a new view of society-第12章

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ment；　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　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