a new view of society-第2节

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ur　time　and　money　so　applied；　if　directed　by　a　true　knowledge　of　the　subject；　would　return　you；　not　five；　ten；　or　fifteen　per　cent　for　your　capital　so　expended；　but　often　fifty；　and　in　many　cases　a　hundred　per　cent。　　　　　I　have　expended　much　time　and　capital　upon　improvements　of　the　living　machinery；　and　it　will　soon　appear　that　time　and　the　money　so　expended　in　the　manufactory　at　New　Lanark；　even　while　such　improvements　are　in　progress　only；　and　but　half　their　beneficial　effects　attained；　are　now　producing　a　return　exceeding　fifty　per　cent；　and　will　shortly　create　profits　equal　to　cent　per　cent　on　the　original　capital　expended　in　them。　　　　　Indeed；　after　experience　of　the　beneficial　effects　from　due　care　and　attention　to　the　mechanical　implements；　it　became　easy　to　a　reflecting　mind　to　conclude　at　once；　that　at　least　equal　advantages　would　arise　from　the　application　of　similar　care　and　attention　to　the　living　instruments。　And　when　it　was　perceived　that　inanimate　mechanism　was　greatly　improved　by　being　made　firm　and　substantial；　that　it　was　the　essence　of　economy　to　keep　it　neat；　clean；　regularly　supplied　with　the　best　substance　to　prevent　unnecessary　friction；　and　by　proper　provision　for　the　purpose　to　preserve　it　in　good　repair；　it　was　natural　to　conclude　that　the　more　delicate；　complex；　living　mechanism　would　be　equally　improved　by　being　trained　to　strength　and　activity　and　that　it　would　also　prove　true　economy　to　keep　it　neat　and　clean；　to　treat　it　with　kindness；　that　its　mental　movements　might　not　experience　too　much　irritating　friction；　to　endeavour　by　every　means　to　make　it　more　perfect；　to　supply　it　regularly　with　a　sufficient　quantity　of　wholesome　food　and　other　necessaries　of　life；　that　the　body　might　be　preserved　in　good　working　condition；　and　prevented　from　being　out　of　repair；　or　falling　prematurely　to　decay。　　　　　These　anticipations　are　proved　by　experience　to　be　just。　　　　　Since　the　general　introduction　of　inanimate　mechanism　into　British　manufactories；　man；　with　few　exceptions；　has　been　treated　as　a　secondary　and　inferior　machine；　and　far　more　attention　has　been　given　to　perfect　the　raw　materials　of　wood　and　metals　than　those　of　body　and　mind。　Give　but　due　reflection　to　the　subject；　and　you　will　find　that　man；　even　as　an　instrument　for　the　creation　of　wealth；　may　be　still　greatly　improved。　　　　　But；　my　friends；　a　far　more　interesting　and　gratifying　consideration　remains。　Adopt　the　means　which　ere　long　shall　be　rendered　obvious　to　every　understanding；　and　you　may　not　only　partially　improve　those　living　instruments；　but　learn　how　to　impart　to　them　such　excellence　as　shall　make　them　infinitely　surpass　those　of　the　present　and　all　former　times。　　　　　Here；　then；　is　an　object　which　truly　deserves　your　attention；　and；　instead　of　devoting　all　your　faculties　to　invent　improved　inanimate　mechanism；　let　your　thoughts　be；　at　least　in　part；　directed　to　discover　how　to　combine　the　more　excellent　materials　of　body　and　mind　which；　by　a　well…devised　experiment；　will　be　found　capable　of　progressive　improvement。　　　　　Thus　seeing　with　the　clearness　of　noonday　light；　thus　convinced　with　the　certainty　of　conviction　itself；　let　us　not　perpetuate　the　really　unnecessary　evils　which　our　present　practices　inflict　on　this　large　proportion　of　our　fellow　subjects。　Should　your　pecuniary　interests　somewhat　suffer　by　adopting　the　line　of　conduct　now　urged；　many　of　you　are　so　wealthy　that　the　expense　of　founding　and　continuing　at　your　respective　establishments　the　institutions　necessary　to　improve　your　animate　machines　would　not　be　felt；　but　when　you　may　have　ocular　demonstration；　that；　instead　of　any　pecuniary　loss；　a　well…directed　attention　to　form　the　character　and　increase　the　comforts　of　those　who　are　so　entirely　at　your　mercy；　will　essentially　add　to　your　gains；　prosperity；　and　happiness；　no　reasons；　except　those　founded　on　ignorance　of　your　self…interest；　can　in　future　prevent　you　from　bestowing　your　chief　care　on　the　living　machines　which　you　employ。　And　by　so　doing　you　will　prevent　an　accumulation　of　human　misery；　of　which　it　is　now　difficult　to　form　an　adequate　conception。　　　　　That　you　may　be　convinced　of　this　most　valuable　truth；　which　due　reflection　will　show　you　is　founded　on　the　evidence　of　unerring　facts；　is　the　sincere　wish　of　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　AUTHOR

＇Original　Dedication　of　Fourth　Essay。　First　Dedication　of　the　Four　Essays　in　subsequent　Editions。＇

　　　　To　His　Royal　Highness　the　Prince　Regent　of　the　British　Empire

SIR　　　　　The　following　pages　are　dedicated　to　Your　Royal　Highness；　not　to　add　to　the　flattery　which　through　past　ages　has　been　addressed　to　those　of　our　fellow　men　who　have　filled　elevated　situations；　but　they　claim　your　protection　because　they　proceed　from　a　Subject　of　the　empire　over　which　you　preside；　and　from　one　who　disregards　every　inferior　consideration　in　order　that　he　may　accomplish　the　greatest　practical　good　to　that　empire。　　　　　Your　Royal　Highness；　and　all　who　govern　the　nations　of　the　world；　must　be　conscious　that　those　of　high　rank；　as　well　as　those　in　the　inferior　stations　of　life；　now　experience　much　misery。　　　　　The　Essays；　of　which　these　pages　constitute　the　Fourth；　have　been　written　to　show　that　the　true　origin　of　that　misery　may　be　traced　to　the　ignorance　of　those　who　have　formerly　ruled；　and　of　those　whom　they　governed；　to　make　that　ignorance　known　and　evident　to　all；　and　to　sketch　the　outlines　of　a　practical　Plan　of　Government；　founded　altogether　on　a　preventive　system；　and　derived　from　principles　directly　opposed　to　the　errors　of　our　forefathers。　And　should　the　outlines　which　have　been　sketched　be　formed　into　a　legislative　system；　and　adhered　to　without　deviation；　the　most　important　benefits　may　be　anticipated；　both　to　the　subjects　of　these　realms　and　to　the　human　race。　　　　　Your　Royal　Highness　and　those　who　direct　the　policy　of　other　nations　have　been　taught　that　you　have　duties　to　execute；　but　which；　with　the　highest　ability　and　best　intentions；　under　the　prevailing　systems　of　error；　cannot　be　performed。　　　　　Hence　the　dissatisfaction　of　those　for　whose　benefit　Governments　were　or　ought　to　have　been　first　established；　and　the　perplexity　and　danger　of　those　who　govern。　　　　　And　it　is　concluded　with　a　confidence　equal　to　certainty　itself；　that　the　principles　unfolded　in　these　Essays　are　competent　to　develop　a　practice　which；　without　much　apparent　change；　or　any　public　disorder；　shall　progressively　remove　the　difficulties　of　those　who　in　future　may　rule；　and　the　discontent　of　those　who　may　be　governed。　　　　　The　language　now　addressed　to　Your　Royal　Highness　is　the　result　of　a　patient　and　extensive　experience　of　human　nature；　of　human　nature；　not　indeed　as　it　is　explained　in　legendary　tales　of　old；　but　as　it　now　may　be　read　in　the　living　subject　in　the　words　and　actions　of　those　among　whom　we　exist。　　　　　It　is　true　that　many　myriads　of　human　beings　have　been　conscientiously　deceived；　and；　it　may　be　said；　it　is　most　probable　that　another　may　be　now　added　to　the　number：　it　is　equally　true；　however；　that　similar　language　has　been　applied　to　many；　and　might　have　been　applied　to　all　who　have　been　the　instruments　of　beneficial　improvements。　　　　　It　may　be　said　that　the　principles　herein　advocated；　may　nevertheless；　like　the　former　millions　which　have　misled　mankind；　originate　in　error；　in　the　wild　and　perverted　fancy　of　a　well…meaning　enthusiasm。　They　have；　however；　not　only　been　submitted　to　several　of　the　most　intelligent　and　acute　minds　of　the　present　day；　and　who；　although　urged　to　the　task；　have　candidly　declared　they　could　find　no　fallacy　in　the　inductions；　but　they　are　such　as　few；　if　any；　will　venture　to　deny；　or　scruple　to　declare　that　they　already　admit。　　　　　And　if　these　principles　shall　demonstrate　themselves　to　be　in　unison　with　every　existing　fact　which　can　now　be　examined　and　compared；　they　will　ere　long　prove　themselves　to　be　of　a　permanent　and　substantial　value　beyond　any　of　the　discoveries　which　have　previously　been　made。　　　　　Great；　however；　as　the　advantages　may　prove；　the　introduction　of　principles　and　practices　so　new；　without　being　well　understood；　may　create　a　momentary　ferment。　　　　　To　prevent　the　possibility　of　any　such　evil；　the　leaders　of　all　the　sects　and　parties　in　the　state　are　invited　to　canvass　these　principles；　and　to　endeavour　to　prove　error　in　them；　or　evil　in　the　consequences　which　might　follow　from　their　admission　into　practice。　　　　　The　encouragement　of　such　fair　discussion　and　examination　of　these　principles　is　all　that　is　now　solicited　from　Your　Royal　Highness。　　　　　And　should　that　discussion　and　examination　prove　them　to　be　erroneous；　they　will　then　be；　as　they　ought　to　be　for　the　public　good；　universally　condemned。　On　the　contrary；　should　they　bear　the　test　of　that　investigation　to　which　they　are　now　earnestly　submitted；　and　be　found；　without　a　single　exception；　uniformly　consistent　with　all　the　known　facts　of　the　creation；　and　consequently　true；　then；　under　the　auspices　of　Your　Royal　Highness's　Administration；　will　mankind　naturally　look　for　the　establishment　of　a　practical　System　of　Government　which　can　introduce　and　perpetuate　such　important　public　advantages。　　　　　That　these　principles；　if　true；　may　give　birth　to　the　measures　which　they　immediately　recommend；　and　that　Yo