a new view of society-第8部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


t　powerful　and　effective　corrector　of　crime；　and　of　all　injurious　and　improper　habits。　　　　　The　experiment　narrated　shows　that　this　is　not　hypothesis　and　theory。　The　principles　may　be　with　confidence　stated　to　be　universal；　and　applicable　to　all　times；　persons；　and　circumstances。　And　the　most　obvious　application　of　them　would　be　to　adopt　rational　means　to　remove　the　temptation　to　commit　crimes；　and　increase　the　difficulties　of　committing　them；　while；　at　the　same　time；　a　proper　direction　should　be　given　to　the　active　powers　of　the　individual；　and　a　due　share　provided　of　uninjurious　amusements　and　recreation。　Care　must　also　be　taken　to　remove　the　causes　of　jealousy；　dissensions；　and　irritation；　to　introduce　sentiments　calculated　to　create　union　and　confidence　among　all　the　members　of　the　community；　and　the　whole　should　be　directed　by　a　persevering　kindness；　sufficiently　evident　to　prove　that　a　sincere　desire　exists　to　increase；　and　not　to　diminish；　happiness。　　　　　These　principles；　applied　to　the　community　at　New　Lanark；　at　first　under　many　of　the　most　discouraging　circumstances；　but　persevered　in　for　sixteen　years；　effected　a　complete　change　in　the　general　character　of　the　village；　containing　upwards　of　2；000　inhabitants；　and　into　which；　also；　there　was　a　constant　influx　of　newcomers。　But　as　the　promulgation　of　new　miracles　is　not　for　present　times；　it　is　not　pretended　that　under　such　circumstances　one　and　all　are　become　wise　and　good；　or；　that　they　are　free　from　error。　But　it　may　be　truly　stated；　that　they　now　constitute　a　very　improved　society；　that　their　worst　habits　are　gone；　and　that　their　minor　ones　will　soon　disappear　under　a　continuance　of　the　application　of　the　same　principles；　that　during　the　period　mentioned；　scarcely　a　legal　punishment　has　been　inflicted；　or　an　application　been　made　for　parish　funds　by　any　individual　among　them。　Drunkenness　is　not　seen　in　their　streets；　and　the　children　are　taught　and　trained　in　the　institution　for　forming　their　character　without　any　punishment。　The　community　exhibits　the　general　appearance　of　industry；　temperance；　comfort；　health；　and　happiness。　These　are　and　ever　will　be　the　sure　and　certain　effects　of　the　adoption　of　the　principles　explained；　and　these　principles；　applied　with　judgement；　will　effectually　reform　the　most　vicious　community　existing；　and　train　the　younger　part　of　it　to　any　character　which　may　be　desired；　and　that；　too；　much　more　easily　on　an　extended　than　on　a　limited　scale。　To　apply　these　principles；　however；　successfully　to　practice；　both　a　comprehensive　and　a　minute　view　must　be　taken　of　the　existing　state　of　the　society　on　which　they　are　intended　to　operate。　The　causes　of　the　most　prevalent　evils　must　be　accurately　traced；　and　those　means　which　appear　the　most　easy　and　simple　should　be　immediately　applied　to　remove　them。　　　　　In　this　progress　the　smallest　alteration；　adequate　to　produce　any　good　effect；　should　be　made　at　one　time；　indeed；　if　possible；　the　change　should　be　so　gradual　as　to　be　almost　imperceptible；　yet　always　making　a　permanent　advance　in　the　desired　improvements。　By　this　procedure　the　most　rapid　practical　progress　will　be　obtained；　because　the　inclination　to　resistance　will　be　removed；　and　time　will　be　given　for　reason　to　weaken　the　force　of　long…established　injurious　prejudices。　The　removal　of　the　first　evil　will　prepare　the　way　for　the　removal　of　the　second；　and　this　facility　will　increase；　not　in　an　arithmetical；　but　in　a　geometrical　proportion；　until　the　directors　of　the　system　will　themselves　be　gratified　beyond　expression　with　the　beneficial　magnitude　of　their　own　proceedings。　　　　　Nor　while　these　principles　shall　be　acted　upon　can　there　be　any　retrogression　in　this　good　work；　for　the　permanence　of　the　amelioration　will　be　equal　to　its　extent。　　　　　What　then　remains　to　prevent　such　a　system　from　being　immediately　adopted　into　national　practice？　Nothing；　surely；　but　a　general　destitution　of　the　knowledge　of　the　practice。　For　with　the　certain　means　of　preventing　crimes；　can　it　be　supposed　that　British　legislators；　as　soon　as　these　means　shall　be　made　evident；　will　longer　withhold　them　from　their　fellow　subjects？　No：　I　am　persuaded　that　neither　prince；　ministers；　parliament；　nor　any　party　in　church　or　state；　will　avow　inclination　to　act　on　principles　of　such　flagrant　injustice。　Have　they　not　on　many　occasions　evinced　a　sincere　and　ardent　desire　to　ameliorate　the　condition　of　the　subjects　of　the　empire；　when　practicable　means　of　amelioration　were　explained　to　them；　which　could　be　adopted　without　risking　the　safety　of　the　state？　　　　　For　some　time　to　come　there　can　be　but　one　practicable；　and　therefore　one　rational　reform；　which　without　danger　can　be　attempted　in　these　realms；　a　reform　in　which　all　men　and　all　parties　may　join　that　is；　a　reform　in　the　training　and　in　the　management　of　the　poor；　the　ignorant；　the　untaught　and　untrained；　or　ill…taught　and　ill…trained；　among　the　whole　mass　of　British　population；　and　a　plain；　simple；　practicable　plan　which　would　not　contain　the　least　danger　to　any　individual；　or　to　any　part　of　society；　may　be　devised　for　that　purpose。　　　　　That　plan　is　a　national；　well…digested；　unexclusive　system　for　the　formation　of　character　and　general　amelioration　of　the　lower　orders。　On　the　experience　of　a　life　devoted　to　the　subject；　I　hesitate　not　to　say；　that　the　members　of　any　community　may　by　degrees　be　trained　to　live　without　idleness；　without　poverty；　without　crime；　and　without　punishment；　for　each　of　these　is　the　effect　of　error　in　the　various　systems　prevalent　throughout　the　world。　They　are　all　necessary　consequences　of　ignorance。　　　　　Train　any　population　rationally；　and　they　will　be　rational。　Furnish　honest　and　useful　employments　to　those　so　trained；　and　such　employments　they　will　greatly　prefer　to　dishonest　or　injurious　occupations。　It　is　beyond　all　calculation　the　interest　of　every　government　to　provide　that　training　and　that　employment；　and　to　provide　both　is　easily　practicable。　　　　　The　first；　as　before　stated；　is　to　be　obtained　by　a　national　system　for　the　formation　of　character；　the　second；　by　governments　preparing　a　reserve　of　employment　for　the　surplus　working　classes；　when　the　general　demand　for　labour　throughout　the　country。　iS　not　equal　to　the　full　occupation　of　the　whole：　that　employment　to　be　on　useful　national　objects　from　which　the　public　may　derive　advantage　equal　to　the　expense　which　those　works　may　require。　　　　　The　national　plan　for　the　formation　of　character　should　include　all　the　modern　improvements　of　education；　without　regard　to　the　system　of　any　one　individual；　and　should　not　exclude　the　child　of　any　one　subject　in　the　empire。　Anything　short　of　this　would　be　an　act　of　intolerance　and　injustice　to　the　excluded；　and　of　injury　to　society；　so　glaring　and　manifest；　that　I　shall　be　deceived　in　the　character　of　my　countrymen　if　any　of　those　who　have　influence　in　church　and　state　should　now　be　found　willing　to　attempt　it。　Is　it　not　indeed　strikingly　evident　even　to　common　observers；　that　any　further　effort　to　enforce　religious　exclusion　would　involve　the　certain　and　speedy　destruction　of　the　present　church　establishment；　and　would　even　endanger　our　civil　institutions？　　　　　It　may　be　said；　however；　that　ministers　and　parliament　have　many　other　important　subjects　under　discussion。　This　is　evidently　true；　but　will　they　not　have　high　national　concerns　always　to　engage　their　attention？　And　can　any　question　be　brought　forward　of　deeper　interest　to　the　community　than　that　which　affects　the　formation　of　character　and　the　well…being　of　every　individual　within　the　empire？　A　question；　too；　which；　when　understood；　will　be　found　to　offer　the　means　of　amelioration　to　the　revenues　of　these　kingdoms；　far　beyond　any　practical　plan　now　likely　to　be　devised。　Yet；　important　as　are　considerations　of　revenue；　they　must　appear　secondary　when　put　in　competition　with　the　lives；　liberty；　and　comfort　of　our　fellow　subjects；　which　are　now　hourly　sacrificed　for　want　of　an　effective　legislative　measure　to　prevent　crime。　And　is　an　act　of　such　vital　importance　to　the　well…being　of　all　to　be　longer　delayed？　Shall　yet　another　year　pass　in　which　crime　shall　be　forced　on　the　infant；　who　in　ten；　twenty；　or　thirty　years　hence　shall　suffer　DEATH　for　being　taught　that　crime？　Surely　it　is　impossible。　Should　it　be　so　delayed；　the　individuals　of　the　present　parliament；　the　legislators　of　this　day；　ought　in　strict　and　impartial　justice　to　be　amenable　to　the　laws　for　not　adopting　the　means　in　their　power　to　prevent　the　crime；　rather　than　the　poor；　untrained；　and　unprotected　culprit；　whose　previous　years；　if　he　had　language　to　describe　them；　would　exhibit　a　life　of　unceasing　wretchedness；　arising　solely　from　the　errors　of　society。　　　　　Much　might　be　added　on　these　momentous　subjects；　even　to　make　them　evident　to　the　capacities　of　children：　but　for　obvious　reasons　the　outlines　are　merely　sketched；　and　it　is　hoped　these　outlines　will　be　sufficient　to　induce　the　well…disposed　of　all　parties　cordially　to　unite　in　this　vital　measure　for　the　preservation　of　everything　dear　to　society。　　　　　In　the　next　Essay　an　account　will　be　given　of　the　plans　which　are　in　progress　at　New　Lanark　for　the　further　comfort　and　improvement　of　its　inhabitants；　and　a　general　practical　system　be　described；　by　which　the　same　advantages　may　be　gradually　introduced　among　the　poor　and　working　classes　throughout　the　United　Kingdom。

THIRD　ESSAY

The　Principles　of　the　Former　Essays　applied　to　a　Particular　Situation　Truth　must　ultimately　prevail　over　error。　At　the　conclusion　of　the　Second　Essay；　a　promise　was　made　that　an　account　should　be　given　of　the　plans　which　were　in　progress　at　New　Lanark　for　the　further　improvement　of　its　inhabitants；　and　that　a　practical　system　should　be　sketched；　by　which　equal　advantages　might　be　generally　introduced　among　the　poor　and　working　classes　throughout　the　United　Kingdom。　　　　　This　account　became　necessary；　in　order　to　exhibit　even　a　limited　view　of　the　principles　on　which　the　plans　of　the　author　are　founded；　and　to　recommend　them　generally　to　practice。　　　　　That　which　has　been　hitherto　done　for　the　community　at　New　Lanark；　as　described　in　the　Second　Essay；　has　chiefly　consisted　in　withdrawing　some　of　those　circumstances　which　tended　to　generate；　continue；　or　increase　ear