登陆注册
4705400000415

第415章

Much more might be said on this subject. But to what end? It is not from bills of mortality and statistical tables that Mr. Southey has learned his political creed. He cannot stoop to study the history of the system which he abuses, to strike the balance between the good and evil which it has produced, to compare district with district, or generation with generation. We will give his own reason for his opinion, the only reason which he gives for it, in his own words:--"We remained a while in silence looking upon the assemblage of dwellings below. Here, and in the adjoining hamlet of Millbeck, the effects of manufactures and of agriculture may be seen and compared. The old cottages are such as the poet and the painter equally delight in beholding. Substantially built of the native stone without mortar, dirtied with no white lime, and their long low roofs covered with slate, if they had been raised by the magic of some indigenous Amphion's music, the materials could not have adjusted themselves more beautifully in accord with the surrounding scene; and time has still further harmonized them with weather stains, lichens, and moss, short grasses, and short fern, and stone-plants of various kinds. The ornamented chimneys, round or square, less adorned than those which, like little turrets, crest the houses of the Portuguese peasantry; and yet not less happily suited to their place, the hedge of clipt box beneath the windows, the rose-bushes beside the door, the little patch of flower-ground, with its tall hollyhocks in front; the garden beside, the bee-hives, and the orchard with its bank of daffodils and snow-drops, the earliest and the profusest in these parts, indicate in the owners some portion of ease and leisure, some regard to neatness and comfort, some sense of natural, and innocent, and healthful enjoyment. The new cottages of the manufacturers are upon the manufacturing pattern--naked, and in a row.

"'How is it,' said I, 'that everything which is connected with manufactures presents such features of unqualified deformity?

From the largest of Mammon's temples down to the poorest hovel in which his helotry are stalled, these edifices have all one character. Time will not mellow them; nature will neither clothe nor conceal them; and they will remain always as offensive to the eye as to the mind.'"

Here is wisdom. Here are the principles on which nations are to be governed. Rose-bushes and poor-rates, rather than steam-engines and independence. Mortality and cottages with weather-stains, rather than health and long life with edifices which time cannot mellow. We are told, that our age has invented atrocities beyond the imagination of our fathers; that society has been brought into a state compared with which extermination would be a blessing; and all because the dwellings of cotton-spinners are naked and rectangular. Mr. Southey has found out a way, he tells us, in which the effects of manufactures and agriculture may be compared. And what is this way? To stand on a hill, to look at a cottage and a factory, and to see which is the prettier. Does Mr. Southey think that the body of the English peasantry live, or ever lived, in substantial or ornamented cottages, with box-hedges, flower-gardens, beehives, and orchards? If not, what is his parallel worth? We despise those mock philosophers, who think that they serve the cause of science by depreciating literature and the fine arts. But if anything could excuse their narrowness of mind, it would be such a book as this. It is not strange that, when one enthusiast makes the picturesque the test of political good, another should feel inclined to proscribe altogether the pleasures of taste and imagination.

Thus it is that Mr. Southey reasons about matters with which he thinks himself perfectly conversant. We cannot, therefore, be surprised to find that he commits extraordinary blunders when he writes on points of which he acknowledges himself to be ignorant.

He confesses that he is not versed in political economy, and that he has neither liking nor aptitude for it; and he then proceeds to read the public a lecture concerning it which fully bears out his confession.

"All wealth," says Sir Thomas More, "in former times was tangible. It consisted in land, money, or chattels, which were either of real or conventional value."

Montesinos, as Mr. Southey somewhat affectedly calls himself, answers thus:--"Jewels, for example, and pictures, as in Holland, where indeed at one time tulip bulbs answered the same purpose."

"That bubble," says Sir Thomas, "was one of those contagious insanities to which communities are subject. All wealth was real, till the extent of commerce rendered a paper currency necessary; which differed from precious stones and pictures in this important point, that there was no limit to its production."

"We regard it," says Montesinos, "as the representative of real wealth; and, therefore, limited always to the amount of what it represents."

"Pursue that notion," answers the ghost, "and you will be in the dark presently. Your provincial banknotes, which constitute almost wholly the circulating medium of certain districts, pass current to-day. Tomorrow tidings may come that the house which issued them has stopt payment, and what do they represent then?

You will find them the shadow of a shade."

同类推荐
  • 分别功德论

    分别功德论

    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。
  • The Wizard

    The Wizard

    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。
  • 台海恩恸录

    台海恩恸录

    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。
  • 瓶粟斋诗话五编

    瓶粟斋诗话五编

    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。
  • 大乘宝要义论卷

    大乘宝要义论卷

    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
  • 重生校园,帝少来solo

    重生校园,帝少来solo

    谁人不知谁人不晓,帝家帝少宠妻无度!某记者:“请问帝少,听说您在婚礼上对您夫人所说的三从四德是什么?”“三从:媳妇命令要听从,媳妇出门要跟从,媳妇说错要随从;四德:媳妇花钱要舍得,媳妇化妆要等得,媳妇生日要记得,媳妇打骂要忍得”某少傲娇的说(某少宠妻无底线!!!)(本文男强女强,1v1身心干净,欢迎小可爱入坑!)
  • 江山为聘:女帝谋天下

    江山为聘:女帝谋天下

    “想要什么礼物?”“你的兵符。”“送你这块玉佩价值连城,喜欢吗?”“连城是多少城?直接送我疆土好了。”“嫁我好吗?”“等我收你入麾下再说吧。”羲皇王者,争霸天下,巅峰之上,四海称臣。金戈纵马清寰海,我以我心正乾坤!读者群:479023515
  • 蛮血夺天

    蛮血夺天

    "奥古大陆,强者横行!有杀一头怪兽就长一块骨头的诡异刺客、有失去了实体的“空气性感美女”、能够吞噬一切的“棺材兽”……他为心上人寻找蛇骨做项链,结果被躲避天劫的九头蛇祖吞吃,然而误打误撞,获得了蛇祖魂元,从此踏上了逆天的修炼之路!别人的魂元都是圆坨坨的一团,而他的魂元,则是一头“蛇”,一头可以吞噬,能够进化的“蛇”!
  • 王爷你家人设毁了吧

    王爷你家人设毁了吧

    申屠承傲和卿落是一对青梅竹马,关系很好,人神共愤的那种好!从小时看到卿落的第一眼,她还尚在襁褓,申屠承傲却知道,这个女娃娃,将会是自己穷尽一生的守护!“这一把剑,这一双手,能屠世人,亦能护你!”这是申屠承傲心中所念,他却从未将这话说出口。年少的喜欢是细水长流,卿落喜欢申屠承傲却抵不住曾经恩怨的疯狂,为了活着,她将身体交给了异界一个同名同姓的灵魂,她却在身体内长眠。一场刺杀,异界的灵魂不知所踪,曾经的卿落回来了,却失去了记忆,日日面对温柔体贴的申屠承傲,她好几次怀疑自我……“我真是这世界的卿落吗?好不真实!”卿落倚在窗台悠哉悠哉与传说中的暴虐王爷聊着天。传说中的暴虐王爷立在一旁,一身黑衣从小时候穿到成年:“你是!我认得你!”
  • 重生之庶女倾城

    重生之庶女倾城

    重活一世,南筱绡一直在逃避着前世的一切,但命运捉弄,即便她在如何躲,依旧躲不过。某男扶墙,脸上挂起一抹贱笑,“美人儿,你说前世你是我的什么?”南筱绡蜜笑,前世贵妃,今世宰辅,终究有一件是她能够逃避的。
  • 极品逍瑶:云家四小姐

    极品逍瑶:云家四小姐

    云家四小姐?如假包换!痴傻儿?应该没错!丑八怪?千真万确!但是,废物?尼玛别以为没灵力就是废物,尼玛别以为自己灵力有多强大!!!宫主是她仆人,门主当她厨子,战神成她打手,冥王与她契约,一个比一个牛逼的人缠着让她收为己用时:云家四小姐?您说的是那个云家?抱歉,心情不太好,给玩没了!痴傻儿?男女不分啊你,白痴!丑八怪?看看姐身边的这些,再自个去照照镜子,姐实在是不想打击你……废物?没灵力?关门,放……算了,一起上吧!且看曾经的一代天之娇女碰上了二十一世纪最狗血的‘穿越’在同一片大陆重生之后如何扮猪吃老虎把坑蒙拐骗狠懒邪发挥到极致,与股掌间玩转天下逍遥一世!【正剧浓缩版】:她,萧小柒,苍云大陆第一世家萧家的天才,一场阴谋,被至亲之人舍弃,被至爱之人背叛,含恨而终。她,云轻瑶,苍云大陆最末世家云家的小姐,一场重病,灵力全无,丑颜残容,被至亲遗弃,自生自灭。一场倾天赌局,一次精心设计,她成为了她,至此,天下局势因她的重生而波涛暗涌,而王朝,则等着她颠覆。......当一切自以为尘埃落定,却没想到只不过是开始,她,又该何去何从!【萧瑶语录】:她说:从今以后,世上再无萧家小柒,有的,只是一个与天争命的云轻瑶!她说:天既弃我,我便逆天,世若不容,我便灭世。她说:光明的背面一定是黑暗么?正义的背面一定是邪恶么?如果这一切都不过是场未醒的梦,那么为了我的梦境我愿意毁灭三界,因为我爱的背面,是绝望和惨烈。她说:......PS:女强文,玄幻+言情,美男多多,炮灰不少,结局一对一,一生一世一双人,谁将与她,携手同行,仗剑天涯,醉看十里桃花,共赏千江明月?------------------------------【我是如风华丽的分割线】---------------------------------【片段一:“大家都洗洗睡吧,那地上的人,随便找人给我治治,别死在我这。要是死了,就当花肥吧,定能培育出极品草药。”略显慵懒的打了打哈欠,这看了一晚上的戏,还真是有点累了。而在其身后那一群黑衣人就这样眼神错愕的看着那一抹白色肆无忌惮的消失在众人的面前,隐藏在面具下的嘴角微微抽搐着,这女人到底是何方神圣?……【片段二:“嗯,黑蛋,虽然这天气挺冷的,容易感冒着凉,但是我还是觉得你不穿衣服比穿上衣服好看。”
  • 斩风

    斩风

    五百年前,冥界败于仙、人、鬼三界的联合大军之下,并签订了让冥界人口严重雕零的《四界和议》;五百年后,跳进冥河的斩风,带着前世被残杀的仇恨与记忆,走进了冥界。斩风不为别的,只为习得强大的冥武技,好回到人界为自己、也为亲人报仇……他那复仇的烈焰,将宛如死水的冥界烧的沸腾,冥皇惊喜的发现,冥界的翻身之日,也许就掌握在这个冷漠少年的手上了!
  • 狂妃当道:王爷大叔靠边站

    狂妃当道:王爷大叔靠边站

    初识,她十一,他二十一,演绎了最萌的年龄差。五年后,她惊世绝艳,他紧步相随,她说:我若要逃,你拦不住。他腹黑轻笑:我若不松手,你便无处可逃。同样狂傲的两人,将擦出怎么样的火花?拭目以待!
  • 状元养成攻略

    状元养成攻略

    俗话说:三个女人一台戏,那三个寡妇就是戏中戏,现代学霸赵凤穿越成了村花赵彩凤,还没出嫁就守了望门寡,眼瞅着就要嫁不出去了,被隔壁的穷秀才一家惦记上了。瞧着小鲜肉一副上进的样子,赵彩凤养着养着竟也养出了感情,只不过……你这一副大男人要护着小媳妇的模样究竟要闹那样呢?姐可是御姐!少来这一套!【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 不是校草也超帅

    不是校草也超帅

    明垒高中最爱做些和学习无关的事,比如说经常搞一点什么校花校草选举。校花校草分别各有四个,每次出场都是尖叫连连,不过传说中四位校花都有一个共同的梦中情人,那人却不是校草。不是校草也超帅,其名为吕泽轩。这是一个关于开挂少年的故事。超乎常理,却又理所应当。集万千玛丽苏一身,狗血剧情大乱炖。秋柏芊作为故事的主角,常常因为自己太过正常而觉得颇为尴尬。但果然还是有一个问题袭上心头:这么多帅哥,到底是选竹马,还是天降呢?