essays-1-第2部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


improper　to　preface　the　narrative　of　my　operations；　by　a　short　account　of　the　motives　which　induced　me　to　engage　in　this　undertaking。　And　in　order　to　throw　still　more　light　upon　the　whole　transaction；　I　shall　begin　with　a　few　words　of　myself；　of　my　situation　in　the　country　in　which　I　reside；　and　of　the　different　objects　which　were　had　in　view　in　the　various　public　measures　in　which　I　have　been　concerned。　　This　information　is　necessary　in　order　to　form　a　clear　idea　of　the　circumstances　under　which　the　operations　in　question　were　undertaken；　and　the　different　public　measures　which　were　adopted　at　the　same　time。

Having　in　the　year　1784；　with　His　Majesty's　gracious　permission；　engaged　myself　in　the　service　of　His　Most　Serene　Highness　the　Elector　Palatine；　Reigning　Duke　of　Bavaria；　I　have　since　been　employed　by　His　Electoral　Highness　in　various　public　services；　and　particularly　in　arranging　his　military　affairs；　and　introducing　a　new　system　of　order；　discipline；　and　economy　among　his　troops。

In　the　execution　of　this　commission；　ever　mindful　of　that　great　and　important　truth；　that　no　political　arrangement　can　be　really　good；　except　in　so　far　as　it　contributes　to　the　general　good　of　society；　I　have　endeavoured　in　all　my　operations　to　unite　the　interest　of　the　soldier　with　the　interest　of　civil　society；　and　to　render　the　military　force；　even　in　time　of　peace；　subservient　to　the　PUBLIC　GOOD。

To　facilitate　and　promote　these　important　objects；　to　establish　a　respectable　standing　military　force；　which　should　do　the　least　possible　harm　to　the　population；　morals；　manufactures；　and　agriculture　of　the　country；　it　was　necessary　to　make　soldiers　citizens；　and　citizens　soldiers。　　To　this　end　the　situation　of　the　soldier　was　made　as　easy；　comfortable；　and　eligible　as　possible；　his　pay　was　increased；　he　was　comfortably；　and　even　elegantly　clothed；　and　he　was　allowed　every　kind　of　liberty　not　inconsistent　with　good　order　and　due　subordination；　his　military　exercises　were　simplified；　his　instruction　rendered　short　and　easy；　and　all　obsolete　and　useless　customs　and　usages　were　banished　from　the　service。　　Great　attention　was　paid　to　the　external　appearance　of　the　buildings；　and　nothing　was　left　undone；　that　could　tend　to　make　the　men　comfortable　in　their　dwellings。　　Schools　were　established　in　all　the　regiments；　for　arithmetic；　and　into　these　schools；　not　only　the　soldiers　and　their　children；　but　also　the　children　of　the　neighbouring　citizens　and　peasants；　were　admitted　gratis；　and　even　school…books；　paper＇1＇；　pens；　and　ink；　were　furnished　for　them；　at　the　expense　of　the　Sovereign。

Besides　these　schools　of　instruction；　others；　called　schools　of　industry；　were　established　in　the　regiments；　where　the　soldiers　and　their　children　were　taught　various　kinds　of　work；　and　from　whence　they　were　supplied　with　raw　materials；　to　work　for　their　own　emolument。

As　nothing　is　so　certain　fatal　to　morals；　and　particularly　to　the　morals　of　the　lower　class　of　mankind；　as　habitual　idleness；　every　possible　measure　was　adopted；　that　could　be　devised；　to　introduce　a　spirit　of　industry　among　the　troops。　　Every　encouragement　was　given　to　the　soldiers　to　employ　their　leisure　time；　when　they　were　off　duty；　in　working　for　their　own　emolument；　and　among　other　encouragements；　the　most　efficacious　of　all；　that　of　allowing　them　full　liberty　to　dispose　of　the　money　acquired　by　their　labour　in　any　way　they　should　think　proper；　without　being　obliged　to　give　any　account　of　it　to　any　body。　　They　were　even　furnished　with　working　dresses；　（a　canvas　frock　and　trousers；）　gratis；　at　their　enlisting；　and　were　afterwards　permitted　to　retain　their　old　uniforms　for　the　same　purpose；　and　care　was　taken；　in　all　cases　where　they　were　employed；　that　they　should　be　well　paid。

They　commonly　received　from　sixteen　to　eighteen　creutzers＇2＇　a…day　for　their　labour；　and　with　this　they　had　the　advantage　of　being　clothed　and　lodged；　and；　in　many　cases；　of　receiving　their　full　pay　of　five　creutzers；　and　a　pound　and　a　half　（1　lb。　13　1/2；　oz。　Avoirdupois）　of　bread　per　day　from　the　Sovereign。　　When　they　did　their　duty　in　their　regiments；　by　mounting　guard　regularly　according　to　their　tour　（which　commonly　was　every　fourth　day；）　and　only　worked　those　days　they　happened　to　be　off　guard；　in　that　case；　they　received　their　full　pay；　but　when　they　were　excused　from　regimental　duty；　and　permitted　to　work　every　day　for　their　own　emolument；　their　pay　（at　five　creutzers　per　day；）　was　stopped；　but　they　were　still　permitted　to　receive　their　bread；　and　to　lodge　in　the　barracks。

In　all　public　works；　such　as　making　and　repairing　highways；　draining　marshes；repairing　the　banks　of　rivers；　etc。　soldiers　were　employed　as　labourers；　and　in　all　such　cases；　the　greatest　care　was　taken　to　provide　for　their　comfortable　subsistence；　and　even　for　their　amusement。　　Good　lodgings　were　prepared　for　them；　and　good　and　wholesome　food；　at　a　reasonable　price；　and　the　greatest　care　was　taken　of　them　when　they　happened　to　fall　sick。

Frequently；　when　considerable　numbers　of　them　were　at　work　together；　a　band　of　music　was　ordered　to　play　to　them　while　at　work；　and　on　holidays　they　were　permitted；　and　even　encouraged；　to　make　merry；　with　dancing　and　other　innocent　sports　and　amusements。

To　preserve　good　order　and　harmony　among　those　who　were　detached　upon　these　working　parties；　a　certain　proportion　of　officers　and　non…commissioned　officers　were　always　sent　with　them；　and　those　commonly　served　as　overseers　of　the　works；　and　as　such　were　paid。

Besides　this　permission　to　work　for　hire　in　the　garrison　towns；　and　upon　detached　working　parties；　which　was　readily　granted　to　all　those　who　desired　it；　or　at　least　to　as　many　as　could　possibly　be　spared　from　the　necessary　service　of　the　garrison；　every　facility　and　encouragement　was　given　to　the　soldier　who　was　a　native　of　the　country；　and　who　had　a　family　of　friends　to　go　to；　or　private　concerns　to　take　care　of；　to　go　home　on　furlough；　and　to　remain　absent　from　his　regiment　from　one　annual　exercise　to　the　other；　that　is　to　say；　ten　months　and　a　half　each　year。　This　arrangement　was　very　advantageous　to　the　agriculture　and　manufactures；　and　even　to　the　population　of　the　country；　（for　the　soldiers　were　allowed　to　marry；）　and　served　not　a　little　to　the　establishment　of　harmony　and　a　friendly　intercourse　between　the　soldiers　and　the　peasantry；　and　to　facilitate　recruiting。

Another　measure　which　tended　much　to　render　the　situation　of　the　soldier　pleasant　and　agreeable；　and　to　facilitate　the　recruiting　service；　was　the　rendering　the　garrisons　of　the　regiments　permanent。　This　measure　might　not　be　advisable　in　a　despotic；　or　odious　government；　for　where　the　authority　of　the　Sovereign　must　be　supported　by　the　terror　of　arms；　all　habits　of　social　intercourse　and　friendship　between　the　soldiers　and　the　subjects　must　be　dangerous；　but　in　all　well…regulated　governments；　such　friendly　intercourse　is　attended　with　many　advantages。

A　peasant　would　more　readily　consent　to　his　son's　engaging　himself　to　serve　as　a　soldier　in　a　regiment　permanently　stationed　in　his　neighbourhood；　than　in　one　at　a　great　distance；　or　whose　destination　was　uncertain；　and　when　the　station　of　a　regiment　is　permanent；　and　it