memoirs of carwin the biloquist-第8部分

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stood　and　practised；　where　the　interest　of　the　whole　and　of　the　individual　should　be　seen　by　all　to　be　the　same；　where　the　public　good　should　be　the　scope　of　all　activity；　where　the　tasks　of　all　should　be　the　same；　and　the　means　of　subsistence　equally　distributed。

No　one　could　contemplate　his　pictures　without　rapture。　　By　their　comprehensiveness　and　amplitude　they　filled　the　imagination。　I　was　unwilling　to　believe　that　in　no　region　of　the　world；　or　at　no　period　could　these　ideas　be　realized。　　It　was　plain　that　the　nations　of　Europe　were　tending　to　greater　depravity；　and　would　be　the　prey　of　perpetual　vicissitude。　　All　individual　attempts　at　their　reformation　would　be　fruitless。　　He　therefore　who　desired　the　diffusion　of　right　principles；　to　make　a　just　system　be　adopted　by　a　whole　community；　must　pursue　some　extraordinary　method。

In　this　state　of　mind　I　recollected　my　native　country；　where　a　few　colonists　from　Britain　had　sown　the　germe　of　populous　and　mighty　empires。　　Attended；　as　they　were；　into　their　new　abode；　by　all　their　prejudices；　yet　such　had　been　the　influence　of　new　circumstances；　of　consulting　for　their　own　happiness；　of　adopting　simple　forms　of　government；　and　excluding　nobles　and　kings　from　their　system；　that　they　enjoyed　a　degree　of　happiness　far　superior　to　their　parent　state。

To　conquer　the　prejudices　and　change　the　habits　of　millions；　are　impossible。　　The　human　mind；　exposed　to　social　influences；　inflexibly　adheres　to　the　direction　that　is　given　to　it；　but　for　the　same　reason　why　men；　who　begin　in　error　will　continue；　those　who　commence　in　truth；　may　be　expected　to　persist。　　Habit　and　example　will　operate　with　equal　force　in　both　instances。

Let　a　few；　sufficiently　enlightened　and　disinterested；　take　up　their　abode　in　some　unvisited　region。　　Let　their　social　scheme　be　founded　in　equity；　and　how　small　soever　their　original　number　may　be；　their　growth　into　a　nation　is　inevitable。　　Among　other　effects　of　national　justice；　was　to　be　ranked　the　swift　increase　of　numbers。　　Exempt　from　servile　obligations　and　perverse　habits；　endowed　with　property；　wisdom；　and　health。　　Hundreds　will　expand；　with　inconceivable　rapidity　into　thousands　and　thousands；　into　millions；　and　a　new　race；　tutored　in　truth；　may；　in　a　few　centuries；　overflow　the　habitable　world。

Such　were　the　visions　of　youth！　　I　could　not　banish　them　from　my　mind。　　I　knew　them　to　be　crude；　but　believed　that　deliberation　would　bestow　upon　them　solidity　and　shape。　　Meanwhile　I　imparted　them　to　Ludloe。



Chapter　VI。


In　answer　to　the　reveries　and　speculations　which　I　sent　to　him　respecting　this　subject；　Ludloe　informed　me；　that　they　had　led　his　mind　into　a　new　sphere　of　meditation。　　He　had　long　and　deeply　considered　in　what　way　he　might　essentially　promote　my　happiness。　He　had　entertained　a　faint　hope　that　I　would　one　day　be　qualified　for　a　station　like　that　to　which　he　himself　had　been　advanced。　This　post　required　an　elevation　and　stability　of　views　which　human　beings　seldom　reach；　and　which　could　be　attained　by　me　only　by　a　long　series　of　heroic　labours。　　Hitherto　every　new　stage　in　my　intellectual　progress　had　added　vigour　to　his　hopes；　and　he　cherished　a　stronger　belief　than　formerly　that　my　career　would　terminate　auspiciously。　　This；　however；　was　necessarily　distant。　Many　preliminaries　must　first　be　settled；　many　arduous　accomplishments　be　first　obtained；　and　my　virtue　be　subjected　to　severe　trials。　　At　present　it　was　not　in　his　power　to　be　more　explicit；　but　if　my　reflections　suggested　no　better　plan；　he　advised　me　to　settle　my　affairs　in　Spain；　and　return　to　him　immediately。　　My　knowledge　of　this　country　would　be　of　the　highest　use；　on　the　supposition　of　my　ultimately　arriving　at　the　honours　to　which　he　had　alluded；　and　some　of　these　preparatory　measures　could　be　taken　only　with　his　assistance；　and　in　his　company。

This　intimation　was　eagerly　obeyed；　and；　in　a　short　time；　I　arrived　at　Dublin。　　Meanwhile　my　mind　had　copious　occupation　in　commenting　on　my　friend's　letter。　　This　scheme；　whatever　it　was；　seemed　to　be　suggested　by　my　mention　of　a　plan　of　colonization；　and　my　preference　of　that　mode　of　producing　extensive　and　permanent　effects　on　the　condition　of　mankind。　　It　was　easy　therefore　to　conjecture　that　this　mode　had　been　pursued　under　some　mysterious　modifications　and　conditions。

It　had　always　excited　my　wonder　that　so　obvious　an　expedient　had　been　overlooked。　　The　globe　which　we　inhabit　was　very　imperfectly　known。　　The　regions　and　nations　unexplored；　it　was　reasonable　to　believe；　surpassed　in　extent；　and　perhaps　in　populousness；　those　with　which　we　were　familiar。　　The　order　of　Jesuits　had　furnished　an　example　of　all　the　errors　and　excellencies　of　such　a　scheme。　　Their　plan　was　founded　on　erroneous　notions　of　religion　and　policy；　and　they　had　absurdly　chosen　a　scene*　within　reach　of　the　injustice　and　ambition　of　an　European　tyrant。

It　was　wise　and　easy　to　profit　by　their　example。　　Resting　on　the　two　props　of　fidelity　and　zeal；　an　association　might　exist　for　ages　in　the　heart　of　Europe；　whose　influence　might　be　felt；　and　might　be　boundless；　in　some　region　of　the　southern　hemisphere；　and　by　whom　a　moral　and　political　structure　might　be　raised；　the　growth　of　pure　wisdom；　and　totally　unlike　those　fragments　of　Roman　and　Gothic　barbarism；　which　cover　the　face　of　what　are　called　the　civilized　nations。　　The　belief　now　rose　in　my　mind　that　some　such　scheme　had　actually　been　prosecuted；　and　that　Ludloe　was　a　coadjutor。　　On　this　supposition；　the　caution　with　which　he　approached　to　his　point；　the　arduous　probation　which　a　candidate　for　a　part　on　this　stage　must　undergo；　and　the　rigours　of　that　test　by　which　his　fortitude　and　virtue　must　be　tried；　were　easily　explained。　　I　was　too　deeply　imbued　with　veneration　for　the　effects　of　such　schemes；　and　too　sanguine　in　my　confidence　in　the　rectitude　of　Ludloe；　to　refuse　my　concurrence　in　any　scheme　by　which　my　qualifications　might　at　length　be　raised　to　a　due　point。

Our　interview　was　frank　and　affectionate。　　I　found　him　situated　just　as　formerly。　　His　aspect；　manners；　and　deportment　were　the　same。　　I　entered　once　more　on　my　former　mode　of　life；　but　our　intercourse　became　more　frequent。　　We　constantly　breakfasted　together；　and　our　conversation　was　usually　prolonged　through　half　the　morning。

For　a　time　our　topics　were　general。　　I　thought　proper　to　leave　to　him　the　introduction　of　more　interesting　themes：　　this；　however；　he　betrayed　no　inclination　to　do。　　His　reserve　excited　some　surprise；　and　I　began　to　suspect　that　whatever　design　he　had　formed　with　regard　to　me；　had　been　laid　aside。　　To　ascertain　this　question；　I　ventured；　at　length；　to　recall　his　attention　to　the　subject　of　his　last　letter；　and　to　enquire　whether　subsequent　reflection　had　made　any　change　in　his　views。

He　said　that　his　views　were　too　momentous　to　be　hastily　taken　up；　or　hastily　dismissed；　the　station；　my　attainment　of　which　depended　wholly　on　myself；　was　high　above　vulgar　heads；　and　was　to　be　gained　by　years　of　solicitude　and　labour。　　This；　at　least；　was　true　with　regard　to　minds　ordinarily　constituted；　I；　perhaps；　deserved　to　be　regarded　as　an　exception；　and　might　be　able　to　accomplish　in　a　few　months　that　for　which　others　were　obliged　to　toil　during　half　their　lives。

Man；　continued　he；　is　the　slave　of　habit。　　Convince　him　to…day　that　his　duty　leads　straight　forward：　　he　shall　advance；　but　at　every　step　his　belief　shall　fade；　habit　will　resume　its　empire；　and　tomorrow　he　shall　turn　back；　or　betake　himself　to　oblique　paths。

We　know　not　our　strength　till　it　be　tried。　　Virtue；　till　confirmed　by　habit；　is　a　dream。　　You　are　a　man　imbued　by　errors；　and　vincible　by　slight　temptations。　　Deep　enquiries　must　bestow　light　on　your　opinions；　and　the　habit　of　encountering　and　vanquishing　temptation　must　inspire　you　with　fortitude。　　Till　this　be　done；　you　are　unqualified　for　that　post；　in　which　you　will　be　invested　with　divine　attributes；　and　prescribe　the　condition　of　a　large　portion　of　mankind。

Confide　not　in　the　firmness　of　your　principles；　or　the　stedfastness　of　your　integrity。　　Be　always　vigilant　and　fearful。　Never　think　you　have　enough　of　knowledge；　and　let　not　your　caution　slumber　for　a　moment；　for　you　know　not　when　danger　is　near。

I　acknowledged　the　justice　of　his　admonitions；　and　professed　myself　willing　to　undergo　any　ordeal　which　reason　should　prescribe。　What；　I　asked；　were　the　conditions；　on　the　fulfilment　of　which　depended　my　advancement　to　the　station　he　alluded　to？　　Was　it　necessary　to　conceal　from　me　the　nature　and　obligations　of　this　rank？

These　enquiries　sunk　him　more　profoundly　into　meditation　than　I　had　ever　before　witnessed。　　After　a　pause；　in　which　some　perplexity　was　visible；　he　answered：

I　scarcely　know　what　to　say。　　As　to　promises；　I　claim　them　not　from　you。　　We　are　now　arrived　at　a　point；　in　which　it　is　necessary　to　look　around　with　caution；　and　that　consequences　should　be　fully　known。　　A　number　of　persons　are　leagued　together　for　an　end　of　some　moment。　　To　make　yourself　one　of　these　is　submitted　to　your　choice。　Among　the　conditions　of　their　alliance　are　mutual　fidelity　and　secrecy。

Their　existence　depends　upon　this：　　their　existence　is　known　only　to　themselves。　　This　secrecy　must　be　obtained　by