Part 5 (2/2)

In exposing the absurdity of any scheme of education for the inferior classes, which should propose to ent about nothing else except their ordinary eet the instances now and then met with of pious poor eneral sense, evince a reious topics, and in the application of these topics to their duties as men and citizens But ”remarkable” we involuntarily call these pheno to theree of wonder at such a fact

We think it a striking illustration of the power of _religion itself_, and not of the power of religious instruction The extreme force hich the vital spirit has seized and actuated his faculties, has in a measure re clear ideas of the subject Even, however, while acknowledging and ad this effect of a special influence fro, in such an instance, that the enerality of ignorant persons; so s we account it for aso well We account it so froh experience, that it is very unlikely a s _should_ well understand _one_ subject, of a nature quite foreign to that of his ordinary occupations

It is superfluous to observe, that such instances of a very considerable coious truth, obtained in spite of what naturallyattainable, cannot affect the calculation e are devising sche to natural laws and with ordinary powers They who devise and apply theent who can open ion independently and in the absence of other intellectual advantages But the question being how to bring the people, by the ordinary ious truth, we have to consider ay of attee may be the best fitted, at once to obviate the natural indisposition to the subject, and to provide that when it does obtain a place in their understanding, it shall not be a re, diminutive, insulated occupant there, but in its proper di this, there be any who coht expedient is a bare inculcation of religious instruction, disconnected, on systee, divested of the modification and attraction of associated ideas derived fros,--they reallyhtily changed, that it ht very soon, as to the affair of religion, with little further trouble of theirs

The special viehich ere pleading, on behalf of popular education, that religious instruction would forredient would be a security against its being injurious to the good order and subordination in society It is the more necessary to be particular on this, as some of those who have professed to lay ious_ instruction of the people have seemed to have little further notion of the necessity or use of religion to the lower classes, than as ood order In this character it has been insisted on by persons who avowed their aversion to every idea of an education in a ed sense We have heard it so insisted on, no such long while past, by members of the most learned institutions, at the same moment that they expressedthe common people to read, literally to _read_, the Bible But assuredly the good order of a populace left in the stupid general ignorance to which soood friends of theirs would have doomed theious knowledge as these sarossness As long as they are in this condition, thereon theood order And if there actually _has_ been such a power, hitherto co of religious knowledge in the majority of the reat deal of hypocritical canting ht have been spared, on the part of those whose chief or only arguion is the ood order

But all this while we are forgetting to inquire how ood order, that deference and subordination, which the possession of ht disturb or destroy May not the notion of it, as entertained by so past, or of that which remains unaltered as if it were a part of eternal nature in the dominions of the East, than a model for the conformation of society here in the present times? Is it required, that there should be a senti them in a manner like the instinct by which a lower order of aniher, by which the coht of lions? Or, is the deference expected to be paid, not on any understanding of reciprocal advantage, but absolutely and unconditionally, as to a claiht? Is it to be held a cri their relations to the co industrious in the eher orders? Are they to entertain no question respecting the right adjustreat social body? Are they forbidden ever to ad quite awhich could be done for the interests of their class, consistently with the welfare of the whole, _is_ done; or, therefore, to pretend to any such right as that of exa, or an ultier expedients?

A subordination founded in such principles, and required to such a degree, it is true enough that the coe is not the way to perpetuate For the first use which eer view of their interests; and they may happen, as soon as they do so, to think they discover that it was quite tier they do so, to retain still less and less of implicit faith that those interests will be done justice to, without their own vigilance and intervention An educated people must be very slow indeed in the application of what they learn, if they do not soon grow out of all belief in the _necessary_ wisdom and rectitude of any order of human creatures whatever They will see how unreasonable it were to expect, that any sort of reat natural principle, of e the first object; and therefore they will not be apt to listen, with the gravity which in other ti, to injunctions of gratitude for the willingness evinced by the higher orders to take on the the people's welfare, by keeping them in due submission

But neither will it necessarily be in the spirit of hostility, in the worst sense of the word, that a more instructed people will thus show a diminished credulity of reverence toward the predominant ranks in the social economy; and will keep in habitual exercise upon them a somewhat suspicious observation, and a judicial esti disapprobation, and strongly asserting any right which is believed to be endangered or withheld This will only be expressing that, since all classes naturally consult by preference their own interests, it is plainly unfit, that one portion of the community should be trusted with an unli what affects the welfare of the others; and that, in all prudence, the peopleacquiescence; ”except the Gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh,” would come to harmonize, and then administer, interests which are so placed unappeasably at strife;--at strife; for, what is so often asserted of those interests being in reality the same, is true only on that comprehensive theory which neither party is pro to make sacrifices of a more immediate self-interest to realize; and it is evidently i it true, to concede to the other the exclusive adjustment of the practical mode of identification

But only let the utmost that is possible be done, to train the people, from their early years, to a sound use of their reason, under a discipline for ie, and assiduously inculcating the principles of social duty and of religion; and then so and conscience, while they arethe competition of clai put in a fair balance, norance would have taken all one way They will be able to appreciate ed causes of delay, state reasons, which would be throay on an ignorant populace And it would be an induce, that they thus found themselves so formally put upon their responsibility for its exercise; that they were su addressed in the style of Pharaoh to the Israelites The strife of interests would thus come to be carried on with less fierceness and malice, in the spirit and round itself of the contention, the substance of the radually diher classes to the clai to dissereat mental and h there were not a single movement of rude force in the case, important concessions to them, on the part of the superior orders A people advanced to such a state, would make its eneral augainst all arrangees, of the nature of invidious exclusion, arbitrary repression, and the debasereat public interests into a detestable private traffic, an energy, which could no more be resisted than the power of the sun, when he advances in the spring to annihilate the relics and vestiges of the winter This plastic influence would modify the institutions of the national community, to a state better adapted to secure all the popular rights; and to convey the genuine, collective opinion, to bear directly on the counsel and transaction of national concerns That opinion would be so unequivocally manifested, as to leave no pretence for a doubtful interpretation of its signs; and with such authority as to preclude any question whether to set it at defiance

That such effects _would_ be inseparable froe and corrected character, ed to its disapproves And is it _because_ these would be the consequences, that they disapprove it? Then let them say, what it is that _they_ would expect from an opposite system _What_ is it, that they could seriously pronorance, that can henceforward be retained a the people of this part of the world? It is true, the rereat that they cannot well overrate its _general_ amount; but how can they fail to perceive the importance of those _particulars_ in which its doross darkness over the people;” itthe illumination of the sun; but in the hts and flashes, which have excited a thought and agitation not to be stilled by the continuance of the gloom There have come in on the popular mind some ideas, which the wisest of those who dread or hate their effect there, look around in vain for the ence, these lights of dubious and possibly destructive direction aht, will continue to prompt and lead thatupon it of the true daylight of knowledge That knowledge should have been antecedent to the falling of these infla the people; and if they have come before the proper tie rationally of their rights, and to apprehend clearly the duties inseparable from them as a condition of their enjoyher classes, as seen in the recent history of Europe,suffered it to be _possible_ for these new ideas of liberty and rights to come to the people in a state so unprepared What were all their coovernreat personal wealth and influence,--all their lofty powers and distinctions which even their basest sycophants, sacerdotal or poetical, told them, as one topic of adulation, that they were not entrusted with for their own sole gratification,--ere all these for, if the great body of the communities over which they presided were to be retained in a state in which they could not be touched by a few bold speculations in favor of popular rights, without exploding as with infernal fire? How appropriate a retribution of Sovereign Justice, that those ickedly the cause should be the victims of the effect

Where such a consequence has not followed, but where, nevertheless, these notions of popular rights have come into the minds of the people very eneral cultivation of their intelligence and ence should be given to bring up these neglected improvements to stand in rank with those too forward speculations

Whether this shall be done or not, these notions and feelings are not things come into life without an instinct of what they have to do The disapproves of schereatest practicable e into the minds of the multitude,that, both in this country and other states of Europe, there has gone forth a the ation, which would retain their reverence to institutions on the strength si ancient; a spirit that reacts, with deep and settled antipathy, against soements and claims of the order into which the national community has been disposed by institutions and the course of events; a spirit which regards some of the appointments and requirements of that order, as little better than adaptations of the systeratification of the more fortunate divisions of the species And it has shown itself in a very different character fro despondency, or the impotent resentrievance, but quelled by alarm at its own rashness The element and the temperament of its nature, and the force of its action, have been displayed in the tre its conflict with the power arrayed in behalf of the old order of things to crush it

And _is_ this spirit crushed? Is it subdued? Is it in the least degree reduced?--reduced, we mean, in its internal power, as a combination of the est passions

Is it, we repeat, repressed? There ood easythe fiery storm of the whole resources of the world converted into the htiest leagues and the islation, all ai to coor at the opportune junctures in the future progress of events; like soht, with his appalling glance and length of volume, after a volley of missiles had sent hiainst unreasonable discontents, and refractory tempers, and local movements of hostility excited by some worthless corand scale; and henceforward all was to be still It was not given to these spell-bound understandings to apprehend that the spirit to be repressed ht be of a nature impassive to these expedients, possibly to be confirmed by their application

Repressed! What is it that isitself in the most remarkable events in the old, and what has been called the neorld, at the present tireat state authorities of Europe, whether adopted in deliberate policy, or in a fitful mood between rashness and diss, conferences, and lobe, asse nation, [Footnote: The es at Troppau and Laybach, for the detestable purpose of crushi+ng the newly acquired liberty of the kingdom of Naples--January, 1821]--what are these but a confession or proclamation, that the spirit which the most enormous exertions had been y; like those warring i ress of time renders it butfar different froone the whole depth of the mented by a continual and endless accession No doubt is permitted to remain of the direction which has been taken by the current of the popular feeling,--to be recovered to its ancient obsequious course when soreat river which has farced a new channel shall resureat er division of the community, shall have become filled with an absolute, and alency of that community; that they, the operators, the producers, the preparers, of almost all it most essentially wants; that they, the part, therefore, of the social assee so obviously the most essential to its existence, and on which all the rest reat social arrangee this their importance, as not to secure an adequate reward of these their services;--we say, when this shall have beco intense conviction of the millions of Europe, we put it as a question to any rational thinker, whether and how this state of feeling can be reversed or neutralized, if the economy which has provoked it shall yield to no modification But it _is_ no question, he will confess Then will he pretend not to foresee any s obnoxious to so vast a coents? This may indeed be seriously avowed by some, who are so walled up in old prejudice and presu has been long established,materials for the natural rock; and it will be pretended by others, who think the bravado of asserting the iood policy for deterring the attereat alterations effected by the popular spirit within the last half-century, that was not preceded by professions of contes as they were, toward those who calculated on the effects of that spirit There were occasionally betrayed, under these shows of confidence and contens of horror at the undeniable excite; but the scorn of all serious and monitory predictions of its ultimate result was at all events to be kept up,--in whatever proportions a tiht share in dictating this elated and conteredients at present predoh style, it will not leavewhat it is they have to trust to as security against such consequences as we should anticipate froress of disapprobation and aversion in the people; unless indeed the security mainly relied on is just that plain, siht force It is plainly this that is ive us a circuies of the public institutions,” ”the majesty of the law,” perhaps, and others of siination the ornamented fashi+on of the handle and sheath of the scimitar, which is not the less keen, nor the less ready to be drawn, for all this finery that hides and garnishes soa symbol of power

The econoreat body of those who constitute theed portions of the national corand object of their existence, this chief ee, means, and power, namely, to keep down the lower orders of their fellow-citizens by stress of coercion? Are they resolved and prepared for a rancorous, intern purpose; with a continual exhaustion upon it of the resources which ht be applied to dirand inflamer of those principles that have caused an earthquake under the foundations of the old social systems? But, ”interminable” is no proper epithet to be applied to such a course This policy of a bare uncoor, exerted to keep the people just where they are, in preference to adjuste, and adapted to prepare the could it be successful--not to ask ould be the value or the glory of that success? With the light of recent history to aid the prognostication, by what superstitiouscompetence of any artificial form of social order, can we believe in its power to throw back the general opinions, determinations, and efforts, of the mass of mankind in endless recoil on theantic ainst which the ocean shall unrely wear and foam in vain And it does not appear what there can be of such inable consistence in any particular construction of the social economy which is, by the supposition, resolved to be n i, ever-growing ai on to achieve important innovations in their favor; innovations in those systee, under which they will never cease to think they have had far less happiness, or ht to have had We cannot see how this impulse can be so repelled or diverted that it shall not prevail at length, to the effect of either bearing down, or wearing away, a portion of the order of things which the ascendant classes in every part of Europe would have fondly wished to maintain in perpetuity, without one particle of surrender

But though they cannot preserve its entireness, the reat measure at their command And here is the important point on which all these observations are eneral popularand insuppressible, so that it must in one manner or another ultimately prevail, ill the state be of any national cohtened, half-barbarous people that so prevails?--a people no better informed, perhaps, than to believe that all the hardshi+p and distress endured by thes, which they suffered froovernment, and the rapacity and selfishness of the rich, the very evils caused by inclement seasons; and than to assume it as beyond question, that the whole accuht out into action at last, is only justice de a retribution

In such an event, ould not the superior orders be glad to give and forego, in compromise with principles, tempers, and demands, which they will know they should never have had to encounter, to the end of ties on ence, they had applied the to improve, in every way, the situation and character of the people? It is true, that such a wild triu violence would necessarily be short A blind, turbulenttime e and riot itself out of breath and strength, succu, and lie subject and stupified, till its spirit should be recovered and incensed for new con of confusion, would be little consolation for the classes against whose privileged condition the first tremendous eruption should have driven It would not much cheer a man who should see his abode carried away, and his fields and plantations devastated, to tell hient of this ruin was only a transientforce would have sufficed for the subversion of the proudest, longest established state of privilege; and most improbable would it be, that those who lost it in the tumult, would find the new authority, of whatever shape or name it were, that would arise as that tuht perhaps, (on a favorable supposition,) survive in personal safety, but in hu their for its ample means of power, a due share of which, exerted for the ieneral condition, both intellectual and civil, with an accoes to the people, would have prevented the catastrophe

Let us urge, then, that a zealous endeavor to render it absolutely ie whatever, the destinies of a nation should fall under the power of an ignorant infuriated multitude, reat change to be ever effected by the progressive and conscious i can appear more like infatuation, e look at the recent scenes and present temperament of the moral world Lay hold on the row up through ignorance into a reckless hostility to social order; train theion, si directly of divine dictation, and not as if its authority were chiefly in virtue of huenerally make it evident to the multitude that they are desirous to raise them in value, and promote their happiness; and then _whatever_ the de and the sense of justice, shall come to be, and _whatever_ modification their preponderance ements, it will be infallibly certain that there never _can_ be a love of disorder, an insolent anarchy, a prevailing spirit of revenge and devastation Such a conduct of the ascendant ranks would, in this nation at least, secure that, as long as the world lasts, there never would be any fores All thosepeople would aspire and would deserve to obtain, would be gradually accoed, and all would be the happier

[Footnote: The considerations in the latter part of this section (so plainly on the surface of the subject that they would occur to any thoughtful and observant man) have been verified in part by the course of events in our country, since the time they ritten At that, time the superior, and till then irresistibly and invariably predominant, portion of the coainst any co twelve or fourteen years There ht indeed be one or two subordinate ht deem it not unlikely that the advocates and laborers for innovation would be successful; but such an amount of innovation did not come within the view of even a feverish dreareatest achieveainst the inveterate systehed at as an incorrigible visionary; so proudly confident were they that the structure would be kept conable in all its essential parts, by the cement of ancient institution, national veneration, opulence, and the inherence of actual power, possessed froeneration

In the next place, they were obstinately resolute against all material concessions When at intervals the coht to be heard, they treated them as unreasonable, absurd, factious; and asserted that none of the good sense and right feeling of the nation went that way They declared that the existing order of things was on the whole so superlatively excellent that, if there were, perhaps, any trifling defects, it were far better to let the hand the integrity of so noble a system, the adm