judging；　and　unless　very　particular　pains　have　been

taken　to　render　him　otherwise；　he　is　equally　incapable　of

defending　his　country　in　war。　The　uniformity　of　his　stationary

life　naturally　corrupts　the　courage　of　his　mind；　and　makes　him

regard　with　abhorrence　the　irregular；　uncertain；　and　adventurous

life　of　a　soldier。　It　corrupts　even　the　activity　of　his　body；　and

renders　him　incapable　of　exerting　his　strength　with　vigour　and

perseverance　in　any　other　employment　than　that　to　which　he　has

been　bred。　His　dexterity　at　his　own　particular　trade　seems；　in

this　manner；　to　be　acquired　at　the　expense　of　his　intellectual；

social；　and　martial　virtues。　But　in　every　improved　and　civilised

society　this　is　the　state　into　which　the　labouring　poor；　that　is；

the　great　body　of　the　people；　must　necessarily　fall；　unless

government　takes　some　pains　to　prevent　it。

　　　　　It　is　otherwise　in　the　barbarous　societies；　as　they　are

commonly　called；　of　hunters；　of　shepherds；　and　even　of　husbandmen

in　that　rude　state　of　husbandry　which　precedes　the　improvement　of

manufactures　and　the　extension　of　foreign　commerce。　In　such

societies　the　varied　occupations　of　every　man　oblige　every　man　to

exert　his　capacity　and　to　invent　expedients　for　removing

difficulties　which　are　continually　occurring。　Invention　is　kept

alive；　and　the　mind　is　not　suffered　to　fall　into　that　drowsy

stupidity　which；　in　a　civilised　society；　seems　to　benumb　the

understanding　of　almost　all　the　inferior　ranks　of　people。　In

those　barbarous　societies；　as　they　are　called；　every　man；　it　has

already　been　observed；　is　a　warrior。　Every　man；　too；　is　in　some

measure　a　statesman；　and　can　form　a　tolerable　judgment　concerning

the　interest　of　the　society　and　the　conduct　of　those　who　govern

it。　How　far　their　chiefs　are　good　judges　in　peace；　or　good

leaders　in　war；　is　obvious　to　the　observation　of　almost　every

single　man　among　them。　In　such　a　society；　indeed；　no　man　can　well

acquire　that　improved　and　refined　understanding　which　a　few　men

sometimes　possess　in　a　more　civilised　state。　Though　in　a　rude

society　there　is　a　good　deal　of　variety　in　the　occupations　of

every　individual；　there　is　not　a　great　deal　in　those　of　the　whole

society。　Every　man　does；　or　is　capable　of　doing；　almost　every

thing　which　any　other　man　does；　or　is　capable　of　doing。　Every　man

has　a　considerable　degree　of　knowledge；　ingenuity；　and　invention：

but　scarce　any　man　has　a　great　degree。　The　degree；　however；　which

is　commonly　possessed；　is　generally　sufficient　for　conducting　the

whole　simple　business　of　the　society。　In　a　civilised　state；　on

the　contrary；　though　there　is　little　variety　in　the　occupations

of　the　greater　part　of　individuals；　there　is　an　almost　infinite

variety　in　those　of　the　whole　society。　These　varied　occupations

present　an　almost　infinite　variety　of　objects　to　the

contemplation　of　those　few；　who；　being　attached　to　no　particular

occupation　themselves；　have　leisure　and　inclination　to　examine

the　occupations　of　other　people。　The　contemplation　of　so　great　a

variety　of　objects　necessarily　exercises　their　minds　in　endless

comparisons　and　combinations；　and　renders　their　understandings；

in　an　extraordinary　degree；　both　acute　and　comprehensive。　Unless

those　few；　however；　happen　to　be　placed　in　some　very　particular

situations；　their　great　abilities；　though　honourable　to

themselves；　may　contribute　very　little　to　the　good　government　or

happiness　of　their　society。　Notwithstanding　the　great　abilities

of　those　few；　all　the　nobler　parts　of　the　human　character　may　be；

in　a　great　measure；　obliterated　and　extinguished　in　the　great

body　of　the　people。

　　　　　The　education　of　the　common　people　requires；　perhaps；　in　a

civilised　and　commercial　society　the　attention　of　the　public　more

than　that　of　people　of　some　rank　and　fortune。　People　of　some　rank

and　fortune　are　generally　eighteen　or　nineteen　years　of　age

before　they　enter　upon　that　particular　business；　profession；　or

trade；　by　which　they　propose　to　distinguish　themselves　in　the

world。　They　have　before　that　full　time　to　acquire；　or　at　least　to

fit　themselves　for　afterwards　acquiring；　every　accomplishment

which　can　recommend　them　to　the　public　esteem；　or　render　them

worthy　of　it。　Their　parents　or　guardians　are　generally

sufficiently　anxious　that　they　should　be　so　accomplished；　and

are；　in　most　cases；　willing　enough　to　lay　out　the　expense　which

is　necessary　for　that　purpose。　If　they　are　not　always　properly

educated；　it　is　seldom　from　the　want　of　expense　laid　out　upon

their　education；　but　from　the　improper　application　of　that

expense。　It　is　seldom　from　the　want　of　masters；　but　from　the

negligence　and　incapacity　of　the　masters　who　are　to　be　had；　and

from　the　difficulty；　or　rather　from　the　impossibility；　which

there　is　in　the　present　state　of　things　of　finding　any　better。

The　employments；　too；　in　which　people　of　some　rank　or　fortune

spend　the　greater　part　of　their　lives　are　not；　like　those　of　the

common　people；　simple　and　uniform。　They　are　almost　all　of　them

extremely　complicated；　and　such　as　exercise　the　head　more　than

the　hands。　The　understandings　of　those　who　are　engaged　in　such

employments　can　seldom　grow　torpid　for　want　of　exercise。　The

employments　of　people　of　some　rank　and　fortune；　besides；　are

seldom　such　as　harass　them　from　morning　to　night。　They　generally

have　a　good　deal　of　leisure；　during　which　they　may　perfect

themselves　in　every　branch　either　of　useful　or　ornamental

knowledge　of　which　they　may　have　laid　the　foundation；　or　for

which　they　may　have　acquired　some　taste　in　the　earlier　part　of

life。

　　　　　It　is　otherwise　with　the　common　people。　They　have　little

time　to　spare　for　education。　Their　parents　can　scarce　afford　to

maintain　them　even　in　infancy。　As　soon　as　they　are　able　to　work

they　must　apply　to　some　trade　by　which　they　can　earn　their

subsistence。　That　trade；　too；　is　generally　so　simple　and　uniform

as　to　give　little　exercise　to　the　understanding；　while；　at　the

same　time；　their　labour　is　both　so　constant　and　so　severe；　that

it　leaves　them　little　leisure　and　less　inclination　to　apply　to；

or　even　to　think　of；　anything　else。

　　　　　But　though　the　common　people　cannot；　in　any　civilised

society；　be　so　well　instructed　as　people　of　some　rank　and

fortune；　the　most　essential　parts　of　education；　however；　to　read；

write；　and　account；　can　be　acquired　at　so　early　a　period　of　life

that　the　greater　part　even　of　those　who　are　to　be　bred　to　the

lowest　occupations　have　time　to　acquire　them　before　they　can　be

employed　in　those　occupations。　For　a　very　small　expense　the

public　can　facilitate；　can　encourage；　and　can　even　impose　upon

almost　the　whole　body　of　the　people　the　necessity　of　acquiring

those　most　essential　parts　of　education。

　　　　　The　public　can　facilitate　this　acquisition　by　establishing

in　every　p