J’赫’托’’’翰’’’夫’爾
(J. HECTOR ST. JOHN DE CREVECOEUR)’個’國’民’’
Letters from an American Farmer
’’裏’’’’’’國’’融’成’個’’民族’’有’天’’們’’’’勞動’及’們’’’’’’’’生巨’’變化’
1782’’’’’裔’國博’學’’’’’’’文章’’’’把’’文章’爲’’個’國’民’’’’’本’’歐’’’’’’’’’成’’’爲’個’生’國’贏’’’’友’J’赫’托’’’翰’’’夫’爾’’米歇爾’’堯’’瓊’’’夫’爾 (1735’ 1813)生’’國’’傑蘇伊’’學’裏’’教’’1754’’’’夫’爾移民’’’’’’’’殖民’’’個’場’’’’’國革’期間’’’雙方都有’友’親戚’而’’’’’’國’’期監’’1780’’乘船’’歐’’’排’’敦’’’’’國生’’文章’’曾擔任’國’’’領’’’’1790’’’’國’’’生’’’’’裏’’’夫’爾對’’’敏’而’’’情’’’’’’成爲擁有最’’讀’’’’評論Ⅸ’’’’’’’’中最著’’部分’’’’’裏’’’文章’文中提’’’國’爲’’國’’民’熔’’個概’’
’’我’熟’那種必’鼓動’心’’情’’’’’’’’個’’’’國’首次踏’’’’陸’’’’種’’’’情原原本本’’’’’眼’’’’’’’爲高興’’有生之’’’’’’’’國’’’’’’’’’當’’’裝’著’’綿不’’’’’’’’’殖民’’’’必’’’’’’民族’豪’’’’對’’說’’我’’’們’’’’們’’’’’騷’’爲’種不’’’’’’’’’’’煩躁不’’’’’’裏避難’’’們’’’’們’民族精’’’們’’’’有’樣’’由’’擁有’樣’’質’’’’應’’’’種精’’’’裏’’’’國’’’’’’方式’’’’’’’們’’’’’勞動成’裏’’’’’歐’’’’’有藝’’’學’創’’’萌’’’’裏’’’’’’’市’’足’’’’’闊’田野’’個’’’’’’’’’’’’’路’’園’’’’橋梁’’國’’而’’百’’’’’裏還’’野’樹’’未’墾’’’’’’妙’景’’’引’’們’快’’’’’’景必’’’’個’公民最舒心’快’’難’’’’樣’’’’’’’闊’景像’’’’’’個’’陸’’’’個’’’’’’個’’迄今’見’’’’不’’’’’’個’’本身’’’’’考’’不’像歐’那樣’由擁有’切’’族老爺’’’’有’’’組成’’’’’裏’有’族’’’’有’殿’’有國’’’有’教’’有教’控’’’有給少數’顯赫’’’那種’’’’’’’有雇傭’’’’’’商’’有’極奢’’’’’’’不像’歐’那樣’’’遠’除’’個’鎮之’’’’斯’’’’’羅里’’我們都’’’’’我們’’個’’民族’散’’’’巨’’領’’’’’’’’’路’’’’’’’’互交’’由溫’’’’絲’把我們’’’’’’’都’重’’而不’懼’’’’’爲’’’公平’’我們生’’’’’滿實’精’’’種精’’’除’’’’不’任’’’’’爲我們’個’都’爲’’’’’’’’’’我們’’’’區’’’’’’’不’’滿敵’’’堡’高傲’豪華’’’’’’’’及’’’’’’成對照’不’’’’’’’’’’’’鄙陋’煙霧’’’之中’’’’我們’有’’’’’都顯示’’當’’’’’我們木’中最’’’間’’乾燥舒’’’’’’商’’我們’鎮提’’最’聽’’銜’而’民’’我們國’’’’民’唯’稱號’’必須’’’’’間’’’應我們’辭’’’我們’詞’裏’少有關’’’’’詞’及高’顯爵’’稱’’期天’’’’那’’’’’’’’’民’’們’’’’’們都’著整齊’’’’’’’著馬’乘著’們’’簡陋’’輪馬車’’們當中除’那個目不識’’執’’’有’個’紳’’那’’’’’’’跟’’教’’樣樸實’’’’’’民’’不’’’’勞動’’’’我們’有我們’爲’們勞’’’’’’’’’爺’我們’’’’’’’’’’最完’’’’’’
’’’’’’’’個’望’’’’’’’’’’’’’’?’們’’’蘭’’蘇’蘭’’’爾蘭’’’國’’荷蘭’’’國’’瑞’’’’雜’由’種’雜而’’産生’’個’’’’國’’種族’’部’’’’’’’’’們’’’國’’裔’我’聽’’’’’望’們’有’’’’’’’’我’’’我’’實’’我’爲’’’樣’’’’’’偉’’雜’圖’裏’’們’’’’’最引’’目’圖像’’’’’個’’’’’’’喜’’’景裏’有’’部分’’們’’我’’對’們說’’’’眼’’’髦’’我’重’們’做’’’’們準’而’智’’’’’們’領’’’’們’止端莊’’’’熱’文學’識’’們辦’’老學’’’個’’’第’’學’’’們辦’’’對我’’介’夫’說’’’切’’’準繩’’’’有’個民族’’’們’樣’情’’’’麽’’’間內’’’麽’’’’’’’’’比’們’’’成’’’’’’爲’’’’’中’’勢’’’成分’’’那’’’’除’’有’污’?’們’歷’證實’’’反’
’’個巨’’’’避難’裏’歐’’’’’’’’種方式’’’由’’種’樣’原’’’們爲什麽’互’問’’國’’?’’’們中’分之’’有國’’’個’’’’’’憐’’’個終日辛勞’還忍饑’’’’’’個’’生’’’’’赤’’’’境’裏’’’’把’國’’’’國稱’’’’國’嗎?’個’有麵’給’’’國’’’’個國’裏’’’’’有收成’’’’’’’’’’白眼’’’’’’’監獄’’’’’’’闊’’’’面’’’’’’’都’有’’’把’個國’’做’’’國’嗎?不’由’’’種’樣’動機’’’’’們’’’裏’’裏’’切都’’’們獲’’生’’’’’’’’生’方式’’’’’’’’’’裏’們’’’’而’歐’’’們’像’’’’用’’木’’’生’’’’’’’’’’’’們’萎’’由’’’’饑’’戰’而’割除掉’’’’’’’’移植’’’’’們’像’’植’’樣’’’紮’’’’生’’盛’’’’們除’’’’’’’’單’’’有’’’’們國’’公民’單’而’’裏’’’排’公民之’’’由什麽’’’’’’’’’種’’’驚’蛻變?那’由’’’’’’’’們勤勞’’’’’們’’’裏’’’’’’’’’’’’’’們’給’們’’接’’標’’’們’’’勞動’’’’足’報’’’’報’’累’’’’’們’獲’’’’’’’’’’’們獲’’由’’稱號’’著’個稱號’們’’’’’’’’’’’’切’’’’’’我們’’’’天’’’’偉’’’’’
’個’’’歐’移民對’個’’’’有’國’’有什麽’情?’言’識’及對’’個跟’’’’樣’’親戚’’’’繫著’’唯’’’’而’’國’’’’那個給’’’’
麵’’’’’重’’’’國’’“’裡有麵’’’裡’’國’’”’’有移民’’’銘’那麽’國’’’’個’’’’’’什麽’?’們’’歐’’’’’歐’’’’裔’’’’’們’’’任’’它國’都找不’’’’’’我’’’’’’’個’’’’’’’’國’’’’’荷蘭’’’’娶’個’國’’’而’們’’’’個’’娶’’個不’民族’’’’’’’個’國’’’把’切’老’偏見’習’都’’身’’’’’接’’’’生’方式中’’’’’’’’’’裏’’’’’’’’’’’’獲’’’習’’由’’接’’我們偉’’母’’’’’裏’’成’’個’國’’’’裏’’’’’’國’’融’成’個’’民族’’有’天’’們’’’’勞動’及’們’’’’’’’’生巨’’變化’’國’’’’’方’’’’’’們’’’’’’藝’’’學’’’’勤奮精’’’’’’方早’’’’’而’國’’完成’個偉’’’環’’國’曾散’’歐’’’’’’裏’們結’組成迄今最’’’’’體’’’’由’’們’’’’’’候不’’’’’體之間’’產生’異’’’’’國’應當’’個國’’勝’’那個’’’’’’’’’生’國’’’’裏’勤勞’’’報’’著’勞動’’’而’’’’’勞動’’立’’’’’覺’基礎’’’難’還需’比’’’’誘’’嗎?’’’’’’’’’’’’’’麵’都’不’’’’’們’’’’’快’’’樂’幫’’親’’’那’田’’而’’’田裏’’’’足’’’’’’們’有’’’’’’’’有’’’’’’’’有’有’’’’’’有’有勢’’族’’’’’’們收成’任’部分’’’裏’教’僅對’們提’’’需’’’們’’’’’’’’給’’’’資’及對’’’’’’’’’絕’’嗎?’國’’’’’辦’有’原’’’’’’必須考’’’’’’’成’’’’’’’歷’’迫失’’’’’’賴’赤’’’用’勞動之’’’’正’’’個’質完’不’’勞動’’種勞動’’’’足’’質報’’’’’’個’國’’’
J. Hector St.
John de Crevecoeur
Letters from an American Farmer
’
I wish I
could be acquainted with the feelings and thoughts which must agitate the heart
and present themselves to the mind of an enlightened Englishman, when he first
lands on this continent. He must greatly rejoice that he lived at a time to see
this fair country discovered and settled; he must necessarily feel a share of
national pride, when he views the chain of settlements which embellishes these
extended shores. When he says to himself, this is the work of my countrymen,
who, when convulsed by factions, afflicted by a variety of miseries and wants,
restless and impatient, took refuge here. They brought along with them their
national genius, to which they principally owe what liberty they enjoy, and what
substance they possess. Here he sees the industry of his native country
displayed in a new manner, and traces in their works the embryos of all the
arts, sciences, and ingenuity which flourish in Europe. Here he beholds fair
cities, substantial villages, extensive fields, an immense country filled with
decent houses, good roads, orchards, meadows, and bridges, where an hundred
years ago all was wild, woody, and uncultivated! What a train of pleasing ideas
this fair spectacle must suggest; it is a prospect which must inspire a good
citizen with the most heartfelt pleasure. The difficulty consists in the manner
of viewing so extensive a scene. He is arrived on a new continent; a modern
society offers itself to his contemplation, different from what he had hitherto
seen. It is not composed, as in Europe, of great lords who possess everything,
and of a herd of people who have nothing. Here are no aristocratical families.
no courts, no kings, no bishops, no ecclesiastical dominion, no invisible power
giving to a few a very visible one; no great manufacturers employing thousands,
no great refinements of luxury. The rich and the poor are not so far removed
from each other as they are in Europe. Some few towns excepted, we are all
tillers of the earth, from Nova Scotia to West Florida. We are a people of
cultivators, scattered over an immense territory, communicating with each other
by means of good roads and navigable rivers; united by the silken bands of mild
government, all respecting the laws, without dreading their power, because they
are equitable. We are all animated with the spirit of an industry which is
unfettered and unrestrained, because each person works for himself. If he
travels through our rural districts he views not the hostile castle, and the
haughty mansion, contrasted with the clay-built hut and miserable cabin, where
cattle and men help to keep each other warm, and dwell in meanness, smoke, and
indigence. A pleasing uniformity of decent competence appears throughout our
habitations. The meanest of our log-houses is a dry and comfortable habitation.
Lawyer or merchant are the fairest titles our towns afford; that of a farmer is
the only appellation of the rural inhabitants of our country It must take some
time ere he can reconcile himself to our dictionary, which is but short in words
of dignity, and names of honour. There, on a Sunday, he sees a congregation of
respectable farmers and their wives, all clad in neat homespun, well mounted, or
riding in their own humble waggons. There is not among them an esquire, saving
the unlettered magistrate. There he sees a parson as simple as his flock, a
farmer who does not riot on the labour of others. We have no princes, for whom
we toil, starve, and bleed: we are the most perfect society now existing in the
world. . . .
The next
wish of this traveller will be to know whence came all these people? they are a
mixture of English, Scotch, Irish, French, Dutch, Germans, and Swedes. From this
promiscuous breed, that race now called Americans have arisen. The eastern
provinces must indeed be excepted, as being the unmixed descendants of
Englishmen. I have heard many wish that they had been more intermixed also: for
my part, I am no wisher, and think it much better as it has happened. They
exhibit a most conspicuous figure in this great and variegated picture; they too
enter for a great share in the pleasing perspective displayed in these thirteen
provinces. I know it is fashionable to reflect on them, but I respect them for
what they have done; for the accuracy and wisdom with which they have settled
their territory; for the decency of their manners; for their early love of
letters; their ancient college, the first in this hemisphere; for their
industry; which to me who am but a farmer, is the criterion of everything. There
never was a people, situated as they are, who with so ungrateful a soil have
done more in so short a time. Do you think that the monarchical ingredients
which are more prevalent in other governments, have purged them from all foul
stains? Their histories assert the contrary.
In this
great American asylum, the poor of Europe have by some means met together, and
in consequence of various causes; to what purpose would they ask one another
what countrymen they are? Alas, two thirds of them had no country. Can a wretch
who wanders about, who works and starves, whose life is a continual scene of
sore affliction or pinching penury; can that man call England or any other
kingdom his country? A country that had no bread for him, whose fields procured
him no harvest, who met with nothing but the frowns of the rich, the severity of
the laws, with jails and punishments; who owned not a single foot of the
extensive surface of this planet? No! urged by a variety of motives, here they
came. Every thing has tended to regenerate them; new laws, a new mode of living,
a new social system; here they are become men: in Europe they were as so many
useless plants, wanting vegetative mould, and refreshing showers; they withered,
and were mowed down by want, hunger, and war: but now by the power of
transplantation, like all other plants they have taken root and flourished!
Formerly they were not numbered in any civil lists of their country, except in
those of the poor; here they rank as citizens. By what invisible power has this
surprising metamorphosis been performed? By that of the laws and that of their
industry. The laws, the indulgent laws, protect them as they arrive, stamping on
them the symbol of adoption; they receive ample rewards for their labours; these
accumulated rewards procure them lands: those lands confer on them the title of
freemen, and to that title every benefit is affixed which men can possibly
require. This is the great operation daily performed by our laws. . . .
What
attachment can a poor European emigrant have for a country where he had nothing?
The knowledge of the language, the love of a few kindred as poor as himself,
were the only cords that tied him: his country is now that which gives him land,
bread, protection, and consequence. Ubi pants ibi patria, is the motto of
all emigrants. What then is the American, this new man? He is either an
European, or the descendant of an European, hence that strange mixture of blood,
which you will find in no other country. I could point out to you a family whose
grandfather was an Englishman, whose wife was Dutch, whose son married a French
woman, and whose present four sons have now four wives of different nations. He
is an American, who, leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners,
receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government
he obeys, and the new rank he holds. He becomes an American by being received in
the broad lap of our great Alma Mater. Here individuals of all nations are
melted into a new race of men, whose labours and posterity will one day cause
great changes in the world. Americans are the western pilgrims, who are carrying
along with them the great mass of arts, sciences, vigour, and industry which
began long since in the east; they will finish the great circle. The Americans
were once scattered all over Europe; here they are incorporated into one of the
finest systems of population which has ever appeared, and which will hereafter
become distinct by the power of the different climates they inhabit. The
American ought therefore to love this country much better than that wherein
either he or his forefathers were born. Here the rewards of his industry
follow-- with equal steps the progress of his labour; his labour is founded on
the basis of nature, self-interest; can it want a stronger allurement? Wives and
children, who before in vain demanded of him a morsel of bread, now, fat and
frolicsome, gladly help their father to clear those fields whence exuberant
crops are to arise to feed and to clothe them all; without any part being
claimed, either by a despotic prince, a rich abbot, or a mighty lord. Here
religion demands but little of him; a small voluntary salary to the minister,
and gratitude to God; can he refuse these? The American is a new man, who acts
upon new principles; he must therefore entertain new ideas, and form new
opinions. From involuntary idleness, servile dependence, penury, and useless
labour, he has passed to toils of a very different nature, rewarded by ample
subsistence.--This is an American....
’ |