a new view of society-第23节

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from　our　fellow　men；　who；　it　has　been　shown；　might　easily　be　trained　to　be　industrious；　intelligent；　virtuous；　and　valuable　members　of　the　state？　　　　　True；　indeed；　it　is；　that　all　the　measures　now　proposed　are　only　a　compromise　with　the　errors　of　the　present　systems；　but　as　these　errors　now　almost　universally　exist；　and　must　be　overcome　solely　by　the　force　of　reason；　and　as　reason；　to　effect　the　most　beneficial　purposes；　makes　her　advance　by　slow　degrees；　and　progressively　substantiates　one　truth　of　high　import　after　another；　it　will　be　evident；　to　minds　of　comprehensive　and　accurate　thought；　that　by　these　and　similar　compromises　alone　can　success　be　rationally　expected　in　practice。　For　such　compromises　bring　truth　and　error　before　the　public；　and　whenever　they　are　fairly　exhibited　together；　truth　must　ultimately　prevail。　　　　　As　many　of　the　inconsistencies　of　the　present　systems　are　evident　to　the　most　intelligent　and　well…disposed　minds；　the　way　for　the　public　admission　of　the　important　truths　which　have　now　been　in　part　unfolded　seems　to　be　rendered　easy'。　and　it　is　confidently　expected　that　the　period　is　at　hand；　when　man；　through　ignorance；　shall　not'　much　longer　inflict　unnecessary　misery　on　man；　because　the　mass　of　mankind　will　become　enlightened；　and　will　clearly　discern　that　by　so　acting　they　will　inevitably　create　misery　to　themselves。　　　　　（As　soon　as　the　public　mind　shall　be　sufficiently　prepared　to　receive　it；　the　practical　detail　of　this　system　shall　be　fully　developed。）　　　　　For　the　extensive　knowledge　of　the　facts　which　present　themselves　on　the　globe；　makes　it　evident　to　those　whose　reasoning　faculties　have　not　been　entirely　paralysed；　that　all　mankind　firmly　believe；　that　everybody　except　themselves　has　been　grievously　deceived　in　his　fundamental　principles；　and　feel　the　utmost　astonishment　that　the　nations　of　the　world　could　embrace　such　gross　inconsistencies　for　divine　or　political　truths。　Most　persons　are　now　also　prepared　to　understand；　that　these　weaknesses　are　firmly　and　conscientiously　fixed　in　the　minds　of　millions；　who；　when　born；　possessed　equal　faculties　with　themselves。　And　although　they　plainly　discern　in　others　what　they　deem　inconceivable　aberrations　of　the　mental　powers；　yet；　in　despite　of　such　facts；　they　are　taught　to　believe　that　they　themselves　could　not　have　been　so　deceived；　and　this　impression　is　made　upon　the　infant　mind　with　the　greatest　ease；　whether　it　be　to　create　followers　of　the　most　ignorant；　or　of　the　most　enlightened　systems。　　　　　The　inhabitants　of　the　world　are；　therefore；　abundantly　conscious　of　the　inconsistencies　contained　in　those　systems　in　which　all　have　been　trained　out　of　the　pale　of　their　own　peculiar；　and；　as　they　are　taught　to　believe；　highly　favoured　sect：　and　yet　the　number　of　the　largest　sect　in　the　world　is　small；　when　compared　with　the　remaining　sects　which　have　been　instructed　to　think　the　notions　of　that　larger　division　an　error　of　the　grossest　kind；　proceeding　alone　from　the　ignorance　or　deception　of　their　predecessors。　　　　　All　that　is　now　requisite；　previous　to　withdrawing　the　last　mental　bandage　by　which　hitherto　the　human　race　has　been　kept　in　darkness　and　misery；　is；　by　calm　and　patient　reasoning　to　tranquillize　the　public　mind；　and　thus　prevent　the　evil　effects　which　otherwise　might　arise　from　the　too　sudden　prospect　of　freely　enjoying　rational　liberty　of　mind。　　　　　To　withdraw　that　bandage　without　danger；　reason　must　be　judiciously　applied　to　lead　men　of　every　sect　（for　all　have　been　in　part　abused　to　reflect　that　if　untold　myriads　of　beings；　formed　like　themselves；　have　been　so　grossly　deceived　as　they　believe　them　to　have　been；　what　power　in　nature　was　there　to　prevent　them　from　being　equally　deceived？　　　　　Such　reflections；　steadily　pursued　by　those　who　are　anxious　to　follow　the　plain　and　simple　path　of　reason；　will　soon　make　it　obvious　that　the　inconsistencies　which　they　behold　in　all　other　sects　out　of　their　own　pale；　are　precisely　similar　to　those　which　all　other　sects　can　readily　discover　within　that　pale。　　　　　It　is　not；　however；　to　be　imagined；　that　this　free　and　open　exposure　of　the　gross　errors　in　which　the　existing　generation　has　been　instructed；　should　be　forthwith　palatable　to　the　world；　it　would　be　contrary　to　reason　to　form　any　such　expectations。　　　　　Yet；　as　evil　exists；　and　as　man　cannot　be　rational；　nor　of　course　happy；　until　the　cause　of　it　shall　be　removed；　the　writer；　like　a　physician　who　feels　the　deepest　interest　in　the　welfare　of　his　patient；　has　hitherto　administered　of　this　unpalatable　restorative　the　smallest　quantity　which　he　deemed　sufficient　for　the　purpose。　He　now　waits　to　see　the　effects　which　that　may　produce。　　　　　Should　the　application　not　prove　of　sufficient　strength　to　remove　the　mental　disorder；　he　promises　that　it　shall　be　increased；　until　sound　health　to　the　public　mind　be　firmly　and　permanently　established。