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explained to you the spirit of those laws and constitutions that were established by your predecessors; and you have nothing to do but to carry them into execution. If this should be the case, I shall have the glory of having formed an Emperor to virtue: but if otherwise, let this letter remain a testimony with succeeding ages, that you did not ruin the Roman empire under pretence of the counsels or the authority of Plutarch.

669. Characteristics of Childhood.-The whole external deportment of a child is delightful. Its smile-always so ready when there is no distress, and so soon recurring when that distress has passed away-is like an opening of the sky, shewing heaven beyond. The grasp of its little hand around one of our fingers-its mighty little crow when excited by the playfulness of its nurse- -its manful spring upon the little wool-pack legs that refuse to bear its weight—are all traits of more or less pleasantness. Then the eye of a child—who can look unmoved into that "well undefiled," in which heaven itself seems to be reflected? Whether the gem be of sweet pellucid blue, or of the mysterious and unsearchable black, what meanings, unexpressed and unintelligible, reside within; the germ of a whole life of feelings and ideas. Human nature is familiar in all its bearings to most men, yet how novel does every symptom of it appear as first shewn forth by a child! Every step in the attainment of physical power-every new trait of intelligence, as they one by one arise in the infantine intellect, like the glory of night, starting star by star into the sky-is hailed with a heart-burst of rapture and surprise, as if we had never known any thing so clever or so captivating before. The point thus gained is never lost. The darling child is reminded perpetually of the idea he lately seemed to comprehend, or of the word he seemed nearly able to pronounce, or of the little action he attempted to perform, and thus the whole of his little stock of accomplishments is carefully kept together, liable to a constant inHosannas of affection celebrate every step of his progress towards maturity, and fresh blessings are showered upon his holy and harmless head, for every manifestation of the presence of the godlike mind.-Chambers.

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670. Signs and Symptoms of good Minds.-The parts and signs of goodness are many. If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shews he is a citizen of the world, and that his heart is no island cut off from other lands, but a continent that joins to them. If he be compassionate towards the afflictions of others, it shows that his heart is like the noble tree that is wounded itself when it gives the balm. If he easily pardons and remits offences, it shows that his mind is planted above injuries, so that he cannot be hurt. If he be thankful for small benefits, it shows that he weighs mens' minds, and not their trash.

Bacon.

671. A Professional Soldier.-Stripped of the graceful drapery which poets and orators, the stage, and even the pulpit, have thrown over him, what is a soldier, through all the gradations of a standing army-from a Wellington to a drummer-boy? Averse to the occupations of peace, he devotes himself to the profession of war, for pay or pillage, or more honourable rewards. At the command of his government, he goes forth, to protect and save, or to plunder and destroy, as a small cabinet of courtiers possibly by a casting vote, or as their haughty and heartless master shall determine. If a votary of science, he may give his nights and days to improve the methods of human annoyance, and become the Congreve of a more tragic drama. If a common artizan, he must be prepared to cleave the skull, blow out the brains, or pierce the heart of any military opponent whom his government may have made an enemy. Yet on this human machine-the puppet of a war minister— should he perish in the attempt to destroy, will be readily bestowed the requiem of a patriot; and even a Christian may be found to utter the exclamation, "let my last end be like his.”—Anon.

672. Pure Friendship is something which none can truly taste but those of warm passions and a refined genius.-La Bruyere.

673. Humility.-When the two goats, on a narrow bridge, met over a deep stream, was not he the wiser that laid down for the other to pass over him, than he that would rather hazard both their lives by contending? He preserved himself from danger, and made the other become debtor to him for his safety. I will never think myself disparaged either by preserving peace or doing good.-Feltham.

674. Degrees of Confidence.-Trust him little who praises all; him less who censures all; and him least who is indifferent about all.

Lavater.

675. Religious Persecution.-The English Ambassador demanded of Louis the 14th the liberation of the Protestants who had been condemned to the galleys on account of their religion. The French monarch asked, "What would the King of Great Britain say, if I asked him to liberate the prisoners in Newgate?" Sire," replied the Ambassador, "the King my master would grant your Majesty's request if you reclaimed them as your brethren.—Anon.

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676. A Miser is a slave condemned to the mines.-Butler.

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Materials for Thinking,

EXTRACTED FROM THE WORKS OF

ANCIENT AND MODERN AUTHORS.

WHATEVER CHARITY WE OWE TO MEN'S PERSONS, WE OWE NONE TO THEIR ERRORS."-Bishop Burnet.

No. XXVII.

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677. Manufactories,-Nothing hastens more rapidly the progress of civilization than the establishment of manufactories. They elevate, exercise, and enlighten the "directing mind," which oversees the whole and regulates the complicated movements, but sink and degrade the actual manufacturer into a necessary piece of machinery.

There must be but one mind in a manufactory. If any subaltern operator be capable of thought, it must lie dormant, and ere long become torpid for how can any faculty subsist in vigour which is never called into motion, or exercised in the sphere for which it was designed? The same operations are performed sometimes by a man, and sometimes by a wheel; they are both necessary parts of the great machine set in motion by the mind of the intelligent regulator.

Nature has given man the capacity of perceiving, reflecting, reasoning, forming a judgment, and acting in consequence of his judgment when formed; but, if he be not master of his own actions, there is no necessity for his forming a judgment, reasoning, or exercising any of the powers of his mind; he feels the influence of the soul of the machinery which impels him to action, in the same manner that the wheel feels the impulse of the water or the force of the steam.

The more various the employments of any man, the more necessity he finds to exercise his mental faculties, and the greater is the probability of their improvement; but, as manufactories gradually approach to perfection, the operations of the actual labourer become more and more confined to a point: and in the same ratio, the man must sink into the machine.

It may be observed also that this pernicious influence is not confined to the mind of the labourer, but affects also the body; one position and one set of motions must be unfavourable to the human frame; as some parts receive more than their due proportion of exercise, and others are not exercised at all. We have no intention of dilating at present on

the consequence of large manufacturing establishments npon the health of the labourers, we merely mention this circumstance, as it appears intimately connected with our foregoing observations.

Before manufactories can be established to advantage, civilization must have made considerable advancement; there must be a disparity of ranks, there must be luxury and poverty, masters and slaves. Luxury is necessary to create a demand for the articles manufactured; and poverty is necessary to qualify labourers for the employment. But when manufactories are once fairly established, they will support themselves, and help along wonderfully with the good work of civilization. When men are so much depressed by poverty as to be under the necessity of becoming a part of this complex machinery, their destination is settled; they never will be able to extricate themselves from their degraded situation. They are habituated to their employment, and disqualified for other occupations; their master becomes rich and consequently powerful; his ascendency over them continually increases; their children are brought up to the same occupation, the price of labour is gradually diminished; and every spark of independence is extinguished in their bosoms.

In any of those trades which can be carried on by one man, the journeyman may hope that through his persevering exertions, the time may come when he shall be able to set up for himself; and this hope acts as a spur to his industry, and keeps alive the vigour and independence of his mind; but in a great manufactory, the labourer is only qualified to be what he is a part of the machinery; he is incapable of managing the whole; and if he were, he can never hope to accumulate the sum necessary for a stupendous establishment.

The thing most to be lamented is the disqualifying nature of these employments, which incapacitate men for any of the common pursuits of life; and if any unfortunate casualty should destroy those establishments that afford them a subsistence, they become a burthen to the community and a terror to society in general.

It ought to be the great care of a republican government, (if indeed it be possible for a republican government to subsist for any length of time among civilized men) to preserve equality among its citizens: but the establishment of manufactories has a direct tendency to destroy every trace of equality and extend the influence of one opulent man over hundreds of those who are poor. Now, if the men subject to this influence be deprived of the right of suffrage, it follows that a multitude are degraded from the rank of citizens, and are no longer suffered to participate in the government of their country. Would not this be preposterous in a representative democracy? But if they be not deprived of the right of suffrage, the consequence is still more unfortunate. For their votes are the votes of their opulent employer: and the government becomes an aristocracy the most odious-the aristocracy of wealth,

A despotic prince acts wisely when he extends the commerce of the nation, establishes manufactories, and encourages every institution that he conceives will have a tendency to produce inequality among his subjects; because his throne is supported by the attachment of those who have extended their power over the inferior ranks of society, and consequently are friendly to existing establishments; but a government de signed for the good of the community in general, when it directs its attention exclusively to those objects, is acting directly contrary to the end of its institution. On the contrary all its laws and regulations should be calculated, as much as possible, to produce and preserve equality among the citizens, and to prevent any man or set of men from ac quiring and exercising power over others.-The Savage.

678. Friendship of the World.--When I see leaves drop from their trees in the beginning of autumn, just such, think I, is the friendship of the world. While the sap of maintenance lasts, my friends swarm in abundance, but, in the winter of my need, they leave me naked. He is a happy man, that hath a true friend at his need; but he is more truly happy, that hath no need of his friend.

Warwick's Spare Minutes.

679. The mind of Man is as a mirror or glass, capable of the image of the universal world, and as joyful to receive the impressions thereof as the eye rejoices to see the light; and not only delighted in beholding the variety of things, and the vicissitudes of times, but raised also to discover the inviolable laws, and the infallible decrees of nature; bnt if any man shall think by view and enquiry into sensible and material things, to attain that light whereby he may reveal unto himself the nature and will of God, then is he veiled through vain philosophy; for the sense of man is as the sun, which shines and reveals the terrestial bodies, but conceals and obscures the stars and bodies celestial.-Bacon.

680. On the Education of Children.-Never suffer your children to advance in years before you attend to their education. The younger they are, the more tender and soft their minds, and the more susceptible of impressions: consequently, if you neglect them, they will imbibe notions from every example which presents itself to them: and as there are more bad examples than good, and the bad from a certain obliquity in nature, being more congenial to our dispositions than good, the mind is nurtured in corruptness, in proportion as they enter into life, Think then of their education as soon as they are born, if you wish that they should benefit more certainly and easily by those instructions which they will receive afterwards.

The kings of Persia place their children under the direction of four of the greatest men of the nation, viz. the most wise, the most just, the most temperate, and the most courageous.

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