a new view of society-第8节

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　same　departments　and　pursuits；　and　associate　as　though　the　whole　community　were　not　of　different　sectarian　persuasions；　and　not　one　evil　ensues。　　　　　The　same　principles　were　applied　to　correct　the　irregular　intercourse　of　the　sexes：　such　conduct　was　discountenanced　and　held　in　disgrace；　fines　were　levied　upon　both　parties　for　the　use　of　the　support　fund　of　the　community。　（This　fund　arose　from　each　individual　contributing　one　sixtieth　part　of　their　wages；　which；　under　their　management；　was　applied　to　support　the　sick；　and　injured　by　accident；　and　the　aged。　）　But　because　they　had　once　unfortunately　offended　against　the　established　laws　and　customs　of　society；　they　were　not　forced　to　become　vicious；　abandoned；　and　miserable；　the　door　was　left　open　for　them　to　return　to　the　comforts　of　kind　friends　and　respected　acquaintances；　and；　beyond　any　previous　expectation；　the　evil　became　greatly　diminished。　　　　　The　system　of　receiving　apprentices　from　public　charities　was　abolished；　permanent　settlers　with　large　families　were　encouraged；　and　comfortable　houses　were　built　for　their　accommodation。　　　　　The　practice　of　employing　children　in　the　mills；　of　six；　seven　and　eight　years　of　age；　was　discontinued；　and　their　parents　advised　to　allow　them　to　acquire　health　and　education　until　they　were　ten；　years　old。　（It　may　be　remarked；　that　even　this　age　is　too　early　to　keep　them　at　constant　employment　in　manufactories；　from　six　in　the　morning　to　seven　in　the　evening。　Far　better　would　it　be　for　the　children；　their　parents；　and　for　society；　that　the　first　should　not　commence　employment　until　they　attain　the　age　of　twelve；　when　their　education　might　be　finished；　and　their　bodies　would　be　more　competent　to　undergo　the　fatigue　and　exertions　required　of　them。　When　parents　can　be　trained　to　afford　this　additional　time　to　their　children　without　inconvenience；　they　will；　of　course；　adopt　the　practice　now　recommended。）　　　　　The　children　were　taught　reading；　writing；　and　arithmetic；　during　five　years；　that　is；　from　five　to　ten；　in　the　village　school；　without　expense　to　their　parents。　All　the　modern　improvements　in　education　have　been　adopted；　or　are　in　process　of　adoption。　（To　avoid　the　inconveniences　which　must　ever　arise　from　the　introduction　of　a　particular　creed　into　a　school；　the　children　are　taught　to　read　in　such　books　as　inculcate　those　precepts　of　the　Christian　religion；　which　are　common　to　all　denominations。）　They　may　therefore　be　taught　and　well…trained　before　they　engage　in　any　regular　employment。　Another　important　consideration　is；　that　all　their　instruction　is　rendered　a　pleasure　and　delight　to　them；　they　are　much　more　anxious　for　the　hour　of　school…time　to　arrive　than　to　end；　they　therefore　make　a　rapid　progress；　and　it　may　be　safely　asserted；　that　if　they　shall　not　be　trained　to　form　such　characters　as　may　be　most　desired；　the　fault　will　not　proceed　from　the　children；　the　cause　will　be　in　the　want　of　a　true　knowledge　of　human　nature　in　those　who　have　the　management　of　them　and　their　parents。　　　　　During　the　period　that　these　changes　were　going　forward；　attention　was　given　to　the　domestic　arrangements　of　the　community。　　　　　Their　houses　were　rendered　more　comfortable；　their　streets　were　improved；　the　best　provisions　were　purchased；　and　sold　to　them　at　low　rates；　yet　covering　the　original　expense；　and　under　such　regulations　as　taught　them　how　to　proportion　their　expenditure　to　their　income。　Fuel　and　clothes　were　obtained　for　them　in　the　same　manner；　and　no　advantage　was　attempted　to　be　taken　of　them；　or　means　used　to　deceive　them。　　　　　In　consequence；　their　animosity　and　opposition　to　the　stranger　subsided；　their　full　confidence　was　obtained；　and　they　became　satisfied　that　no　evil　was　intended　them；　they　were　convinced　that　a　real　desire　existed　to　increase　their　happiness　upon　those　grounds　alone　on　which　it　could　be　permanently　increased。　All　difficulties　in　the　way　of　future　improvement　vanished。　They　were　taught　to　be　rational；　and　they　acted　rationally。　Thus　both　parties　experienced　the　incalculable　advantages　of　the　system　which　had　been　adopted。　Those　employed　became　industrious；　temperate；　healthy；　faithful　to　their　employers；　and　kind　to　each　other。　while　the　proprietors　were　deriving　services　from　their　attachment；　almost　without　inspection；　far　beyond　those　which　could　be　obtained　by　any　other　means　than　those　of　mutual　confidence　and　kindness。　Such　was　the　effect　of　these　principles　on　the　adults；　on　those　whose　previous　habits　had　been　as　ill…formed　as　habits　could　be；　and　certainly　the　application　of　the　principles　to　practice　was　made　under　the　most　unfavourable　circumstances。　（It　may　be　supposed　that　this　community　was　separated　from　other　society；　but　the　supposition　would　be　erroneous；　for　it　had　daily　and　hourly　communication　with　a　population　exceeding　its　own　number。　The　royal　borough　of　Lanark　is　only　one　mile　distant　from　the　works；　many　individuals　came　daily　from　the　former　to　be　employed　at　the　latter；　and　a　general　intercourse　is　constantly　maintained　between　the　old　and　new　towns。）　　　　　I　have　thus　given　a　detailed　account　of　this　experiment；　although　a　partial　application　of　the　principles　is　of　far　less　importance　than　a　clear　and　accurate　account　of　the　principles　themselves；　in　order　that　they　may　be　so　well　understood　as　to　be　easily　rendered　applicable　to　practice　in　any　community　and　under　any　circumstances。　Without　this；　particular　facts　may　indeed　amuse　or　astonish；　but　they　would　not　contain　that　substantial　value　which　the　principles　will　be　found　to　possess。　But　if　the　relation　of　the　narrative　shall　forward　this　object；　the　experiment　cannot　fail　to　prove　the　certain　means　of　renovating　the　moral　and　religious　principles　of　the　world；　by　showing　whence　arise　the　various　opinions；　manners；　vices；　and　virtues　of　mankind；　and　how　the　best　or　the　worst　of　them　may；　with　mathematical　precision；　be　taught　to　the　rising　generation。　　　　　Let　it　not；　therefore；　be　longer　said　that　evil　or　injurious　actions　cannot　be　prevented；　or　that　the　most　rational　habits　in　the　rising　generation　cannot　be　universally　formed。　In　those　characters　which　now　exhibit　crime；　the　fault　is　obviously　not　in　the　individual；　but　the　defects　proceed　from　the　system　in　which　the　individual　was　trained。　Withdraw　those　circumstances　which　tend　to　create　crime　in　the　human　character；　and　crime　will　not　be　created。　Replace　them　with　such　as　are　calculated　to　form　habits　of　order；　regularity；　temperance；　industry；　and　these　qualities　will　be　formed。　Adopt　measures　of　fair　equity　and　justice；　and　you　will　readily　acquire　the　full　and　complete　confidence　of　the　lower　orders。　Proceed　systematically　on　principles　of　undeviating　persevering　kindness；　yet　retaining　and　using；　with　the　least　possible　severity；　the　means　of　restraining　crime　from　immediately　injuring　society'。　and　by　degrees　even　the　crimes　now　existing　in　the　adults　will　also　gradually　disappear：　for　the　worst　formed　disposition；　short　of　incurable　insanity；　will　not　long　resist　a　firm；　determined；　well…directed；　persevering　kindness。　Such　a　proceeding；　whenever　practised；　will　be　found　the　most　powerful　and　effective　corrector　of　crime；　and　of　all　injurious　and　improper　habits。　　　　　The　experiment　narrated　shows　that　this　is　not　hypothesis　and　theory。　The　principles　may　be　with　confidence　stated　to　be　universal；　and　applicable　to　all　times；　persons；　and　circumstances。　And　the　most　obvious　application　of　them　would　be　to　adopt　rational　means　to　remove　the　temptation　to　commit　crimes；　and　increase　the　difficulties　of　committing　them；　while；　at　the　same　time；　a　proper　direction　should　be　given　to　the　active　powers　of　the　individual；　and　a　due　share　provided　of　uninjurious　amusements　and　recreation。　Care　must　also　be　taken　to　remove　the　causes　of　jealousy；　dissensions；　and　irritation；　to　introduce　sentiments　calculated　to　create　union　and　confidence　among　all　the　members　of　the　community；　and　the　whole　should　be　directed　by　a　persevering　kindness；　sufficiently　evident　to　prove　that　a　sincere　desire　exists　to　increase；　and　not　to　diminish；　happiness。　　　　　These　principles；　applied　to　the　community　at　New　Lanark；　at　first　under　many　of　the　most　discouraging　circumstances；　but　persevered　in　for　sixteen　years；　effected　a　complete　change　in　the　general　character　of　the　village；　containing　upwards　of　2；000　inhabitants；　and　into　which；　also；　there　was　a　constant　influx　of　newcomers。　But　as　the　promulgation　of　new　miracles　is　not　for　present　times；　it　is　not　pretended　that　under　such　circumstances　one　and　all　are　become　wise　and　good；　or；　that　they　are　free　from　error。　But　it　may　be　truly　stated；　that　they　now　constitute　a　very　improved　society；　that　their　worst　habits　are　gone；　and　that　their　minor　ones　will　soon　disappear　under　a　continuance　of　the　application　of　the　same　principles；　that　during　the　period　mentioned；　scarcely　a　legal　punishment　has　been　inflicted；　or　an　application　been　made　for　parish　funds　by　any　individual　among　them。　Drunkenness　is　not　seen　in　their　streets；　and　the　children　are　taught　and　trained　in　the　institution　for　forming　their　character　without　any　punishment。　The　community　exhibits　the　general　appearance　of　industry；　temperance；　comfort；　health；　and　happiness。　These　are　and　ever　wil