The Malay archipelago : the land of the orang-utan ... - Wallace Online

XVII.] CELEBES. 195due to the system of government now adopted by tlie Dutch intheir Eastern possessions. The system is one which may becalled a " paternal desj^otism." Now we Englishmen do not likedespotism—we hate tlie name and the thing, and we wouldrather see people ignorant, lazy, and vicious, than use any butmoral force to make them wise, industrious, and good. And weare right when we are dealing with men of our own race, andof similar ideas and equal capacities with ourselves. Exampleand precept, the force of public opinion, and the slow, but surespread of education, will do everything in time ; withoutengendering any of those bitter feelings, or producing any ofthat servdlity, hypocrisy, and dejaendence, which are the sureresults of a despotic government. But what should we think ofa man who should advocate these princii^les of perfect freedomin a family or a school ? We should say that he was applying agood general principle to a case in which the conditions renderedit inapplicable—the case in which tlie governed are in anadmitted state of mental inferiority to tliose who govern them,and are unable to decide what is best for their permanentwelfare. Children must be subjected to some degree of authorityand guidance ; and if properly managed they will cheerfullysubmit to it, because they know their own inferiority, andbelieve their elders are acting solely for their good. They learnmany things the use of which tliey cannot comprehend, andwhich they would never learn without some moral and social ifnot physical jDressure. Habits of order, of industry, of cleanliness,of respect and obedience, are inculcated by similar means.Children would never grow up into well-behaved and and welleducatedmen, if the same absolute freedom of action that isallowed to men were allowed to them. Under the best aspect ofeducation, children are subjected to a mild despotism for thegood of themselves and of society ; and their confidence in thewisdom and goodness of tliose who ordain and ajoply tliisdespotism, neutralizes the bad passions and degrading feelings,which under less favourable conditions are its general results.Now, there is not merely an analogy,—there is in manyrespects an identity of relation, between master and pupil orparent and child on the one hand, and an uncivilized race andits civilized rulers on the other. We know (or think we know)that the education and industry, and the common usages ofcivilized man, are superior to those of savage life ; and, as hebecomes acquainted with them, the savage himself admits this.He admires the superior acquirements of the civilized man, andit is with pride that he will adopt such usag(^s as do notinterfere too much with his sloth, his passions, or his prejudices.But as the wilful child or the idle schoolboy, who was ne^'ertaught obedience, and never made to do anj'thing which of hisown free will he was not inclined to do, would in most casesobtain neither education nor manners ; so it is much moreunlikely that the savage, with all the confirmed habits of mano2