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journal of a voyage to lisbon-第17章

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arise from introducing a pure state of anarchy among them。  I

will represent the case; as it appears to me; very fairly and

impartially between the mob and their betters。  The whole

mischief which infects this part of our economy arises from the

vague and uncertain use of a word called liberty; of which; as

scarce any two men with whom I have ever conversed seem to have

one and the same idea; I am inclined to doubt whether there be

any simple universal notion represented by this word; or whether

it conveys any clearer or more determinate idea than some of

those old Punic compositions of syllables preserved in one of the

comedies of Plautus; but at present; as I conceive; not supposed

to be understood by any one。



By liberty; however; I apprehend; is commonly understood the

power of doing what we please; not absolutely; for then it would

be inconsistent with law; by whose control the liberty of the

freest people; except only the Hottentots and wild Indians; must

always be restrained。



But; indeed; however largely we extend; or however moderately we

confine; the sense of the word; no politician will; I presume;

contend that it is to pervade in an equal degree; and be; with

the same extent; enjoyed by; every member of society; no such

polity having been ever found; unless among those vile people

just before commemorated。  Among the Greeks and Romans the

servile and free conditions were opposed to each other; and no

man who had the misfortune to be enrolled under the former could

lay any claim to liberty till the right was conveyed to him by

that master whose slave he was; either by the means of conquest;

of purchase; or of birth。



This was the state of all the free nations in the world; and

this; till very lately; was understood to be the case of our own。



I will not indeed say this is the case at present; the lowest

class of our people having shaken off all the shackles of their

superiors; and become not only as free; but even freer; than most

of their superiors。  I believe it cannot be doubted; though

perhaps we have no recent instance of it; that the personal

attendance of every man who hath three hundred pounds per annum;

in parliament; is indispensably his duty; and that; if the

citizens and burgesses of any city or borough shall choose such a

one; however reluctant he appear; he may be obliged to attend;

and be forcibly brought to his duty by the sergeant…at…arms。



Again; there are numbers of subordinate offices; some of which

are of burden; and others of expense; in the civil

governmentall of which persons who are qualified are liable to

have imposed on them; may be obliged to undertake and properly

execute; notwithstanding any bodily labor; or even danger; to

which they may subject themselves; under the penalty of fines and

imprisonment; nay; and what may appear somewhat hard; may be

compelled to satisfy the losses which are eventually incident; to

that of sheriff in particular; out of their own private fortunes;

and though this should prove the ruin of a family; yet the

public; to whom the price is due; incurs no debt or obligation to

preserve its officer harmless; let his innocence appear ever so

clearly。  I purposely omit the mention of those military or

military duties which our old constitution laid upon its greatest

members。  These might; indeed; supply their posts with some other

able…bodied men; but if no such could have been found; the

obligation nevertheless remained; and they were compellable to

serve in their own proper persons。  The only one; therefore; who

is possessed of absolute liberty is the lowest member of the

society; who; if he prefers hunger; or the wild product of the

fields; hedges; lanes; and rivers; with the indulgence of ease

and laziness; to a food a little more delicate; but purchased at

the expense of labor; may lay himself under a shade; nor can be

forced to take the other alternative from that which he hath; I

will not affirm whether wisely or foolishly; chosen。



Here I may; perhaps; be reminded of the last Vagrant Act; where

all such persons are compellable to work for the usual and

accustomed wages allowed in the place; but this is a clause

little known to the justices of the peace; and least likely to be

executed by those who do know it; as they know likewise that it

is formed on the ancient power of the justices to fix and settle

these wages every year; making proper allowances for the scarcity

and plenty of the times; the cheapness and dearness of the place;

and that THE USUAL AND ACCUSTOMED WAGES are words without any

force or meaning; when there are no such; but every man spunges

and raps whatever he can get; and will haggle as long and

struggle as hard to cheat his employer of twopence in a day's

labor as an honest tradesman will to cheat his customers of the

same sum in a yard of cloth or silk。



It is a great pity then that this power; or rather this practice;

was not revived; but; this having been so long omitted that it is

become obsolete; will be best done by a new law; in which this

power; as well as the consequent power of forcing the poor to

labor at a moderate and reasonable rate; should be well

considered and their execution facilitated; for gentlemen who

give their time and labor gratis; and even voluntarily; to the

public; have a right to expect that all their business be made as

easy as possible; and to enact laws without doing this is to fill

our statute…books; much too full already; still fuller with dead

letter; of no use but to the printer of the acts of parliament。

That the evil which I have here pointed at is of itself worth

redressing; is; I apprehend; no subject of dispute; for why

should any persons in distress be deprived of the assistance of

their fellow…subjects; when they are willing amply to reward them

for their labor? or; why should the lowest of the people be

permitted to exact ten times the value of their work? For those

exactions increase with the degrees of necessity in their object;

insomuch that on the former side many are horribly imposed upon;

and that often in no trifling matters。  I was very well assured

that at Deal no less than ten guineas was required; and paid by

the supercargo of an Indiaman; for carrying him on board two

miles from the shore when she was just ready to sail; so that his

necessity; as his pillager well understood; was absolute。  Again;

many others; whose indignation will not submit to such plunder;

are forced to refuse the assistance; though they are often great

sufferers by so doing。  On the latter side; the lowest of the

people are encouraged in laziness and idleness; while they live

by a twentieth part of the labor that ought to maintain them;

which is diametrically opposite to the interest of the public;

for that requires a great deal to be done; not to be paid; for a

little。  And moreover; they are confirmed in habits of exaction;

and are taught to consider the distresses of their superiors as

their own fair emolument。  But enough of this matter; of which I

at first intended only to convey a hint to those who are alone

capable of applying the remedy; though they are the last to whom

the notice of those evils would occur; without some such monitor

as myself; who am forced to travel about the world in the form of

a passenger。  I cannot but say I heartily wish our governors

would attentively consider this method of fixing the price of

labor; and by that means of compelling the poor to work; since

the due execution of such powers will; I apprehend; be found the

true and only means of making them useful; and of advancing trade

from its present visibly declining state to the height to which

Sir William Petty; in his Political Arithmetic; thinks it capable

of being carried。



In the afternoon the lady of the above…mentioned mansion called

at our inn; and left her compliments to us with Mrs。 Francis;

with an assurance that while we continued wind…bound in that

place; where she feared we could be but indifferently

accommodated; we were extremely welcome to the use of anything

which her garden or her house afforded。  So polite a message

convinced us; in spite of some arguments to the contrary; that we

were not on the coast of Africa; or on some island where the few

savage inhabitants have little of human in them besides their

form。  And here I mean nothing less than to derogate from the

merit of this lady; who is not only extremely polite in her

behavior to strangers of her own rank; but so extremely good and

charitable to all her poor neighbors who stand in need of her

assistance; that she hath the universal love and praises of all

who live near her。  But; in reality; how little doth the

acquisition of so valuable a character; and the full indulgence

of so worthy a disposition; cost those who possess it! Both are

accomplished by the very offals which fall from a table

moderately plentiful。  Tha
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