a vindication of the rights of woman-第5章

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


suffered　to　purchase　a　cardinal's　hat　for　an　intriguing　obscure　adventurer；　who　longed　to　be　ranked　with　princes；　or　lord　it　over　them　by　seizing　the　triple　crown！　Such；　indeed；　has　been　the　wretchedness　that　has　flowed　from　hereditary　honours；　riches；　and　monarchy；　that　men　of　lively　sensibility　have　almost　uttered　blasphemy　in　order　to　justify　the　dispensations　of　providence。　　Man　has　been　held　out　as　independent　of　his　power　who　made　him；　or　as　a　lawless　planet　darting　from　its　orbit　to　steal　the　celestial　fire　of　reason；　and　the　vengeance　of　heaven；　lurking　in　the　subtile　flame；　sufficiently　punished　his　temerity；　by　introducing　evil　into　the　world。　Impressed　by　this　view　of　the　misery　and　disorder　which　pervaded　society；　and　fatigued　with　jostling　against　artificial　fools；　Rousseau　became　enamoured　of　solitude；　and；　being　at　the　same　time　an　optimist；　he　labours　with　uncommon　eloquence　to　prove　that　man　was　naturally　a　solitary　animal。　　Misled　by　his　respect　for　the　goodness　of　God；　who　certainly　for　what　man　of　sense　and　feeling　can　doubt　it！　gave　life　only　to　communicate　happiness；　he　considers　evil　as　positive；　and　the　work　of　man；　not　aware　that　he　was　exalting　one　attribute　at　the　expense　of　another；　equally　necessary　to　divine　perfection。　Reared　on　a　false　hypothesis；　his　arguments　in　favour　of　a　state　of　nature　are　plausible；　but　unsound。　　I　say　unsound；　for　to　assert　that　a　state　of　nature　is　preferable　to　civilization　in　all　its　possible　perfection；　is；　in　other　words；　to　arraign　supreme　wisdom；　and　the　paradoxical　exclamation；　that　God　has　made　all　things　right；　and　that　evil　has　been　introduced　by　the　creature　whom　he　formed；　knowing　what　he　formed；　is　as　unphilosophical　as　impious。　When　that　wise　Being；　who　created　us　and　placed　us　here；　saw　the　fair　idea；　he　willed；　by　allowing　it　to　be　so；　that　the　passions　should　unfold　our　reason；　because　he　could　see　that　present　evil　would　produce　future　good。　　Could　the　helpless　creature　whom　he　called　from　nothing；　break　loose　from　his　providence；　and　boldly　learn　to　know　good　by　practising　evil　without　his　permission？　　No。　How　could　that　energetic　advocate　for　immortality　argue　so　inconsistently？　　Had　mankind　remained　for　ever　in　the　brutal　state　of　nature；　which　even　his　magic　pen　cannot　paint　as　a　state　in　which　a　single　virtue　took　root；　it　would　have　been　clear；　though　not　to　the　sensitive　unreflecting　wanderer；　that　man　was　born　to　run　the　circle　of　life　and　death；　and　adorn　God's　garden　for　some　purpose　which　could　not　easily　be　reconciled　with　his　attributes。　But　if；　to　crown　the　whole；　there　were　to　be　rational　creatures　produced；　allowed　to　rise　in　excellency　by　the　exercise　of　powers　implanted　for　that　purpose；　if　benignity　itself　thought　fit　to　call　into　existence　a　creature　above　the　brutes；　who　could　think　and　improve　himself；　why　should　that　inestimable　gift；　for　a　gift　it　was；　if　a　man　was　so　created　as　to　have　a　capacity　to　rise　above　the　state　in　which　sensation　produced　brutal　ease；　be　called；　in　direct　terms；　a　curse？　　A　curse　it　might　be　reckoned；　if　all　our　existence　was　bounded　by　our　continuance　in　this　world；　for　why　should　the　gracious　fountain　of　life　give　us　passions；　and　the　power　of　reflecting；　only　to　embitter　our　days；　and　inspire　us　with　mistaken　notions　of　dignity？　　Why　should　he　lead　us　from　love　of　ourselves　to　the　sublime　emotions　which　the　discovery　of　his　wisdom　and　goodness　excites；　if　these　feelings　were　not　set　in　motion　to　improve　our　nature；　of　which　they　make　a　part；　and　render　us　capable　of　enjoying　a　more　godlike　portion　of　happiness？　　Firmly　persuaded　that　no　evil　exists　in　the　world　that　God　did　not　design　to　take　place；　I　build　my　belief　on　the　perfection　of　God。　Rousseau　exerts　himself　to　prove；　that　all　WAS　right　originally：　　a　crowd　of　authors　that　all　IS　now　right：　　and　I；　that　all　WILL　BE　right。　But；　true　to　his　first　position；　next　to　a　state　of　nature；　Rousseau　celebrates　barbarism；　and；　apostrophizing　the　shade　of　Fabricius；　he　forgets　that；　in　conquering　the　world；　the　Romans　never　dreamed　of　establishing　their　own　liberty　on　a　firm　basis；　or　of　extending　the　reign　of　virtue。　　Eager　to　support　his　system；　he　stigmatizes；　as　vicious；　every　effort　of　genius；　and　uttering　the　apotheosis　of　savage　virtues；　he　exalts　those　to　demigods；　who　were　scarcely　humanthe　brutal　Spartans；　who　in　defiance　of　justice　and　gratitude；　sacrificed；　in　cold　blood；　the　slaves　that　had　shown　themselves　men　to　rescue　their　oppressors。　Disgusted　with　artificial　manners　and　virtues；　the　citizen　of　Geneva；　instead　of　properly　sifting　the　subject；　threw　away　the　wheat　with　the　chaff；　without　waiting　to　inquire　whether　the　evils；　which　his　ardent　soul　turned　from　indignantly；　were　the　consequence　of　civilization；　or　the　vestiges　of　barbarism。　　He　saw　vice　trampling　on　virtue；　and　the　semblance　of　goodness　taking　place　of　the　reality；　he　saw　talents　bent　by　power　to　sinister　purposes；　and　never　thought　of　tracing　the　gigantic　mischief　up　to　arbitrary　power；　up　to　the　hereditary　distinctions　that　clash　with　the　mental　superiority　that　naturally　raises　a　man　above　his　fellows。　　He　did　not　perceive；　that　the　regal　power；　in　a　few　generations；　introduces　idiotism　into　the　noble　stem；　and　holds　out　baits　to　render　thousands　idle　and　vicious。　Nothing　can　set　the　regal　character　in　a　more　contemptible　point　of　view；　than　the　various　crimes　that　have　elevated　men　to　the　supreme　dignity。　　Vile　intrigues；　unnatural　crimes；　and　every　vice　that　degrades　our　nature；　have　been　the　steps　to　this　distinguished　eminence；　yet　millions　of　men　have　supinely　allowed　the　nerveless　limbs　of　the　posterity　of　such　rapacious　prowlers；　to　rest　quietly　on　their　ensanguined　thrones。　What　but　a　pestilential　vapour　can　hover　over　society；　when　its　chief　director　is　only　instructed　in　the　invention　of　crimes；　or　the　stupid　routine　of　childish　ceremonies？　　Will　men　never　be　wise？　will　they　never　cease　to　expect　corn　from　tares；　and　figs　from　thistles？　It　is　impossible　for　any　man；　when　the　most　favourable　circumstances　concur；　to　acquire　sufficient　knowledge　and　strength　of　mind　to　discharge　the　duties　of　a　king；　entrusted　with　uncontrolled　power；　how　then　must　they　be　violated　when　his　very　elevation　is　an　insuperable　bar　to　the　attainment　of　either　wisdom　or　virtue；　when　all　the　feelings　of　a　man　are　stifled　by　flattery；　and　reflection　shut　out　by　pleasure！　　Surely　it　is　madness　to　make　the　fate　of　thousands　depend　on　the　caprice　of　a　weak　fellow　creature；　whose　very　station　sinks　him　NECESSARILY　below　the　meanest　of　his　subjects！　　But　one　power　should　not　be　thrown　down　to　exalt　anotherfor　all　power　intoxicates　weak　man；　and　its　abuse　proves；　that　the　more　equality　there　is　established　among　men；　the　more　virtue　and　happiness　will　reign　in　society。　　But　this；　and　any　similar　maxim　deduced　from　simple　reason；　raises　an　outcrythe　church　or　the　state　is　in　danger；　if　faith　in　the　wisdom　of　antiquity　is　not　implicit；　and　they　who；　roused　by　the　sight　of　human　calamity；　dare　to　attack　human　authority；　are　reviled　as　despisers　of　God；　and　enemies　of　man。　　These　are　bitter　calumnies；　yet　they　reached　one　of　the　best　of　men；　（Dr。　Price。）　whose　ashes　still　preach　peace；　and　whose　memory　demands　a　respectful　pause；　when　subjects　are　discussed　that　lay　so　near　his　heart。　After　attacking　the　sacred　majesty　of　kings；　I　shall　scarcely　excite　surprise；　by　adding　my　firm　persuasion；　that　every　profession；　in　which　great　subordination　of　rank　constitutes　its　power；　is　highly　injurious　to　morality。　A　standing　army；　for　instance；　is　incompatible　with　freedom；　because　subordination　and　rigour　are　the　very　sinews　of　military　discipline；　and　despotism　is　necessary　to　give　vigour　to　enterprises　that　one　will　directs。　　A　spirit　inspired　by　romantic　notions　of　honour；　a　kind　of　morality　founded　on　the　fashion　of　the　age；　can　only　be　felt　by　a　few　officers；　whilst　the　main　body　must　be　moved　by　command；　like　the　waves　of　the　sea；　for　the　strong　wind　of　authority　pushes　the　crowd　of　subalterns　forward；　they　scarcely　know　or　care　why；　with　headlong　fury。　Besides；　nothing　can　be　so　prejudicial　to　the　morals　of　the　inhabitants　of　country　towns；　as　the　occasional　residence　of　a　set　of　idle　superficial　young　men；　whose　only　occupation　is　gallantry；　and　whose　polished　manners　render　vice　more　dangerous；　by　concealing　its　deformity　under　gay　ornamental　drapery。　　An　air　of　fashion；　which　is　but　a　badge　of　slavery；　and　proves　that　the　soul　has　not　a　strong　individual　character；　awes　simple　country　people　into　an　imitation　of　the　vices；　when　they　cannot　catch　the　slippery　graces　of　politeness。　　Every　corps　is　a　chain　of　despots；　who；　submitting　and　tyrannizing　without　exercising　their　reason；　become　dead　weights　of　vice　and　folly　on　the　community。　　A　man　of　rank　or　fortune；　sure　of　rising　by　interest；　has　nothing　to　do　but　to　pursue　some　extravagant　freak；　whilst　the　needy　GENTLEMAN；　who　is　to　rise；　as　the　phrase　turns；　by　his　merit；　becomes　a　servile　parasite　or　vile　pander。　Sailors；　the　naval　gentlemen；　come　under　the　same　description；　only　their　vices　assume　a　different　and　a　grosser　cast。　　They　are　more　positively　indolent；　when　not　discharging　the　ceremonials　of　their　station；　whilst　the　insignificant　fluttering　of