TheWhigsrepresenttheviewimpliedinMacaulay’sattackuponMill——theviewofcultivatedmenofsense,withtheireyesopentomanydifficultiesoverlookedbyzealots,butfartooscepticalanddespondenttorouseanyenthusiasmoracceptanydogmasabsolutely。BythetimeoftheReformBillthedangerwasobviouslyonthesideofdoggedobstructionism,andthenthe’middleparty’asJeffreycallsit,inclinedtowardstheRadicalsideandbeggedthemtojoinitsranksandabandontheattempttorealiseextremeviews。Theycouldalsotakecreditasmoderatemendoforhavingallalongbeenintheright。
Buttobothextremes,asJeffreypatheticallycomplains,theyappearedtobemeretrimmers。71
TheUtilitarianheldtheWhigtobea’trimmer’;theWhigthoughttheUtilitarianafanatic;theyagreedinholdingthattheTorywassimplystupid。Andyet,whenwelookattheTorycreed,weshallfindthatbothWhigandUtilitarianoverlookedsomeveryvitalproblems。TheToriesofcourserepresenttheadvocatesofstronggovernment;and,astheiropponentsheld,hadnotheories——
onlyprejudices。ThefirstarticleofthecreedofanEldonoraSidmouthwas,’IbelieveinGeorgeIII’;——notadoctrinecapableofphilosophicaljustification。SuchToryismmeantthecontentoftherichandpowerfulwiththesystembywhichtheirpowerandwealthwereguaranteed。TheirinstinctshadbeensharpenedbytheFrenchrevolution;andtheysawinanychangetheremovalofoneofthesafeguardsagainstafreshoutburstofthenetherfires。Thegreatbulkofallpoliticalopinionisaninstinct,notaphilosophy;andtheobstructiveToriesrepresentedlittlemorethanclassprejudiceandthedreadofagreatconvulsion。YetintelligentTorieswerebeingdriventofindsomereasonsfortheircreed,whichtheUtilitariansmighthaveconsideredmorecarefully。
III。CONSERVATISM
Afamousmanoflettersrepresentscertaintendenciesmoreclearlythantheaveragepolitician。RobertSouthey1777-1843,the’ultraservilesack-guzzler,’asBenthampleasantlycallshimin1823,72wasprobablythebestabusedman,onhisownsideatleast,amongMill’scontemporaries。HewasattackedbyMillhimself,andsavagelydenouncedbyByronandHazlitt。HewasnotonlyaconspicuouswriterintheQuarterlyReview,but,ashisenemiesthought,arenegadeboughtbypensions。Itis,Ihope,needlesstodefendhimagainstthischarge。Hewassimplyanimpatientmanofgenerousinstinctsandnoreflectivepower,whohadinhisyouthcaughttherevolutionaryfever,and,ashegrewup,developedthepatrioticfever。
LaterviewsaregivenintheColloquiesontheProgressandProspectsofSociety1829,chieflyknowntomodernreadersbyoneofMacaulay’sessays。SoutheywasasassailableasMill。Hispoliticaleconomyisameremuddle;hispoliticalviewsareobviouslydistortedbyaccidentalprejudices;andthewholebookisdesultoryanddisjointed。InadialoguewiththeghostofSirThomasMore,hetakestheopportunityofintroducingdescriptionsofscenery,literarydigressions,andquaintillustrationsfromhisvaststoresofreadingtotheconfusionofalldefinitearrangement。Southeyisintheawkwardpositionofadogmatistdefendingacompromise。AnAnglicanclaiminginfallibilityisnecessarilyinconsistent。Hisviewoftoleration,forexample,isoddlyobscure。Hewouldapparentlyliketopersecuteinfidels;73andyethewishestodenouncetheCatholicchurchforitspersecutingprinciples。HeseemstodatethemainsocialevilstothechangeswhichbeganattheReformation,andyethelooksbacktotheperiodwhichsucceededtheReformationasrepresentingtheidealstateoftheBritishpolity。Hissympathywiththeliteratureofthesixteenthandseventeenthcenturiespredisposedhimtothisposition,Hewouldhavebeenmoreintelligibleifhehadbeenmoredistinctlyreactionary。Forallthat,hisviewsshowthepresenceofaleavenwhichwasmateriallytoaffectthelaterdevelopmentofEnglishopinions。ThatJacobinismmeantanarchy,andthatanarchyledirresistiblytomilitarydespotismwerepropositionswhichtohim,astosomanyothers,seemedtobeestablishedbytheFrenchrevolution。What,then,wasthecauseoftheanarchy?SirThomasMorecomesfromthegravetotellusthis,becausehehadwitnessedthepastsymptomsoftheprocess。Thetransitionfromtheoldfeudalsystemtothemodernindustrialorganisationhadinhisdaybecomeunmistakablydeveloped。Infeudaltimes,everymanhadhisdefiniteplaceinsociety;hewasamemberofalittlegroup;supported,ifcontrolledanddisciplined,byanelaboratesystemofspiritualauthority。
TheReformationwastheperiodatwhichthe’masterlessman’madehisappearance。
Theconversionofpasturesintoarableland,thegrowthofcommerceandofpauperism,weremarksofthecomingchange。Itproceededquietlyforsomegenerations;butthedevelopmentofthemodernmanufacturingsystemrepresentstheoperationofthesameprocessonafarlargerscale,andwithfargreaterintensity。Theresultmaybedescribedbysayingthatwehaveinsteadofalegitimatedevelopmentadegenerationofsociety。
Avastpopulacehasgrownupoutsideoftheoldorder,itisindependentindeed,butattheheavypriceofbeingratheraninorganicmassthanaconstituentpartofthebodypolitic。Itis,briefly,tothegrowthofahuge’proletariate’outsidethechurch,andhostiletothestate,thatSoutheyattributesallsocialevils。
Theviewhasbecomefamiliarenoughinvariousshapes;andinthereproacheswhichSoutheybringsagainstthemanufacturingsystemwehaveananticipationofotherfamiliarlamentations。
Ourmanufacturingwealthisa’wen,’a’fungousexcrescencefromthebodypolitic’;74itisnomoreaproofofrealprosperitythanthesizeofadropsicalpatientisaproofofhealth;75themanufacturerworshipsmammoninsteadofMoloch;76andwringshisfortunefromthedegradationofhislabourersashiswarlikeancestorswrungwealthfromtheirslaves;heconfineschildreninataintedatmosphere,physicalandmoral,frommorningtillnight,andacelebratedministerPittboastsofthisveryevil;77hetreatshisfellow-creaturesasmachines,78andwealth,thoughaccumulated,isnotdiffused;thegreatcapitalists,’likepikesinafishpond,’devourtheweakerfish。79Competitionisnotdirectedtoprovidingthebestgoods,butthecheapest;80everymanoppresseshisneighbour;thelandlordrackshistenant,thefarmergrindsthelabourer;allthelittlecentresofpermanentlifearebrokenup;notonemaninathousandisburiedwithhisfathers,andthenaturaltiesanddomesticaffectionsareprematurelydissolved。81
Here,too,istobefoundthesourceoftheinfidelopinionswhichcallforsuppression。Londonisahotbedofcorruption;82acentreofwealth;andyet,inspiteofpoor-laws,aplacewherewretchesaredyingofstarvation,andwhichcouldcollectamobcapableofproducingthemostappallingcatastrophes。
Insuchaplace,menbecomeunbelieverslikesavages,becauseremovedfromallhumanisinginfluences,andbooksellerscancarryonatradeinblasphemy。
Infidelityisbredin’thefilthandcorruptionoflargetownsandmanufacturingdistricts。’83Thedisappearanceofclericalinfluencehasledto’amassofignorance,vice,andwretchednesswhichnogenerousheartcancontemplatewithoutgrief。’84Itisnotsurprisingthat,inSouthey’sopinion,itisdoubtfulwhetherthebulkofthepeoplehasgainedorlostinthelastthousandyears。85Macaulaytakesallthisasmeresentimentalismandpreferenceofapicturesqueoutsidetosolidcomfort。ButwhateverSouthey’serrorsoffact,theyshowatleastadeeperinsightthanhisopponentintosomesocialevils。Hisproposedremediesexplainhisdiagnosisoftheevil。Inthefirstplace,itisnotsurprising,thoughitsurprisedMacaulay,thathehadmanysympathieswiththesocialist,RobertOwen。HesawOwenin1816,86andwasmuchimpressedbyhisviews。IntheColloquies,87Oweniscalledthe’happiest,mostbeneficent,andmostpracticalofallenthusiasts’;
anaccountisgivenofoneoftheearliestco-operativeschemes,88andSoutheybelievesinthepossibilityoftheplan。Hemakes,however,onesignificantremark。Owen,hethinks,couldnotsucceedwithoutenlistinginhissupportsomesectarianzeal。AsOwenhappenedtoobjecttoallreligioussects,thisdefectcouldnotberemedied。
Southey,infact,heldthattheabsenceofreligiousdisciplinewasattherootofthewholeevil。
Religion,hedeclares,muchtothescornofMacaulay,’isthebasisuponwhichcivilgovernmentrests。’89Theremust,asheinfers,beanestablishedreligion,andthestatewhichneglectsthisdutyispreparingitsownruin。’Nothing,’hedeclares,’inabstractsciencecanbemorecertainthanthesepropositions,’thoughtheyaredeniedby’ourprofessorsoftheartsbabblativeandscribblative’——thatis,byBenthamitesandWhigs。Forhere,infact,wecometotheirreconcilabledifference。Governmentisnottobeameremachineryforsuppressingviolence,butanallyofthechurchinspreadingsoundreligionandmorality。Therulers,insteadofmerelyreflectingthepopularwill,shouldleadanddirectallagenciesforsuppressingviceandmisery。Southey,ashissontakespainstoshow,90thoughhewasforupholdingauthoritybythemoststringentmeasures,wasconvincedthattheonewaytomakegovernmentstrongwastoimprovetheconditionofthepeople。Heproposedmanymeasuresofreform;nationaleducationontheprinciples,ofcourse,ofDr。Bell;state-aidedcolonisationandthecultivationofwastelandsathome;ProtestantsisterhoodstoreproducethegoodeffectsoftheoldorderwhichheregrettedandyethadtocondemnonAnglicanprinciples。TheEnglishchurchshouldhavemadeuseoftheWesleyansasthechurchofRomehadusedtheFranciscansandDominicans;
andhisLifeofWesleywaspromptedbyhisfondbeliefthatthismightyetbedone。Government,hesaid,oughttobe’paternal’;91andhisleadingaspirationshavebeenadoptedbySocialistsontheonehand,andtheconvertstoCatholicismontheother。
Forhisphilosophy,SoutheywasinthehabitofreferringtoColeridge;andColeridge’sConstitutionofChurchandStateisperhapsthebookinwhichColeridgecomesnearesttobringinganargumenttoaconclusion。Thoughmarkedbyhisusualcomplexitiesofstyle,hisparenthesesandirrelevantallusionsandglancesatwidemetaphysicaldiscussions,hesucceedsinlayingdownasufficientsketchofhisposition。Thebookwasoriginallypublishedin1830,andreferstotheCatholicemancipationofthepreviousyear。UnlikeSouthey,heapprovesofthemeasure,onlyregrettingtheabsenceofcertainsafeguards;andhisgeneralpurposemaybesaidtobetogivesuchatheoryoftherelationsofchurchandstateasmayjustifyanestablishmentuponloftiergroundsthanthoseofthecommonplaceTory。
Hismethod,asheexplains,istofindthetrue’idea’ofaconstitutionandanationalchurch。The’idea,’heexplains,doesnotmeantheconsciousaimofthepersonswhofoundedornowconstitutethebodiesinquestion。An’idea’isthesubjectivecounterpartofanobjectivelaw。92Itcorrespondstothevitalforcewhichmouldsthestructureofthesocialorganism,althoughitmayneverhavebeendistinctlyformulatedbyanyoneoftheactors。Inthissense,therefore,weshouldhavetoproceedbyahistoricalmethod。Weshouldstudytheconstitutionaswestudythephysiologyofaphysicalbody;93andheworksouttheanalogyatsomelength。Sofar,ColeridgeisexpressingthecharacteristicviewthatNatureingeneralistoberegardedasanevolution;onlythatevolutionistobeunderstoodinthesenseofShellingnotinthesenseofeitherDarwin。Ofcourse,whenColeridgeprofessestofindthe’idea’ofthechurchandstate,whathereallyfindsisnottheideasomuchashisideaoftheidea——whichmaybeaverydifferentthing。Histheoryof’evolution’iscompatiblewithassumingthatevolutionsareillegitimatewheneverhehappenstodislikethem。
HecoincidesrathercuriouslywithJamesMillinassertingthatthe’socialbond’wasoriginallyformedtoprotectproperty,nottoprotectlife。94Hediscoversaccordinglythattheancientraces,Jews,Goths,andKeltsalike,dividedthelandintotwoparts,onetobeinheritedbyseparatefamilies,theothertobesetapartforthenation。Fromthelatterorthe’nationality’springsthechurchestablishment。Thispropertybelongsrightfullyandinalienablytothenationitself。Itisheldbywhathecallsthe’clerisy。’Itsfunctionsare,inthefirstplace,toprovideacareerbywhichthepoorestclassesmayrisetoahigherposition;andsecondly,toprovideforthedevelopmentofallthequalitieswhichdistinguishthecivilisedmanfromthesavage。95Briefly,then,thechurchisthatpartofthenationalorganismwhichisdevotedtoeducatingthepeopletobe,obedient,free,usefulorganisablesubjects,citizens,andpatriots,livingtothebenefitoftheestate,andpreparedtodieforitsdefence。’HenryVIIIwouldhavesurpassedAlfredifhehaddirectedthe’nationalty’toitstruepurposes;thatis,especiallytothemaintenanceofuniversities,ofaparochialclergy,andofschoolsineveryparish。Unluckily,HenryVIII’s’idea’ofanationalchurchwasvague。Ideaswerenothisstrongpoint。ColeridgeappearstobeespeciallytroubledtoworktheprinciplesintoconformitywithhisviewsofCatholicemancipation。Thepeculiarityofthetheoryisthatthechurch,accordingtohim,seemstobesimplyanationalinstitution。Itmightexist,andinfact,didexistbeforeChristianity,asisprovednotonlybytheJewishbutbytheDruidicalchurch。96ThatitshouldbeChristianinEnglandisa’blessedaccident,’or’providentialboon’——or,asheputsit,’mostawfullyagodsend。’Henceitfollowsthataprimaryconditionofitsutilityisthattheclerisyshouldcontributetothesupportoftheotherorgansofthecommunity。Theymustnotbethesubjectsofaforeignpower,nor,ashearguesatlength,subjecttothedesocialisinginfluenceofcelibacy。ItfollowsthattheRomanchurchisunfittedtobeeveranationalchurch,although,ifthatdangerbesufficientlyobviated,nopoliticaldisqualificationsshouldbeimposeduponRomanists。Andthus,too,theChurchCatholicisessentiallyabodywhichhasnorelationstoanyparticularstate。Itisopposedtotheworld,nottothenation,andcanhavenovisibleheador’personalcentreofunity。’97ThechurchwhichmakessuchclaimsistherevelationofAntichrist。
Weneednotinquireintotheprophecies。ItisenoughtosaythattoColeridgeastoSoutheythepreservationofanestablishedchurchseemedtobeanessentialconditionofmoralityandcivilisation。TheydifferedfromtheordinaryTory,whowascontenttodefendanyoftheabusesbythecryofsacrilegeandconfiscation。
Thechurchwastobemadeworthyofitsposition,andrenderedcapableofdischargingitshighfunctionseffectually。Coleridge,itmaybesaid,wouldfullyadmitthatanorganwhichhadceasedtocorrespondtoitsideamustdie。Itcouldnotcontinuetopreserveitselfbymereforceofobstruction,butmustarouse,throwoffitsabuses,andshowitselftobeworthyofitshighclaims。Meanwhile,however,hewasperhapsmoreanxioustoshowtheUtilitariansthatinassailingtheinstitutiononaccountofitsabuses,theywerereallydestroyingthemostessentialguaranteeofprogress。Hesumsup,inacuriouspassage,theproofsofmoderndegradation。98Thewickedeighteenthcenturyisofcourseresponsibleforeverything。
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