a new view of society-第15节

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is　exercise；　an　art；　rendered　absolutely　necessary　by　the　partial　insanity　of　some　of　their　fellow　creatures　who　by　the　errors　of　their　predecessors；　transmitted　through　preceding　generations；　have　been　taught　to　acquire　feelings　of　enmity；　increasing　to　madness；　against　those　who　could　not　avoid　differing　from　them　in　sentiments　and　habits；　that　this　art　should　never　be　brought　into　practice　except　to　restrain　the　violence　of　such　madmen；　and；　in　these　cases；　that　it　should　be　administered　with　the　least　possible　severity；　and　solely　to　prevent　the　evil　consequences　of　those　rash　acts　of　the　insane；　and；　if　possible；　to　cure　them　of　their　disease。　　　　　Thus；　in　a　few　years；　by　foresight　and　arrangement；　may　almost　the　whole　expense　and　inconvenience　attending　the　local　military　be　superseded；　and　a　permanent　force　created；　which　in　numbers；　discipline；　and　principles；　would　be　superior；　beyond　all　comparison；　for　the　purposes　of　defence；　always　ready　in　case　of　need；　yet　without　the　loss　which　is　now　sustained　by　the　community　of　efficient　and　valuable　labour。　The　expenditure　which　would　be　saved　by　this　simple　expedient；　would　be　far　more　than　competent　to　educate　the　whole　of　the　poor　and　labouring　classes　of　these　kingdoms。　　　　　There　is　still　another　arrangement　in　contemplation　for　the　community　at　New　Lanark；　and　without　which　the　establishment　will　remain　incomplete。　　　　　It　is　an　expedient　to　enable　the　individuals；　by　their　own　foresight；　prudence；　and　industry；　to　secure　to　themselves　in　old　age　a　comfortable　provision　and　asylum。　　　　　Those　now　employed　at　the　establishment　contribute　to　a　fund　which　supports　them　when　too　ill　to　work；　or　superannuated。　This　fund；　however；　is　not　calculated　to　give　them　more　than　a　bare　existence；　and　it　is　surely　desirable　that；　after　they　have　spent　nearly　half　a　century　in　unremitting　industry；　they　should；　if　possible；　enjoy　a　comfortable　independence。　　　　　To　effect　this　object；　it　is　intended　that　in　the　most　pleasant　situation　near　the　present　village；　neat　and　convenient　dwellings　should　be　erected；　with　gardens　attached；　that　they　should　be　surrounded　and　sheltered　by　plantations；　through　which　public　walks　should　be　formed；　and　the　whole　arranged　to　give　the　occupiers　the　most　substantial　comforts。　　　　　That　these　dwellings；　with　the　privileges　of　the　public　walks；　etc。；　shall　become　the　property　of　those　individuals　who；　without　compulsion；　shall　subscribe　each　equitable　sums　monthly；　as；　in　a　given　number　of　years　will　be　equal　to　the　purchase；　and　to　create　a　fund　from　which；　when　these　individuals　become　occupiers　of　their　new　residences　they　may　receive　weekly；　monthly；　or　quarterly　payments；　sufficient　for　their　support；　the　expenses　of　which　may　be　reduced　to　a　very　low　rate　individually；　by　arrangements　which　may　be　easily　formed　to　supply　all　their　wants　with　little　trouble　to　themselves；　and　by　their　previous　instruction　they　will　be　enabled　to　afford　the　small　additional　subscription　which　will　be　required　for　these　purposes。　　　　　This　part　of　the　arrangement　would　always　present　a　prospect　of　rest；　comfort；　and　happiness　to　those　employed；　in　consequence；　their　daily　occupations　would　be　performed　with　more　spirit　and　cheerfulness；　and　their　labour　would　appear　comparatively　light　and　easy。　Those　still　engaged　in　active　operations　would；　of　course；　frequently　visit　their　former　companions　and　friends；　who；　after　having　spent　their　years　of　toil；　were　in　the　actual　enjoyment　of　this　simple　retreat；　and　from　this　intercourse　each　party　would　naturally　derive　pleasure。　The　reflections　of　each　would　be　most　gratifying。　The　old　would　rejoice　that　they　had　been　trained　in　habits　of　industry；　temperance；　and　foresight；　to　enable　them　to　receive　and　enjoy　in　their　declining　years　every　reasonable　comfort　which　the　present　state　of　society　will　admit；　the　young　and　middle…aged；　that　they　were　pursuing　the　same　course；　and　that　they　had　not　been　trained　to　waste　their。　money；　time；　and　health；　in　idleness　and　intemperance。　These　and　many　similar　reflections　could　not　fail　often　to　arise　in　their　minds；　and　those　who　could　look　forward　with　confident　hopes　to　such　certain　comfort　and　independence　would；　in　part；　enjoy　by　anticipation　these　advantages。　In　short；　when　this　part　of　the　arrangement　is　well　considered；　it　will　be　found　to　be　the　most　important　to　the　community　and　to　the　proprietors；　indeed；　the　extensively　good　effects　of　it　will　be　experienced　in　such　a　variety　of　ways；　that　to　describe　them　even　below　the　truth　would　appear　an　extravagant　exaggeration。　They　will　not；　however；　prove　the　less　true　because　mankind　are　yet　ignorant　of　the　practice；　and　of　the　principles　on　which　it　has　been　founded。　　　　　These；　then；　are　the　plans　which　are　in　progress　or　intended　for　the　further　improvement　of　the　inhabitants　of　New　Lanark。　They　have　uniformly　proceeded　from　the　principles　which　have　been　developed　through　these　Essays；　restrained；　however；　hitherto；　in　their　operations；　by　the　local　sentiments　and　unfounded　notions　of　the　community　and　neighbourhood；　and　by　the　peculiar　circumstances　of　the　establishment。　　　　　In　every　measure　to　be　introduced　at　the　place　in　question；　for　the　comfort　and　happiness　of　man；　the　existing　errors　of　the　country　were　always　to　be　considered；　and　as　the　establishment　belonged　to　parties　whose　views　were　various；　it　became　also　necessary　to　devise　means　to　create　pecuniary　gains　from　each　improvement；　sufficient　to　satisfy　the　spirit　of　commerce。　　　　　All；　therefore；　which　has　been　done　for　the　happiness　of　this　community；　which　consists　of　between　two　and　three　thousand　individuals；　is　far　short　of　what　might　have　been　easily　effected　in　practice　had　not　mankind　been　previously　trained　in　error。　Hence；　in　devising　these　plans；　the　sole　consideration　was　not；　what　were　the　measures　dictated　by　these　principles；　which　would　produce　the　greatest　happiness　to　man；　but　what　could　be　effected　in　practice　under　the　present　irrational　systems　by　which　these　proceedings　were　surrounded？　　　　　Imperfect；　however；　as　these　proceedings　must　yet　be；　in　consequence　of　the　formidable　obstructions　enumerated；　they　will　yet　appear；　upon　a　full　minute　investigation　by　minds　equal　to　the　comprehension　of　such　a　system；　to　combine　a　greater　degree　of　substantial　comfort　to　the　individuals　employed　in　the　manufactory；　and　of　pecuniary　profit　to　the　proprietors；　than　has　hitherto　been　found　attainable。　　　　　But　to　whom　can　such　arrangements　be　submitted？　Not　to　the　mere　commercial　character；　in　whose　estimation　to　forsake　the　path　of　immediate　individual　gain　would　be　to　show　symptoms　of　a　disordered　imagination；　for　the　children　of　commerce　have　been　trained　to　direct　all　their　faculties　to　buy　cheap　and　sell　dear；　and　consequently；　those　who　are　the　most　expert　and　successful　in　this　wise　and　noble　art；　are；　in　the　commercial　world；　deemed　to　possess　foresight　and　superior　acquirements；　while　such　as　attempt　to　improve　the　moral　habits　and　increase　the　comforts　of　those　whom　they　employ；　are　termed　wild　enthusiasts。　　　　　Nor　yet　are　they　to　be　submitted　to　the　mere　men　of　the　law；　for　these　are　necessarily　trained　to　endeavour　to　make　wrong　appear　right；　or　to　involve　both　in　a　maze　of　intricacies；　and　to　legalize　injustice。　　　　　Nor　to　mere　political　leaders　or　their　partisans；　for　they　are　embarrassed　by　the　trammels　of　party；　which　mislead　their　judgement；　and　often　constrain　them　to　sacrifice　the　real　well…being　of　the　community　and　of　themselves；　to　an　apparent　but　most　mistaken　self…interest。　　　　　Nor　to　those　termed　heroes　and　conquerors；　or　to　their　followers；　for　their　minds　have　been　trained　to　consider　the　infliction　of　human　misery；　and　the　commission　of　military　murders；　a　glorious　duty；　almost　beyond　reward。　　　　　Nor　yet　to　the　fashionable　or　splendid　in　their　appearance；　for　these　are　from　infancy　trained　to　deceive　and　to　be　deceived；　to　accept　shadows　for　substances；　and　to　live　a　life　of　insincerity；　and　of　consequent　discontent　and　misery。　　　　　Still　less　are　they　to　be　exclusively　submitted　to　the　official　expounders　and　defenders　of　the　various　opposing　religious　systems　throughout　the　world；　for　many　of　these　are　actively　engaged　in　propagating　imaginary　notions；　which　cannot　fail　to　vitiate　the　rational　powers　of　man；　and　to　perpetuate　his　misery。　　　　　These　principles；　therefore；　and　the　practical　systems　which　they　recommend；　are　not　to　be　submitted　to　the　judgement　of　those　who　have　been　trained　under；　and　continue　in；　any　of　these　unhappy　combinations　of　circumstances。　But　they　are　to　be　submitted　to　the　dispassionate　and　patient　investigation　and　decision　of　those　individuals　of　every　rank　and　class　and　denomination　of　society；　who　have　become　in　some　degree　conscious　of　the　errors　in　which　they　exist；　who　have　felt　the　thick　mental　darkness　by　which　they　are　surrounded；　who　are　ardently　desirous　of　discovering　and　following　truth　wherever　it　may　lead；　and　who　can　perceive　the　inseparable　connection　which　exists　between　individual　and　general；　between　private　and　public　good！　　　　　It　has　been　said；　and　it　is　now　repeated；　that　these　principles；　thus　combined；　will　prove　themselves　unerringly　true　against　the　most　insidious　or　open　attack；　and；　ere　long；