part14-第11节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Ins　and　the　Outs；　so　equal　in　weight　that　a　small　matter　turns　the

balance。　　To　keep　themselves　in；　when　they　are　in；　every　stratagem

must　be　practised；　every　artifice　used　which　may　flatter　thepride；

the　passions　or　power　of　the　nation。　　Justice；　honor；　faith；　must

yield　to　the　necessity　of　keeping　themselves　in　place。　　The　question

whether　a　measure　is　moral；　is　never　asked；　but　whether　it　will

nourish　the　avarice　of　their　merchants；　or　the　piratical　spirit　of

their　navy；　or　produce　any　other　effect　which　may　strengthen　them　in

their　places。　　As　to　engagements；　however　positive；　entered　into　by

the　predecessors　of　the　Ins；　why；　they　were　their　enemies；　they　did

every　thing　which　was　wrong；　and　to　reverse　every　thing　they　did；

must；　therefore；　be　right。　　This　is　the　true　character　of　the　English

government　in　practice；　however　different　its　theory；　and　it　presents

the　singular　phenomenon　of　a　nation；　the　individuals　of　which　are　as

faithful　to　their　private　engagements　and　duties；　as　honorable；　as

worthy；　as　those　of　any　nation　on　earth；　and　whose　government　is　yet

the　most　unprincipled　at　this　day　known。　　In　an　absolute　government

there　can　be　no　such　equiponderant　parties。　　The　despot　is　the

government。　　His　power　suppressing　all　opposition；　maintains　his

ministers　firm　in　their　places。　　What　he　has　contracted；　therefore；

through　them；　he　has　the　power　to　observe　with　good　faith；　and　he

identifies　his　own　honor　and　faith　with　that　of　his　nation。




　　　　　　　　When　I　observed；　however；　that　the　King　of　England　was　a

cypher；　I　did　not　mean　to　confine　the　observation　to　the　mere

individual　now　on　that　throne。　　The　practice　of　Kings　marrying　only

into　the　families　of　Kings；　has　been　that　of　Europe　for　some

centuries。　　Now；　take　any　race　of　animals；　confine　them　in　idleness

and　inaction；　whether　in　a　stye；　a　stable；　or　a　state　room；　pamper

them　with　high　diet；　gratify　all　their　sexual　appetites；　immerse　them

in　sensualities；　nourish　their　passions；　let　every　thing　bend　before

them；　and　banish　whatever　might　lead　them　to　think；　and　in　a　few

generations　they　become　all　body　and　no　mind：　and　this；　too；　by　a　law

of　nature；　by　that　very　law　by　which　we　are　in　the　constant　practice

of　changing　the　characters　and　propensities　of　the　animals　we　raise

for　our　own　purposes。　　Such　is　the　regimen　in　raising　Kings；　and　in

this　way　they　have　gone　on　for　centuries。　　While　in　Europe；　I　often

amused　myself　with　contemplating　the　characters　of　the　then　reigning

sovereigns　of　Europe。　　Louis　the　XVI。　was　a　fool；　of　my　own

knowledge；　and　in　despite　of　the　answers　made　for　him　at　his　trial。

The　King　of　Spain　was　a　fool；　and　of　Naples　the　same。　　They　passed

their　lives　in　hunting；　and　despatched　two　couriers　a　week；　one

thousand　miles；　to　let　each　other　know　what　game　they　had　killed　the

preceding　days。　　The　King　of　Sardinia　was　a　fool。　　All　these　were

Bourbons。　　The　Queen　of　Portugal；　a　Braganza；　was　an　idiot　by　nature。

And　so　was　the　King　of　Denmark。　　Their　sons；　as　regents；　exercised

the　powers　of　government。　　The　King　of　Prussia；　successor　to　the

great　Frederick；　was　a　mere　hog　in　body　as　well　as　in　mind。　　Gustavus

of　Sweden；　and　Joseph　of　Austria；　were　really　crazy；　and　George　of

England　you　know　was　in　a　straight　waistcoat。　　There　remained；　then；

none　but　old　Catherine；　who　had　been　too　lately　picked　up　to　have

lost　her　common　sense。　　In　this　state　Buonaparte　found　Europe；　and　it

was　this　state　of　its　rulers　which　lost　it　with　scarce　a　struggle。

These　animals　had　become　without　mind　and　powerless；　and　so　will

every　hereditary　monarch　be　after　a　few　generations。　　Alexander；　the

grandson　of　Catherine；　is　as　yet　an　exception。　　He　is　able　to　hold

his　own。　　But　he　is　only　of　the　third　generation。　　His　race　is　not

yet　worn　out。　　And　so　endeth　the　book　of　Kings；　from　all　of　whom　the

Lord　deliver　us；　and　have　you；　my　friend；　and　all　such　good　men　and

true；　in　his　holy　keeping。







　　　　　　　　〃AN　ACADEMICAL　VILLAGE〃




　　　　　　　　_To　Messrs。　Hugh　L。　White　and　Others_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　May　6；　1810_




　　　　　　　　GENTLEMEN；　　I　received；　some　time　ago；　your　letter　of

February　28th；　covering　a　printed　scheme　of　a　lottery　for　the　benefit

of　the　East　Tennessee　College；　and　proposing　to　send　tickets　to　me　to

be　disposed　of。　　It　would　be　impossible　for　them　to　come　to　a　more

inefficient　hand。　　I　rarely　go　from　home；　and　consequently　see　but　a

few　neighbors　and　friends；　who　occasionally　call　on　me。　　And　having

myself　made　it　a　rule　never　to　engage　in　a　lottery　or　any　other

adventure　of　mere　chance；　I　can；　with　the　less　candor　or　effect；　urge

it　on　others；　however　laudable　or　desirable　its　object　may　be。　　No

one　more　sincerely　wishes　the　spread　of　information　among　mankind

than　I　do；　and　none　has　greater　confidence　in　its　effect　towards

supporting　free　and　good　government。　　I　am　sincerely　rejoiced；

therefore；　to　find　that　so　excellent　a　fund　has　been　provided　for

this　noble　purpose　in　Tennessee。　　Fifty…thousand　dollars　placed　in　a

safe　bank；　will　give　four　thousand　dollars　a　year；　and　even　without

other　aid；　must　soon　accomplish　buildings　sufficient　for　the　object

in　its　early　stage。　　I　consider　the　common　plan　followed　in　this

country；　but　not　in　others；　of　making　one　large　and　expensive

building；　as　unfortunately　erroneous。　　It　is　infinitely　better　to

erect　a　small　and　separate　lodge　for　each　separate　professorship；

with　only　a　hall　below　for　his　class；　and　two　chambers　above　for

himself；　joining　these　lodges　by　barracks　for　a　certain　portion　of

the　students；　opening　into　a　covered　way　to　give　a　dry　communication

between　all　the　schools。　　The　whole　of　these　arranged　around　an　open

square　of　grass　and　trees；　would　make　it；　what　it　should　be　in　fact；

an　academical　village；　instead　of　a　large　and　common　den　of　noise；　of

filth　and　of　fetid　air。　　It　would　afford　that　quiet　retirement　so

friendly　to　study；　and　lessen　the　dangers　of　fire；　infection　and

tumult。　　Every　professor　would　be　the　police　officer　of　the　students

adjacent　to　his　own　lodge；　which　should　include　those　of　his　own

class　of　preference；　and　might　be　at　the　head　of　their　table；　if；　as

I　suppose；　it　can　be　reconciled　with　the　necessary　economy　to　dine

them　in　smaller　and　separate　parties；　rather　than　in　a　large　and

common　mess。　　These　separate　buildings；　too；　might　be　erected

successively　and　occasionally；　as　the　number　of　professorships　and

students　should　be　increased；　or　the　funds　become　competent。




　　　　　　　　I　pray　you　to　pardon　me　if　I　have　stepped　aside　into　the

province　of　counsel；　but　much　observation　and　reflection　on　these

institutions　have　long　convinced　me　that　the　large　and　crowded

buildings　in　which　youths　are　pent　up；　are　equally　unfriendly　to

health；　to　study；　to　manners；　morals　and　order；　and；　believing　the

plan　I　suggest　to　be　more　promotive　of　these；　and　peculiarly　adapted

to　the　slender　beginnings　and　progressive　growth　of　our　institutions；

I　hoped　you　would　pardon　the　presumption；　in　consideration　of　the

motive　which　was　suggested　by　the　difficulty　expressed　in　your

letter；　of　procuring　funds　for　erecting　the　building。　　But；　on

whatever　plan　you　proceed；　I　wish　it　every　possible　success；　and　to

yourselves　the　reward　of　esteem；　respect　and　gratitude　due　to　those

who　devote　their　time　and　efforts　to　render　the　youths　of　every

successive　age　fit　governors　for　the　next。　　To　these　accept；　in

addition；　the　assurances　of　mine。







　　　　　　　　A　PLAN　FOR　THE　MERINOS




　　　　　　　　_To　the　President　of　the　United　States_

　　　　　　　　（James　Madison）

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　May　13；　1810_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　I　thank　you　for　your　promised　attention　to　my

portion　of　the　Merinos；　and　if　there　be　any　expenses　of

transportation；　&c。；　and　you　will　be　so　good　as　to　advance　my　portion

of　them　with　yours　and　notify　the　amount；　it　shall　be　promptly

remitted。　　What　shall　we　do　with　them？　　I　have　been　so　disgusted　with

the　scandalous　extortions　lately　practised　in　the　sale　of　these

animals；　and　with　the　description　of　patriotism　and　praise　to　the

sellers；　as　if　the　thousands　of　dollars　apiece　they　have　not　been

ashamed　to　receive　were　not　reward　enough；　that　I　am　disposed　to

consider　as　right；　whatever　is　the　reverse　of　what　they　have　done。

Since　fortune　has　put　the　occasion　upon　us；　is　it　not　incumbent　upon

us　so　to　dispense　this　benefit　to　the　farmers　of　our　country；　as　to

put　to　shame　those　who；　forgetting　their　own　wealth　and　the　honest

simplicity　of　the　farmers；　have　thought　them　fit　objects　of　the

shaving　art；　and　to　excite；　by　a　better　example；　the　condemnation　due

to　theirs？　　No　sentiment　is　more　acknowledged　in　the　family　of

Agriculturists　than　that　the　few　who　can　afford　it　should　incur　the

risk　and　expense　of　all　new　improvements；　and　give　the　benefit　freely

to　the　many　of　more　restricted　circumstances。　　The　question　then

recurs；　What　are　we　to　do　with　them？　　I　shall　be　willing　to　concur

wi