theshopkeepersarericher。Theserving—man，theartisan，andthehusbandman，haveamorecopiousandpalatablesupplyoffood，betterclothing，andbetterfurniture。Thisisnoreasonfortoleratingabuses，orforneglectinganymeansofamelioratingtheconditionofourpoorercountrymen。Butitisareasonagainsttellingthem，assomeofourphilosophersareconstantlytellingthem，thattheyarethemostwretchedpeoplewhoeverexistedonthefaceoftheearth。
WehavealreadyadvertedtoMr。Southey’samusingdoctrineaboutnationalwealth。Astate，sayshe，cannotbetoorich;butapeoplemaybetoorich。Hisreasonforthinkingthisisextremelycurious。
"Apeoplemaybetoorich，becauseitisthetendencyofthecommercial，andmoreespeciallyofthemanufacturingsystem，tocollectwealthratherthantodiffuseit。Wherewealthisnecessarilyemployedinanyofthespeculationsoftrade，itsincreaseisinproportiontoitsamount。Greatcapitalistsbecomelikepikesinafish—pondwhodevourtheweakerfish;anditisbuttoocertain，thatthepovertyofonepartofthepeopleseemstoincreaseinthesameratioastherichesofanother。Thereareexamplesofthisinhistory。InPortugal，whenthehightideofwealthflowedinfromtheconquestsinAfricaandtheEast，theeffectofthatgreatinfluxwasnotmorevisibleintheaugmentedsplendourofthecourt，andtheluxuryofthehigherranks，thaninthedistressofthepeople。"
Mr。Southey’sinstanceisnotaveryfortunateone。ThewealthwhichdidsolittleforthePortuguesewasnotthefruiteitherofmanufacturesorofcommercecarriedonbyprivateindividuals。
Itwasthewealth，notofthepeople，butoftheGovernmentanditscreatures，ofthosewho，asMr。Southeythinks，canneverbetoorich。Thefactis，thatMr。Southey’spropositionisopposedtoallhistory，andtothephaenomenawhichsurroundusoneveryside。EnglandistherichestcountryinEurope，themostcommercialcountry，andthecountryinwhichmanufacturesflourishmost。RussiaandPolandarethepoorestcountriesinEurope。Theyhavescarcelyanytrade，andnonebuttherudestmanufactures。IswealthmorediffusedinRussiaandPolandthaninEngland？ThereareindividualsinRussiaandPolandwhoseincomesareprobablyequaltothoseofourrichestcountrymen。Itmaybedoubtedwhethertherearenot，inthosecountries，asmanyfortunesofeightythousandayearashere。Butarethereasmanyfortunesoftwothousandayear，orofonethousandayear？ThereareparishesinEnglandwhichcontainmorepeopleofbetweenthreehundredandthreethousandpoundsayearthancouldbefoundinallthedominionsoftheEmperorNicholas。TheneatandcommodioushouseswhichhavebeenbuiltinLondonanditsvicinity，forpeopleofthisclass，withinthelastthirtyyears，wouldofthemselvesformacitylargerthanthecapitalsofsomeEuropeankingdoms。Andthisisthestateofsocietyinwhichthegreatproprietorshavedevouredasmaller！
ThecurewhichMr。Southeythinksthathehasdiscoveredisworthyofthesagacitywhichhehasshownindetectingtheevil。
Thecalamitiesarisingfromthecollectionofwealthinthehandsofafewcapitalistsaretoberemediedbycollectingitinthehandsofonegreatcapitalist，whohasnoconceivablemotivetouseitbetterthanothercapitalists，theall—devouringState。
Itisnotstrangethat，differingsowidelyfromMr。Southeyastothepastprogressofsociety，weshoulddifferfromhimalsoastoitsprobabledestiny。Hethinks，thattoalloutwardappearance，thecountryishasteningtodestruction;buthereliesfirmlyonthegoodnessofGod。WedonotseeeitherthepietyortherationalityofthusconfidentlyexpectingthattheSupremeBeingwillinterferetodisturbthecommonsuccessionofcausesandeffects。We，too，relyonhisgoodness，onhisgoodnessasmanifested，notinextraordinaryinterpositions，butinthosegenerallawswhichithaspleasedhimtoestablishinthephysicalandinthemoralworld。Werelyonthenaturaltendencyofthehumanintellecttotruth，andonthenaturaltendencyofsocietytoimprovement。Weknownowell—authenticatedinstanceofapeoplewhichhasdecidedlyretrogradedincivilisationandprosperity，exceptfromtheinfluenceofviolentandterriblecalamities，suchasthosewhichlaidtheRomanEmpireinruins，orthosewhich，aboutthebeginningofthesixteenthcentury，desolatedItaly。Weknowofnocountrywhich，attheendoffiftyyearsofpeaceandtolerablygoodgovernment，hasbeenlessprosperousthanatthebeginningofthatperiod。
Thepoliticalimportanceofastatemaydecline，asthebalanceofpowerisdisturbedbytheintroductionofnewforces。ThustheinfluenceofHollandandofSpainismuchdiminished。ButareHollandandSpainpoorerthanformerly？Wedoubtit。Othercountrieshaveoutrunthem。Butwesuspectthattheyhavebeenpositively，thoughnotrelatively，advancing。WesuspectthatHollandisricherthanwhenshesenthernaviesuptheThames，thatSpainisricherthanwhenaFrenchkingwasbroughtcaptivetothefootstoolofCharlestheFifth。
Historyisfullofthesignsofthisnaturalprogressofsociety。
Weseeinalmosteverypartoftheannalsofmankindhowtheindustryofindividuals，strugglingupagainstwars，taxes，famines，conflagrations，mischievousprohibitions，andmoremischievousprotections，createsfasterthangovernmentscansquander，andrepairswhateverinvaderscandestroy。Weseethewealthofnationsincreasing，andalltheartsoflifeapproachingnearerandnearertoperfection，inspiteofthegrossestcorruptionandthewildestprofusiononthepartofrulers。
Thepresentmomentisoneofgreatdistress。Buthowsmallwillthatdistressappearwhenwethinkoverthehistoryofthelastfortyyears;awar，comparedwithwhichallotherwarssinkintoinsignificance;taxation，suchasthemostheavilytaxedpeopleofformertimescouldnothaveconceived;adebtlargerthanallthepublicdebtsthateverexistedintheworldaddedtogether;
thefoodofthepeoplestudiouslyrendereddear;thecurrencyimprudentlydebased，andimprudentlyrestored。Yetisthecountrypoorerthanin1790？Wefirmlybelievethat，inspiteofallthemisgovernmentofherrulers，shehasbeenalmostconstantlybecomingricherandricher。Nowandthentherehasbeenastoppage，nowandthenashortretrogression;butastothegeneraltendencytherecanbenodoubt。Asinglebreakermayrecede;butthetideisevidentlycomingin。
Ifweweretoprophesythatintheyear1930apopulationoffiftymillions，betterfed，clad，andlodgedthantheEnglishofourtime，willcovertheseislands，thatSussexandHuntingdonshirewillbewealthierthanthewealthiestpartsoftheWestRidingofYorkshirenoware，thatcultivation，richasthatofaflower—garden，willbecarrieduptotheverytopsofBenNevisandHelvellyn，thatmachinesconstructedonprinciplesyetundiscoveredwillbeineveryhouse，thattherewillbenohighwaysbutrailroads，notravellingbutbysteam，thatourdebt，vastasitseemstous，willappeartoourgreat—
grandchildrenatriflingencumbrance，whichmighteasilybepaidoffinayearortwo，manypeoplewouldthinkusinsane。Weprophesynothing;butthiswesay:IfanypersonhadtoldtheParliamentwhichmetinperplexityandterrorafterthecrashin1720thatin1830thewealthofEnglandwouldsurpassalltheirwildestdreams，thattheannualrevenuewouldequaltheprincipalofthatdebtwhichtheyconsideredasanintolerableburden，thatforonemanoftenthousandpoundsthenlivingtherewouldbefivemenoffiftythousandpounds，thatLondonwouldbetwiceaslargeandtwiceaspopulous，andthatneverthelesstherateofmortalitywouldhavediminishedtoone—halfofwhatitthenwas，thatthepost—officewouldbringmoreintotheexchequerthantheexciseandcustomshadbroughtintogetherunderCharlestheSecond，thatstagecoacheswouldrunfromLondontoYorkintwenty—fourhours，thatmenwouldbeinthehabitofsailingwithoutwind，andwouldbebeginningtoridewithouthorses，ourancestorswouldhavegivenasmuchcredittothepredictionastheygavetoGulliver’sTravels。Yetthepredictionwouldhavebeentrue;andtheywouldhaveperceivedthatitwasnotaltogetherabsurd，iftheyhadconsideredthatthecountrywasthenraisingeveryyearasumwhichwouldhavepurchasedthefee—
simpleoftherevenueofthePlantagenets，tentimeswhatsupportedtheGovernmentofElizabeth，threetimeswhat，inthetimeofCromwell，hadbeenthoughtintolerablyoppressive。Toalmostallmenthestateofthingsunderwhichtheyhavebeenusedtoliveseemstobethenecessarystateofthings。Wehavehearditsaidthatfivepercent。isthenaturalinterestofmoney，thattwelveisthenaturalnumberofajury，thatfortyshillingsisthenaturalqualificationofacountyvoter。Henceitisthat，thoughineveryageeverybodyknowsthatuptohisowntimeprogressiveimprovementhasbeentakingplace，nobodyseemstoreckononanyimprovementduringthenextgeneration。Wecannotabsolutelyprovethatthoseareinerrorwhotellusthatsocietyhasreachedaturningpoint，thatwehaveseenourbestdays。Butsosaidallwhocamebeforeus，andwithjustasmuchapparentreason。
"Amillionayearwillbeggarus，"saidthepatriotsof1640。
"Twomillionsayearwillgrindthecountrytopowder，"wasthecryin1660。"Sixmillionsayear，andadebtoffiftymillions！"
exclaimedSwift，"thehighallieshavebeentheruinofus。""A
hundredandfortymillionsofdebt！"saidJunius;"wellmaywesaythatweoweLordChathammorethanweshalleverpay，ifweowehimsuchaloadasthis。""Twohundredandfortymillionsofdebt！"criedallthestatesmenof1783inchorus;"whatabilities，orwhateconomyonthepartofaminister，cansaveacountrysoburdened？"Weknowthatif，since1783，nofreshdebthadbeenincurred，theincreasedresourcesofthecountrywouldhaveenabledustodefraythatdebtatwhichPitt，Fox，andBurkestoodaghast，nay，todefrayitoverandoveragain，andthatwithmuchlightertaxationthanwhatwehaveactuallyborne。Onwhatprincipleisitthat，whenweseenothingbutimprovementbehindus，wearetoexpectnothingbutdeteriorationbeforeus？
ItisnotbytheintermeddlingofMr。Southey’sidol，theomniscientandomnipotentState，butbytheprudenceandenergyofthepeople，thatEnglandhashithertobeencarriedforwardincivilisation;anditistothesameprudenceandthesameenergythatwenowlookwithcomfortandgoodhope。Ourrulerswillbestpromotetheimprovementofthenationbystrictlyconfiningthemselvestotheirownlegitimateduties，byleavingcapitaltofinditsmostlucrativecourse，commoditiestheirfairprice，industryandintelligencetheirnaturalreward，idlenessandfollytheirnaturalpunishment，bymaintainingpeace，bydefendingproperty，bydiminishingthepriceoflaw，andbyobservingstricteconomyineverydepartmentoftheState。LettheGovernmentdothis:thePeoplewillassuredlydotherest。
CIVILDISABILITIESOFTHEJEWS
（January1831）
StatementoftheCivilDisabilitiesandPrivationsaffectingJewsinEngland。8vo。London:1829。
THEdistinguishedmemberoftheHouseofCommons，who，towardsthecloseofthelateParliament，broughtforwardapropositionforthereliefoftheJews，hasgivennoticeofhisintentiontorenewit。Theforceofreason，inthelastsession，carriedthemeasurethroughonestageinspiteoftheoppositionofpower。
Reasonandpowerarenowonthesameside;andwehavelittledoubtthattheywillconjointlyachieveadecisivevictory。Inordertocontributeoursharetothesuccessofjustprinciples，weproposetopassinreview，asrapidlyaspossible，someofthearguments，orphrasesclaimingtobearguments，whichhavebeenemployedtovindicateasystemfullofabsurdityandinjustice。
Theconstitution，itissaid，isessentiallyChristian;andthereforetoadmitJewstoofficeistodestroytheconstitution。
NoristheJewinjuredbybeingexcludedfrompoliticalpower。
Fornomanhasanyrighttopower。Amanhasarighttohisproperty;amanhasarighttobeprotectedfrompersonalinjury。
TheserightsthelawallowstotheJew;andwiththeserightsitwouldbeatrocioustointerfere。Butitisamerematteroffavourtoadmitanymantopoliticalpower;andnomancanjustlycomplainthatheisshutoutfromit。
Wecannotbutadmiretheingenuityofthiscontrivanceforshiftingtheburdenoftheprooffromthosetowhomitproperlybelongs，andwhowould，wesuspect，finditrathercumbersome。
SurelynoChristiancandenythateveryhumanbeinghasarighttobeallowedeverygratification。whichproducesnoharmtoothers，andtobesparedeverymortificationwhichproducesnogoodtoothers。Isitnotasourceofmortificationtoaclassofmenthattheyareexcludedfrompoliticalpower？Ifitbe，theyhave，onChristianprinciples，arighttobefreedfromthatmortification，unlessitcanbeshownthattheirexclusionisnecessaryfortheavertingofsomegreaterevil。Thepresumptionisevidentlyinfavouroftoleration。Itisfortheprosecutortomakeouthiscase。
Thestrangeargumentwhichweareconsideringwouldprovetoomuchevenforthosewhoadvanceit。Ifnomanhasarighttopoliticalpower，thenneitherJewnorGentilehassucharight。
Thewholefoundationofgovernmentistakenaway。Butifgovernmentbetakenaway，thepropertyandthepersonsofmenareinsecure;anditisacknowledgedthatmenhavearighttotheirpropertyandtopersonalsecurity。Ifitberightthatthepropertyofmenshouldbeprotected，andifthiscanonlybedonebymeansofgovernment，thenitmustberightthatgovernmentshouldexist。Nowtherecannotbegovernmentunlesssomepersonorpersonspossesspoliticalpower。Thereforeitisrightthatsomepersonorpersonsshouldpossesspoliticalpower。Thatistosay，somepersonorpersonsmusthavearighttopoliticalpower。
Itisbecausemenarenotinthehabitofconsideringwhattheendofgovernmentis，thatCatholicdisabilitiesandJewishdisabilitieshavebeensufferedtoexistsolong。WehearofessentiallyProtestantgovernmentsandessentiallyChristiangovernments，wordswhichmeanjustasmuchasessentiallyProtestantcookery，oressentiallyChristianhorsemanship。
Governmentexistsforthepurposeofkeepingthepeace，forthepurposeofcompellingustosettleourdisputesbyarbitrationinsteadofsettlingthembyblows，forthepurposeofcompellingustosupplyourwantsbyindustryinsteadofsupplyingthembyrapine。Thisistheonlyoperationforwhichthemachineryofgovernmentispeculiarlyadapted，theonlyoperationwhichwisegovernmentseverproposetothemselvesastheirchiefobject。Ifthereisanyclassofpeoplewhoarenotinterested，orwhodonotthinkthemselvesinterested，inthesecurityofpropertyandthemaintenanceoforder，thatclassoughttohavenoshareofthepowerswhichexistforthepurposeofsecuringpropertyandmaintainingorder。Butwhyamanshouldbelessfittoexercisethosepowersbecausehewearsabeard，becausehedoesnoteatham，becausehegoestothesynagogueonSaturdaysinsteadofgoingtothechurchonSundays，wecannotconceive。
ThepointsofdifferencebetweenChristianityandJudaismhaveverymuchtodowithaman’sfitnesstobeabishoporarabbi。
Buttheyhavenomoretodowithhisfitnesstobeamagistrate，alegislator，oraministeroffinance，thanwithhisfitnesstobeacobbler。NobodyhaseverthoughtofcompellingcobblerstomakeanydeclarationonthetruefaithofaChristian。Anymanwouldratherhavehisshoesmendedbyahereticalcobblerthanbyapersonwhohadsubscribedallthethirty—ninearticles，buthadneverhandledanawl。Menactthus，notbecausetheyareindifferenttoreligion，butbecausetheydonotseewhatreligionhastodowiththemendingoftheirshoes。Yetreligionhasasmuchtodowiththemendingofshoesaswiththebudgetandthearmyestimates。WehavesurelyhadseveralsignalproofswithinthelasttwentyyearsthataverygoodChristianmaybeaverybadChancelloroftheExchequer。
Butitwouldbemonstrous，saysthepersecutors，thatJewsshouldlegislateforaChristiancommunity。Thisisapalpablemisrepresentation。Whatisproposedis，notthattheJewsshouldlegislateforaChristi...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：