a new view of society-第21节

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romise　of　mockery；　but　will　in　reality　speedily　and　effectively　establish　peace；　goodwill；　and　an　ever…active　benevolence　throughout　the　whole　human　race。　　　　　The　public　avowal　of　these　principles；　and　their　general　introduction　into　practice；　will　constitute　the　invaluable　secret；　for　which　the　human　mind；　from　its　birth；　has　been　in　perpetual　search；　its　future　beneficial　consequences　no　man　can　yet　foresee。　　　　　We　will　now　show　how　these　principles　may　be　immediately　and　most　advantageously　introduced　into　general　practice。　　　　　It　has　been　said　that　'the　state　which　shall　possess　the　best　national。　system　of　education；　will　be　the　best　governed'；　and　if　the　principle　on　which　the　reasoning　of　these　Essays　is　founded　be　true；　then　is　that　sentiment　also　true。　Yet　（will　future　ages　credit　the　fact？）　to　this　day　the　British　Government　is　without　any　national　system　of　training　and　education　even　for　its　millions　of　poor　and　uninstructed！！　The　formation　of　the　mind　and　habits　of　its　subjects　is　permitted　to　go　on　at　random；　often　in　the　hands　of　those　who　are　the　most　incompetent　in　the　empire；　and　the　result　is；　the　gross　ignorance　and　disunion　which　now　everywhere　abound！！　　　　　（Even　the　recent　attempts　which　have　been　made　are　conducted　on　the　narrow　principle　of　debasing　man　to　a　mere　irrational　military　machine　which　is　to　be　rapidly　moved　by　animal　force。）　　　　　Instead　of　continuing　such　unwise　proceedings；　a　national　system　for　the　training　and　education　of　the　labouring　classes　ought　to　be　immediately　arranged；　and；　if　judiciously　devised；　it　may　be　rendered　the　most　valuable　improvement　ever　yet　introduced　into　practice。　　　　　For　this　purpose　an　act　should　be　passed　for　the　instruction　of　all　the　poor　and　labouring　classes　in　the　three　kingdoms。　　　　　In　this　act；　provision　should　be　made：　　　　　First　For　the　appointment　of　proper　persons　to　direct　this　new　department　of　government；　which　will　be　found　ultimately　to　prove　the　most　important　of　all　its　departments；　consequently；　those　individuals　who　possess　the　highest　integrity；　abilities；　and　influence　in　the　state；　should　be　appointed　to　its　direction。　　　　　Second　…　For　the　establishment　of　seminaries　in　which　those　individuals　who　shall　be　destined　to　form　the　minds　and　bodies　of　the　future　subjects　of　these　realms　should　be　well　initiated　in　the　art　and　matter　of　instruction。　　　　　This　is；　and　ought　to　be　considered；　an　office　of　the　greatest　practical　trust　and　confidence　in　the　empire；　for　let　this　duty　be　well　performed；　and　the　government　must　proceed　with　ease　to　the　people　and　with　high　gratification　to　those　who　govern。　　　　　At　present　there　are　not　any　individuals　in　the　kingdom　who　have　been　trained　to　instruct　the　rising　generation　as　it　is　for　the　interest　and　happiness　of　all　that　it　should　be　instructed。　The　training　of　those　who　are　to　form　the　future　man；　becomes　a　consideration　of　the　utmost　magnitude；　for；　on　due　reflection；　it　will　appear；　that　instruction　to　the　young　must　be；　of　necessity；　the　only　foundation　upon　which　the　superstructure　of　society　can　be　raised。　Let　this　instruction　continue　to　be　left；　as　heretofore；　to　chance；　and　often　to　the　most　inefficient　members　of　the　community；　and　society　must　still　experience　the　endless　miseries　which　still　arise　from　such　weak　and　puerile　conduct。　On　the　contrary；　let　the　instruction　to　the　young　be　well　devised　and　well　executed；　and　no　subsequent　proceedings　in　the　state　can　be　materially　injurious。　For　it　may　truly　be　said　to　be　a　wonder…working　power；　one　that　merits　the　deepest　attention　of　the　legislature；　with　ease　it　may　be　used　to　train　man　into　a　demon　of　mischief　to　himself　and　to　all　around　him；　or　into　an　agent　of　unlimited　benevolence。　　　　　Third　…　For　the　establishment　of　seminaries　over　the　United　Kingdoms；　to　be　conveniently　placed；　and　of　sufficient　extent　to　receive　all　those　who　require　instruction。　　　　　Fourth　…　For　supplying　the　requisite　expenditure　for　the　building　and　support　of　those　seminaries。　　　　　Fifth　…　For　the　arrangement　of　the　plan　which；　for　the　manner　of　instruction；　upon　a　due　comparison　of　the　various　modes　now　in　practice；　or　which　may　be　devised；　shall　appear　to　be　the　best。　　　　　Sixth　…　For　the　appointment　of　proper　masters　to　each　of　the　schools。　And；　　　　　Last　…　The　matter　of　instruction；　both　for　body　and　mind；　in　these　seminaries；　should　be　substantially　beneficial　to　the　individuals　and　to　the　state。　For　this　is；　or　ought　to　be；　the　sole　motive　for　the　establishment　of　national　seminaries。　　　　　These　are　the　outlines　of　the　provisions　necessary　to　prepare　the　most　powerful　instrument　of　good　that　has　ever　yet　been　placed　in　the　hands　of　man。　　　　　The　last　national　improvement　which　remains　to　be　proposed　in　the　present　state　of　the　public　mind；　is；　that　another　legislative　act　should　be　passed；　for　the　purpose　of　obtaining　regular　and　accurate　information　relative　to　the　value　of　and　demand　for　labour　over　the　United　Kingdoms。　This　information　is　necessary；　preparatory　to　the　adoption　of　measures　which　will　be　proposed；　to　provide　labour　for　those　who　may　be　occasionally　unable　to　procure　other　employment。　　　　　In　this　act　provision　should　be　made；　to　obtain　accurate　quarterly　returns　of　the　state　of　labour　in　each　country　or　smaller　district；　the　returns　to　be　made　either　by　the　clergy；　justices　of　the　peace；　or　other　more　competent　persons。　These　returns　should　contain；　　　　　First　…　The　average　price　of　manual　labour　within　the　district　for　the　period　included　in　the　return。　　　　　Second　…　The　number。　of　those　in　each　district　who　depend　on　their　daily　labour　or　on　the　parish　for　their　support；　and　who　may　be　at　the　period　of　these　returns　unemployed；　and　yet　able　to　labour。　　　　　Third　…　The　number　of　those　who；　at　the　period　of　each　return；　are　but　partially　employed；　and　the　extent　of　that　partial　employment。　　　　　Provision　should　also　be　made　to　obtain　a　statement　of　the　general　occupations　in　which　the　individuals　had　been　formerly　employed；　with　the　best　conjectures　as　to　the　kind　and　quantity　of　work　which　each　may　be　supposed　still　capable　of　performing。　　　　　The　want　of　due　attention　to　this　highly　necessary　branch　of　government；　occasions　thousands　of　our　fellow　subjects　to　be　made　wretched；　while；　from　the　same　cause；　the　revenues　of　the　empire　are　annually　deteriorated　to　an　enormous　amount。　　　　　We　have　stated；　because　it　is　easy　of　proof；　that　the　revenues　of　all　countries　are　derived　directly　or　indirectly；　from　the　labour　of　man；　and　yet　the　British　Government；　which；　with　all　its　errors；　is　among　the　best　devised　and　most　enlightened　that　has　hitherto　been　established；　makes　extravagant　and　unnecessary　waste　of　that　labour。　It　makes　this　waste；　too；　in　the　midst　of　its　greatest　pecuniary　difficulties；　and　when　the　utmost　efforts　of　every　individual　in　the　state　are　requisite！　　　　　This　waste　of　human　labour；　as　it　is　highly　unjust　to　all；　is　not　only　impolitic　in　a　national　view；　but　is　most　cruel　to　the　individuals　who；　in　consequence　of　this　waste；　are　the　immediate　sufferers。　　　　　It　would　be　an　Herculean　task　to　trace　through　all　their　ramifications　the　various　injurious　effects　which　result　from　the　fundamental　errors　by　which　man　has　been；　and　is　governed；　nor　is　the　world　yet　fully　prepared　for　such　development。　We　shall；　therefore；　now　merely　sketch　some　of　the　most　direct　and　palpable　of　these　effects；　relative　to　the　oversight　of　governments　in　regard　to　the　non…application　or　misapplication　of　the　labour　of　the　poor　and　unoccupied。　　　　　It　has　been　shown　that　the　governing　powers　of　any　country　may　easily　and　economically　give　the　subjects　just　sentiments　and　the　best　habits；　and　so　long　as　this　shall　remain　unattempted；　governments　will　continue　to　neglect　their　most　important　duties　as　well　as　interests。　Such　neglect　now　exists　in　Britain；　where；　in　lieu　of　the　governing　powers　making　any　effort　to　attain　these　inestimable　benefits　for　the　individuals　belonging　to　the　empire；　they　must　content　themselves　with　the　existence　of　laws　which　must　create　sentiments　and　habits　highly　injurious　to　the　welfare　of　the　individuals　and　of　the　state。　　　　　Many　of　these　laws；　by　their　never…failing　effects；　speak　in　a　language　which　no　one　can　misunderstand；　and　say　to　the　unprotected　and　untaught；；　Remain　in　ignorance；　and　let　your　labour　be　directed　by　that　ignorance；。　for　while　you　can　Procure　what　is　sufficient　to　support　life　by　such　labour；　although　that　life　should　be　an　existence　in　abject　poverty；　disease；　and　misery；　we　will　not　trouble　ourselves　with　you；　or　any　of　your　proceedings；　when；　however；　you　can　no　longer　procure　work；　or　obtain　the　means　to　support　nature；　then　apply　for　relief　to　the　parish；　and　you　shall　be　maintained　in　idleness。'　　　　　And　in　ignorance　and　idleness；　even　in　this　country；　where　manual　labour　is　or　always　might　be　made　valuable；　hundreds　of　thousands　of　men；　women；　and　children　are　daily　supported。　No　one　acquainted　with　human　nature　will　suppose　that　men；　women；　and　children；　can　be　long　maintained　in　ignorance　and　idleness；　without　becoming　habituated　to　crime。　　　　　（It　would；　perhaps；　prove　an　interesting　calculation；　and　useful　to　government；　to　estimate　how　much　its　finances　would　be　improved；　by　giving　proper　employment　to　a　milli