首页 >出版文学> LETTERS>第100章

第100章

  Hereallisquiet。TheBritishwarhasleftusindebt;butthatisacheappriceforthegoodithasdoneus。Theestablishmentofthenecessarymanufacturesamongourselves,theproofthatourgovernmentissolid,canstandtheshockofwar,andissuperioreventocivilschism,arepreciousfactsforus;andofthesethestrongestproofswerefurnished,when,withfoureasternStatestiedtous,asdeadtolivingbodies,alldoubtwasremovedastotheachievementsofthewar,haditcontinued。Butitsbesteffecthasbeenthecompletesuppressionofparty。ThefederalistswhoweretrulyAmerican,andtheirgreatmasswasso,haveseparatedfromtheirbrethrenwhoweremereAnglomen,andarereceivedwithcordialityintotherepublicanranks。EvenConnecticut,asaState,andthelastoneexpectedtoyielditssteadyhabitswhichwereessentiallybigotedinpoliticsaswellasreligion,haschosenarepublicangovernor,andrepublicanlegislature。Massachusettsindeedstilllags;becausemostdeeplyinvolvedintheparricidecrimesandtreasonsofthewar。Buthergangreneiscontracting,thesoundfleshadvancingonit,andalltherewillbewell。ImentionedConnecticutasthemosthopelessofourStates。LittleDelawarehadescapedmyattention。ThatisessentiallyaQuakerState,thefragmentofareligioussectwhich,there,intheotherStates,inEngland,areahomogeneousmass,actingwithonemind,andthatdirectedbythemothersocietyinEngland。Dispersed,astheJews,theystillform,asthosedo,onenation,foreigntothelandtheylivein。TheyareProtestantJesuits,implicitlydevotedtothewilloftheirsuperior,andforgettingalldutiestotheircountryintheexecutionofthepolicyoftheirorder。WhenwarisproposedwithEngland,theyhavereligiousscruples;butwhenwithFrance,thesearelaidby,andtheybecomeclamorousforit。Theyare,however,silent,passive,andgivenoothertroublethanofwhippingthemalong。NoristheelectionofMonroeaninefficientcircumstanceinourfelicities。Fourandtwentyyears,whichhewillaccomplish,ofadministrationinrepublicanformsandprinciples,willsoconsecratethemintheeyesofthepeopleastosecurethemagainstthedangerofchange。Theevanitionofpartydissensionshasharmonizedintercourse,andsweetenedsocietybeyondimagination。Thewarthenhasdoneusallthisgood,andthefurtheroneofassuringtheworld,thatalthoughattachedtopeacefromasenseofitsblessings,wewillmeetwarwhenitismadenecessary。
  IwishIcouldgivebetterhopesofoursouthernbrethren。TheachievementoftheirindependenceofSpainisnolongeraquestion。
  Butitisaveryseriousone,whatwillthenbecomeofthem?
  Ignoranceandbigotry,likeotherinsanities,areincapableofself-government。Theywillfallundermilitarydespotism,andbecomethemurderoustoolsoftheambitionoftheirrespectiveBonapartes;
  andwhetherthiswillbefortheirgreaterhappiness,theruleofoneonlyhastaughtyoutojudge。Noone,Ihope,candoubtmywishtoseethemandallmankindexercisingself-government,andcapableofexercisingit。Butthequestionisnotwhatwewish,butwhatispracticable?Astheirsincerefriendandbrotherthen,Idobelievethebestthingforthem,wouldbeforthemselvestocometoanaccordwithSpain,undertheguaranteeofFrance,Russia,Holland,andtheUnitedStates,allowingtoSpainanominalsupremacy,withauthorityonlytokeepthepeaceamongthem,leavingthemotherwiseallthepowersofself-government,untiltheirexperienceinthem,theiremancipationfromtheirpriests,andadvancementininformation,shallpreparethemforcompleteindependence。IexcludeEnglandfromthisconfederacy,becauseherselfishprinciplesrenderherincapableofhonorablepatronageordisinterestedco-operation;unless,indeed,whatseemsnowprobable,arevolutionshouldrestoretoheranhonestgovernment,onewhichwillpermittheworldtoliveinpeace。
  Portugal,graspingatanextensionofherdominioninthesouth,haslosthergreatnorthernprovinceofPernambuco,andIshallnotwonderifBrazilshouldrevoltinmass,andsendtheirroyalfamilybacktoPortugal。Brazilismorepopulous,morewealthy,moreenergetic,andaswiseasPortugal。Ihavebeeninsensiblyled,mydearfriend,whilewritingtoyou,toindulgeinthatlineofsentimentinwhichwehavebeenalwaysassociated,forgettingthatthesearemattersnotbelongingtomytime。Notsowithyou,whohavestillmanyyearstobeaspectatoroftheseevents。Thattheseyearsmayindeedbemanyandhappy,isthesincereprayerofyouraffectionatefriend。”THEFLATTERIESOFHOPE”
  _ToFransoisdeMarbois_
  _Monticello,June14,1817_
  Ithankyou,dearSir,forthecopyoftheinterestingnarrativeoftheCompletd’Arnold,whichyouhavebeensokindastosendme。Itthrowslightonthatincidentofhistorywhichwedidnotpossessbefore。Anincidentwhichmeritstobeknownasalessontomankind,inallitsdetails。ThismarkofyourattentionrecallstomymindtheearlierperiodoflifeatwhichIhadthepleasureofyourpersonalacquaintance,andrenewsthesentimentsofhighrespectandesteemwithwhichthatacquaintanceinspiredme。Ihadnotfailedtoaccompanyyourpersonalsufferingsduringthecivilconvulsionsofyourcountry,andhadsincerelysympathizedwiththem。
  Anawfulperiod,indeed,haspassedinEuropesinceourfirstacquaintance。WhenIleftFranceatthecloseof’89,yourrevolutionwas,asIthought,underthedirectionofableandhonestmen。Butthemadnessofsomeoftheirsuccessors,thevicesofothers,themaliciousintriguesofanenviousandcorruptingneighbor,thetracasserieoftheDirectory,theusurpations,thehavoc,anddevastationsofyourAttila,andtheequalusurpations,depredationsandoppressionsofyourhypocriticaldeliverers,willformamournfulperiodinthehistoryofman,aperiodofwhichthelastchapterwillnotbeseeninyourdayormine,andonewhichI
  stillfearistobewrittenincharactersofblood。HadBonapartereflectedthatsuchisthemoralconstructionoftheworld,thatnonationalcrimepassesunpunishedinthelongrun,hewouldnotnowbeinthecageofSt。Helena;andwereyourpresentoppressorstoreflectonthesametruth,theywouldsparetotheirowncountriesthepenaltiesontheirpresentwrongswhichwillbeinflictedonthemonfuturetimes。Theseedsofhatredandrevengewhichtheyarenowsowingwithalargehand,willnotfailtoproducetheirfruitsintime。Liketheirbrotherrobbersonthehighway,theysupposetheescapeofthemomentafinalescape,anddeeminfamyandfutureriskcountervailedbypresentgain。Ourlothasbeenhappier。Whenyouwitnessedourfirststrugglesinthewarofindependence,youlittlecalculated,morethanwedid,ontherapidgrowthandprosperityofthiscountry;onthepracticaldemonstrationitwasabouttoexhibit,ofthehappytruththatmaniscapableofself-government,andonlyrenderedotherwisebythemoraldegradationdesignedlysuperinducedonhimbythewickedactsofhistyrants。
  Ihavemuchconfidencethatweshallproceedsuccessfullyforagestocome,andthat,contrarytotheprincipleofMontesquieu,itwillbeseenthatthelargertheextentofcountry,themorefirmitsrepublicanstructure,iffounded,notonconquest,butinprinciplesofcompactandequality。Myhopeofitsdurationisbuiltmuchontheenlargementoftheresourcesoflifegoinghandinhandwiththeenlargementofterritory,andthebeliefthatmenaredisposedtolivehonestly,ifthemeansofdoingsoareopentothem。Withtheconsolationofthisbeliefinthefutureresultofourlabors,Ihavethatofotherprophetswhoforetelldistantevents,thatIshallnotlivetoseeitfalsified。Mytheoryhasalwaysbeen,thatifwearetodream,theflatteriesofhopeareascheap,andpleasanterthanthegloomofdespair。Iwishtoyourselfalonglifeofhonors,healthandhappiness。
  FEMALEEDUCATION
  _ToNathanielBurwell_
  _Monticello,March14,1818_
  DEARSIR,——YourletterofFebruary17thfoundmesufferingunderanattackofrheumatism,whichhasbutnowleftmeatsufficienteasetoattendtothelettersIhavereceived。Aplanoffemaleeducationhasneverbeenasubjectofsystematiccontemplationwithme。Ithasoccupiedmyattentionsofaronlyastheeducationofmyowndaughtersoccasionallyrequired。Consideringthattheywouldbeplacedinacountrysituation,wherelittleaidcouldbeobtainedfromabroad,Ithoughtitessentialtogivethemasolideducation,whichmightenablethem,whenbecomemothers,toeducatetheirowndaughters,andeventodirectthecourseforsons,shouldtheirfathersbelost,orincapable,orinattentive。Mysurvivingdaughteraccordingly,themotherofmanydaughtersaswellassons,hasmadetheireducationtheobjectofherlife,andbeingabetterjudgeofthepracticalpartthanmyself,itiswithheraidandthatofoneofherelevesthatIshallsubjoinacatalogueofthebooksforsuchacourseofreadingaswehavepracticed。
  Agreatobstacletogoodeducationistheinordinatepassionprevalentfornovels,andthetimelostinthatreadingwhichshouldbeinstructivelyemployed。Whenthispoisoninfectsthemind,itdestroysitstoneandrevoltsitagainstwholesomereading。Reasonandfact,plainandunadorned,arerejected。Nothingcanengageattentionunlessdressedinallthefigmentsoffancy,andnothingsobedeckedcomesamiss。Theresultisabloatedimagination,sicklyjudgment,anddisgusttowardsalltherealbusinessesoflife。Thismassoftrash,however,isnotwithoutsomedistinction;somefewmodellingtheirnarratives,althoughfictitious,ontheincidentsofreallife,havebeenabletomaketheminterestingandusefulvehiclesofsoundmorality。Such,Ithink,areMarmontel’snewmoraltales,butnothisoldones,whicharereallyimmoral。SucharethewritingsofMissEdgeworth,andsomeofthoseofMadameGenlis。Foralikereason,too,muchpoetryshouldnotbeindulged。Someisusefulforformingstyleandtaste。Pope,Dryden,Thompson,Shakspeare,andoftheFrench,Moliere,Racine,theCorneilles,maybereadwithpleasureandimprovement。
  TheFrenchlanguage,becomethatofthegeneralintercourseofnations,andfromtheirextraordinaryadvances,nowthedepositoryofallscience,isanindispensablepartofeducationforbothsexes。
  Inthesubjoinedcatalogue,therefore,Ihaveplacedthebooksofbothlanguagesindifferently,accordingastheoneortheotherofferswhatisbest。
  Theornamentstoo,andtheamusementsoflife,areentitledtotheirportionofattention。These,forafemale,aredancing,drawing,andmusic。Thefirstisahealthyexercise,elegantandveryattractiveforyoungpeople。Everyaffectionateparentwouldbepleasedtoseehisdaughterqualifiedtoparticipatewithhercompanions,andwithoutawkwardnessatleast,inthecirclesoffestivity,ofwhichsheoccasionallybecomesapart。Itisanecessaryaccomplishment,therefore,althoughofshortuse,fortheFrenchruleiswise,thatnoladydancesaftermarriage。Thisisfoundedinsolidphysicalreasons,gestationandnursingleavinglittletimetoamarriedladywhenthisexercisecanbeeithersafeorinnocent。DrawingisthoughtlessofinthiscountrythaninEurope。Itisaninnocentandengagingamusement,oftenuseful,andaqualificationnottobeneglectedinonewhoistobecomeamotherandaninstructor。Musicisinvaluablewhereapersonhasanear。
  Wheretheyhavenot,itshouldnotbeattempted。Itfurnishesadelightfulrecreationforthehoursofrespitefromthecaresoftheday,andlastsusthroughlife。Thetasteofthiscountry,too,callsforthisaccomplishmentmorestronglythanforeitheroftheothers。
  Ineedsaynothingofhouseholdeconomy,inwhichthemothersofourcountryaregenerallyskilled,andgenerallycarefultoinstructtheirdaughters。Weallknowitsvalue,andthatdiligenceanddexterityinallitsprocessesareinestimabletreasures。Theorderandeconomyofahouseareashonorabletothemistressasthoseofthefarmtothemaster,andifeitherbeneglected,ruinfollows,andchildrendestituteofthemeansofliving。
  This,Sir,isofferedasasummarysketchonasubjectonwhichIhavenotthoughtmuch。Itprobablycontainsnothingbutwhathasalreadyoccurredtoyourself,andclaimsyouracceptanceonnoothergroundthanasatestimonyofmyrespectforyourwishes,andofmygreatesteemandrespect。
  THECLASSICALPRESS
  _ToWellsandLilly_
  _Monticello,April1,1818_
  YoumusthavethoughtmeverytardyinacknolegingthereceiptofyourletterofJan。13。andinreturningmythanks,whichInowdo,fortheveryhandsomecopyofCicero’sworksfromyourpress,whichyouhavebeensokindastopresentme。Iwaitedfirstthereceiptofthatandthebooksaccompanyingit,butIhappenedatthetimeoftheirarrivaltobereadingthe5thbookofCicero’sTusculans,whichIfollowedbythatofhisOffices,andconcludedtolayasidethevariorumedition,andtouseyours,afterwhichImightwritemoreunderstandinglyonthesubject。havingbeenextremelydisgustedwiththePhiladelphiaandNewYorkDelphineditions,someofwhichIhadread,andalthoexecutedwithagoodtypeongoodpaper,yetsofulloferrorsofthepressasnottobeworththepapertheywereprintedon,Iwishedtoseethestateoftheclassicalpresswithyou。theireditionshadonanaverageaboutoneerrorforeverypage。Ireadthereforetheportionsofyour’sabovementionedwithaprettysharpeye,andinsomethingupwardsof200。
  pagesIfoundtheerrorsnotedonthepaperinclosed,beinganaverageofoneforevery13。pages。thisisagoodadvanceonthepressesofN。Y。andPhilada。,andgiveshopesofrapidimprovements。
  theerrorsintheVariorumeditionshoweverarefewerthanthese,theElzevirsstillfewer:buttheperfectionofaccuracyistobefoundinthefolioeditionofHomerbytheFoulisofGlasgow。Ihaveunderstoodtheyoffered1000guineasforthediscoveryofanyerrorinit,evenofanaccent,andthattherewardwasneverclaimed。I