Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Pages ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
RIESBECK’S TRAVELS THROBGH GERMANY, 85
being the arbiters ofS morality. Ii is true, that by the feparation they undermined
their own power; but they did it by degrees, and without being confcious of the con-
fequences. Though Luther permitted the temporal princes to leize the eftates of the
ecclefiaftics, it is evident from his writings, that as a reformer of the church he placed
him({elf far above all the powers of this world, Calvin’s infolence and fpirit of . op-
preffion in religious matters is well known. Their followers long maintained their
ufurped domination over the temporal powers, and the regions of fcience. Some of
them are {till in poffeffion of it at this day. We mutt do our author the juftice to ac-
knowledge, that it is the firit fince the times of the Greeks and the Romans, in which
true freedom of thought, and a philofophy really beneficial to mankind, has appeared.
No doubt but the Englifh have greatly taken the lead in thefe matters. — That they
did fo, was owing to the {pirit of their conftitution in fome degree ; but ftill more to
the eftablifhed toleration of fo many fectaries, who not: being united to each other,
could eftablifh no general plan of tyranny over the opinions of their fellow-creatures.
It was natural for the-Englifh, dividedas they are into fo many fects, who enjoy almoft
the fame privileges in. the {tate, by degreesito confider legiflation, fcience, and whatever
elfe belongs to focial life, as independent of religion ; whilft, on the other hand, the
Swedifh and Danifh priefts, as well as thofe of {ome proteftant republics, would con-
tinue to exercife their empire over all worldly concerns, The fpirit of the Englifh-
man, fettered by no reftraints, took the eagle flight that carried it beyond the rival
nations. ‘Their philofophers allowed themfelves to wander through very contradictory
fpeculations. They had their Cynics, their Pythagoreans, their Platonifts, their Epi-
cureans, and many others; but they were, like the ancients, all of a mind about the
eflential duties of man: and the differenee of their fpeculations only fet their oppofition
in a clearer light. Even in the fciences of calculation, they fhewed the energy of a
genius, that was accuftomed to allow itfelf to expatiate freely in. the various fields of
{cience. It is true that they often gave into the moft ridiculous hypothefis, and the
moft puerile fuperftition; but thefe excrefcences of the freedom of thought are as in-
feparable from it, as other excrefcences are from civil freedom ; nox can you prevent
all abufes, without taking away the thing itfelf that-is abufed. ‘
All I fhalt fay of our own country, is, that the freedom. of thought is much lefs
limited in it by government, than. it is.m feveral countries which call themfelves free,
much lefs fo as to religious. matters, thanan many proteftant countries. I mult now re-
turn to Vienna, from whence [have taken a pretty long excurfion.
I had heard fo much, throughout my. journey hither from the Rhine, of the ftate
of the fchools in Auftria, and: of the great care the Emprefs took in the education of
her fubjeéts, and for the improvement of arts and fciences, that I thought of nothing
all the way but finding Vienna a German Athens. . It was .probably.owing to -thefe
over great expectations that I was fo much difappointed. The fchools for the young
children are, of allthe public inftitutions, far the be(t, though many things are taught,
even here, which can be of no fervice in: life; and only ferve to make young pedants
and charlatans. Religion and morals:are taught them in a way that can neither warm the
heart nor enlighten the head, nor is fuflicient care caken of the morals; .‘Vhefe defects
are, however, in fome meafure fupplied, by. the infight given.into commerce, naviga-.
tion, agriculture, &c. And it mult be confeffed,- that. thefe {chools are the only ones
Ihave hitherto feen in the catholic {lates in.\Germany,.in which the children are more
taught to be good citizens than good monks. .: Still,. however,. the two,,predominant
features of this. ftate, -blind fubordination,; and. a regard for.monks,- are very prevalent
here. But yet 1 cannot’ conceive: how-fo’many families ftill prefer to truit their chil.
dren
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
