areopagitica-第5节
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and that evil manners are as perfectly learnt without books a
thousand other ways which cannot be stopped; and evil doctrine not
with books can propagate; except a teacher guide; which he might
also do without writing; and so beyond prohibiting; I am not able
to unfold; how this cautelous enterprise of licensing can be
exempted from the number of vain and impossible attempts。 And he
who were pleasantly disposed could not well avoid to liken it to
the exploit of that gallant man who thought to pound up the crows
by shutting his park gate。
Besides another inconvenience; if learned men be the first
receivers out of books and dispreaders both of vice and error; how
shall the licensers themselves be confided in; unless we can confer
upon them; or they assume to themselves above all others in the
land; the grace of infallibility and uncorruptedness? And again;
if it be true that a wise man; like a good refiner; can gather gold
out of the drossiest volume; and that a fool will be a fool with
the best book; yea or without book; there is no reason that we
should deprive a wise man of any advantage to his wisdom; while we
seek to restrain from a fool; that which being restrained will be
no hindrance to his folly。 For if there should be so much
exactness always used to keep that from him which is unfit for his
reading; we should in the judgment of Aristotle not only; but of
Solomon and of our Saviour; not vouchsafe him good precepts; and by
consequence not willingly admit him to good books; as being certain
that a wise man will make better use of an idle pamphlet; than a
fool will do of sacred Scripture。
'Tis next alleged we must not expose ourselves to temptations
without necessity; and next to that; not employ our time in vain
things。 To both these objections one answer will serve; out of the
grounds already laid; that to all men such books are not
temptations; nor vanities; but useful drugs and materials wherewith
to temper and compose effective and strong medicines; which man's
life cannot want。 The rest; as children and childish men; who have
not the art to qualify and prepare these working minerals; well may
be exhorted to forbear; but hindered forcibly they cannot be by all
the licensing that Sainted Inquisition could ever yet contrive。
Which is what I promised to deliver next: that this order of
licensing conduces nothing to the end for which it was framed; and
hath almost prevented me by being clear already while thus much
hath been explaining。 See the ingenuity of Truth; who; when she
gets a free and willing hand; opens herself faster than the pace of
method and discourse can overtake her。
It was the task which I began with; to show that no nation; or
well…instituted state; if they valued books at all; did ever use
this way of licensing; and it might be answered; that this is a
piece of prudence lately discovered。 To which I return; that as it
was a thing slight and obvious to think on; so if it had been
difficult to find out; there wanted not among them long since who
suggested such a course; which they not following; leave us a
pattern of their judgment that it was not the rest knowing; but the
not approving; which was the cause of their not using it。
Plato; a man of high authority; indeed; but least of all for his
Commonwealth; in the book of his Laws; which no city ever yet
received; fed his fancy by making many edicts to his airy
burgomasters; which they who otherwise admire him wish had been
rather buried and excused in the genial cups of an Academic night
sitting。 By which laws he seems to tolerate no kind of learning
but by unalterable decree; consisting most of practical traditions;
to the attainment whereof a library of smaller bulk than his own
Dialogues would be abundant。 And there also enacts; that no poet
should so much as read to any private man what he had written;
until the judges and law…keepers had seen it; and allowed it。 But
that Plato meant this law peculiarly to that commonwealth which he
had imagined; and to no other; is evident。 Why was he not else a
lawgiver to himself; but a transgressor; and to be expelled by his
own magistrates; both for the wanton epigrams and dialogues which
he made; and his perpetual reading of Sophron Mimus and
Aristophanes; books of grossest infamy; and also for commending the
latter of them; though he were the malicious libeller of his chief
friends; to be read by the tyrant Dionysius; who had little need of
such trash to spend his time on? But that he knew this licensing
of poems had reference and dependence to many other provisos there
set down in his fancied republic; which in this world could have no
place: and so neither he himself; nor any magistrate or city; ever
imitated that course; which; taken apart from those other
collateral injunctions; must needs be vain and fruitless。 For if
they fell upon one kind of strictness; unless their care were equal
to regulate all other things of like aptness to corrupt the mind;
that single endeavour they knew would be but a fond labour; to shut
and fortify one gate against corruption; and be necessitated to
leave others round about wide open。
If we think to regulate printing; thereby to rectify manners; we
must regulate all recreation and pastimes; all that is delightful
to man。 No music must be heard; no song be set or sung; but what
is grave and Doric。 There must be licensing dancers; that no
gesture; motion; or deportment be taught our youth but what by
their allowance shall be thought honest; for such Plato was
provided of。 It will ask more than the work of twenty licensers to
examine all the lutes; the violins; and the guitars in every house;
they must not be suffered to prattle as they do; but must be
licensed what they may say。 And who shall silence all the airs and
madrigals that whisper softness in chambers? The windows also; and
the balconies must be thought on; there are shrewd books; with
dangerous frontispieces; set to sale; who shall prohibit them;
shall twenty licensers? The villages also must have their visitors
to inquire what lectures the bagpipe and the rebeck reads; even to
the ballatry and the gamut of every municipal fiddler; for these
are the countryman's Arcadias; and his Monte Mayors。
Next; what more national corruption; for which England hears ill
abroad; than household gluttony: who shall be the rectors of our
daily rioting? And what shall be done to inhibit the multitudes
that frequent those houses where drunkenness is sold and harboured?
Our garments also should be referred to the licensing of some more
sober workmasters to see them cut into a less wanton garb。 Who
shall regulate all the mixed conversation of our youth; male and
female together; as is the fashion of this country? Who shall
still appoint what shall be discoursed; what presumed; and no
further? Lastly; who shall forbid and separate all idle resort;
all evil company? These things will be; and must be; but how they
shall be least hurtful; how least enticing; herein consists the
grave and governing wisdom of a state。
To sequester out of the world into Atlantic and Utopian polities;
which never can be drawn into use; will not mend our condition; but
to ordain wisely as in this world of evil; in the midst whereof God
hath placed us unavoidably。 Nor is it Plato's licensing of books
will do this; which necessarily pulls along with it so many other
kinds of licensing; as will make us all both ridiculous and weary;
and yet frustrate; but those unwritten; or at least unconstraining;
laws of virtuous education; religious and civil nurture; which
Plato there mentions as the bonds and ligaments of the
commonwealth; the pillars and the sustainers of every written
statute; these they be which will bear chief sway in such matters
as these; when all licensing will be easily eluded。 Impunity and
remissness; for certain; are the bane of a commonwealth; but here
the great art lies; to discern in what the law is to bid restraint
and punishment; and in what things persuasion only is to work。
If every action; which is good or evil in man at ripe years; were
to be under pittance and prescription and compulsion; what were
virtue but a name; what praise could be then due to well…doing;
what gramercy to be sober; just; or continent? Many there be that
complain of divine Providence for suffering Adam to transgress;
foolish tongues! When God gave him reason; he gave him freedom to
choose; for reason is but choosing; he had been else a mere
artificial Adam; such an Adam as he is in the motions。 We
ourselves esteem not of that obedience; or love; or gift; which is
of force: God therefore left him free; set before him a provoking
object; ever almost in his eyes; herein consisted his merit; herein
the right of his reward; the praise of his abstinence。 Wherefore
did he create passions within us; pleasures round ab