areopagitica-第6节
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did he create passions within us; pleasures round about us; but
that these rightly tempered are the very ingredients of virtue?
They are not skilful considerers of human things; who imagine to
remove sin by removing the matter of sin; for; besides that it is
a huge heap increasing under the very act of diminishing; though
some part of it may for a time be withdrawn from some persons; it
cannot from all; in such a universal thing as books are; and when
this is done; yet the sin remains entire。 Though ye take from a
covetous man all his treasure; he has yet one jewel left; ye cannot
bereave him of his covetousness。 Banish all objects of lust; shut
up all youth into the severest discipline that can be exercised in
any hermitage; ye cannot make them chaste; that came not hither so;
such great care and wisdom is required to the right managing of
this point。 Suppose we could expel sin by this means; look how
much we thus expel of sin; so much we expel of virtue: for the
matter of them both is the same; remove that; and ye remove them
both alike。
This justifies the high providence of God; who; though he command
us temperance; justice; continence; yet pours out before us; even
to a profuseness; all desirable things; and gives us minds that can
wander beyond all limit and satiety。 Why should we then affect a
rigour contrary to the manner of God and of nature; by abridging or
scanting those means; which books freely permitted are; both to the
trial of virtue and the exercise of truth? It would be better
done; to learn that the law must needs be frivolous; which goes to
restrain things; uncertainly and yet equally working to good and to
evil。 And were I the chooser; a dream of well…doing should be
preferred before many times as much the forcible hindrance of evil…
doing。 For God sure esteems the growth and completing of one
virtuous person more than the restraint of ten vicious。
And albeit whatever thing we hear or see; sitting; walking;
travelling; or conversing; may be fitly called our book; and is of
the same effect that writings are; yet grant the thing to be
prohibited were only books; it appears that this Order hitherto is
far insufficient to the end which it intends。 Do we not see; not
once or oftener; but weekly; that continued court…libel against the
Parliament and City; printed; as the wet sheets can witness; and
dispersed among us; for all that licensing can do? Yet this is the
prime service a man would think; wherein this Order should give
proof of itself。 If it were executed; you'll say。 But certain; if
execution be remiss or blindfold now; and in this particular; what
will it be hereafter and in other books? If then the Order shall
not be vain and frustrate; behold a new labour; Lords and Commons;
ye must repeal and proscribe all scandalous and unlicensed books
already printed and divulged; after ye have drawn them up into a
list; that all may know which are condemned; and which not; and
ordain that no foreign books be delivered out of custody; till they
have been read over。 This office will require the whole time of
not a few overseers; and those no vulgar men。 There be also books
which are partly useful and excellent; partly culpable and
pernicious; this work will ask as many more officials; to make
expurgations and expunctions; that the commonwealth of learning be
not damnified。 In fine; when the multitude of books increase upon
their hands; ye must be fain to catalogue all those printers who
are found frequently offending; and forbid the importation of their
whole suspected typography。 In a word; that this your Order may be
exact and not deficient; ye must reform it perfectly according to
the model of Trent and Seville; which I know ye abhor to do。
Yet though ye should condescend to this; which God forbid; the
Order still would be but fruitless and defective to that end
whereto ye meant it。 If to prevent sects and schisms; who is so
unread or so uncatechized in story; that hath not heard of many
sects refusing books as a hindrance; and preserving their doctrine
unmixed for many ages; only by unwritten traditions? The Christian
faith; for that was once a schism; is not unknown to have spread
all over Asia; ere any Gospel or Epistle was seen in writing。 If
the amendment of manners be aimed at; look into Italy and Spain;
whether those places be one scruple the better; the honester; the
wiser; the chaster; since all the inquisitional rigour that hath
been executed upon books。
Another reason; whereby to make it plain that this Order will
miss the end it seeks; consider by the quality which ought to be in
every licenser。 It cannot be denied but that he who is made judge
to sit upon the birth or death of books; whether they may be wafted
into this world or not; had need to be a man above the common
measure; both studious; learned; and judicious; there may be else
no mean mistakes in the censure of what is passable or not; which
is also no mean injury。 If he be of such worth as behooves him;
there cannot be a more tedious and unpleasing journey…work; a
greater loss of time levied upon his head; than to be made the
perpetual reader of unchosen books and pamphlets; ofttimes huge
volumes。 There is no book that is acceptable unless at certain
seasons; but to be enjoined the reading of that at all times; and
in a hand scarce legible; whereof three pages would not down at any
time in the fairest print; is an imposition which I cannot believe
how he that values time and his own studies; or is but of a
sensible nostril; should be able to endure。 In this one thing I
crave leave of the present licensers to be pardoned for so
thinking; who doubtless took this office up; looking on it through
their obedience to the Parliament; whose command perhaps made all
things seem easy and unlaborious to them; but that this short trial
hath wearied them out already; their own expressions and excuses to
them who make so many journeys to solicit their licence are
testimony enough。 Seeing therefore those who now possess the
employment by all evident signs wish themselves well rid of it; and
that no man of worth; none that is not a plain unthrift of his own
hours; is ever likely to succeed them; except he mean to put
himself to the salary of a press corrector; we may easily foresee
what kind of licensers we are to expect hereafter; either ignorant;
imperious; and remiss; or basely pecuniary。 This is what I had to
show; wherein this Order cannot conduce to that end whereof it
bears the intention。
I lastly proceed from the no good it can do; to the manifest hurt
it causes; in being first the greatest discouragement and affront
that can be offered to learning; and to learned men。
It was the complaint and lamentation of prelates; upon every
least breath of a motion to remove pluralities; and distribute more
equally Church revenues; that then all learning would be for ever
dashed and discouraged。 But as for that opinion; I never found
cause to think that the tenth part of learning stood or fell with
the clergy: nor could I ever but hold it for a sordid and unworthy
speech of any churchman who had a competency left him。 If
therefore ye be loath to dishearten utterly and discontent; not the
mercenary crew of false pretenders to learning; but the free and
ingenuous sort of such as evidently were born to study; and love
learning for itself; not for lucre or any other end but the service
of God and of truth; and perhaps that lasting fame and perpetuity
of praise which God and good men have consented shall be the reward
of those whose published labours advance the good of mankind; then
know that; so far to distrust the judgment and the honesty of one
who hath but a common repute in learning; and never yet offended;
as not to count him fit to print his mind without a tutor and
examiner; lest he should drop a schism; or something of corruption;
is the greatest displeasure and indignity to a free and knowing
spirit that can be put upon him。
What advantage is it to be a man; over it is to be a boy at
school; if we have only escaped the ferula to come under the fescue
of an Imprimatur; if serious and elaborate writings; as if they
were no more than the theme of a grammar…lad under his pedagogue;
must not be uttered without the cursory eyes of a temporizing and
extemporizing licenser? He who is not trusted with his own
actions; his drift not being known to be evil; and standing to the
hazard of law and penalty; has no great argument to think himself
reputed in the Commonwealth wherein he was born for other than a
fool or a foreigner。 When a man writes to the world; he summons up
all his reason and deliberation to assist him; he searches;
meditates; is industrious; and likely consults and confers with his
judicious friends; after all which done he takes himself to be
informed in what he writes; as well as any that wr