english writers on america-第3部分

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and　amiable　in　the　English　character。　We　are　a　young　people；

necessarily　an　imitative　one；　and　must　take　our　examples　and　models；

in　a　great　degree；　from　the　existing　nations　of　Europe。　There　is　no

country　more　worthy　of　our　study　than　England。　The　spirit　of　her

constitution　is　most　analogous　to　ours。　The　manners　of　her　people…

their　intellectual　activity…　their　freedom　of　opinion…　their　habits　of

thinking　on　those　subjects　which　concern　the　dearest　interests　and

most　sacred　charities　of　private　life；　are　all　congenial　to　the

American　character；　and；　in　fact；　are　all　intrinsically　excellent；　for

it　is　in　the　moral　feeling　of　the　people　that　the　deep　foundations

of　British　prosperity　are　laid；　and　however　the　superstructure　may

be　time…worn；　or　overrun　by　abuses；　there　must　be　something　solid　in

the　basis；　admirable　in　the　materials；　and　stable　in　the　structure

of　an　edifice；　that　so　long　has　towered　unshaken　amidst　the　tempests

of　the　world。

　　Let　it　be　the　pride　of　our　writers；　therefore；　discarding　all

feelings　of　irritation；　and　disdaining　to　retaliate　the　illiberality

of　British　authors；　to　speak　of　the　English　nation　without

prejudice；　and　with　determined　candor。　While　they　rebuke　the

indiscriminating　bigotry　with　which　some　of　our　countrymen　admire

and　imitate　every　thing　English；　merely　because　it　is　English；　let

them　frankly　point　out　what　is　really　worthy　of　approbation。　We　may

thus　place　England　before　us　as　a　perpetual　volume　of　reference；

wherein　are　recorded　sound　deductions　from　ages　of　experience；　and

while　we　avoid　the　errors　and　absurdities　which　may　have　crept　into

the　page；　we　may　draw　thence　golden　maxims　of　practical　wisdom；

wherewith　to　strengthen　and　to　embellish　our　national　character。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

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