thoughts on the present discontents-第2节

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which　are　symptoms　of　the　particular　distemperature　of　our　own　air
and　season。


Nobody；　I　believe；　will　consider　it　merely　as　the　language　of　spleen
or　disappointment；　if　I　say　that　there　is　something　particularly
alarming　in　the　present　conjuncture。　　There　is　hardly　a　man；　in　or
out　of　power；　who　holds　any　other　language。　　That　Government　is　at
once　dreaded　and　contemned；　that　the　laws　are　despoiled　of　all　their
respected　and　salutary　terrors；　that　their　inaction　is　a　subject　of
ridicule；　and　their　exertion　of　abhorrence；　that　rank；　and　office；
and　title；　and　all　the　solemn　plausibilities　of　the　world；　have　lost
their　reverence　and　effect；　that　our　foreign　politics　are　as　much
deranged　as　our　domestic　economy；　that　our　dependencies　are
slackened　in　their　affection；　and　loosened　from　their　obedience；
that　we　know　neither　how　to　yield　nor　how　to　enforce；　that　hardly
anything　above　or　below；　abroad　or　at　home；　is　sound　and　entire；　but
that　disconnection　and　confusion；　in　offices；　in　parties；　in
families；　in　Parliament；　in　the　nation；　prevail　beyond　the　disorders
of　any　former　time：　　these　are　facts　universally　admitted　and
lamented。

This　state　of　things　is　the　more　extraordinary；　because　the　great
parties　which　formerly　divided　and　agitated　the　kingdom　are　known　to
be　in　a　manner　entirely　dissolved。　　No　great　external　calamity　has
visited　the　nation；　no　pestilence　or　famine。　　We　do　not　labour　at
present　under　any　scheme　of　taxation　new　or　oppressive　in　the
quantity　or　in　the　mode。　　Nor　are　we　engaged　in　unsuccessful　war；　in
which　our　misfortunes　might　easily　pervert　our　judgment；　and　our
minds；　sore　from　the　loss　of　national　glory；　might　feel　every　blow
of　fortune　as　a　crime　in　Government。


It　is　impossible　that　the　cause　of　this　strange　distemper　should　not
sometimes　become　a　subject　of　discourse。　　It　is　a　compliment　due；
and　which　I　willingly　pay；　to　those　who　administer　our　affairs；　to
take　notice　in　the　first　place　of　their　speculation。　　Our　Ministers
are　of　opinion　that　the　increase　of　our　trade　and　manufactures；　that
our　growth　by　colonisation　and　by　conquest；　have　concurred　to
accumulate　immense　wealth　in　the　hands　of　some　individuals；　and　this
again　being　dispersed　amongst　the　people；　has　rendered　them
universally　proud；　ferocious；　and　ungovernable；　that　the　insolence
of　some　from　their　enormous　wealth；　and　the　boldness　of　others　from
a　guilty　poverty；　have　rendered　them　capable　of　the　most　atrocious
attempts；　so　that　they　have　trampled　upon　all　subordination；　and
violently　borne　down　the　unarmed　laws　of　a　free　Governmentbarriers
too　feeble　against　the　fury　of　a　populace　so　fierce　and　licentious
as　ours。　　They　contend　that　no　adequate　provocation　has　been　given
for　so　spreading　a　discontent；　our　affairs　having　been　conducted
throughout　with　remarkable　temper　and　consummate　wisdom。　　The　wicked
industry　of　some　libellers；　joined　to　the　intrigues　of　a　few
disappointed　politicians；　have；　in　their　opinion；　been　able　to
produce　this　unnatural　ferment　in　the　nation。

Nothing　indeed　can　be　more　unnatural　than　the　present　convulsions　of
this　country；　if　the　above　account　be　a　true　one。　　I　confess　I　shall
assent　to　it　with　great　reluctance；　and　only　on　the　compulsion　of
the　clearest　and　firmest　proofs；　because　their　account　resolves
itself　into　this　short　but　discouraging　proposition；　〃That　we　have　a
very　good　Ministry；　but　that　we　are　a　very　bad　people；〃　that　we　set
ourselves　to　bite　the　hand　that　feeds　us；　that　with　a　malignant
insanity　we　oppose　the　measures；　and　ungratefully　vilify　the
persons；　of　those　whose　sole　object　is　our　own　peace　and　prosperity。
If　a　few　puny　libellers；　acting　under　a　knot　of　factious
politicians；　without　virtue；　parts；　or　character　（such　they　are
constantly　represented　by　these　gentlemen）；　are　sufficient　to　excite
this　disturbance；　very　perverse　must　be　the　disposition　of　that
people　amongst　whom　such　a　disturbance　can　be　excited　by　such　means。
It　is　besides　no　small　aggravation　of　the　public　misfortune　that　the
disease；　on　this　hypothesis；　appears　to　be　without　remedy。　　If　the
wealth　of　the　nation　be　the　cause　of　its　turbulence；　I　imagine　it　is
not　proposed　to　introduce　poverty　as　a　constable　to　keep　the　peace。
If　our　dominions　abroad　are　the　roots　which　feed　all　this　rank
luxuriance　of　sedition；　it　is　not　intended　to　cut　them　off　in　order
to　famish　the　fruit。　　If　our　liberty　has　enfeebled　the　executive
power；　there　is　no　design；　I　hope；　to　call　in　the　aid　of　despotism
to　fill　up　the　deficiencies　of　law。　　Whatever　may　be　intended；　these
things　are　not　yet　professed。　　We　seem　therefore　to　be　driven　to
absolute　despair；　for　we　have　no　other　materials　to　work　upon　but
those　out　of　which　God　has　been　pleased　to　form　the　inhabitants　of
this　island。　　If　these　be　radically　and　essentially　vicious；　all
that　can　be　said　is　that　those　men　are　very　unhappy　to　whose　fortune
or　duty　it　falls　to　administer　the　affairs　of　this　untoward　people。
I　hear　it　indeed　sometimes　asserted　that　a　steady　perseverance　in
the　present　measures；　and　a　rigorous　punishment　of　those　who　oppose
them；　will　in　course　of　time　infallibly　put　an　end　to　these
disorders。　　But　this；　in　my　opinion；　is　said　without　much
observation　of　our　present　disposition；　and　without　any　knowledge　at
all　of　the　general　nature　of　mankind。　　If　the　matter　of　which　this
nation　is　composed　be　so　very　fermentable　as　these　gentlemen
describe　it；　leaven　never　will　be　wanting　to　work　it　up；　as　long　as
discontent；　revenge；　and　ambition　have　existence　in　the　world。
Particular　punishments　are　the　cure　for　accidental　distempers　in　the
State；　they　inflame　rather　than　allay　those　heats　which　arise　from
the　settled　mismanagement　of　the　Government；　or　from　a　natural　ill
disposition　in　the　people。　　It　is　of　the　utmost　moment　not　to　make
mistakes　in　the　use　of　strong　measures；　and　firmness　is　then　only　a
virtue　when　it　accompanies　the　most　perfect　wisdom。　　In　truth；
inconstancy　is　a　sort　of　natural　corrective　of　folly　and　ignorance。

I　am　not　one　of　those　who　think　that　the　people　are　never　in　the
wrong。　　They　have　been　so；　frequently　and　outrageously；　both　in
other　countries　and　in　this。　　But　I　do　say　that　in　all　disputes
between　them　and　their　rulers　the　presumption　is　at　least　upon　a　par
in　favour　of　the　people。　　Experience　may　perhaps　justify　me　in　going
further。　　When　popular　discontents　have　been　very　prevalent；　it　may
well　be　affirmed　and　supported　that　there　has　been　generally
something　found　amiss　in　the　constitution　or　in　the　conduct　of
Government。　　The　people　have　no　interest　in　disorder。　　When　they　do
wrong；　it　is　their　error；　and　not　their　crime。　　But　with　the
governing　part　of　the　State　it　is　far　otherwise。　　They　certainly　may
act　ill　by　design；　as　well　as　by　mistake。　　〃Les　revolutions　qui
arrivent　dans　les　grands　etats　ne　sont　point　un　effect　du　hasard；　ni
du　caprice　des　peuples。　　Rien　ne　revolte　les　grands　d'un　royaume
comme　un　Gouvernoment　foible　et　derange。　　Pour　la　populace；　ce　n'est
jamais　par　envie　d'attaquer　qu'elle　se　souleve；　mais　par　impatience
de　souffrir。〃　　These　are　the　words　of　a　great　man；　of　a　Minister　of
State；　and　a　zealous　assertor　of　Monarchy。　　They　are　applied　to　the
system　of　favouritism　which　was　adopted　by　Henry　the　Third　of
France；　and　to　the　dreadful　consequences　it　produced。　　What　he　says
of　revolutions　is　equally　true　of　all　great　disturbances。　　If　this
presumption　in　favour　of　the　subjects　against　the　trustees　of　power
be　not　the　more　probable；　I　am　sure　it　is　the　more　comfortable
speculation；　because　it　is　more　easy　to　change　an　Administration
than　to　reform　a　people。


Upon　a　supposition；　therefore；　that；　in　the　opening　of　the　cause；
the　presumptions　stand　equally　balanced　between　the　parties；　there
seems　sufficient　ground　to　entitle　any　person　to　a　fair　hearing　who
attempts　some　other　scheme　besides　that　easy　one　which　is
fashionable　in　some　fashionable　companies；　to　account　for　the
present　discontents。　　It　is　not　to　be　argued　that　we　endure　no
grievance；　because　our　grievances　are　not　of　the　same　sort　with
those　under　which　we　laboured　formerlynot　precisely　those　which　we
bore　from　the　Tudors；　or　vindicated　on　the　Stuarts。　　A　great　change
has　taken　place　in　the　affairs　of　this　country。　　For　in　the　silent
lapse　of　events　as　material　alterations　have　been　insensibly　brought
about　in　the　policy　and　character　of　governments　and　nations　as
those　which　have　been　marked　by　the　tumult　of　public　revolutions。

It　is　very　rare　indeed　for　men　to　be　wrong　in　their　feelings
concerning　public　misconduct；　as　rare　to　be　right　in　their
speculation　upon　the　cause　of　it。　　I　have　constantly　observed　that
the　generality　of　people　are　fifty　years；　at　least；　behindhand　in
their　politics。　　There　are　but　very　few　who　are　capable　of　comparing
and　digesting　what　passes　before　their　eyes　at　different　times　and
occasions；　so　as　to　form　the　whole　into　a　distinct　system。　　But　in
books　everything　is　settled　for　them；　without　the　exertion　of　any
considerable　diligence　or　sagacity。　　For　which　reason　men　are　wise
with　but　little　reflection；　and　good　with　little　self…denial；　in　the
business　of　all　times　except　their　own。　　We