thoughts on man-第40章

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t　it　may　scarcely　be　required　for　me　to　clothe　my　feelings　with　articulate　speech。

But；　when　my　society　shall　be　that　of　a　few　friends　only；　and　still　more　if　the　question　is　of　spending　hours　or　days　in　the　society　of　a　single　friend；　my　duty　becomes　altered；　and　a　greater　degree　of　activity　will　be　required　from　me。　　There　are　cases；　where　the　minor　morals　of　the　species　will　be　of　more　importance　than　those　which　in　their　own　nature　are　cardinal。　　Duties　of　the　highest　magnitude　will　perhaps　only　be　brought　into　requisition　upon　extraordinary　occasions；　but　the　opportunities　we　have　of　lessening　the　inconveniences　of　our　neighbour；　or　of　adding　to　his　accommodations　and　the　amount　of　his　agreeable　feelings；　are　innumerable。　　An　acceptable　and　welcome　member　of　society　therefore　will　not　talk；　only　when　he　has　something　important　to　communicate。　　He　will　also　study　how　he　may　amuse　his　friend　with　agreeable　narratives；　lively　remarks；　sallies　of　wit；　or　any　of　those　thousand　nothings；　which'　set　off　with　a　wish　to　please　and　a　benevolent　temper；　will　often　entertain　more　and　win　the　entire　good　will　of　the　person　to　whom　they　are　addressed；　than　the　wisest　discourse；　or　the　vein　of　conversation　which　may　exhibit　the　powers　and　genius　of　the　speaker　to　the　greatest　advantage。

Men　of　a　dull　and　saturnine　complexion　will　soon　get　to　an　end　of　all　they　felt　it　incumbent　on　them　to　say　to　their　comrades。　　But　the　same　thing　will　probably　happen；　though　at　a　much　later　period；　between　friends　of　an　active　mind；　of　the　largest　stores　of　information；　and　whose　powers　have　been　exercised　upon　the　greatest　variety　of　sentiments；　principles；　and　original　veins　of　thinking。　　When　two　such　men　first　fall　into　society；　each　will　feel　as　if　he　had　found　a　treasure。　　Their　communications　are　without　end；　their　garrulity　is　excited；　and　converts　into　a　perennial　spring。　　The　topics　upon　which　they　are　prompted　to　converse　are　so　numerous；　that　one　seems　to　jostle　out　the　other。

It　may　proceed　thus　from　day　to　day；　from　month　to　month；　and　perhaps　from　year　to　year。　　But；　according　to　the　old　proverb；　〃It　is　a　long　lane　that　has　no　turning。〃　　The　persons　here　described　will　have　a　vast　variety　of　topics　upon　which　they　are　incited　to　compare　their　opinions；　and　will　lay　down　these　topics　and　take　them　up　again　times　without　number。　　Upon　some；　one　of　the　parties　will　feel　himself　entirely　at　home　while　the　other　is　comparatively　a　novice；　and；　in　others；　the　advantage　will　be　with　the　other；　so　that　the　gain　of　both；　in　this　free　and　unrestrained　opening　of　the　soul；　will　be　incalculable。　　But　the　time　will　come；　like　as　in　perusing　an　author　of　the　most　extraordinary　genius　and　the　most　versatile　powers；　that　the　reading　of　each　other's　minds　will　be　exhausted。　　They　know　so　much　of　each　other's　tone　of　thinking；　that　all　that　can　be　said　will　be　anticipated。　　The　living　voice；　the　sparkling　eye；　and　the　beaming　countenance　will　do　much　to　put　off　the　evil　day；　when　we　shall　say；　I　have　had　enough。　　But　the　time　will　come　in　which　we　shall　feel　that　this　after　all　is　but　little；　and　we　shall　become　sluggish；　ourselves　to　communicate；　or　to　excite　the　dormant　faculties　of　our　friend；　when　the　spring；　the　waters　of　which　so　long　afforded　us　the　most　exquisite　delight；　is　at　length　drawn　dry。

I　remember　in　my　childish　years　being　greatly　struck　with　that　passage　in　the　Bible；　where　it　is　written；　〃But　I　say　unto　you；　that；　for　every　idle　word　that　men　shall　speak；　they　shall　give　an　account　in　the　day　of　judgment：〃　and；　as　I　was　very　desirous　of　conforming　myself　to　the　directions　of　the　sacred　volume；　I　was　upon　the　point　of　forming　a　sort　of　resolution；　that　I　would　on　no　account　open　my　mouth　to　speak；　without　having　a　weighty　reason　for　uttering　the　thing　I　felt　myself　prompted　to　say。

But　practical　directions　of　this　sort　are　almost　in　all　cases　of　ambiguous　interpretation。　　From　the　context　of　this　passage　it　is　clear；　that　by　〃idle　words〃　we　are　to　understand　vicious　words；　words　tending　to　instil　into　the　mind　unauthorised　impulses；　that　shew　in　the　man　who　speaks　〃a　will　most　rank；　foul　disproportion；　thoughts　unnatural；'　and　are　calculated　to　render　him　by　whom　they　are　listened　to；　light　and　frivolous　of　temper；　and　unstrung　for　the　graver　duties　of　human　life。

But　idle　words；　in　the　sense　of　innocent　amusement；　are　not　vicious。　　〃There　is　a　time　for　all　things。〃　　Amusement　must　not　encroach　upon　or　thrust　aside　the　real　business；　the　important　engagements；　and　the　animated　pursuits　of　man。　　But　it　is　entitled　to　take　its　turn　unreproved。　　Human　life　is　so　various；　and　the　disposition　and　temper　of　the　mind　of　so　different　tones　and　capacity；　that　a　wise　man　will　〃frame　his　face　to　all　occasions。〃　Playfulness；　if　not　carried　to　too　great　an　extreme；　is　an　additional　perfection　in　human　nature。　　We　become　relieved　from　our　more　serious　cares；　and　better　fitted　to　enter　on　them　again　after　an　interval。　　To　fill　up　the　days　of　our　lives　with　various　engagements；　to　make　one　occupation　succeed　to　another；　so　as　to　liberate　us　from　the　pains　of　ennui；　and　the　dangers　of　what　may　in　an　emphatical　sense　be　called　idleness；　is　no　small　desideratum。　　That　king　may　in　this　sense　be　admitted　to　have　formed　no　superficial　estimate　of　our　common　nature；　who　is　said　to　have　proclaimed　a　reward　to　the　individual　that　should　invent　a　new　amusement。

And；　to　consider　the　question　as　it　stands　in　relation　to　the　subject　of　the　present　Essay；　a　perpetual　gravity　and　a　vigilant　watch　to　be　placed　on　the　door　of　our　lips；　would　be　eminently　hostile　to　that　frankness　which　is　to　be　regarded　as　one　of　the　greatest　ornaments　of　our　nature。　　〃It　is　meet；　that　we　should　make　merry　and　be　glad。〃　　A　formal　countenance；　a　demure；　careful　and　unaltered　cast　of　features；　is　one　of　the　most　disadvantageous　aspects　under　which　human　nature　can　exhibit　itself。　　The　temper　must　be　enterprising　and　fearless；　the　manner　firm　and　assured；　and　the　correspondence　between　the　heart　and　the　tongue　prompt　and　instantaneous；　if　we　desire　to　have　that　view　of　man　that　shall　do　him　the　most　credit；　and　induce　us　to　form　the　most　honourable　opinion　respecting　him。　　On　our　front　should　sit　fearless　confidence　and　unsubdued　hilarity。　　Our　limbs　should　be　free　and　unfettered；　a　state　of　the　animal　which　imparts　a　grace　infinitely　more　winning　than　that　of　the　most　skilful　dancer。　　The　very　sound　of　our　voice　should　be　full；　firm；　mellow；　and　fraught　with　life　and　sensibility；　of　that　nature；　at　the　hearing　of　which　every　bosom　rises；　and　every　eye　is　lighted　up。　　It　is　thus　that　men　come　to　understand　and　confide　in　each　other。　　This　is　the　only　frame　that　can　perfectly　conduce　to　our　moral　improvement；　the　awakening　of　our　faculties；　the　diffusion　of　science；　and　the　establishment　of　the　purest　notions　and　principles　of　civil　and　political　liberty。



ESSAY　XVII。　OF　BALLOT。

The　subject　of　the　preceding　Essay　leads　by　an　obvious　transition　to　the　examination　of　a　topic；　which　at　present　occupies　to　a　considerable　extent　the　attention　of　those　who　are　anxious　for　the　progress　of　public　improvement；　and　the　placing　the　liberties　of　mankind　on　the　securest　basis：　　I　mean；　the　topic　of　the　vote　by　ballot。

It　is　admitted　that　the　most　beneficial　scheme　for　the　government　of　nations；　is　a　government　by　representation：　　that　is；　that　there　shall　be　in　every　nation；　or　large　collection　of　men；　a　paramount　legislative　assembly；　composed　of　deputies　chosen　by　the　people　in　their　respective　counties；　cities；　towns；　or　departments。　　In　what　manner　then　shall　these　deputies　be　elected？

The　argument　in　favour　of　the　election　by　ballot　is　obvious。

In　nearly　all　civilised　countries　there　exists　more　or　less　an　inequality　of　rank　and　property：　　we　will　confine　our　attention　principally　to　the　latter。

Property　necessarily　involves　influence。　　Mankind　are　but　too　prone　to　pay　a　superior　deference　to　those　who　wear　better　clothes；　live　in　larger　houses；　and　command　superior　accommodations　to　those　which　fall　to　the　lot　of　the　majority。

One　of　the　main　sources　of　wealth　in　civilised　nations　is　the　possession　of　land。　　Those　who　have　a　considerable　allotment　of　land　in　property；　for　the　most　part　let　it　out　in　farms　on　lease　or　otherwise　to　persons　of　an　inferior　rank；　by　whom　it　is　cultivated。　　In　this　case　a　reciprocal　relation　is　created　between　the　landlord　and　the　tenant：　　and；　if　the　landlord　conducts　himself　towards　his　tenant　agreeably　to　the　principles　of　honour　and　liberality；　it　is　impossible　that　the　tenant　should　not　feel　disposed　to　gratify　his　landlord；　so　far　as　shall　be　compatible　with　his　own　notions　of　moral　rectitude；　or　the　paramount　interests　of　the　society　of　which　he　is　a　member。

If　the　proprietor　of　any　extensive　allotment　of　land　does　not　let　it　out　in　farms；　but　retains　it　under　his　own　direction；　he　must　employ　a　great　number　of　husbandmen　and　labourers；　and　over　them　he　must　be　expected　to　exercise　the　same　sort　of　influence；　as　under　the　former　statement　we　supposed　him　to　exercise　over　his　tenants。

The　same　principle　will　still　operate　wherever　any　one　man　in　society　is　engaged　in　the　expenditure　of　a　considerable　capital。　　The　manufacturer　will　possess　the　same　influence　over　his　workmen；　as　the　landed　proprietor　over　his　tenants　or　labourers。　　Even　the　person　who　possesses　considerable　opulence；　and　has　no　intention　to　engage　in　the　pursuits　of　profit　or　accumulation；　will　have　an　ample　retinue；　and　will　be　enabled　to　use　the　same　species　of　influence　over　his　retainers　and　trades…people；　as　the　landlord　exercises　over　his　tenants　and　labourers；　and　the　manufacturer　over　his　workmen。

A　certain　degree　of　this　species　of　influence　in　society；　is　perhaps　not　to　be　excepted　against。　　The　possessor　of　opulence　in　whatever　form；　may　be　expected　to　have　received　a　superior　education；　and；　being　placed　at　a　certain　distance　from　the　minuter　details　and　the　lesser　wheels　in　the　machine　of　society；　to　have　larger　and　more　expansive　views　as　to　the　interests　of　the　whole。　　It　is　good　that　men　in　different　ranks　of　society　should　be　brought　into　intercourse　with　each　other；　it　will　subtract　something　from　the　prejudices　of　both；　and　enable　each　to　obtain　some　of　the　advantages　of　the　other。　　The　division　of　rank　is　too　much　calculated　to　split　society　into　parties　having　a　certain　hostility　to　each　other。　　In　a　free　state　we　are　all　citizens：　　it　is　desirable　that　we　should　all　be　friends。

But　this　species　of　influence　may　be　carried　too　far。　　To　a　certain　extent　it　is　good。　　Inasmuch　as　it　implies　the　enlightening　one　human　understanding　by　the　sparks　struck　out　from　another；　or　even　the　communication　of　feelings　between　man　and　man；　this　is　not　to　be　deprecated。　　Some　degree　of　courteous　compliance　and　deference　of　the　ignorant　to　the　better　informed；　is　inseparable　from　the　existence　of　political　society　as　we　behold　it；　such　a　deference　as　we　may　conceive　the　candid　and　conscientious　layman　to　pay　to　the　suggestions　of　his　honest　and　disinterested　pastor。

Every　thing　however　that　is　more　than　this；　is　evil。　　There　should　be　no　peremptory　mandates；　and　no　threat　or　apprehension　of　retaliation　and　mischief　to　follow；　if　the　man　of　inferior　stati