a new view of society-第9部分

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isted　in　withdrawing　some　of　those　circumstances　which　tended　to　generate；　continue；　or　increase　early　bad　habits；。　that　is　to　say；　undoing　that　which　society　had　from　ignorance　permitted　to　be　done。　　　　　To　effect　this；　however；　was　a　far　more　difficult　task　than　to　train　up　a　child　from　infancy　in　the　way　he　should　go；　for　that　is　the　most　easy　process　for　the　formation　of　character；　while　to　unlearn　and　to　change　long　acquired　habits　is　a　proceeding　directly　opposed　to　the　most　tenacious　feelings　of　human　nature。　　　　　Nevertheless；　the　proper　application　steadily　pursued　did　effect　beneficial　changes　on　these　old　habits；　even　beyond　the　most　sanguine　expectations　of　the　party　by　whom　the　task　was　undertaken。　　　　　The　principles　were　driven　from　the　study　of　human　nature　itself　and　they　could　not　fail　of　success。　　　　　Still；　however；　very　little；　comparatively　speaking；　had　been　done　for　them。　They　had　not　been　taught　the　most　valuable　domestic　and　social　habits：　such　as　the　most　economical　method　of　preparing　food；　how　to　arrange　their　dwellings　with　neatness；　and　to　keep　them　always　clean　and　in　order；　but；　what　was　of　infinitely　more　importance；　they　had　not　been　instructed　how　to　train　their　children　to　form　them　into　valuable　members　of　the　community；　or　to　know　that　principles　existed；　which；　when　properly　applied　to　practice　from　infancy；　would　ensure　from　man　to　man；　without　chance　of　failure；　a　just；　open；　sincere；　and　benevolent　conduct。　　　　　It　was　in　this　stage　of　the　progress　of　improvement；　that　it　became　necessary　to　form　arrangements　for　surrounding　them　with　circumstances　which　should　gradually　prepare　the　individuals　to　receive　and　firmly　retain　those　domestic　and　social　acquirements　and　habits。　For　this　purpose　a　building；　which　may　be　termed　the　'new　institution'；　was　erected　in　the　centre　of　the　establishment；　with　an　enclosed　area　before　it。　The　area　is　intended　for　a　playground　for　the　children　of　the　villagers；　from　the　time　they　can　walk　alone　until　they　enter　the　school。　　　　　It　must　be　evident　to　those　who　have　been　in　the　practice　of　observing　children　with　attention；　that　much　of　good　or　evil　is　taught　to　or　acquired　by　a　child　at　a　very　early　period　of　its　life；　that　much　of　temper　or　disposition　is　correctly　or　incorrectly　formed　before　he　attains　his　second；　year'　and　that　many　durable　impressions　are　made　at　the　termination　of　the　first　twelve　or　even　six　months　of　his　existence。　The　children；　therefore；　of　the　uninstructed　and　ill…instructed；　suffer　material　injury　in　the　formation　of　their　characters　during　these　and　the　subsequent　years　of　childhood　and　of　youth。　　　　　It　was　to　prevent；　or　as　much　as　possible　to　counteract；　these　primary　evils；　to　which　the　poor　and　working　classes　are　exposed　when　infants；　that　the　area　became　part　of　the　New　Institution。　　　　　Into　this　playground　the　children　are　to　be　received　as　soon　as　they　can　freely　walk　alone；　to　be　superintended　by　persons　instructed　to　take　charge　of　them。　　　　　As　the　happiness　of　man　chiefly；　if　not　altogether；　depends　on　his　own　sentiments　and　habits；　as　well　as　those　of　the　individuals　around　him；　and　as　any　sentiments　and　habits　may　be　given　to　all　infants；　it　becomes　of　primary　importance　that　those　alone　should　be　given　to　them　which　can　contribute　to　their　happiness。　Each　child；　therefore；　on　his　entrance　into　the　playground；　is　to　be　told　in　language　which　he　can　understand；　that　'he　is　never　to　injure　his　playfellows；　but　that；　on　the　contrary；　he　is　to　contribute　all　in　his　power　to　make　them　happy。。　This　simple　precept；　when　comprehended　in　all　its　bearings；　and　the　habits　which　will　arise　from　its　early　adoption　into　practice；　if　no　counteracting　principle　be　forced　uPon　the　young　mind；　will　effectually　supersede　all　the　errors　which　have　hitherto　kept　the　world　in　ignorance　and　misery。　So　simple　a　precept；　too；　will　be　easily　taught；　and　as　easily　acquired；　for　the　chief　employment　of　the　superintendents　will　be　to　prevent　any　deviation　from　it　in　practice。　The　older　children；　when　they　shall　have　experienced　the　endless　advantages　from　acting　on　this　principle；　will；　by　their　example；　soon　enforce　the　practice　of　it　on　the　young　strangers：　and　the　happiness；　which　the　little　groups　will　enjoy　from　this　rational　conduct；　will　ensure　its　speedy　and　general　and　willing　adoption。　The　habit　also　which　they　will　acquire　at　this　early　period　of　life　by　continually　acting　on　the　principle；　will　fix　it　firmly；　it　will　become　easy　and　familiar　to　them；　or；　as　it　is　often　termed；　natural。　　　　　Thus；　by　merely　attending　to　the　evidence　of　our　senses　respecting　human　nature；　and　disregarding　the　wild；　inconsistent；　and　absurd　theories　in　which　man　has　been　hitherto　trained　in　all　parts　of　the　earth；　we　shall　accomplish　with　ease　and　certainty　the　supposed　Herculean　labour　of　forming　a　rational　character　in　man；　and　that；　too；　chiefly　before　the　child　commences　the　ordinary　course　of　education。　　　　　The　character　thus　early　formed　will　be　as　durable　as　it　will　be　advantageous　to　the　individual　and　to　the　community。　for　by　the　constitution　of　our　nature；　when　once　the　mind　fully　understands　that　which　is　true；　the　impression　of　that　truth　cannot　be　erased　except　by　mental　disease　or　death；　while　error　must　be　relinquished　at　every　period　of　life；　whenever　it　can　be　made　manifest　to　the　mind　in　which　it　has　been　received。　This　part　of　the　arrangement；　therefore；　will　effect　the　following　purposes：　　　　　The　child　will　be　removed；　so　far　as　is　at　present　practicable；　from　the　erroneous　treatment　of　the　yet　untrained　and　untaught　parents。　　　　　The　parents　will　be　relieved　from　the　loss　of　time　and　from　the　care　and　anxiety　which　are　now　occasioned　by　attendance　on　their　children　from　the　period　when　they　can　go　alone　to　that　at　which　they　enter　the　school。　　　　　The　child　will　be　placed　in　a　situation　of　safety；　where；　with　its　future　schoolfellows　and　companions；　it　will　acquire　the　best　habits　and　principles；　while　at　mealtimes　and　at　night　it　will　return　to　the　caresses　of　its　parents；　and　the　affections　of　each　are　likely　to　be　increased　by　the　separation。　　　　　The　area　is　also　to　be　a　place　of　meeting　for　the　children　from　five　to　ten　years　of　age；　previous　to　and　after　school…hours；　and　to　serve　for　a　drill…ground；　the　object　of　which　will　be　hereafter　explained；　and　a　shade　will　be　formed；　under　which　in　stormy　weather　the　children　may　retire　for　shelter。　　　　　These　are　the　important　purposes　to　which　a　playground　attached　to　a　school　may　be　applied。　　　　　Those　who　have　derived　a　knowledge　of　human　nature　from　observation　know　that　man　in　every　situation　requires　relaxation　from　his　constant　and　regular　occupations；　whatever　they　be：　and　that　if　he　shall　not　be　provided　with　or　permitted　to　enjoy　innocent　and　uninjurious　amusements；　he　must　and　will　partake　of　those　which　he　can　obtain；　to　give　him　temporary　relief　from　his　exertions；　although　the　means　of　gaining　that　relief　should　be　most　pernicious。　For　man；　irrationally　instructed；　is　ever　influenced　far　more　by　immediate　feelings　than　by　remote　considerations。　　　　　Those；　then；　who　desire　to　give　mankind　the　character　which　it　would　be　for　the　happiness　of　all　that　they　should　possess；　will　not　fail　to　make　careful　provision　for　their　amusement　and　recreation。　　　　　The　Sabbath　was　originally　so　intended。　It　was　instituted　to　be　a　day　of　universal　enjoyment　and　happiness　to　the　human　race。　It　is　frequently　made；　however；　from　the　opposite　extremes　of　error；　either　a　day　of　superstitious　gloom　and　tyranny　over　the　mind；　or　of　the　most　destructive　intemperance　and　licentiousness。　The　one　of　these　has　been　the　cause　of　the　other；　the　latter　the　certain　and　natural　consequence　of　the　former。　Relieve　the　human　mind　from　useless　and　superstitious　restraints；　train　it　on　those　principles　which　facts；　ascertained　from　the　first　knowledge　of　time　to　this　day；　demonstrate　to　be　the　only　principles　which　are　true；　and　intemperance　and　licentiousness　will　not　exist；　for　such　conduct　in　itself　is　neither　the　immediate　nor　the　future　interest　of　man；　and　he　is　ever　governed　by　one　or　other　of　these　considerations；　according　to　the　habits　which　have　been　given　to　him　from　infancy。　　　　　The　Sabbath；　in　many　parts　of　Scotland；　is　not　a　day　of　innocent　and　cheerful　recreation　to　the　labouring　man；　nor　can　those　who　are　confined　all　the　week　to　sedentary　occupations；　freely　partake；　without　censure；　of　the　air　and　exercise　to　which　nature　invites　them；　and　which　their　health　demands。　　　　　The　errors　of　the　times　of　superstition　and　bigotry　still　hold　some　sway；　and　compel　those　who　wish　to　preserve　a　regard　to　their　respectability　in　society；　to　an　overstrained　demeanour；　and　this　demeanour　sometimes　degenerates　into　hypocrisy；　and　is　often　the　cause　of　great　inconsistency。　It　is　destructive　of　every　open；　honest；　generous；　and　manly　feeling。　It　disgusts　many；　and　drives　them　to　the　opposite　extreme。　It　is　sometimes　the　cause　of　insanity。　It　is　founded　on　ignorance；　and　defeats　its　own　object。　　　　　While　erroneous　customs　prevail　in　any　country；　it　would　evince　an　ignorance　of　human　nature　in　any　individual　to　offend　against　them；　until　he　has　convinced　the　community　of　their　error。　　　　　To　counteract；　in　some　degree；　the　inconvenience　which　arose　from　the　misapplication　of　the　Sabbath；　it　became　necessary　to　introduce　on　the　other　days　of　the　week　some　innocent　amusement　and　recreation　for　those　whose　labours　were　unceasing；　and　in　winter　almost　uniform。　In　summer；　the　inhabitants　of　the　village　of　New　Lanark　have　their　gardens　and　potato　grounds　to　cultivate；　they　have　walks　laid　out　to　give　them　health　and　the　habit　of　being　gratified　with　the　ever…changing　scenes　of　nature　…　for　those　scenes　afford　not　only　the　most　economical；　but　also　the　most　innocent　pleasures　which　man　can　enjoy；　and　all　men　may　be　easily　trained　to　enjoy　them。　　　　　In　winter　the　community　are　deprived　of　these　healthy　occupations　and　amusements；　they　are　employed　ten　hours　and　three…quarters　every　day　in　the　week；　except　Sunday；　and　generally　every　individual　continues　during　that　time　at　the　same　work：　and　experience　has　shown　that　the　average　health　and　spirits　of　the　community　are　several　degrees　lower　in　winter　than　in　summer；　and　this　in　part　may　be　f