a new view of society-第14节

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ies；　or　the　desire　to　sustain；　enjoy；　and　propagate　life；　and　which　desires；　as　they　grow　and　develop　themselves；　are　termed　his　natural　inclinations。　　　　　That　he　is　born　likewise　with　faculties　which；　in　their　growth；　receive；　convey；　compare；　and　become　conscious　of　receiving　and　comparing　ideas。　　　　　That　the　ideas　so　received；　conveyed；　compared；　and　understood；　constitute　human　knowledge；　or　mind；　which　acquires　strength　and　maturity　with　the　growth　of　the　individual。　　　　　That　the　desire　of　happiness　in　man；　the　germs　of　his　natural　inclinations；　and　the　faculties　by　which　he　acquires　knowledge；　are　formed　unknown　to　himself　in　the　womb；　and　whether　perfect　or　imperfect；　they　are　alone　the　immediate　work　of　the　Creator；　and　over　which　the　infant　and　future　man　have　no　control。　　　　　That　these　inclinations　and　faculties　are　not　formed　exactly　alike　in　any　two　individuals；　hence　the　diversity　of　talents；　and　the　varied　impressions　called　liking　and　disliking　which　the　same　external　objects　make　on　different　persons；　and　the　lesser　varieties　which　exist　among　men　whose　characters　have　been　formed　apparently　under　similar　circumstances。　　　　　That　the　knowledge　which　man　receives　is　derived　from　the　objects　around　him；　and　chiefly　from　the　example　and　instruction　of　his　immediate　predecessors。　　　　　That　this　knowledge　may　be　limited　or　extended；　erroneous　or　true；　limited；　when　the　individual　receives　few；　and　extended　when　he　receives　many　ideas；　erroneous；　when　those　ideas　are　inconsistent　with　the　facts　which　exist　around　him；　and　true　when　they　are　uniformly　consistent　with　them。　　　　　That　the　misery　which　he　experiences；　and　the　happiness　which　he　enjoys；　depend　on　the　kind　and　degree　of　knowledge　which　he　receives；　and　on　that　which　is　possessed　by　those　around　him。　　　　　That　when　the　knowledge　which　he　receives　is　true　and　unmixed　with　error；　although　it　be　limited；　if　the　community　in　which　he　lives　possesses　the　same　kind　and　degree　of　knowledge；　he　will　enjoy　happiness　in　proportion　to　the　extent　of　that　knowledge。　On　the　contrary；　when　the　opinions　which　he　receives　are　erroneous；　and　the　opinions　possessed　by　the　community　in　which　he　resides　are　equally　erroneous；　his　misery　will　be　in　proportion　to　the　extent　of　those　erroneous　opinions。　　　　　That　when　the　knowledge　which　man　receives　shall　be　extended　to　its　utmost　limit；　and　true　without　any　mixture　of　error；　then　he　may　and　will　enjoy　all　the　happiness　of　which　his　nature　will　be　capable。　　　　　That　it　consequently　becomes　of　the　first　and　highest　importance　that　man　should　be　taught　to　distinguish　truth　from　error。　　　　　That　man　has　no　other　means　of　discovering　what　is　false；　except　by　his　faculty　of　reason；　or　the　power　of　acquiring　and　comparing　the　ideas　which　he　receives。　　　　　That　when　this　faculty　is　properly　cultivated　or　trained　from　infancy；　and　the　child　is　rationally　instructed　to　retain　no　impressions　or　ideas　which　by　his　powers　of　comparing　them　appear　to　be　inconsistent；　then　the　individual　will　acquire　real　knowledge；　or　those　ideas　only　which　will　leave　an　impression　of　their　consistency　or　truth　on　all　minds　which　have　not　been　rendered　irrational　by　an　opposite　procedure。　　　　　That　the　reasoning　faculty　may　be　injured　and　destroyed　during　its　growth；　by　reiterated　impressions　being　made　upon　it　of　notions　not　derived　from　realities；　and　which　it　therefore　cannot　compare　with　the　ideas　previously　received　from　the　objects　around　it。　And　when　the　mind　receives　these　notions　which　it　cannot　comprehend；　along　with　those　ideas　which　it　is　conscious　are　true　and　which　yet　are　inconsistent　with　such　notions；　then　the　reasoning　faculties　become　injured；　the　individual　is　taught　or　forced　to　believe；　and　not　to　think　or　reason；　and　partial　insanity　or　defective　powers　of　judging　ensue。　　　　　That　all　men　are　thus　erroneously　trained　at　present；　and　hence　the　inconsistencies　and　misery　of　the　world。　　　　　That　the　fundamental　errors　now　impressed　from　infancy　on　the　minds　of　all　men；　and　from　whence　all　their　other　errors　proceed；　are；　that　they　form　their　own　individual　characters；　and　possess　merit　or　demerit　for　the　peculiar　notions　impressed　on　the　mind　during　its　early　growth；　before　they　have　acquired　strength　and　experience　to　judge　of　or　resist　the　impression　of　those　notions　or　opinions；　which；　on　investigation；　appear　contradictions　to　facts　existing　around　them；　and　which　are　therefore　false。　　　　　That　these　false　notions　have　ever　produced　evil　and　misery　in　the　world；　and　that　they　still　disseminate　them　in　every　direction。　　　　　That　the　sole　cause　of　their　existence　hitherto　has　been　man's　ignorance　of　human　nature：　while　their　consequences　have　been　all　the　evil　and　misery；　except　those　of　accidents；　disease；　and　death；　with　which　man　has　been　and　is　afflicted：　and　that　the　evil　and　misery　which　arise　from　accidents；　disease；　and　death；　are　also　greatly　increased　and　extended　by　man's　ignorance　of　himself。　　　　　That；　in　proportion　as　man's　desire　of　self…happiness；　or　his　self…love；　is　directed　by　true　knowledge；　those　actions　will　abound　which　are　virtuous　and　beneficial　to　man；　that　in　proportion　as　it　is　influenced　by　false　notions；　or　the　absence　of　true　knowledge；　those　actions　will　prevail　which　generate　crimes；　from　whence　arises　an　endless　variety　of　misery。　and；　consequently；　that　every　rational　means　should　be　now　adopted　to　detect　error；　and　to　increase　true　knowledge　among　men。　　　　　That　when　these　truths　are　made　evident；　every　individual　will　necessarily　endeavour　to　promote　the　happiness　of　every　other　individual　within　his　sphere　of　action；　because　he　must　clearly；　and　without　any　doubt；　comprehend　such　conduct　to　be　the　essence　of　self…interest；　or　the　true　cause　of　self…happiness。　　　　　Here；　then；　is　a　firm　foundation　on　which　to　erect　vital　religion；　pure　and　undefiled；　and　the　only　one　which；　without　any　counteracting　evil；　can　give　peace　and　happiness　to　man。　　　　　It　is　to　bring　into　practical　operation；　in　forming　the　character　of　men；　these　most　important　of　all　truths；　that　the　religious　part　of　the　Institution　at　New　Lanark　will　be　chiefly　directed；　and　such　are　the　fundamental　principles　upon　which　the　Instructor　will　proceed。　They　are　thus　publicly　avowed　before　all　men；　that　they　may　undergo　discussion　and　the　most　severe　scrutiny　and　investigation。　　　　　Let　those；　therefore；　who　are　esteemed　the　most　learned　and　wise；　throughout　the　various　states　and　empires　in　the　world；　examine　them　to　their　foundation；　compare　them　with　every　fact　which　exists；　and　if　the　shadow　of　inconsistency　and　falsehood　be　discovered；　let　it　be　publicly　exposed；　that　error　may　not　more　abound。　　　　　But　should　they　withstand　this　extended　ordeal；　and　prove　themselves　uniformly　consistent　with　every　known　fact；　and　therefore　true；　then　let　it　be　declared；　that　man　may　be　permitted　by　man　to　become　rational；　and　that　the　misery　of　the　world　may　be　speedily　removed。　　　　　Having　alluded　to　the　chief　uses　of　the　playground　and　exercise　rooms；　with　the　School；　Lecture　Room；　and　Church；　it　remains；　to　complete　the　account　of　the　New　Institution；　that　the　object　of　the　drill　exercises　mentioned　when　stating　the　purposes　of　the　playground；　should　be　explained；　and　to　this　we　now　proceed。　　　　　Were　all　men　trained　to　be　rational；　the　art　of　war　would　be　rendered　useless。　While；　however；　any　part　of　mankind　shall　be　taught　that　they　form　their　own　characters；　and　shall　continue　to　be　trained　from　infancy　to　think　and　act　irrationally　that　is；　to　acquire　feelings　of　enmity；　and　to　deem　it　a　duty　to　engage　in　war　against　those　who　have　been　instructed　to　differ　from　them　in　sentiments　and　habits　…　even　the　most　rational　must；　for　their　personal　security；　learn　the　means　of　defence；　and　every　community　of　such　characters；　while　surrounded　by　men　who　have　been　thus　improperly　taught；　should　acquire　a　knowledge　of　this　destructive　art；　that　they　may　be　enabled　to　overrule　the　actions　of　irrational　beings；　and　maintain　peace。　　　　　To　accomplish　these　objects　to　the　utmost　practical　limit；　and　with　the　least　inconvenience；　every　male　should　be　instructed　how　best　to　defend；　when　attacked；　the　community　to　which　he　belongs。　And　these　advantages　are；　only　to　be　obtained　by　providing　proper　means　for　the　instruction　of　all　boys　in　the　use　of　arms　and　the　arts　of　war。　　　　　As　an　example　how　easily　and　effectually　this　might　be　accomplished　over　the　British　Isles；　it　is　intended　that　the　boys　trained　and　educated　at　the　Institution　at　New　Lanark　shall　be　thus　instructed；　that　the　person　appointed　to　attend　the　children　in　the　playground　shall　be　qualified　to　drill　and　teach　the　boys　the　manual　exercise；　and　that　he　shall　be　frequently　so　employed；　that　afterwards；　firearms；　of　proportionate　weight　and　size　to　the　age　and　strength　of　the　boys；　shall　be　provided　for　them；　when　also　they　might　be　taught　to　practise　and　understand　the　more　complicated　military　movements。　　　　　This　exercise；　properly　administered；　will　greatly　contribute　to　the　health　and　spirits　of　the　boys；　give　them　an　erect　and　proper　form；　and　habits　of　attention；　celerity；　and　order。　They　will；　however；　be　taught　to　consider　this　exercise；　an　art；　rendered　absolutely　necessary　by　the　partial　insanity　of　some　of　their　fellow　c