太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > areopagitica >

第6节

areopagitica-第6节

小说: areopagitica 字数: 每页4000字

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!




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some part of it may for a time be withdrawn from some persons; it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

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的