CONCLUSION.
My readers, I hope, will pardon a new word I introduce in this chapter.
It is Unitedstatians. When this Union will spread herself, until the
continent of this new world will be under a single popular government,
then the word americans, or columbians, will be the general, and
particular name. But, as there are indians, canadians, and mexicans
also, it seems to me, that the citizens of this Union are wanting a
particular name.
During the foregoing chapters, I wrote against fashionable literature;
unreligious religion; bad newspapers; tourists, whose blind love for
their country rendered them pert, or saucy towards other nations;
american theatres; political parties; and selfish merchants of
books. Odd, or bad men are found in every part of the world; and
bad creatures, though they have more, or less influence in every
part of this too much ruled earth, the plurality has now sufficient
understanding to discriminate good from bad, when the frightful
hobgoblin of the so called Religion does not put its long tail.
Demagogues, scribblers, bad politicians, or bad merchants cannot injure
my character, as a member of society in America: but unreligious
religionists, can do a great mischief. And why so? Because in America
the hypocrite is not easily known. The hypocrite who must, of course,
be offended of what I have said against unreligious religion, has
a great power on this new soil of America, against all those who,
despising as I do any kind of cant, take off the mask from the long
face. To such hypocrites, I have only to say now, that their Belief
does not give them any right to brand my Belief. If they think their
Belief better than my Belief, they have only to keep their good
conscience for themselves, without branding my Belief with their
inquisitorial hot iron, and frightful words. He who thinks himself
a religious man, and thinks it man’s duty to be religious as he is,
should keep his beautiful face with modesty, and never say that
those, who have not his very face, are ugly; and as the inquisition
of the mind, or that of the body have never done any good to the true
religion, it is now time to learn, that in condemning those, who
cannot think as he does, he shows to be no better than an inquisitor.
Fanatics have wronged too much the morals of Jesus. The hypocrite may,
hereafter, speak behind my back against me, with impunity, as far as
his infernal voice does not reach my ears.
There are unfortunately individuals, who think that virtue, integrity,
and all the good qualities of mind, and heart are not indispensable
requisites to a man of belles letters. They are very much mistaken. It
is the purity of the heart alone, which gives immortality to the labor
of a genius. As I think it to be an indispensable requisite, I feel it
my duty now, to demonstrate it in this conclusion, and last chapter.
It is the _sine qua non_, on which a National Literature should be
grounded.
It is a fact: Pope’s, or Addison’s heart had not been free from envy,
and other petty moral faults which, but obscured their fine qualities
of character, and sentiment. As many philosophers have not yet been
entirely free of selfish feelings, so pernicious to the very philosophy
they professed, it seems to me, that a perfect civilization as Plato,
Rousseau, Bentham, or Fourier are aiming at, must needs be farther off,
than philanthropy expects. But, that such a fortunate philosophical
millennium will come, I do so honestly believe it, that, had it been my
choice to come into this world, I would have postponed it, until that
happy future time.
That many elevated sentiments of morality are originated from the
impure source of selfishness, we must shamefully admit it. Still, had
not Pope, or Addison had, a good share of noble sentiments, they could
never have written so forcibly of morals, without having felt it in
their own breast. Such authors are like the physicians, who though
acquainted with the means of alleviating the endemial sickness of
their country, fell themselves the victims of human frailty. Besides,
we learn how to become just, and moral from the reflections of our
own faults, as well as of others: and he, who acknowledges his own
imperfections, is, to my mind, a good man still. Happy those, who
receive from nature, or education, a mild temperament, free of any
selfish consideration.
Men, whose thoughts cannot go beyond the age in which they live,
sustain the impossibility of human perfection; and think, that
selfishness is our human duty. Hence this immoral precept: “Charity
begins at home.” As I am obliged to exert my physical strength among
cannibals; so obliged am I also, to be selfish among the selfish, and
cunning among the cunning, as far as the propriety, and the honor of
the age, in which I live, will permit. But, when we speak of a future
civilization, we must bring our mind to a civilized, and educated
population: a people, who can easily distinguish the cunning, roguish,
or selfish from the open, sincere, or generous. And when the cunning,
roguish, or selfish will find, that he can not get the esteem of
his contemporaries, he will, of necessity, become open, sincere, or
generous. We are the children of our education, and of the century in
which we live. The virtuous, alone, can impart virtue: and refinement
will force men to be refined.
Nothing is more disgusting than those individuals, whose sight being
not longer than a span, pretend to judge of distances which they
cannot see: and because they have never been better, thinking mankind
a race incapable of moral perfection, or improvement, they call
Plato, Rousseau, Bentham, and Fourier the dreamers of the ages, in
which they lived, and of those to come, while they do not perceive
that, had men never attempted to ameliorate human frailties, we would
be still nothing better, than our ancient fathers--the cannibals.
Because we have not arrived at perfection, shall we stop on our half
civilization?--This is my firm belief: Unless we practice that, which
we profess in theory, we will never be able to describe in writing, nor
speaking, the honest delineaments of morals, or integrity. The man,
who does not feel nobility under his skin, cannot speak, or write with
propriety of the attributes of a Divinity. It is an axiom: that which
is not felt, can not be expressed.
_Si vis me flere dolendum est
Primum ipsi tibi; tunc tua me infortunia lædent,
Telephe, vel Peleu: male si mandata loqueris,
Aut dormitabo, aut ridebo._
Could Horace rise from the dead, he would not wonder a little in
finding out, some men still doubting the above uncontrovertible
quotation. Our boasting nineteenth century, may be properly called the
raging time of scribblers, in which confusion of papers, true men of
letters are neglected. When demagogues become the fashionable leading
party of a community, the worst scribblers, whose money renders editors
good enough to praise what they did not read, or could not understand,
are generally read by a plurality of apes, who buy the new works, in
order to be able, at the first evening party, to echo in the ears
of a belle, the praising criticism of their newspapers. And these
individuals sustain before their admirers, that a man may be either
philosopher, orator, or poet, and at the same time, be quite a stranger
to virtue! And while we call ourselves a civilized people, such empty
minds, nursed with empty words, endeavor to confound literary men
with demagogues, wisdom with ignorance, piety with hypocrisy, virtue
with vice; and place into the asylums of lunatics every one, who
would dare to contradict them. Such scribblers who live by writing
the _interesting_ murders of the day, and all the awful--excuse the
epithet! the _interesting_ calamities, I wanted to say, of this
unpitying globe, are the only individuals who can make money out of
their pen.
To deprive of virtue an orator, poet, or philosopher, it would be as
to entitle a man painter, when he has no perception of colors. _Honos
alit artes._ A boy who drew a pig, while he intended to make a horse,
might, likewise, be considered a painter by a still poorer connoisseur,
than the boy himself. An artist cannot reach perfection, or eminence,
without that which is requisite. Were two men of equal understanding,
and ability; but one virtuous, and the other not, the second might
appear eloquent, were he not compared with the former; but he cannot
be but a pigmy before the noble virtue. The inspiration of heaven
cannot emanate but from heaven. A clown cannot be a genius; and a
genius, with the feeling of an unprincipled man--stranger to virtue,
cannot speak the language of inspiration. Such an axiom wants no other
demonstration. We may find knaves proficient in some manual arts;
but, not eminent in the fine arts. When we look at the three Graces
of Canova, we must acknowledge that, without the inspiration of a
divine mind, which he fostered in his breast, through a life spent with
integrity, and labor, those three females, delicately sculpted, could
not inspire bystanders with purity, innocence, and love, which, like
a perennial spring, emanate from that immortal marble. As in seeing a
beautiful woman, whose proportions, though perfect in themselves, the
almost imperceptible lines of cunning across her thought, and cheeks,
repulse from man’s heart any sympathy of love, thus, if the fire of
virtue is wanting in the breast of the orator, poet, or philosopher,
he will never be able to inspire men of understanding, perspicacity,
and sensibility. A spoiled woman may ensnare a weak man, and a _soit
disant_ orator ensnare also an ignorant people. Still, the first cannot
be a lady, and the second is but a demagogue.
Could Talma impart on the stage those heroic sentiments, had he not
been gifted with lofty sentiments, and integrity? A virtuous man
is able to delineate the vice he does despise; but a vicious man
cannot imitate the heavenly virtue he has not in his breast. Virtue
can understand vice; but vice cannot understand virtue. _Ardeat qui
vult incendere_, says the virtuous Roman, whose eminent qualities
of character, entitled him the father of eloquence. Where is the
enlightened nation, who would suffer, or support the orator, poet,
or philosopher, were each of these literary men practically, and
hypocritically polluting the temple of Virtue, the only Divinity,
dictating order to our society? And here, by enlightened nation, I do
not mean nations led by the furies of superstition, false religion,
or fanaticism, the shame of mankind. Though virtue is not the only
requisite faculty to form an eminent artist; still, like the sun in the
planetary system, unless it reflects upon every idea, and sentiments
of the man of letters, his ideas, and sentiments would remain without
animation.
Because not all the immortal writers had passed an unblemished life,
shall we say that virtue is not the essential mover in a man of
letters? Yes: Bacon, in some instances of his life, had been a mean
wretch; but, because Bacon was bribed in an evil hour, can we sustain
that he had been a bad man all his life? Though Bacon had not been
always wise, his retirement, repentence, accusation of himself, and
studies, evidently prove he was not a stranger to virtue. Still, had
Bacon praised virtue at the very moment he was unworthy of the Divinity
to whom he burned incense before, or after; such a speech, or writing,
could impart neither colors, nor animation to his abortive thoughts.
“Virtue is like precious odors, most fragrant, when they are incensed.”
And Bacon himself says: “For, he may rely upon it, that he can no more
transmit conviction, and sensation, which he himself has not, at the
time, sincerely felt, than he can convey a clear title to property in
which he himself has no right.”
And why does the unbeliever respect the piety of a Fenelon, and a
Fenelon, the morals of an unbeliever? To those, who would be bribed in
order to imitate a Bacon, I have only to say, that baboons will never
reach immortality, when, instead of imitating Bacon’s fine qualities,
they willingly embrace, rather, that wrong side of the writer, which
suit best their own rapacious propensities.
Every gentleman, who experienced the scourge of tyranny, will maintain,
that it is better to be poor in a free country, than to have a princely
state without a country. I say a gentleman: and those, who enjoy in
their selfish wealth, without feeling any sympathy towards numerous
human beings, struggling in want, are no gentlemen. Freedom is a
Divinity, who does not leave in want her dutiful worshippers: and the
Fathers’ ashes of this Union are still warm with the truth of this
sacred sentiment. It is with sorrow of mind I hear unitedstatians
asserting with sophisms, and without shame, that, as the best liberty
is wealth, they do not adhere, but to those members of congress, whose
speeches benefit right, or wrong, their only direct interest. Hence
the contestations of party men, whose advocates are shamefully called
orators, because they feel with them the babbling of their private
interest.--Liberty for me, and slavery for my neighbor!
Virtue, integrity, justice, and so on, are all ridiculous, and empty
words, when pronounced by that merchant, inveighing against the so
called Nullifier, who demonstrated the advantages of free havens. And
why does the physician hate that philosopher, who demonstrated, that
a great quantity of physic impairs our constitution? And why, that
printer declines from publishing that article of a true literary man?
Had we not heard that divine, speaking badly of that dancing master,
and of his art; and while this, should look with respect at another
true pious moralist, had not the dancing master called a worthy
divine a hypocrite? Is it not, the moderate, and healthy exercise of
dancing beneficient to morals? And morals and modesty do they not
give a fine, and lovely countenance, to the graceful art of Vestris?
_Mens sana in corpore sano._ That we are not civilized yet, it is
sufficient to see how many imperfect professional men flourish in this
country, not for their proficiency; but, because they slander their
professional superiors. And why those interested contrary parties
became to personalities, unless they have forgotten the academical
language of freedom, and virtue? That pretended man of letters, is he
not displeased to find another man of letters more enlightened than
himself; while, instead of wishing to be indicated by an ignorant
community, as the first man of his age, he should love arts, and
sciences, for the sake, only, of social benefit, and the improvement
of his own mind? Thus, every one in turning the stream of water
towards his own mill, stops its beneficient course, while they should
build their mills one under the other. In our european, and american
semi-barbarian societies, almost every one wishes to imitate a Cesar,
or a Napoleon, while they call themselves republicans.
With what courage shall we call that public speaker a worthy
citizen, while cunningly avoiding every thing, which naturally
happen contradictory to his own argument, he magnifies with eternal
amplifications, the mites he wishes to represent large as mammoths?
Without the _ne quid nimis_, we cannot expect to reach perfection.
Men of letters look to petty envies, and slanderous speeches, as a
great obstacle to refinement. Liberty, virtue, integrity, justice, are
very pretty words, indeed!--and in the time of Danton, and the Devil;
innocent blood ran in the streets of Paris, while those mean tyrants
had nothing in their mouths but liberty, and justice. From whence does
it come that we feel an inclination to kick an Antonius just, when he
pronounces the word Liberty, and when it comes from the mouth of a
Cato, we feel a heavenly inspiration, which nobilitates our nature? And
why do our tears fall on the pages of greek history, when it simply
describes the exiled Aristides, passing through the innumerable,
dangerous army of Xerses, in order to rescue his beloved, though
ungrateful country? Could Demosthenes, could Cicero be the admiration
of their country, and posterity, had their orations been pronounced
without the conviction of defending the lawful cause of the worthy
citizen?
A want of education causes some people to believe that serious
deportment, stiff manners, and thundering voice, are the requisites
of a gentleman. Hence derives that custom of answering, sir! with
three exclamations, even when the questioned understood, at once, his
addresser. In some courts, I saw lawyers speaking with animosity, for
no other purpose, but to intimidate their opponents. On the contrary,
when a virtuous speaker defends the innocent oppressed, or charges
against the criminal; mild, charitable, and plain troth, does it not
always touch the heart of an instructed people? The inspiration of
heaven is without passion, without anger, without malice. The deceitful
will always badly say what he does not feel in himself. “It will come
out that which I feel here,” touching his breast, said Patrick Henry,
when, after many struggles to conquor his modesty, and bashfulness,
astonished, for the first time, an audience, burning with patriotism.
_Prius afficiamur ipsi ut alios afficiamus._
Unitedstatians, if the Fathers’ wisdom of this prospering country
is yet felt in your breast, you cannot be but the friends of those,
who have liberal sentiments. It is now time for us to understand,
that we are all sons, and daughters of one single wise nation, the
World’s nation! We are the children of the progress of the human mind!
And why all nations will not unite in such a blessing, prosperous
fraternity, without which, peace, and commerce cannot attain the
highest destination worthy of man? When, we will have learned, without
preventions, from the lore of Egypt, Greece, Rome, China--from all
earth’s nations; then, national pride, turning into wisdom, we will
shake hands with all the literary men of every country: and the
rivalities, envies of governments, religious parties, secret or public
societies, shall be unbecoming, among human beings, whom nature, or
God, if you please, had called to help each other, without distinction.
The individuals, who think that nothing can be taught to them by
strangers, are already deprived of wisdom. A child may give a good
advise to a great man; and a foreigner, who would take the trouble to
point out any of our faults, should be welcomed among us, when he, or
she do it with the spirit to improve man’s institutions, and morals.
Shame be to him who, with the bible in hand, excites the reformers
against the catholics! To perfection should be man’s duty to aim at;
and the nearest is man to perfection, the better for him, and his
neighbors. Those, who have, or will misrepresent us, time will do
us justice. If they speak the truth, we should be thankful, and try
to correct our faults, which are more injurious to ourselves, than
what is said by our most mortal, or cunning foes. If they speak, or
write falsehoods, they do nothing but injure their own reputation.
The slander does, unfortunately, prevail some times: but, like the
night, it always disappears at the coming of the day. Slander did often
act mischief to a particular innocent man; never, when applied to a
whole nation. Our principal object be, therefore, that of aiming at
perfection, and practical virtue, without which no man has a right to
be ranked among men of letters.
I cannot close this last chapter, without saying something of the
natives’ procession, which took place in New-York, 15th of november,
1844. Such a procession is the shame of this country! Were it not
sufficient wisdom among the citizens of this Union, the natives’
erroneous ideas they have of strangers, living in America, would ruin
this country. Were it but two, or three years I am living in this
country, on the next day, after that procession, I would have shipped
myself, and my rags for a country, where the sacred word of Hospitality
has not yet been profaned! Had I voted in this country, I would feel
ashamed of myself now; and I am happy not to have done it. And he who
has such a kind feeling as I have for America will be more offended,
than he, who might come here with the intention of making money. The
true republican will, hereafter, hesitate to place his foot on these
shores, where the word Republic might be but a name. Go to my poor
country, you americans; and, although we have monarchical governments,
you will be welcomed; and were you expressing the wish of becoming
a citizen, we would be happy to number you as our brothers--were we
republicans as you are, your hands, and hearts, would be still a
greater blessing to us. We would not fear for any thing you would
say, or write: if you are wrong, we would demonstrate you are wrong;
if you are right, we would thank you for your instruction. How many
strangers have you, holding your offices? The few you have employed, it
was because you could not fulfill those offices yourselves, the object
of those offices being grounded on the knowledge of modern languages;
and the foreign, american consuls, who personate you in their own
countries, they serve you, without receiving any fee from you. When did
strangers rule you? And, where is the act done by strangers against
the welfare of this country?--It is not the strangers whom you fear: I
am rather inclined to believe, it is the liberal education, now going
around the world, which you fear; and the truth, coming from the mouth
of strangers, must offend you. The poor, virtuous strangers, who, with
their rags, bring here to you their pure suffering mind, and labor,
is the very wealth of this country. They should be more welcomed by
you, than princes, whose glittering gold cannot conceal their false
pride, and vices, injuring this very republic. The princes, whom you
welcome in preference to virtuous men of letters, would like to see
the ruin of America, in order to keep themselves upon those thrones,
now shaking at the voice of Republic. The poor people, bring here, to
you, their mind, purified in the furnace of vicissitude, and suffering:
their labor cleared and clear your deserted forests; they made and
make your railroads, and built and build new cities, and forts, which
frighten all the despots of this selfish earth. When your fathers
left the despotism of their old country, they were no more natives of
America, than the poor irish, who landed, here, yesterday. Had not
Columbus discovered this continent, you would be still natives of
Europe--the natives of the very brethren, whom you wish to drive away!
You should not, at least, bring the aboriginals of this country, the
noble, generous red men, in your procession, now driven from their own
native land--You should not make of them an instrument to suit your
purposes. If you do not mock them--you deny with such an exhibition,
the very blood of your european fathers and mothers! Who fought with
your fathers for the welfare of this republic?--The strangers! And
were you to have a war, the strangers would fight in your ranks with,
and for you: and if your enemies are so careful not to fight you;
it is, because they know, that strangers would fight with you, and
that your very enemies’ soldiers would not fight against the american
ranks in which their very brothers are here, defending the cause of
liberty!--And why the honest strangers will not breathe free, here,
as well as you? Does the stranger wrong you? You have your courts of
justice, and your penitentiaries. Has he committed a crime in his
native country?--You should send him back, chained, to that country. To
whom are you indebted for your daily blessings?--You would be the only
nation on the globe, who, in feeling no gratitude towards strangers,
would consider strangers a curse to them. All nations, acquainted with
political economy, invite strangers to become their citizens. Though
Italy is the most populous nation in the world, were Italy administered
as it should be, she could maintain a population six times as much.
The soil had never been wanted to man. This Union is so extensive,
that, were all the people of Europe coming here tomorrow, they would
not suffice to people these vast territories. England is an island,
the production of which is not sufficient to maintain that population,
without industry. Those manufactures are obliged to work for other
nations, from which they derive their food. America is not England.
You have, here, all the climates of earth, and all the blessings, and
nature’s productions. Why will you imitate the political economy of an
island of rocks in a cold climate, while you have the most fertile,
virgin lands of the world? What are you doing of your immense, deserted
lands, and forests? Send there colonies of the industrious, patient,
brave, and honest irish: give them means to begin the world; and in a
few years, the grateful irish will be happy, bless you, and pay you
back the hundred per cent, with their lawful, direct taxes: and then,
the government of this Union will be the richest, the most powerful,
and most blessed, and exemplary in the world. Money is an element, like
rain, or free air; it will come back to you, because your land is the
richest, and your laws are the best; I mean laws, the most adapted to
render the people happy. In kicking out the naked, who come to you,
you kick out your own fortune. Do you not know that the miser robs
himself? If you want your ruin, you have only to wall yourselves up,
like the chineses of Pekin.--Look at the poor, honest irish girl: if
your heart is that of a dutiful son, think that your mother, now in
the grave, was, at the time of the american revolution, on this far,
distant land, like that poor suffering irish girl, who works very hard
for her daily bread--she is your faithful, devoted servant. It is our
duty to respect the poor; and if we cannot ameliorate their situation,
the christian must, at least, neither undervalue, nor contemn them.
And why the word Beggar became in the english language a term of
contempt?--Because, we do not think, that, society, not providing for
the poor, they are forced to steal for a living; and could we have the
justice of God, we would see that many beggars, who terminated their
painful life on the gallows, might have been the most useful members
of society. Have charity towards the poor--Jesus Christ was poor.
Respect the rags!--Were it only, because your fathers’ virtue shined
brighter through their rags. Your blood (so much the better for it)
is not from lord’s blood: it is a blood from noble, poor republicans,
pure as heaven; a blood which passed through the furnace of poverty,
and misfortune. Your fathers left their old country to escape the
oppression of lords. But, now you are the lords of this country, you
wish to lord your very brethren who feel as you the right of man.
As you might think me, here, an interested part, I will say nothing
else on this sacred subject. But, when the geniuses, and great men of
this country will be supported by a national justice, you will have
then a National Literature, with which they will tell you these truths,
couched in a better language. The National Literature will prevent you
from committing such political blunders. The american geniuses will
demonstrate to you, that the more a nation has liberality, popularity,
hospitality, and republicanism, the more blessings will shine on that
country.
THE END.
Transcriber’s Notes:
Passages in italics are indicated by _underscore_.
The following misprints have been corrected:
“caluminated” corrected to “calumniated” (page 12)
“venetrate” corrected to “venerate” (page 13)
“migh” corrected to “might” (page 18)
“scribler” corrected to “scribbler” (page 20)
“fogotten” corrected to “forgotten” (page 25)
“scence” corrected to “scene” (page 26)
“aristocrate” corrected to “aristocrat” (page 40)
“acqainted” corrected to “acquainted” (page 43)
“pretention” corrected to “pretension” (page 43)
“muderer” corrected to “murderer” (page 52)
“vrituous” corrected to “virtuous” (page 54)
“soverign” corrected to “sovereign” (page 56)
“captalists” corrected to “capitalists” (page 57)
“orignal” corrected to “original” (page 66)
“scriblers” corrected to “scribblers” (page 70)
“examplary” corrected to “exemplary” (page 82)
Other than the corrections listed above, printer’s inconsistencies in
spelling and hyphenation have been retained.