登陆注册
4607100000068

第68章

I am forced to make these remarks to show that the Mediaeval peasant was not necessarily miserable because he was ignorant, or isolated, or poor. In so doing I may excite the wrath of some who think a little knowledge is not a dangerous thing, and may appear to be throwing cold water on one of the noblest endeavors of modern times. But I do not sneer at education. I only seek to show that it will not make people happy, unless it is directed into useful channels; and that even ignorance may be bliss when it is folly to be wise. A benevolent Providence tempers all conditions to the necessities of the times. The peasantry of Europe became earnest and stalwart warriors and farmers, even under the grinding despotism of feudal masters. With their beer and brown bread, and a fowl in the pot on a Sunday, they grew up to be hardy, bold, strong, healthy, and industrious. They furnished a material on which Christianity and a future civilization could work. They became patriotic, religious, and kind-hearted. They learned to bear their evils in patience. They were more cheerful than the laboring classes of our day, with their partial education,--although we may console ourselves with the reflection that these are passing through the fermenting processes of a transition from a lower to a higher grade of living. Look at the picture of them which art has handed down: their faces are ruddy, genial, sympathetic, although coarse and vulgar and boorish. And they learned to accept the inequalities of life without repining insolence. They were humble, and felt that there were actually some people in the world superior to themselves. I do not paint their condition as desirable or interesting by our standard, but as endurable. They were doubtless very ignorant; but would knowledge have made them any happier? Knowledge is for those who can climb by it to positions of honor and usefulness, not for those who cannot rise above the condition in which they were born,--not for those who will be snubbed and humiliated and put down by arrogant wealth and birth. Better be unconscious of suffering, than conscious of wrongs which cannot be redressed.

Let no one here misunderstand and pervert me. I am not exalting the ignorance and brutality of the feudal ages. I am not decrying the superior advantages of our modern times. I only state that ignorance and brutality were the necessary sequences of the wars and disorders of a preceding epoch, but that this very ignorance and brutality were accompanied by virtues which partially ameliorated the evils of the day; that in the despair of slavery were the hopes of future happiness; that religion took a deep hold of the human mind, even though blended with puerile and degrading superstitions; that Christianity, taking hold of the hearts of a suffering people, taught lessons which enabled them to bear their hardships with resignation; that cheerfulness was not extinguished;and that so many virtues were generated by the combined influence of suffering and Christianity, that even with ignorance human nature shone with greater lustre than among those by whom knowledge is perverted. It was not until the evil and injustice of Feudalism were exposed by political writers, and were meditated upon by the people who had arisen by education and knowledge, that they became unendurable; and then the people shook off the yoke. But how impossible would have been a French Revolution in the thirteenth century! What readers would a Rousseau have found among the people in the time of Louis VII.? If knowledge breaks fetters when the people are strong enough to shake them off, ignorance enables them to bear those fetters when emancipation is impossible.

The great empire of Charlemagne was divided at his death (in A. D.

814) among his three sons,--one of whom had France, another Italy, and the third Germany. In forty-five years afterwards we find seven kingdoms, instead of three,--France, Navarre, Provence, Burgundy, Lorraine, Germany, and Italy. In a few years more there were twenty-nine hereditary fiefs. And as early as the tenth century France itself was split up into fifty-five independent sovereignties; and these small sovereignties were again divided into dukedoms and baronies. All these dukes and barons, however, acknowledged the King of France as their liege lord; yet he was not richer or more powerful than some of the dukes who swore fealty to him. The Duke of Burgundy at one time had larger territories and more power than the King of France himself. So that the central authority of kings was merely nominal; their power extended scarcely beyond the lands they individually controlled. And all the countries of Europe were equally ruled by petty kings. The kings of England seem to have centralized around their thrones more power than other European monarchs until the time of the Crusades, when they were checked, not so much by nobles as by Act of Parliament.

Now all Europe was virtually divided among these petty sovereigns, called dukes, earls, counts, and barons. Each one was virtually independent. He coined money, administered justice, and preserved order. He ruled by hereditary right, and his estate descended to his oldest son. His revenues were derived by the extorted contributions of those who cultivated his lands, and by certain perquisites, among which were the privilege of wardship, and the profits of an estate during the minority of its possessor, and reliefs, or fines paid on the alienation of a vassal's feud; and the lord could bestow a female ward in marriage on whomever he pleased, and on her refusal take possession of her estate.

同类推荐
  • The Principles of Psychology

    The Principles of Psychology

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Ancient Poems

    Ancient Poems

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 规箴

    规箴

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 阴真君金石五相类

    阴真君金石五相类

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说诸法本经

    佛说诸法本经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 重案72天:池少毒宠上瘾

    重案72天:池少毒宠上瘾

    【天才女刑警vs高智商法医】沈清婉,身世迷离的天才女刑警,侦破无数杀人案。池西慕,当之无愧的钻石王老五,其名下的资产过亿,却常年沉迷在解剖室中,拒人千里。她只是奉命去勘查死亡现场,却遇见了她人生中最大的bug。他只是无意中绕了路,却被血迹吸引,遇见了一个似曾相识的女人。她是小有名气的刑警,他是声名显赫的法医。一个为生者权,一个为死者言,仿佛天生一对。“你看,命里注定我们最后会在一起。”一身利落白袍的英俊男人踩着脚下价值不菲的皮鞋,缓步走来,被无框眼镜所遮挡住的眸子里,是一片化不开的浓重墨色……她对他年少时的喜欢,终究酿成年长时的纷乱。当断了多年红线再次出现,谁的心神被扰乱,谁紧紧抓住了另一端?
  • 猫武士之雷电传奇

    猫武士之雷电传奇

    新预言再度降临:两只猫,或拯救族群,或毁灭族群,四大族群的命运将掌握在他们爪中。雷电之际,暗夜来临……那群不断袭击族群的泼皮猫究竟是谁?鸽翅为何要离族出走?影族的焦毛为何无缘无故失踪?巫医冬青簇到底有什么秘密?一切都将在本书揭晓!希望所有猫武士迷们都来看一看哦!(本书续写四部曲,与《黑莓星的风暴》没有关联)【本书为同人,拒绝抄袭,不喜勿喷,不嫌弃文笔烂的欢迎入坑,欢迎一切热爱猫武的伙伴们!】
  • 假若不问归期

    假若不问归期

    向晚在介绍下认识了林煜,不曾想自己竟是年少时便被对方盯上的。——某次,向晚与林煜赌气后,便去找了前男友喝了一宿的酒,林煜便找了她一宿。回到家后就狠狠地把她按在了沙发上,“还去不去见他了?”林煜咬牙道。向晚醉醺醺的,小脸通红,哭兮兮的对他摆摆手,“我乖我乖,不去了不去了……”——都说林总是个一本正经的人,且不言苟笑,和向晚呆在一起时却毫无下限。“太太又去见前男友了。”林煜听着电话里传来的声音,又是咬牙切齿。把向晚接回来后凶了她几句,向晚便哭兮兮的好不可怜,还把眼泪全擦在他的西装上。这是一点都凶不得,还要做什么就做什么,没办法,自己执意要娶的人,只能宠着,“我的错,不该凶你。不哭了,怪~”——“老公,我想要那家的庄园。”向晚软着声跟他说着。林煜却一脸无可奈何的表情,向晚不禁质疑他:“林煜你不会是破产了没钱了吧……”带着调笑。向晚一脸欠揍的看着他,林煜低头在向晚耳边说道:“我的钱都上交在了太太那里,我哪有钱买庄园。”——小清新文风,有甜有刀子,剧情不枯燥。
  • 超能之末日游戏

    超能之末日游戏

    ?末日突然来临,是游戏的开始,还是阴谋的序幕??念能力,这是什么?是人类的进化,还是野心家的阴谋??本有着,不同常人能力的风凌云,却一直过着不求上进的普通人生活,一场灾难的来临,彻底的打破了他的普通生活。?丧尸、洪水、猛兽,不明生物、外星生物入侵,生化危机、自然灾害等等,这些灾难逐一来临,为了生存,人类又该如何发展?在这个适者生存的环境下,新人类逐步诞生的大时代下,曾经的人性还能保留几分?世界的格局又将变成什么样子??本文并不是讲述主角如何修炼升级,所以不要用老套的眼光去看待他,这里着重体现的还是故事的本身。
  • 佛说大吉祥天女十二名号经

    佛说大吉祥天女十二名号经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 南风替我告诉你

    南风替我告诉你

    刚毕业的女大学生顾笙南为自己的人生做了完美的规划。可是,突如其来的事件把她的规划搅了个天翻地覆——顾家父母居然为了利益把她送给了一个双目失明、有暴力倾向的男人!于是,男友被迫分手、自由从此被约束,顾笙南还要照顾一个情绪阴晴不定的残疾人。这场协议婚姻背后,到底潜藏着一场怎样的阴谋与背叛,那段好不容易维持起来却变得岌岌可危的爱情,能否在真相揭开的那天,重新被挽回?你是南风一场,拂我眉间心上。
  • 西凉天下

    西凉天下

    讲述了大唐王朝中末期,至唐宪宗后已经开始衰败的唐王朝疆土一点一点的失去,一个无缘无故被党争牵连的少年(季圭~字叔南),被发配到西域边疆,在诸多藩镇割剧势力的崛起,成就了一个少年的将军梦。
  • 月之国度奇异历险

    月之国度奇异历险

    小鱼是地球上一个普通的女孩,但是她还有另一个身份,她是月之国度的守护神月之主的女儿。她穿越来到月之国度,在魔王的追踪下寻找月之主。她与小人吉克一路上遇到很多奇妙的经历,石之城、沙漠里的影子国度、魔法森林、赤海、雾之圣山。
  • 浮沉何解

    浮沉何解

    在人生的长河之中,浮浮沉沉,浮而骄纵自傲,沉而萎靡不振。历经风光无限的背后,那种重如千斤的压力,那荣誉跟耻辱的并存,心酸无比。扛过,才知道生活的不易。人生浮沉,社会也在浮沉,浮沉的人生,如何适应浮沉的社会?浮沉何解?亦为何解浮沉?世事难解,人生难解!
  • 浮生仙缘

    浮生仙缘

    浮生几世觅仙缘,只愿此情莫相忘,漫漫仙路何为伴,一壶清酒待佳人。本是仙界公主,奈何沦落下界,不过没关系,本仙子自能凭着本事打回仙界!什么?我是你的情劫?!抱歉!本仙子才不会轻易为情折腰!!