The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-03-25
" hat is Civilization?

Az duuIOes ICCGutlg uEIlNeIcu III CGtSteF, ILug
aud, by the kt Hon. w. Z, Gladstone
Chancellor Of the Excbequer :
And now let US consider, before we close
what that civilization is of which in thes
days we hear and say SO much. When "
speak Of civilization we do not mean the com
maud ct man over matter or bis achievement
IN the world of speculation. We do MT meal
railways, or teIegraphs, or machinery in an
OF Its wonderful! developments, or chea
/ postage, or cheap free press, or traversin;
the ocean with voyages 50 quick, safe, ant
punctual, that cur steamers seem to serve tn
! purpose OF bridge; or, again, that marvel
Gus art, that most valuable art, which enabe
as to purchase living portraits Of our family
and our friends Tor few sllliings, aye, for a
lew pence We do aot mean ingenuity or beau
ty IN design cleapness combined with durabi
'ty Of production we do not mean splendid
edltlces, noble statuary, or paintings or sue
cess IN embodyog what is beautiuI-tht
great ornaments aud delights of life in all OF
! any OF the branches OF fine art we do not, il
d word, mean INDUSTRIAL commercial, or ma.
terial progress, even il OF the very best kind
OF If carried to the highest degree that it ha.
been or shall be given to man to reach. All
these ia their several degrees, are among the
tokens Of some stage OF civilization already
reached. They are the fruit which, as a
healthy tree It bears. They are helps, also,
toward its further advancement, But they
are not civilization itself.
Civilization resides in man himself. and
nowhere else. 1t lies 10 the strength of his
faculties it lies yet more 10 clearing and
raising his affections, 10 the refinement Of his
taste, and most OF all In the Improvement OF
the practical habits of bis life. If you show
me two mecbanics-if one Of them is gifted
with abilities in his trade which make him
durlog one part Of the week the envy of his
fellow workmen, and the wonder of his en-
ployer, but is also cursed with vico which
for tie rest Of the week yields his body and
soul to the brutal Influence of driok, and
makes his home not scene Of comfort but Of
deSoatIon and the other a fair average work.
man, capable OF no high excellence with his
hands, and earning, perhaps, half the wages
OF bis ADLER comrade, yet set constantly upon
turning to the best account the moderate or
slender gifts with which the Almighty has en-
dowed him, keeping his heart humble, his
body temperate, ever studying to be more and
more truStuI toward his God, and more and
more helpful toward his family, ever anxious
to make them, by precept if he cam or at any
rate by the authority OF his example, orderly,
dlIlgent modest, and affectionate, with good
conscience before God and man which. | ask.
OF these two is the man really civilized |
think the first, with his great powers, is like
a slave chained to the wheel OF civilization.
compelled to beIp it forward with his hands
bu forbidden by his own obstinate and ruin
Gus lohrmity TO parake OF its refreshing in
haences he serves at banquet Of which he
cannot partake he is ike torch Of famine
pine, which is light to Others, but deyours
and CONSUMES itself. But in the humble home
OF his, perhaps, despised companion cleanli-
ness AID order reign. Husband and wife.
parents and children, grow in mutual love
from day to day; every good disposition to
each member Of the family finds stay and bull
walk, and every besetting weakness finds a
rebuke In the right conduct and discipline of
the rest. They learn by respecting others,
to respect also the handiwork Of God in them
selves Good times are not dishonored by ex-
cess, and bad times are cheered partly by the
product OF torethought in the good, and partly,
also, and always effectually, 10y the knowledge
that We are not chastened without purpose,
that Christening is but the quickening of the fire
for the better tempering Of the mettle of the
man. Leisure, such as he may have at hand,
Is employed by such person to purify the
soul and elevate the mind. With the ont.
ward freedom secured to us by the laws cor