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journal of a voyage to lisbon-第11章

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divine love set over us as a race of beings of a superior order

to men; and who; with great ease to themselves; might regulate

our affairs and establish peace; modesty; freedom; and justice;

and; totally destroying all sedition; might complete the

happiness of the human race。  So far; at least; may even now be

said with truth; that in all states which are under the

government of mere man; without any divine assistance; there is

nothing but labor and misery to be found。  From what I have said;

therefore; we may at least learn; with our utmost endeavors; to

imitate the Saturnian institution; borrowing all assistance from

our immortal part; while we pay to this the strictest obedience;

we should form both our private economy and public policy from

its dictates。  By this dispensation of our immortal minds we are

to establish a law and to call it by that name。  But if any

government be in the hands of a single person; of the few; or of

the many; and such governor or governors shall abandon himself or

themselves to the unbridled pursuit of the wildest pleasures or

desires; unable to restrain any passion; but possessed with an

insatiable bad disease; if such shall attempt to govern; and at

the same time to trample on all laws; there can be no means of

preservation left for the wretched people。〃 Plato de Leg。; lib。

iv。 p。 713; c。 714; edit。 Serrani。



It is true that Plato is here treating of the highest or

sovereign power in a state; but it is as true that his

observations are general and may be applied to all inferior

powers; and; indeed; every subordinate degree is immediately

derived from the highest; and; as it is equally protected by the

same force and sanctified by the same authority; is alike

dangerous to the well…being of the subject。  Of all powers;

perhaps; there is none so sanctified and protected as this which

is under our present consideration。  So numerous; indeed; and

strong; are the sanctions given to it by many acts of parliament;

that; having once established the laws of customs on merchandise;

it seems to have been the sole view of the legislature to

strengthen the hands and to protect the persons of the officers

who became established by those laws; many of whom are so far

from bearing any resemblance to the Saturnian institution; and to

be chosen from a degree of beings superior to the rest of human

race; that they sometimes seem industriously picked out of the

lowest and vilest orders of mankind。  There is; indeed; nothing;

so useful to man in general; nor so beneficial to particular

societies and individuals; as trade。  This is that alma mater at

whose plentiful breast all mankind are nourished。  It is true;

like other parents; she is not always equally indulgent to all

her children; but; though she gives to her favorites a vast

proportion of redundancy and superfluity; there are very few whom

she refuses to supply with the conveniences; and none with the

necessaries; of life。



Such a benefactress as this must naturally be beloved by mankind

in general; it would be wonderful; therefore; if her interest was

not considered by them; and protected from the fraud and violence

of some of her rebellious offspring; who; coveting more than

their share or more than she thinks proper to allow them; are

daily employed in meditating mischief against her; and in

endeavoring to steal from their brethren those shares which this

great alma mater had allowed them。



At length our governor came on board; and about six in the

evening we weighed anchor; and fell down to the Nore; whither our

passage was extremely pleasant; the evening being very

delightful; the moon just past the full; and both wind and tide

favorable to us。



Tuesday; July 2。This morning we again set sail; under all the

advantages we had enjoyed the evening before。  This day we left

the shore of Essex and coasted along Kent; passing by the

pleasant island of Thanet; which is an island; and that of

Sheppy; which is not an island; and about three o 'clock; the

wind being now full in our teeth; we came to an anchor in the

Downs; within two miles of Deal。My wife; having suffered

intolerable pain from her tooth; again renewed her resolution of

having it drawn; and another surgeon was sent for from Deal; but

with no better success than the former。  He likewise declined the

operation; for the same reason which had been assigned by the

former:  however; such was her resolution; backed with pain; that

he was obliged to make the attempt; which concluded more in honor

of his judgment than of his operation; for; after having put my

poor wife to inexpressible torment; he was obliged to leave her

tooth in statu quo; and she had now the comfortable prospect of a

long fit of pain; which might have lasted her whole voyage;

without any possibility of relief。  In these pleasing sensations;

of which I had my just share; nature; overcome with fatigue;

about eight in the evening resigned her to resta circumstance

which would have given me some happiness; could I have known how

to employ those spirits which were raised by it; but;

unfortunately for me; I was left in a disposition of enjoying an

agreeable hour without the assistance of a companion; which has

always appeared to me necessary to such enjoyment; my daughter

and her companion were both retired sea…sick to bed; the other

passengers were a rude school…boy of fourteen years old and an

illiterate Portuguese friar; who understood no language but his

own; in which I had not the least smattering。  The captain was

the only person left in whose conversation I might indulge

myself; but unluckily; besides a total ignorance of everything in

the world but a ship; he had the misfortune of being so deaf;

that to make him hear; I will not say understand; my words; I

must run the risk of conveying them to the ears of my wife; who;

though in another room (called; I think; the state…roombeing;

indeed; a most stately apartment; capable of containing one human

body in length; if not very tall; and three bodies in breadth);

lay asleep within a yard of me。  In this situation necessity and

choice were one and the same thing; the captain and I sat down

together to a small bowl of punch; over which we both soon fell

fast asleep; and so concluded the evening。



Wednesday; July 3。This morning I awaked at four o'clock for my

distemper seldom suffered me to sleep later。  I presently got up;

and had the pleasure of enjoying the sight of a tempestuous sea

for four hours before the captain was stirring; for he loved to

indulge himself in morning slumbers; which were attended with a

wind…music; much more agreeable to the performers than to the

hearers; especially such as have; as I had; the privilege of

sitting in the orchestra。  At eight o 'clock the captain rose;

and sent his boat on shore。  I ordered my man likewise to go in

it; as my distemper was not of that kind which entirely deprives

us of appetite。  Now; though the captain had well victualled his

ship with all manner of salt provisions for the voyage; and had

added great quantities of fresh stores; particularly of

vegetables; at Gravesend; such as beans and peas; which had been

on board only two days; and had possibly not been gathered above

two more; I apprehended I could provide better for myself at Deal

than the ship's ordinary seemed to promise。  I accordingly sent

for fresh provisions of all kinds from the shore; in order to put

off the evil day of starving as long as possible。  My man

returned with most of the articles I sent for; and I now thought

myself in a condition of living a week on my own provisions。  I

therefore ordered my own dinner; which I wanted nothing but a

cook to dress and a proper fire to dress it at; but those were

not to be had; nor indeed any addition to my roast mutton; except

the pleasure of the captain's company; with that of the other

passengers; for my wife continued the whole day in a state of

dozing; and my other females; whose sickness did not abate by the

rolling of the ship at anchor; seemed more inclined to empty

their stomachs than to fill them。  Thus I passed the whole day

(except about an hour at dinner) by myself; and the evening

concluded with the captain as the preceding one had done; one

comfortable piece of news he communicated to me; which was; that

he had no doubt of a prosperous wind in the morning; but as he

did not divulge the reasons of this confidence; and as I saw none

myself besides the wind being directly opposite; my faith in this

prophecy was not strong enough to build any great hopes upon。



Thursday; July 4。This morning; however; the captain seemed

resolved to fulfill his own predictions; whether the wind would

or no; he accordingly weighed anchor; and; taking the advantage

of the tide when the wind was not very boisterous; he hoisted his

sails; and; as if his power had been no less absolute over Aeolus

than it was ov
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