a new view of society-第6部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
rt even of such individuals to reside at the village； and； when taught the business； they grew so valuable to the establishment； that they became agents not to be governed contrary to their own inclinations。 Mr Dale's principal avocations were at a distance from the works； which he seldom visited more than once for a few hours in three or four months； he was therefore under the necessity of committing the management of the establishment to various servants with more or less power。 Those who have a practical knowledge of mankind will readily anticipate the character which a population so collected and constituted would acquire。 It is therefore scarcely necessary to state； that the community by degrees was formed under these circumstances into a very wretched society。。 every man did that which was right in his own eyes； and vice and immorality prevailed to a monstrous extent。 The population lived in idleness； in poverty； in almost every kind of crime； consequently； in debt； out of health； and in misery。 Yet to make matters still worse although the cause proceeded from the best possible motive； a conscientious adherence to principle the whole was under a strong sectarian influence； which gave a marked and decided preference to one set of religious opinions over all others； and the professors of the favoured opinions were the privileged of the community。 The boarding…house containing the children presented a very different scene。 The benevolent proprietor spared no expense to give comfort to the poor children。 The rooms provided for them were spacious； always clean； and well ventilated； the food was abundant； and of the best quality； the clothes were neat and useful； a surgeon was kept in constant pay； to direct how to prevent or cure disease； and the best instructors which the country afforded were appointed to teach such branches of education as were deemed likely to be useful to children in their situation。 Kind and well…disposed persons were appointed to superintend all their proceedings。 Nothing； in short； at first sight seemed wanting to render it a most complete charity。 But to defray the expense of these well…devised arrangements； and to support the establishment generally； it was absolutely necessary that the children should be employed within the mills from six o'clock in the morning till seven in the evening； summer and winter； and after these hours their education commenced。 The directors of the public charities； from mistaken economy； would not consent to send the children under their care to cotton mills； unless the children were received by the proprietors at the ages of six； seven and eight。 And Mr Dale was under the necessity of accepting them at those ages； or of stopping the manufactory which he had commenced。 It is not to be supposed that children so young could remain； with the intervals of meals only； from six in the morning until seven in the evening； in constant employment； on their feet； within cotton mills； and afterwards acquire much proficiency in education。 And so it proved； for many of them became dwarfs in body and mind； and some of them were deformed。 Their labour through the day and their education at night became so irksome； that numbers of them continually ran away； and almost all looked forward with impatience and anxiety to the expiration of their apprenticeship of seven； eight； and nine years； which generally expired when they were from thirteen to fifteen years old。 At this period of life； unaccustomed to provide for themselves； and unacquainted with the world； they usually went to Edinburgh or Glasgow； where boys and girls were soon assailed by the innumerable temptations which all large towns present； and to which many of them fell sacrifices。 Thus Mr Dale's arrangements； and his kind solicitude for the comfort and happiness of these children； were rendered in their ultimate effect almost nugatory。 They were hired by him and sent to be employed； and without their labour he could not support them； but； while under his care； he did all that any individual； circumstanced as he was； could do for his fellow creatures。 The error proceeded from the children being sent from the workhouses at an age much too young for employment。 They ought to have been detained four years longer； and educated； and then some of the evils which followed would have been prevented。 If such be a true picture； not overcharged； of parish apprentices to our manufacturing system； under the best and most humane regulations； in what colours must it be exhibited under the worst？ Mr Dale was advancing in years： he had no son to succeed him； and； finding the consequences just described to be the result of all his strenuous exertions for the improvement and happiness of his fellow creatures； it is not surprising that he became disposed to retire from the cares of the establishment。 He accordingly sold it to some English merchants and manufacturers； one of whom； under the circumstances just narrated； undertook the management of the concern； and fixed his residence in the midst of the population。 This individual had been previously in the management of large establishments； employing a number of workpeople； in the neighbourhood of Manchester； and； in every case； by the steady application of certain general principles； he succeeded in reforming the habits of those under his care； and who always； among their associates in similar employment； appeared conspicuous for their good conduct。 With this previous success in remodelling English character； but ignorant of the local ideas； manners； and customs； of those now committed to his management； the stranger commenced his task。 At that time the lower classes of Scotland； like those of other countries； had strong prejudices against strangers having any authority over them； and particularly against the English； few of whom had then settled in Scotland； and not one in the neighbourhood of the scenes under description。 It is also well known that even the Scotch peasantry and working classes possess the habit of making observations and reasoning thereon with great acuteness； and in the present case those employed naturally concluded that the new purchasers intended merely to make the utmost profit by the establishment； from the abuses of which many of themselves were then deriving support。 The persons employed at these works were therefore strongly prejudiced against the new director of the establishment prejudiced； because he was a stranger； and from England … because he succeeded Mr Dale； under whose proprietorship they acted almost as they liked because his religious creed was not theirs … and because they concluded that the works would be governed by new laws and regulations； calculated to squeeze； as they often termed it； the greatest sum of gain out of their labour。 In consequence； from the day he arrived amongst them every means which ingenuity could devise was set to work to counteract the plan which he attempted to introduce； and for two years it was a regular attack and defence of prejudices and malpractices between the manager and the population of the place； without the former being able to make much progress； or to convince the latter of the sincerity of his good intentions for their welfare。 He； however； did not lose his patience； his temper； or his confidence in the certain success of the principles on which he founded his conduct。 These principles ultimately prevailed： the population could not continue to resist a firm well…directed kindness； administering justice to all。 They therefore slowly and cautiously began to give him some portion of their confidence； and as this increased； he was enabled more and more to develop his plans for their amelioration。 It may with truth be said； that at this period they possessed almost all the vices and very few of the virtues of a social community。 Theft and the receipt of stolen goods was their trade； idleness and drunkenness their habit； falsehood and deception their garb； dissensions； civil and religious； their daily practice； they united only in a zealous systematic opposition to their employers。 Here then was a fair field on which to try the efficacy in practice of principles supposed capable of altering any characters。 The manager formed his plans accordingly。 He spent some time in finding out the full extent of the evil against which he had to contend； and in tracing the true causes which had produced and were continuing those effects。 He found that all was distrust； disorder； and disunion； and he wished to introduce confidence； regularity； and harmony。 He therefore began to bring forward his various expedients to withdraw the unfavourable circumstances by which they had hitherto been surrounded； and to replace them by others calculated to produce a more happy result。 He soon discovered that theft was extended through almost all the ramifications of the community； and the receipt of stolen goods through all the country around。 To remedy this evil； not one legal punishment was inflicted； not one individual imprisoned； even for an hour； but checks and other regulations of prevention were introduced； a short plain explanation of the immediate benefits they would derive from a different conduct was inculcated by those instructed for the purpose； who had the best powers of reasoning among themselves。 They were at the same time instructed how to direct their industry in legal and useful occupations； by which； without danger or disgrace； they could really earn more than they had previously obtained by dishonest practices。 Thus the difficulty of committing the crime was increased； the detection afterwards rendered more easy； the habit of honest industry formed； and the pleasure of good conduct experienced。 Drunkenness was attacked in the same manner； it was discountenanced on every occasion by those who had charge of any department： its destructive and pernicious effects were frequently stated by his own more prudent comrades； at the proper moment when the individual was soberly suffering from the effects of his previous excess； pot… and public…houses were gradually removed from the immediate vicinity of their dwellings； the health and comfort of temperance were made familiar to them； by degrees drunkennes
