Thoughts on civil liberty, on licentiousness, and faction/Section 6
SECT.VI.
An Objection considered.
DOubtless, it will be objected (nay, it hath been objected) by the Patrons of unlimited Freedom of Thought, that This is indeed a System of Slavery; that it is building civil Liberty on the Servitude of the Mind, and shackling the infant Soul with early Prejudice.
In Answer to this plausible Objection, the Writer replies (what he hath elsewhere advanced[1]) "That a Prejudice doth not imply, as is generally supposed, the Falsehood of the Opinion instilled, but only that it is taken up, and held, without its proper Evidence. Thus the infant Mind may be prejudiced in Favour of Truth as well as Falsehood; and neither can the one or the other, thus instilled, be properly called more than an Opinion."
Farther: The infant Mind cannot remain in a State of Indifference and Inaction, either with Regard to Habits of Conduct, or Principles and Opinions. Habits, Impressions, Beliefs, Principles, of one Kind or other, the growing Mind will inevitably contract, from its Communication with Mankind: If therefore rational Habits and Principles be not infused, in order to preclude Absurdities; it is Odds, but Absurdities will get the Start, and preclude all rational Habits and Opinions. The Passions and the Reason of a Child will put themselves in Action, however wretched and inconsistent; in the same Manner, as his Limbs will make an Effort towards walking, however awkward and absurd. The same Objection, therefore, that lies against instilling salutary Habits and Principles, will arise against teaching him to walk erect: This being indeed a Violation of the natural Freedom of the Body, as the other is of the natural Liberty of the Passions and the Mind. The Consequences, too, are of the same Nature: For sure, a Child left to the Direction of his own Appetites and Reason would stand the same Chance to grovel in Absurdities, as to crawl on Hands and Knees, and wallow in the Mire.
Neither is there any Difference, with Respect to the real and internal Freedom of the Mind, between Opinions instilled, and Opinions caught by Accident. For in Truth, the Mind cannot be compelled to receive any Habit of Thought, Principle, or Opinion. These may indeed be offered to the infant Mind, but the Reception of them is its own voluntary Act; and is equally so, whether they be presented by fortuitous Incidents, or designed Instruction. All the Difference is, that in the first Case such a System of Habits and Opinions will certainly arise, as tend to the Destruction of Society: In the second, such a System of Habits and Opinions may be infused into the free Mind, as will lay a sure and lasting Foundation of public Liberty and Happiness.
Nay, if any Difference could arise, with Respect to the true Freedom of the Mind; surely, That Mind ought, in the Eye of Reason, to be adjudged most free, which adopts a System of Thought and Action, founded on the Wisdom of the agreeing Society; rather than That which is suffered to be incurably tainted with the vague and random Conceptions of untutor'd Infancy.—This, at least, is consonant with the old Stoic Principle, that "The wise Man alone is free."[2]
Much hath been said in our Times, indeed, concerning the Force of unassisted human Reason: The Writer would not willingly either flatter or degrade its Powers. But to Him it appears, that they are superficially informed of the Frame and Tenor of the human Mind, who think that mere Reason (as it exists in Man) is more than a Power of discerning and chusing the properest Means for obtaining his desired Ends, whether these Ends be Good or Evil. The Passions, pre-established Habits, and infused Principles of the Soul are the universal Motives to human Action. Where these point not to an End desired, Reason may indolently exercise its Eye; but can never find nor create an Object, of Force sufficient to put the Powers of the Soul and Body in Motion. Hence, human Reason must always receive its particular Cast and Colour from the pre-established Passions, Habits, and Principles; will ever form its ruling Ideas of Good and Evil, Right and Wrong, Just and Unjust, from these great Fountains of human Action.
The History of human Nature confirms this Truth: Hence it is, that this boasted human Reason is indeed so poor and unprofitable a Possession; being warped and moulded into that particular Form, which the varying Accidents of Climate, Soil, established Manners, Religion, Policy, bodily Frame, or prevailing Passions and Principles, chance to give it.
Hence, then, it appears, that the private Freedom of the infant Mind is not violated but only directed to its best End, by early and salutary Instruction. Hence it appears to be the proper Destination of Man, that he shall not be left to the Follies of his own weak Understanding and nascent Passions; that he shall not be left fortuitously to imbibe the Maxims of corrupt Times and Manners; Maxims which, setting aside all Regard to their speculative Truth or Falsehood, do lead to the Dissolution of Law and Freedom: But that he shall be conducted voluntarily to adopt those Habits and Principles, which have been consecrated by the Approbation of the best and wisest Men, in every Age and Nation; such, in particular, as are suitable to the Laws, the Customs, the Genius, of his own free Country; such, in a Word, as are a secure Foundation of public Liberty.