a journey to-第21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！


pass　without　a　convoy。　　All　trials　of　right　by　the　sword　are
forgotten；　and　the　mean　are　in　as　little　danger　from　the　powerful
as　in　other　places。　　No　scheme　of　policy　has；　in　any　country；　yet
brought　the　rich　and　poor　on　equal　terms　into　courts　of　judicature。
Perhaps　experience；　improving　on　experience；　may　in　time　effect　it。

Those　who　have　long　enjoyed　dignity　and　power；　ought　not　to　lose　it
without　some　equivalent。　　There　was　paid　to　the　Chiefs　by　the
publick；　in　exchange　for　their　privileges；　perhaps　a　sum　greater
than　most　of　them　had　ever　possessed；　which　excited　a　thirst　for
riches；　of　which　it　shewed　them　the　use。　　When　the　power　of　birth
and　station　ceases；　no　hope　remains　but　from　the　prevalence　of
money。　　Power　and　wealth　supply　the　place　of　each　other。　　Power
confers　the　ability　of　gratifying　our　desire　without　the　consent　of
others。　　Wealth　enables　us　to　obtain　the　consent　of　others　to　our
gratification。　　Power；　simply　considered；　whatever　it　confers　on
one；　must　take　from　another。　　Wealth　enables　its　owner　to　give　to
others；　by　taking　only　from　himself。　　Power　pleases　the　violent　and
proud：　　wealth　delights　the　placid　and　the　timorous。　　Youth
therefore　flies　at　power；　and　age　grovels　after　riches。

The　Chiefs；　divested　of　their　prerogatives；　necessarily　turned
their　thoughts　to　the　improvement　of　their　revenues；　and　expect
more　rent；　as　they　have　less　homage。　　The　tenant；　who　is　far　from
perceiving　that　his　condition　is　made　better　in　the　same
proportion；　as　that　of　his　landlord　is　made　worse；　does　not
immediately　see　why　his　industry　is　to　be　taxed　more　heavily　than
before。　　He　refuses　to　pay　the　demand；　and　is　ejected；　the　ground
is　then　let　to　a　stranger；　who　perhaps　brings　a　larger　stock；　but
who；　taking　the　land　at　its　full　price；　treats　with　the　Laird　upon
equal　terms；　and　considers　him　not　as　a　Chief；　but　as　a　trafficker
in　land。　　Thus　the　estate　perhaps　is　improved；　but　the　clan　is
broken。

It　seems　to　be　the　general　opinion；　that　the　rents　have　been　raised
with　too　much　eagerness。　　Some　regard　must　be　paid　to　prejudice。
Those　who　have　hitherto　paid　but　little；　will　not　suddenly　be
persuaded　to　pay　much；　though　they　can　afford　it。　　As　ground　is
gradually　improved；　and　the　value　of　money　decreases；　the　rent　may
be　raised　without　any　diminution　of　the　farmer's　profits：　　yet　it
is　necessary　in　these　countries；　where　the　ejection　of　a　tenant　is
a　greater　evil；　than　in　more　populous　places；　to　consider　not
merely　what　the　land　will　produce；　but　with　what　ability　the
inhabitant　can　cultivate　it。　　A　certain　stock　can　allow　but　a
certain　payment；　for　if　the　land　be　doubled；　and　the　stock　remains
the　same；　the　tenant　becomes　no　richer。　　The　proprietors　of　the
Highlands　might　perhaps　often　increase　their　income；　by　subdividing
the　farms；　and　allotting　to　every　occupier　only　so　many　acres　as　he
can　profitably　employ；　but　that　they　want　people。

There　seems　now；　whatever　be　the　cause；　to　be　through　a　great　part
of　the　Highlands　a　general　discontent。　　That　adherence；　which　was
lately　professed　by　every　man　to　the　chief　of　his　name；　has　now
little　prevalence；　and　he　that　cannot　live　as　he　desires　at　home；
listens　to　the　tale　of　fortunate　islands；　and　happy　regions；　where
every　man　may　have　land　of　his　own；　and　eat　the　product　of　his
labour　without　a　superior。

Those　who　have　obtained　grants　of　American　lands；　have；　as　is　well
known；　invited　settlers　from　all　quarters　of　the　globe；　and　among
other　places；　where　oppression　might　produce　a　wish　for　new
habitations；　their　emissaries　would　not　fail　to　try　their
persuasions　in　the　Isles　of　Scotland；　where　at　the　time　when　the
clans　were　newly　disunited　from　their　Chiefs；　and　exasperated　by
unprecedented　exactions；　it　is　no　wonder　that　they　prevailed。

Whether　the　mischiefs　of　emigration　were　immediately　perceived；　may
be　justly　questioned。　　They　who　went　first；　were　probably　such　as
could　best　be　spared；　but　the　accounts　sent　by　the　earliest
adventurers；　whether　true　or　false；　inclined　many　to　follow　them；
and　whole　neighbourhoods　formed　parties　for　removal；　so　that
departure　from　their　native　country　is　no　longer　exile。　　He　that
goes　thus　accompanied；　carries　with　him　all　that　makes　life
pleasant。　　He　sits　down　in　a　better　climate；　surrounded　by　his
kindred　and　his　friends：　　they　carry　with　them　their　language；
their　opinions；　their　popular　songs；　and　hereditary　merriment：
they　change　nothing　but　the　place　of　their　abode；　and　of　that
change　they　perceive　the　benefit。

This　is　the　real　effect　of　emigration；　if　those　that　go　away
together　settle　on　the　same　spot；　and　preserve　their　ancient　union。
But　some　relate　that　these　adventurous　visitants　of　unknown
regions；　after　a　voyage　passed　in　dreams　of　plenty　and　felicity；
are　dispersed　at　last　upon　a　Sylvan　wilderness；　where　their　first
years　must　be　spent　in　toil；　to　clear　the　ground　which　is
afterwards　to　be　tilled；　and　that　the　whole　effect　of　their
undertakings　is　only　more　fatigue　and　equal　scarcity。

Both　accounts　may　be　suspected。　　Those　who　are　gone　will　endeavour
by　every　art　to　draw　others　after　them；　for　as　their　numbers　are
greater；　they　will　provide　better　for　themselves。　　When　Nova　Scotia
was　first　peopled；　I　remember　a　letter；　published　under　the
character　of　a　New　Planter；　who　related　how　much　the　climate　put
him　in　mind　of　Italy。　　Such　intelligence　the　Hebridians　probably
receive　from　their　transmarine　correspondents。　　But　with　equal
temptations　of　interest；　and　perhaps　with　no　greater　niceness　of
veracity；　the　owners　of　the　Islands　spread　stories　of　American
hardships　to　keep　their　people　content　at　home。

Some　method　to　stop　this　epidemick　desire　of　wandering；　which
spreads　its　contagion　from　valley　to　valley；　deserves　to　be　sought
with　great　diligence。　　In　more　fruitful　countries；　the　removal　of
one　only　makes　room　for　the　succession　of　another：　　but　in　the
Hebrides；　the　loss　of　an　inhabitant　leaves　a　lasting　vacuity；　for
nobody　born　in　any　other　parts　of　the　world　will　choose　this
country　for　his　residence；　and　an　Island　once　depopulated　will
remain　a　desert；　as　long　as　the　present　facility　of　travel　gives
every　one；　who　is　discontented　and　unsettled；　the　choice　of　his
abode。

Let　it　be　inquired；　whether　the　first　intention　of　those　who　are
fluttering　on　the　wing；　and　collecting　a　flock　that　they　may　take
their　flight；　be　to　attain　good；　or　to　avoid　evil。　　If　they　are
dissatisfied　with　that　part　of　the　globe；　which　their　birth　has
allotted　them；　and　resolve　not　to　live　without　the　pleasures　of
happier　climates；　if　they　long　for　bright　suns；　and　calm　skies；　and
flowery　fields；　and　fragrant　gardens；　I　know　not　by　what　eloquence
they　can　be　persuaded；　or　by　what　offers　they　can　be　hired　to　stay。

But　if　they　are　driven　from　their　native　country　by　positive　evils；
and　disgusted　by　ill…treatment；　real　or　imaginary；　it　were　fit　to
remove　their　grievances；　and　quiet　their　resentment；　since；　if　they
have　been　hitherto　undutiful　subjects；　they　will　not　much　mend
their　principles　by　American　conversation。

To　allure　them　into　the　army；　it　was　thought　proper　to　indulge　them
in　the　continuance　of　their　national　dress。　　If　this　concession
could　have　any　effect；　it　might　easily　be　made。　　That　dissimilitude
of　appearance；　which　was　supposed　to　keep　them　distinct　from　the
rest　of　the　nation；　might　disincline　them　from　coalescing　with　the
Pensylvanians；　or　people　of　Connecticut。　　If　the　restitution　of
their　arms　will　reconcile　them　to　their　country；　let　them　have
again　those　weapons；　which　will　not　be　more　mischievous　at　home
than　in　the　Colonies。　　That　they　may　not　fly　from　the　increase　of
rent；　I　know　not　whether　the　general　good　does　not　require　that　the
landlords　be；　for　a　time；　restrained　in　their　demands；　and　kept
quiet　by　pensions　proportionate　to　their　loss。

To　hinder　insurrection；　by　driving　away　the　people；　and　to　govern
peaceably；　by　having　no　subjects；　is　an　expedient　that　argues　no
great　profundity　of　politicks。　　To　soften　the　obdurate；　to　convince
the　mistaken；　to　mollify　the　resentful；　are　worthy　of　a　statesman；
but　it　affords　a　legislator　little　self…applause　to　consider；　that
where　there　was　formerly　an　insurrection；　there　is　now　a
wilderness。

It　has　been　a　question　often　agitated　without　solution；　why　those
northern　regions　are　now　so　thinly　peopled；　which　formerly
overwhelmed　with　their　armies　the　Roman　empire。　　The　question
supposes　what　I　believe　is　not　true；　that　they　had　once　more
inhabitants　than　they　could　maintain；　and　overflowed　only　because
they　were　full。

This　is　to　estimate　the　manners　of　all　countries　and　ages　by　our
own。　　Migration；　while　the　state　of　life　was　unsettled；　and　there
was　little　communication　of　intelligence　between　distant　places；
was　among　the　wilder　nations　of　Europe；　capricious　and　casual。　　An
adventurous　projector　heard　of　a　fertile　coast　unoccupied；　and　led
out　a　colony；　a　chief　of　renown　for　bravery；　called　the　young　men
together；　and　led　them　out　to　try　what　fortune　would　present。　　When
Caesar　was　in　Gaul；　he　found　the　Helvetians　preparing　to　go　they
knew　not　whither；　and　put　a　stop　to　their　motions。　　They　settled
again　i