a new view of society-第11部分

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ortance　to　the　welfare　of　society。　and　it　is　this　which　has　influenced　all　the　arrangements　connected　with　the　New　Institution。　　　　　The　time　the　children　will　remain　under　the　discipline　of　the　playground　and　school；　will　afford　all　the　opportunity　that　can　be　desired　to　create；　cultivate；　and　establish；　those　habits　and　sentiments　which　tend　to　the　welfare　of　the　individual　and　of　the　community。　And　in　conformity　to　this　plan　of　proceeding；　the　precept　which　was　given　to　the　child　of　two　years　old；　on　coming　into　the　playground；　'that　he　must　endeavour　to　make　his　companions　happy'；　is　to　be　renewed　and　enforced　on　his　entrance　into　the　school：　and　the　first　duty　of　the　schoolmaster　will　be　to　train　his　pupils　to　acquire　the　practice　of　always　acting　on　this　principle。　It　is　a　simple　rule；　the　plain　and　obvious　reasons　for　which　children　at　an　early　age　may　be　readily　taught　to　comprehend；　and　as　they　advance　in　years；　become　familiarized　with　its　practice；　and　experience　the　beneficial　effects　to　themselves；　they　will　better　feel　and　understand　all　its　important　consequences　to　society。　　　　　Such　then　being　the　foundation　on　which　the　practical　habits　of　the　children　are　to　be　formed；　we　proceed　to　explain　the　superstructure。　　　　　In　addition　to　the　knowledge　of　the　principle　and　practice　of　the　above…mentioned　precept；　the　boys　and　girls　are　to　be　taught　in　the　school　to　read　well；　and　to　understand　what　they　read；　to　write　expeditiously　a　good　legible　hand；　and　to　learn　correctly；　so　that　they　may　comprehend　and　use　with　facility　the　fundamental　rules　of　arithmetic。　The　girls　are　also　to　be　taught　to　sew；　cut　out；　and　make　up　useful　family　garments；　and；　after　acquiring　a　sufficient　knowledge　of　these；　they　are　to　attend　in　rotation　in　the　public　kitchen　and　eating　rooms；　to　learn　to　prepare　wholesome　food　in　an　economical　manner；　and　to　keep　a　house　neat　and　well　arranged。　　　　　It　was　said　that　the　children　are　to　be　taught　to　read　well；　and　to　understand　what　they　read。　　　　　In　many　schools；　the　children　of　the　poor　and　labouring　classes　are　never　taught　to　understand　what　they　read；　the　time　therefore　which　is　occupied　in　the　mockery　of　the　instruction　is　lost。　In　other　schools；　the　children；　through　the　ignorance　of　their　instructors；　are　taught　to　believe　without　reasoning；　and　thus　never　to　think　or　to　reason　correctly。　These　truly　lamentable　practices　cannot　fail　to　indispose；　the　young　mind　for　plain；　simple；　and　rational　instruction。　　　　　The　books　by　which　it　is　now　the　common　custom　to　teach　children　to　read；　inform　them　of　anything　except　that　which；　at　their　age；　they　ought　to　be　taught；　hence　the　inconsistencies　and　follies　of　adults。　It　is　full　time　that　this　system　should　be　changed。　Can　man；　when　possessing　the　full　vigour　of　his　faculties；　form　a　rational　judgement　on　any　subject；　until　he　has　first　collected　all　the　facts　respecting　it　which　are　known？　Has　not　this　been；　and　will　not　this　ever　remain；　the　only　path　by　which　human　knowledge　can　be　obtained？　Then　children　ought　to　be　instructed　on　the　same　principles。　They　should　first　be　taught　the　knowledge　of　facts；　commencing　with　those　which　are　most　familiar　to　the　young　mind；　and　gradually　proceeding　to　the　most　useful　and　necessary　to　be　known　by　the　respective　individuals　in　the　rank　of　life　in　which　they　are　likely　to　be　placed；　and　in　all　cases　the　children　should　have　as　clear　an　explanation　of　each　fact　as　their　minds　can　comprehend；　rendering　those　explanations　more　detailed　as　the　child　acquires　strength　and　capacity　of　intellect。　　　　　As　soon　as　the　young　mind　shall　be　duly　prepared　for　such　instruction；　the　master　should　not　allow　any　opportunity　to　escape；　that　would　enable　him　to　enforce　the　clear　and　inseparable　connection　which　exists　between　the　interest　and　happiness　of　each　individual　and　the　interest　and　happiness　of　every　other　individual。　This　should　be　the　beginning　and　end　of　all　instruction；　and　by　degrees　it　will　be　so　well　understood　by　his　pupils；　that　they　will　receive　the　same　conviction　of　its　truth；　that　those　familiar　with　mathematics　now　entertain　of　the　demonstrations　of　Euclid。　And　when　thus　comprehended；　the　all　prevailing　principle　of　known　life；　the　desire　of　happiness；　will　compel　them　without　deviation　to　pursue　it　in　practice。　　　　　It　is　much　to　be　regretted　that　the　strength　and　capacity　of　the　minds　of　children　are　yet　unknown；　their　faculties　have　been　hitherto　estimated　by　the　folly　of　instruction　which　has　been　given　to　them；　while；　if　they　were　never　taught　to　acquire　error；　they　would　speedily　exhibit　such　powers　of　mind；　as　would　convince　the　most　incredulous　how　much　the　human　intellect　has　been　injured　by　the　ignorance　of　former　and　present　treatment。　　　　　It　is　therefore　indeed　important　that　the　mind　from　its　birth　should　receive　those　ideas　only　which　are　consistent　with　each　other；　which　are　in　unison　with　all　the　known　facts　of　the　creation；　and　which　are　therefore　true。　Now；　however；　from　the　day　they　are　born；　the　minds　of　children　are　impressed　with　false　notions　of　themselves　and　of　mankind；　and　in　lieu　of　being　conducted　into　the　plain　path　leading　to　health　and　happiness；　the　utmost　pains　are　taken　to　compel　them　to　pursue　an　opposite　direction；　in　which　they　can　attain　only　inconsistency　and　error。　　　　　Let　the　plan　which　has　now　been　recommended　be　steadily　put　in　practice　from　infancy；　without　counteraction　from　the　systems　of　education　which　now　exist；　and　characters；　even　in　youth；　may　be　formed；　that　in　true　knowledge；　and　in　every　good　and　valuable　quality；　will　not　only　greatly　surpass　the　wise　and　learned　of　the　present　and　preceding　times；　but　will　appear；　as　they　really　will　be；　a　race　of　rational　or　superior　beings。　It　is　true；　this　change　cannot　be　instantaneously　established；　it　cannot　be　created　by　magic；　or　by　a　miracle；　it　must　be　effected　gradually　and　to　accomplish　it　finally　will　prove　a　work　of　labour　and　of　years。　For　those　who　have　been　misinstructed　from　infancy；　who　have　now　influence　and　are　active　in　the　world；　and　whose　activity　is　directed　by　the　false　notions　of　their　forefathers；　will　of　course　endeavour　to　obstruct　the　change。　Those　who　have　been　systematically　impressed　with　early　errors；　and　conscientiously　think　them　to　be　truths；　will　of　necessity；　while　such　errors　remain；　endeavour　to　perpetuate　them　in　their　children。　Some　simple　but　general　method；　therefore；　becomes　necessary　to　counteract　as　speedily　as　possible　an　evil　of　so　formidable　a　magnitude。　　　　　It　was　this　view　of　the　subject　which　suggested　the　utility　of　preparing　the　means　to　admit　of　evening　lectures　in　the　New　Institution；　and　it　is　intended　they　should　be　given；　during　winter；　three　nights　in　the　week；　alternately　with　dancing。　　　　　To　the　ill…trained　and　ill…taught　these　lectures　may　be　made　invaluable；　and　these　are　now　numerous；　for　the　far　greater　part　of　the　population　of　the　world　has　been　permitted　to　pass　the　proper　season　for　instruction　without　being　trained　to　be　rational；　and　they　have　acquired　only　the　ideas　and　habits　which　proceed　from　ignorant　association　and　erroneous　instruction。　　　　　It　is　intended　that　the　lectures　should　be　familiar　discourses；　delivered　in　plain　impressive　language；　to　instruct　the　adult　part　of　the　community　in　the　most　useful　practical　parts　of　knowledge　in　which　they　are　deficient；　particularly　in　the　proper　method　of　training　their　children　to　become　rational　creatures；　how　to　expend　the　earnings　of　their　own　labour　to　advantage；　and　how　to　appropriate　the　surplus　gains　which　will　be　left　to　them；　in　order　to　create　a　fund　which　will　relieve　them　from　the　anxious　fear　of　future　want；　and　thus　give　them；　under　the　many　errors　of　the　present　system；　that　rational　confidence　in　their　own　exertions　and　good　conduct；　without　which；　consistency　of　character　or　domestic　comfort　cannot　be　obtained；　and　ought　not　to　be　expected。　The　young　people　may　be　also　questioned　relative　to　their　progress　in　useful　knowledge；　and　allowed　to　ask　for　explanations。　In　short；　these　lectures　may　be　made　to　convey；　in　an　amusing　and　agreeable　manner；　highly　valuable　and　substantial　information　to　those　who　are　now　the　most　ignorant　in　the　community；　and　by　similar　means；　which　at　a　trifling　expense　may　be　put　into　action　over　the　whole　kingdom；　the　most　important　benefits　may　be　given　to　the　labouring　classes；　and　through　them；　to　the　whole　mass　of　society。　　　　　For　it　should　be　considered　that　the　far　greater　part　of　the　population　belong　to　or　have　risen　from　the　labouring　classes；。　and　by　them　the　happiness　and　comfort　of　all　ranks；　not　excluding　the　highest；　are　very　essentially　influenced：　because　even　much　more　of　the　character　of　children　in　all　families　is　formed　by　the　servants；　than　is　ever　supposed　by　those　unaccustomed　to　trace　with　attention　the　human　mind　from　earliest　infancy。　It　is　indeed　impossible　that　children　in　any　situation　can　be　correctly　trained；　until　those　who　surround　them　from　infancy　shall　be　previously　well　instructed；　and　the　value　of　good　servants　may　be　duly　appreciated　by　those　who　have　experienced　the　difference　between　the　very　good　and　very　bad。　　　　　The　last　part　of　the　intended　arrangement　of　the　New　Institution　remains　yet　to　be　described。　This　is　the　Church　and　its　doctrines；　and　they　involve　considerations　of　the　highest　interest　and　importance；　inasmuch　as　a　knowledge　of　truth　on　the　subject　of　religion　would　permanently　establish　the　happiness　of　man；　for　it　is　the　inconsistencies　alone；　proceeding　from　the　want　of　this　knowledge；　which　have　created；　and　still　create；　a　great　proportion　of　the　miseries　which　exist　in　the　world。　　　　　The　only　certain　criterion　of　truth　is；　that　it　is　ever　consistent　with　itself；　it　remains　one　and　the　same　under　every　view　and　comparison　of　it　which　can　be　made；　while　error　will　not　stand　the　test　of　this　investigation　and　comparison；　because　it　ever　leads　to　absurd　conclusions。　　　　　Those　whose　minds　are　equal　to　the　subject　will；　ere　this；　have　discovered；　that　the　principles　in　which　mankind　have　been　hitherto　instructed；　and　by　which　they　have　been　governed；　will　not　bear　the　test　of　this　criterion。　Investigate　and　compare　them；　they　betray　absurdity；　folly；　and　weakness；　hence　the　infinity　of　jarring　opinions；　disse