首页 >出版文学> Latter-Day Pamphlets>第9章
  DukesarewaitedonbydeleteriousFrenchcooks,byperfunctorygroomsofthechambers,andexpensivecrowdsofeye-servants,moreimaginarythanreal:whilehere,Science,HumanIntellectandBeneficencehavesearchedandsatstudious,eagertodotheirverybest;theyhavechosenarealArtistinGoverningtoseetheirbest,inalldetailsofit,done。Happyregimentsoftheline,whatsoldiertoanyearthlyorcelestialPowerhassuchalodgingandattendanceasyouhere?NosoldierorservantdirectorindirectofGodorofman,inthisEnglandatpresent。Joytoyou,regimentsoftheline。YourMaster,Iamtold,hashisElect,andprofessestobe“PrinceoftheKingdomsofthisWorld;“andtrulyIseehehaspowertodoagoodturntothoseheloves,inEnglandatleast。Shallwesay,May_he_,maytheDevilgiveyougoodofit,yeElectofScoundrelism?Iwillratherpassby,utteringnoprayeratall;musingratherinsilenceonthesingular“worshipofGod,“orpractical“reverencedonetoHumanWorth“whichistheoutcomeandessenceofallreal“worship“whatsoeveramongthePosterityofAdamatthisday。
  ForallroundthisbeautifulEstablishment,orOasisofPurity,intendedfortheDevil’sregimentsoftheline,laycontinentsofdingypooranddirtydwellings,wheretheunfortunatenot_yet_
  enlistedintothatForcewerestrugglingmanifoldly,——intheirworkshops,intheirmarble-yardsandtimber-yardsandtan-yards,intheirclosecellars,cobbler-stalls,hungrygarrets,andpoordarktrade-shopswithred-herringsandtobacco-pipescrossedinthewindow,——tokeeptheDevilout-of-doors,andnotenlistwithhim。AnditwasbyataxonthesethattheBarracksfortheregimentsofthelinewerekeptup。VisitingMagistrates,impelledbyExeterHall,byAble-Editors,andthePhilanthropicMovementoftheAge,hadgivenorderstothateffect。RatesonthepoorservantofGodandofherMajesty,whostillservesbothinhisway,painfullysellingred-herrings;ratesonhimandhisred-herringstoboilrightsoupfortheDevil’sdeclaredElect!
  Neverinmytravels,inanyageorclime,hadIfalleninwithsuchVisitingMagistratesbefore。Reservedthey,Ishouldsuppose,fortheseultimateorpenultimateagesoftheworld,richinallprodigies,political,spiritual,——agessurelywithsuchalengthofearsaswasneverparalleledbefore。
  IfIhadacommonwealthtoreformortogovern,certainlyitshouldnotbetheDevil’sregimentsofthelinethatIwouldfirstofallconcentratemyattentionon!WiththemIshouldbeaptsomakeratherbriefwork;tothemonewouldapplythebesom,trytosweep_them_,withsomerapidityintothedust-bin,andwelloutofone’sroad,Ishouldrathersay。Fillyourthrashing-floorwithdocks,ragweeds,mugworths,andplyyourflailuponthem,——thatisnotthemethodtoobtainsacksofwheat。Away,you;begoneswiftly,_ye_regimentsoftheline:
  inthenameofGodandofHispoorstrugglingservants,soreputtoittoliveinthesebaddays,Imeantoridmyselfofyouwithsomedegreeofbrevity。Tofeedyouinpalaces,tohirecaptainsandschoolmastersandthechoicestspiritualandmaterialartificerstoexpendtheirindustriesonyou,No,bytheEternal!
  Ihavequiteotherworkforthatclassofartists;
  Seven-and-twentyMillionsofneglectedmortalswhohavenotyetquitedeclaredfortheDevil。Markit,mydiabolicfriends,I
  meantolayleatheronthebacksofyou,collarsroundthenecksofyou;andwillteachyou,aftertheexampleofthegods,thatthisworldis_not_yourinheritance,orgladtoseeyouinit。
  You,yediaboliccanaille,whathasaGovernormuchtodowithyou?You,Ithink,hewillratherswiftlydismissfromhisthoughts,——whichhavethewholecelestialandterrestrialfortheirscope,andnotthesubterraneanofscoundreldomalone。
  You,Iconsider,hewillsweepprettyrapidlyintosomeNorfolkIsland,intosomespecialConvictColonyorremotedomesticMoorland,intosomestone-walledSilent-System,underharddrill-sergeants,justasRhadamanthus,andinflexibleashe,andthereleaveyoutoreapwhatyouhavesown;hemeanwhileturninghisendeavorstothethousand-foldimmeasurableinterestsofmenandgods,——dismissingtheoneextremelycontemptibleinterestofscoundrels;sweepingthatintothecesspool,tumblingthatoverLondonBridge,inaverybriefmanner,ifneedful!Whoareyou,yethriftlesssweepingsofCreation,thatweshouldforeverbepesteredwithyou?HavewenoworktodobutdrillingDevil’sregimentsoftheline?
  IfIhadschoolmasters,mybenevolentfriend,doyouimagineI
  wouldsetthemonteachingasetofunteachables,whoasyouperceivehavealreadymadeuptheirmindthatblackiswhite,——thattheDevilnamelyistheadvantageousMastertoserveinthisworld?MyesteemedBenefactorofHumanity,itshallbefarfromme。MindsopentothatparticularconvictionarenotthematerialIliketoworkupon。Whenoncemyschoolmastershavegoneoveralltheotherclassesofsocietyfromtoptobottom;andhavenoothersoultotrywithteaching,allbeingthoroughlytaught,——Iwillthensendthemtooperateon_these_
  regimentsoftheline:then,and,assureyourself,nevertillthen。Thetruthis,Iamsickofscoundreldom,myesteemedBenefactor;italwayswasdetestabletome;andherewhereIfinditlodgedinpalacesandwaitedonbythebenevolentoftheworld,itismoredetestable,nottosayinsufferabletomethanever。
  OfBeneficence,Benevolence,andthepeoplethatcometogethertotalkonplatformsandsubscribefivepounds,Iwillsaynothinghere;indeedthereisnotroomhereforthetwentiethpartofwhatweretobesaidofthem。Thebeneficence,benevolence,andsublimevirtuewhichissuesineloquenttalkreportedintheNewspapers,withthesubscriptionoffivepounds,andthefeelingthatoneisagoodcitizenandornamenttosociety,——concerningthis,therewereagreatmanyunexpectedremarkstobemade;butletthisone,forthepresentoccasion,suffice:——
  Mysublimebenevolentfriends,don’tyouperceive,foronething,thathereisashockinglyunfruitfulinvestmentforyourcapitalofBenevolence;preciselytheworst,indeed,whichhumaningenuitycouldselectforyou?“Lawsareunjust,temptationsgreat,“&c。&c。:alas,Iknowit,andmournforit,andpassionatelycallonallmentohelpinalteringit。Butaccordingtoeveryhypothesisastothelaw,andthetemptationsandpressurestowardsvice,herearetheindividualswho,ofallthesociety,haveyieldedtosaidpressure。Theseareoftheworstsubstanceforenduringpressure!Theothersyetstandandmakeresistancetotemptation,tothelaw’sinjustice;underalltheperversitiesandstranglingimpedimentsthereare,therestofthesocietystillkeeptheirfeet,andstruggleforward,marchingunderthebannerofCosmos,ofGodandHumanVirtue;
  theseselectFew,asIexplaintoyou,aretheywhohavefallentoChaos,andareswornintocertainregimentsoftheline。A
  superiorproclivitytoChaosisdeclaredinthese,bytheveryfactoftheirbeinghere!Ofallthegenerationwelivein,thesearetheworststuff。These,Isay,aretheElixiroftheInfatuatedamonglivingmortals:ifyouwanttheworstinvestmentforyourBenevolence,hereyouaccuratelyhaveit。O
  mysurprisingfriends!Nowheresoasherecanyoubecertainthatagivenquantityofwiseteachingbestowed,ofbenevolenttroubletaken,willyieldzero,orthenet_Minimum_ofreturn。
  ItissowingofyourwheatuponIrishquagmires;laboriouslyharrowingitinuponthesandoftheseashore。Omyastonishingbenevolentfriends!
  Yonder,inthosedingyhabitations,andshopsofredherringandtobacco-pipes,wheremenhavenotyetquitedeclaredfortheDevil;there,Isay,island:hereismeresea-beach。Thithergowithyourbenevolence,thithertothosedingycavernsofthepoor;andthereinstructanddrillandmanage,therewheresomefruitmaycomefromit。And,aboveallandinclusiveofall,cannotyougotothoseSolemnhumanShams,PhantasmCaptains,andSupremeQuacksthatrideprosperouslyineverythoroughfare;andwithseverebenevolence,askthem,Whattheyaredoinghere?
  Theyarethemenwhomitwouldbehooveyoutodrillalittle,andtietothehalbertsinabenevolentmanner,ifyoucould!“Wecannot,“sayyou?Yes,myfriends,toacertainextentyoucan。
  Bymanywell-knownactivemethods,andbyallmannerofpassivemethods,youcan。Strivethitherward,Iadviseyou;thither,withwhateversocialefforttheremaylieinyou!Thewell-headand“consecrated“thrice-accursedchieffountainofallthosewatersofbitterness,——itisthey,thoseSolemnShamsandSupremeQuacksofyours,littleastheyoryouimagineit!Them,withseverebenevolence,putastopto;themsendtotheirFather,farfromthesightofthetrueandjust,——ifyouwouldeverseeajustworldhere!
  Whatsortofreformersandworkersareyou,thatworkonlyontherottenmaterial?Thatneverthinkofmeddlingwiththematerialwhileitcontinuessound;thatstressitandstrainitwithnewratesandassessments,tillonceithasgivenwayanddeclareditselfrotten;whereuponyousnatchgreedilyatit,andsay,Nowletustrytodosomegooduponit!Youmistakeineveryway,myfriends:thefactis,youfancyyourselvesmenofvirtue,benevolence,whatnot;andyouarenotevenmenofsincerityandhonestsense。Igrievetosayit;butitistrue。Goodfromyou,andyouroperations,isnottobeexpected。Youmaygodown!
  HowardisabeautifulPhilanthropist,eulogizedbyBurke,andinmostmen’smindsasortofbeatifiedindividual。Howglorious,havingfinishedoffone’saffairsinBedfordshire,orinfactfindingthemverydull,inane,andworthyofbeingquittedandgotawayfrom,tosetoutonacruise,overtheJailsfirstofBritain;then,findingthatanswer,overtheJailsofthehabitableGlobe!“Avoyageofdiscovery,acircum-navigationofcharity;tocollatedistresses,togaugewretchedness,totakethedimensionsofhumanmisery:“reallyitisveryfine。
  CaptainCook’svoyagefortheTerraAustralis,Ross’s,Franklin’sforthedittoBorealis:menmakevariouscruisesandvoyagesinthisworld,——forwantofmoney,wantofwork,andoneortheotherwant,——whichareattendedwiththeirdifficultiestoo,anddonotmakethecruiserademigod。Onthewhole,Ihavemyselfnothingbutrespect,comparativelyspeaking,forthedullsolidHoward,andhis“benevolence,“andotherimpulsesthatsethimcruising;HeavenhadgrownwearyofJail-fevers,andotherthelikeunjustpenaltiesinflicteduponscoundrels,——forscoundrelstoo,andeventheveryDevil,shouldnothave_more_thantheirdue;——andHeaven,initsopulence,createdamantomakeanendofthat。Createdhim;disgustedhimwiththegrocerbusiness;
  triedhimwithCalvinism,ruralennui,andsorebereavementinhisBedfordshireretreat;——and,inshort,atlastgothimsettohiswork,andinaconditiontoachieveit。ForwhichIamthankfultoHeaven;anddoalso,——withdoffedhat,humblysaluteJohnHoward。Apracticalsolidman,ifadullandevendreary;
  “carrieshisweighing-scalesinhispocket:“whenyourjaileranswers,“Theprisoner’sallowanceoffoodissoandso;andweobserveitsacredly;here,forexample,isaration。“——“Hey!A
  rationthis?“andsolidJohnsuddenlyproduceshisweighing-scales;weighsit,marksdowninhistabletswhattheactualquantityofitis。Thatistheartandmanneroftheman。
  AmanfullofEnglishaccuracy;Englishveracity,solidity,simplicity;bywhomthisuniversalJail-commission,nottobepaidforinmoneybutfarotherwise,issetabout,withalltheslowenergy,thepatience,practicality,sedulityandsagacitycommontothebestEnglishcommissionerspaidinmoneyandnotexpresslyotherwise。
  ForitisthegloryofEnglandthatshehasaturnforfidelityinpracticalwork;thatsham-workers,thoughverynumerous,arerarerthanelsewhere;thatamanwhoundertakesworkforyouwillstill,invariousprovincesofouraffairs,doit,insteadofmerelyseemingtodoit。JohnHoward,withoutpayinmoney,_did_thisoftheJail-fever,asotherEnglishmendowork,inatrulyworkmanlikemanner:hisdistinctionwasthathediditwithoutmoney。Hehadnot500poundsor5,000poundsayearofsalaryforit;butlivedmerelyonhisBedfordshireestates,andasSnigsbyirreverentlyexpressesit,“bychewinghisowncud。“
  And,sureenough,ifanymanmightchewthecudofplacidreflections,solidHoward,amournfulmanotherwise,mightatintervalsindulgealittleinthatluxury——Nomoney-salaryhadheforhiswork;hehadmerelytheincomeofhisproperties,andwhathecouldderivefromwithin。Isthissuchasublimedistinction,then?Well,letitpassatitsvalue。Therehavebeenbenefactorsofmankindwhohadmoreneedofmoneythanhe,andgotnonetoo。Milton,itisknown,didhis_ParadiseLost_
  attheeasyrateoffivepounds。KeplerworkedoutthesecretoftheHeavenlyMotionsinadreadfullypainfulmanner;“goingoverthecalculationssixtytimes;“andhavingnotonlynopublicmoney,butnoprivateeither;and,infact,writingalmanacsforhisbread-and-water,whilehedidthisoftheHeavenlyMotions;
  havingnoBedfordshireestates;nothingbutapensionof18
  poundswhichtheywouldnotpayhim,thevaluablefacultyofwritingalmanacs,andatlengththeinvaluableoneofdying,whentheHeavenlybodieswerevanquished,andbattle’sconflagrationhadcollapsedintocolddarkashes,andthestarvationreachedtoohighapitchforthepoorman。
  Howardisnottheonlybenefactorthathasworkedwithoutmoneyforus;therehavebeensomemore,——andwillbe,Ihope!FortheDestiniesareopulent;andsendhereandthereamanintotheworldtodowork,forwhichtheydonotmeantopayhiminmoney。