a new view of society-第7部分

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ir　dwellings；　the　health　and　comfort　of　temperance　were　made　familiar　to　them；　by　degrees　drunkenness　disappeared；　and　many　who　were　habitual　bacchanalians　are　now　conspicuous　for　undeviating　sobriety。　　　　　Falsehood　and　deception　met　with　a　similar　fate：　they　were　held　in　disgrace；　their　practical　evils　were　shortly　explained；　and　every　countenance　was　given　to　truth　and　open　conduct。　The　pleasure　and　substantial　advantages　derived　from　the　latter　soon　overcame　the　impolicy；　error；　and　consequent　misery；　which　the　former　mode　of　acting　had　created。　　　　　Dissensions　and　quarrels　were　undermined　by　analagous　expedients。　When　they　could　not　be　readily　adjusted　between　the　parties　themselves；　they　were　stated　to　the　manager；　and　as　in　such　cases　both　disputants　were　usually　more　or　less　in　the　wrong；　that　wrong　was　in　as　few　words　as　possible　explained；　forgiveness　and　friendship　recommended；　and　one　simple　and　easily　remembered　precept　inculcated；　as　the　most　valuable　rule　for　their　whole　conduct；　and　the　advantages　of　which　they　would　experience　every　moment　of　their　lives；　viz。　…　'That　in　future　they　should　endeavour　to　use　the　same　active　exertions　to　make　each　other　happy　and　comfortable；　as　they　had　hitherto　done　to　make　each　other　miserable；　and　by　carrying　this　short　memorandum　in　their　mind；　and　applying　it　on　all　occasions；　they　would　soon　render　that　place　a　paradise；　which；　from　the　most　mistaken　principle　of　action；　they　now　made　the　abode　of　misery。'　The　experiment　was　tried：　the　parties　enjoyed　the　gratification　of　this　new　mode　of　conduct；　references　rapidly　subsided；　and　now　serious　differences　are　scarcely　known。　　　　　Considerable　jealousies　also　existed　on　account　of　one　religious　sect　possessing　a　decided　preference　over　the　others。　This　was　corrected　by　discontinuing　that　preference；　and　by　giving　a　uniform　encouragement　to　those　who　conducted　themselves　well　among　all　the　various　religious　persuasions；　by　recommending　the　same　consideration　to　be　shown　to　the　conscientious　opinions　of　each　sect；　on　the　ground　that　all　must　believe　the　particular　doctrines　which　they　had　been　taught；　and　consequently　that　all　were　in　that　respect　upon　an　equal　footing；　nor　was　it　possible　yet　to　say　which　was　right　or　wrong。　It　was　likewise　inculcated　that　all　should　attend　to　the　essence　of　religion；　and　not　act　as　the　world　was　now　taught　and　trained　to　do；　that　is；　to　overlook　the　substance　and　essence　of　religion；　and　devote　their　talents；　time；　and　money；　to　that　which　is　far　worse　than　its　shadow；　sectarianism；　another　term　for　something　very　injurious　to　society；　and　very　absurd；　which　one　or　other　well…meaning　enthusiast　has　added　to　true　religion；　which；　without　these　defects；　would　soon　form　those　characters　which　every　wise　and　good　man　is　anxious　to　see。　　　　　Such　statements　and　conduct　arrested　sectarian　animosity　and　ignorant　intolerance；　each　retains　full　liberty　of　conscience；　and　in　consequence　each　partakes　of　the　sincere　friendship　of　many　sects　instead　of　one。　They　act　with　cordiality　together　in　the　same　departments　and　pursuits；　and　associate　as　though　the　whole　community　were　not　of　different　sectarian　persuasions；　and　not　one　evil　ensues。　　　　　The　same　principles　were　applied　to　correct　the　irregular　intercourse　of　the　sexes：　such　conduct　was　discountenanced　and　held　in　disgrace；　fines　were　levied　upon　both　parties　for　the　use　of　the　support　fund　of　the　community。　（This　fund　arose　from　each　individual　contributing　one　sixtieth　part　of　their　wages；　which；　under　their　management；　was　applied　to　support　the　sick；　and　injured　by　accident；　and　the　aged。　）　But　because　they　had　once　unfortunately　offended　against　the　established　laws　and　customs　of　society；　they　were　not　forced　to　become　vicious；　abandoned；　and　miserable；　the　door　was　left　open　for　them　to　return　to　the　comforts　of　kind　friends　and　respected　acquaintances；　and；　beyond　any　previous　expectation；　the　evil　became　greatly　diminished。　　　　　The　system　of　receiving　apprentices　from　public　charities　was　abolished；　permanent　settlers　with　large　families　were　encouraged；　and　comfortable　houses　were　built　for　their　accommodation。　　　　　The　practice　of　employing　children　in　the　mills；　of　six；　seven　and　eight　years　of　age；　was　discontinued；　and　their　parents　advised　to　allow　them　to　acquire　health　and　education　until　they　were　ten；　years　old。　（It　may　be　remarked；　that　even　this　age　is　too　early　to　keep　them　at　constant　employment　in　manufactories；　from　six　in　the　morning　to　seven　in　the　evening。　Far　better　would　it　be　for　the　children；　their　parents；　and　for　society；　that　the　first　should　not　commence　employment　until　they　attain　the　age　of　twelve；　when　their　education　might　be　finished；　and　their　bodies　would　be　more　competent　to　undergo　the　fatigue　and　exertions　required　of　them。　When　parents　can　be　trained　to　afford　this　additional　time　to　their　children　without　inconvenience；　they　will；　of　course；　adopt　the　practice　now　recommended。）　　　　　The　children　were　taught　reading；　writing；　and　arithmetic；　during　five　years；　that　is；　from　five　to　ten；　in　the　village　school；　without　expense　to　their　parents。　All　the　modern　improvements　in　education　have　been　adopted；　or　are　in　process　of　adoption。　（To　avoid　the　inconveniences　which　must　ever　arise　from　the　introduction　of　a　particular　creed　into　a　school；　the　children　are　taught　to　read　in　such　books　as　inculcate　those　precepts　of　the　Christian　religion；　which　are　common　to　all　denominations。）　They　may　therefore　be　taught　and　well…trained　before　they　engage　in　any　regular　employment。　Another　important　consideration　is；　that　all　their　instruction　is　rendered　a　pleasure　and　delight　to　them；　they　are　much　more　anxious　for　the　hour　of　school…time　to　arrive　than　to　end；　they　therefore　make　a　rapid　progress；　and　it　may　be　safely　asserted；　that　if　they　shall　not　be　trained　to　form　such　characters　as　may　be　most　desired；　the　fault　will　not　proceed　from　the　children；　the　cause　will　be　in　the　want　of　a　true　knowledge　of　human　nature　in　those　who　have　the　management　of　them　and　their　parents。　　　　　During　the　period　that　these　changes　were　going　forward；　attention　was　given　to　the　domestic　arrangements　of　the　community。　　　　　Their　houses　were　rendered　more　comfortable；　their　streets　were　improved；　the　best　provisions　were　purchased；　and　sold　to　them　at　low　rates；　yet　covering　the　original　expense；　and　under　such　regulations　as　taught　them　how　to　proportion　their　expenditure　to　their　income。　Fuel　and　clothes　were　obtained　for　them　in　the　same　manner；　and　no　advantage　was　attempted　to　be　taken　of　them；　or　means　used　to　deceive　them。　　　　　In　consequence；　their　animosity　and　opposition　to　the　stranger　subsided；　their　full　confidence　was　obtained；　and　they　became　satisfied　that　no　evil　was　intended　them；　they　were　convinced　that　a　real　desire　existed　to　increase　their　happiness　upon　those　grounds　alone　on　which　it　could　be　permanently　increased。　All　difficulties　in　the　way　of　future　improvement　vanished。　They　were　taught　to　be　rational；　and　they　acted　rationally。　Thus　both　parties　experienced　the　incalculable　advantages　of　the　system　which　had　been　adopted。　Those　employed　became　industrious；　temperate；　healthy；　faithful　to　their　employers；　and　kind　to　each　other。　while　the　proprietors　were　deriving　services　from　their　attachment；　almost　without　inspection；　far　beyond　those　which　could　be　obtained　by　any　other　means　than　those　of　mutual　confidence　and　kindness。　Such　was　the　effect　of　these　principles　on　the　adults；　on　those　whose　previous　habits　had　been　as　ill…formed　as　habits　could　be；　and　certainly　the　application　of　the　principles　to　practice　was　made　under　the　most　unfavourable　circumstances。　（It　may　be　supposed　that　this　community　was　separated　from　other　society；　but　the　supposition　would　be　erroneous；　for　it　had　daily　and　hourly　communication　with　a　population　exceeding　its　own　number。　The　royal　borough　of　Lanark　is　only　one　mile　distant　from　the　works；　many　individuals　came　daily　from　the　former　to　be　employed　at　the　latter；　and　a　general　intercourse　is　constantly　maintained　between　the　old　and　new　towns。）　　　　　I　have　thus　given　a　detailed　account　of　this　experiment；　although　a　partial　application　of　the　principles　is　of　far　less　importance　than　a　clear　and　accurate　account　of　the　principles　themselves；　in　order　that　they　may　be　so　well　understood　as　to　be　easily　rendered　applicable　to　practice　in　any　community　and　under　any　circumstances。　Without　this；　particular　facts　may　indeed　amuse　or　astonish；　but　they　would　not　contain　that　substantial　value　which　the　principles　will　be　found　to　possess。　But　if　the　relation　of　the　narrative　shall　forward　this　object；　the　experiment　cannot　fail　to　prove　the　certain　means　of　renovating　the　moral　and　religious　principles　of　the　world；　by　showing　whence　arise　the　various　opinions；　manners；　vices；　and　virtues　of　mankind；　and　how　the　best　or　the　worst　of　them　may；　with　mathematical　precision；　be　taught　to　the　rising　generation。　　　　　Let　it　not；　therefore；　be　longer　said　that　evil　or　injurious　actions　cannot　be　prevented；　or　that　the　most　rational　habits　in　the　rising　generation　cannot　be　universally　formed。　In　those　characters　which　now　exhibit　crime；　the　fault　is　obviously　not　in　the　individual；　but　the　defects　proceed　from　the　system　in　which　the　individual　was　trained。　Withdraw　those　circumstances　which　tend　to　create　crime　in　the　human　character；　and　crime　will　not　be　created。　Replace　them　with　such　as　are　calculated　to　form　habits　of　order；　regularity；　temperance；　industry；　and　these　qualities　will　be　formed。　Adopt　measures　of　fair　equity　and　justice；　and　you　will　readily　acquire　the　full　and　complete　confidence　of　the　lower　orders。　Proceed　systematically　on　principles　of　undeviating　persevering　kindness；　yet　retaining　and　using；　with　the　least　possible　severity；　the　means　of　restraining　crime　from　immediately　injuring　society'。　and　by　degrees　even　the　crimes　now　existing　in　the　adults　will　also　gradually　disappear：　for　the　worst　formed　disposition；　short　of　incurable　insanity；　will　not　long　resist　a　firm；　determined；　well…directed；　persevering　kindness。　Such　a　proceeding；　whenever　practised；　will　be　found　the　most　powerful　and　effective　corrector　of　crime；　and　of　all　injurious　and　improper　habits。　　　　　The　exper