democracy in america-1- 第6部分

There　is　a　country　in　the　world　where　the　great　revolution　which　I　am　speaking　of　seems　nearly　to　have　reached　its　natural　limits；　it　has　been　effected　with　ease　and　simplicity；　say　rather　that　this　country　has　attained　the　consequences　of　the　democratic　revolution　which　we　are　undergoing　without　having　experienced　the　revolution　itself。　　The　emigrants　who　fixed　themselves　on　the　shores　of　America　in　the　beginning　of　the　seventeenth　century　severed　the　democratic　principle　from　all　the　principles　which　repressed　it　in　the　old　communities　of　Europe；　and　transplanted　it　unalloyed　to　the　New　World。　It　has　there　been　allowed　to　spread　in　perfect　freedom；　and　to　put　forth　its　consequences　in　the　laws　by　influencing　the　manners　of　the　country。

It　appears　to　me　beyond　a　doubt　that　sooner　or　later　we　shall　arrive；　like　the　Americans；　at　an　almost　complete　equality　of　conditions。　　But　I　do　not　conclude　from　this　that　we　shall　ever　be　necessarily　led　to　draw　the　same　political　consequences　which　the　Americans　have　derived　from　a　similar　social　organization。　　I　am　far　from　supposing　that　they　have　chosen　the　only　form　of　government　which　a　democracy　may　adopt；　but　the　identity　of　the　efficient　cause　of　laws　and　manners　in　the　two　countries　is　sufficient　to　account　for　the　immense　interest　we　have　in　becoming　acquainted　with　its　effects　in　each　of　them。

It　is　not；　then；　merely　to　satisfy　a　legitimate　curiosity　that　I　have　examined　America；　my　wish　has　been　to　find　instruction　by　which　we　may　ourselves　profit。　　Whoever　should　imagine　that　I　have　intended　to　write　a　panegyric　will　perceive　that　such　was　not　my　design；　nor　has　it　been　my　object　to　advocate　any　form　of　government　in　particular；　for　I　am　of　opinion　that　absolute　excellence　is　rarely　to　be　found　in　any　legislation；　I　have　not　even　affected　to　discuss　whether　the　social　revolution；　which　I　believe　to　be　irresistible；　is　advantageous　or　prejudicial　to　mankind；　I　have　acknowledged　this　revolution　as　a　fact　already　accomplished　or　on　the　eve　of　its　accomplishment；　and　I　have　selected　the　nation；　from　amongst　those　which　have　undergone　it；　in　which　its　development　has　been　the　most　peaceful　and　the　most　complete；　in　order　to　discern　its　natural　consequences；　and；　if　it　be　possible；　to　distinguish　the　means　by　which　it　may　be　rendered　profitable。　I　confess　that　in　America　I　saw　more　than　America；　I　sought　the　image　of　democracy　itself；　with　its　inclinations；　its　character；　its　prejudices；　and　its　passions；　in　order　to　learn　what　we　have　to　fear　or　to　hope　from　its　progress。

In　the　first　part　of　this　work　I　have　attempted　to　show　the　tendency　given　to　the　laws　by　the　democracy　of　America；　which　is　abandoned　almost　without　restraint　to　its　instinctive　propensities；　and　to　exhibit　the　course　it　prescribes　to　the　Government　and　the　influence　it　exercises　on　affairs。　I　have　sought　to　discover　the　evils　and　the　advantages　which　it　produces。　I　have　examined　the　precautions　used　by　the　Americans　to　direct　it；　as　well　as　those　which　they　have　not　adopted；　and　I　have　undertaken　to　point　out　the　causes　which　enable　it　to　govern　society。　　I　do　not　know　whether　I　have　succeeded　in　making　known　what　I　saw　in　America；　but　I　am　certain　that　such　has　been　my　sincere　desire；　and　that　I　have　never；　knowingly；　moulded　facts　to　ideas；　instead　of　ideas　to　facts。

Whenever　a　point　could　be　established　by　the　aid　of　written　documents；　I　have　had　recourse　to　the　original　text；　and　to　the　most　authentic　and　approved　works。　　I　have　cited　my　authorities　in　the　notes；　and　anyone　may　refer　to　them。　　Whenever　an　opinion；　a　political　custom；　or　a　remark　on　the　manners　of　the　country　was　concerned；　I　endeavored　to　consult　the　most　enlightened　men　I　met　with。　　If　the　point　in　question　was　important　or　doubtful；　I　was　not　satisfied　with　one　testimony；　but　I　formed　my　opinion　on　the　evidence　of　several　witnesses。　　Here　the　reader　must　necessarily　believeme　upon　my　word。　I　could　frequently　have　quoted　names　which　are　either　known　to　him；　or　which　deserve　to　be　so；　in　proof　of　what　I　advance；　but　I　have　carefully　abstained　from　this　practice。　　A　stranger　frequently　hears　important　truths　at　the　fire…side　of　his　host；　which　the　latter　would　perhaps　conceal　from　the　ear　of　friendship；　he　consoles　himself　with　his　guest　for　the　silence　to　which　he　is　restricted；　and　the　shortness　of　the　traveller's　stay　takes　away　all　fear　of　his　indiscretion。　　I　carefully　noted　every　conversation　of　this　nature　as　soon　as　it　occurred；　but　these　notes　will　never　leave　my　writing…case；　I　had　rather　injure　the　success　of　my　statements　than　add　my　name　to　the　list　of　those　strangers　who　repay　the　generous　hospitality　they　have　received　by　subsequent　chagrin　and　annoyance。

I　am　aware　that；　notwithstanding　my　care；　nothing　will　be　easier　than　to　criticise　this　book；　if　anyone　ever　chooses　to　criticise　it。　　Those　readers　who　may　examine　it　closely　will　discover　the　fundamental　idea　which　connects　the　several　parts　together。　　But　the　diversity　of　the　subjects　I　have　had　to　treat　is　exceedingly　great；　and　it　will　not　be　difficult　to　oppose　an　isolated　fact　to　the　body　of　facts　which　I　quote；　or　an　isolated　idea　to　the　body　of　ideas　I　put　forth。　　I　hope　to　be　read　in　the　spirit　which　has　guided　my　labors；　and　that　my　book　may　be　judged　by　the　general　impression　it　leaves；　as　I　have　formed　my　own　judgment　not　on　any　single　reason；　but　upon　the　mass　of　evidence。　　It　must　not　be　forgotten　that　the　author　who　wishes　to　be　understood　is　obliged　to　push　all　his　ideas　to　their　utmost　theoretical　consequences；　and　often　to　the　verge　of　what　is　false　or　impracticable；　for　if　it　be　necessary　sometimes　to　quit　the　rules　of　logic　in　active　life；　such　is　not　the　case　in　discourse；　and　a　man　finds　that　almost　as　many　difficulties　spring　from　inconsistency　of　language　as　usually　arise　from　inconsistency　of　conduct。

I　conclude　by　pointing　out　myself　what　many　readers　will　consider　the　principal　defect　of　the　work。　　This　book　is　written　to　favor　no　particular　views；　and　in　composing　it　I　have　entertained　no　designs　of　serving　or　attacking　any　party；　I　have　undertaken　not　to　see　differently；　but　to　look　further　than　parties；　and　whilst　they　are　busied　for　the　morrow　I　have　turned　my　thoughts　to　the　Future。


Chapter　I：　Exterior　Form　Of　North　America

Chapter　Summary

North　America　divided　into　two　vast　regions；　one　inclining　towards　the　Pole；　the　other　towards　the　Equator　…　Valley　of　the　Mississippi　…　Traces　of　the　Revolutions　of　the　Globe　…　Shore　of　the　Atlantic　Ocean　where　the　English　Colonies　were　founded　…　Difference　in　the　appearance　of　North　and　of　South　America　at　the　time　of　their　Discovery　…　Forests　of　North　America　…　Prairies　…Wandering　Tribes　of　Natives　…　Their　outward　appearance；　manners；　and　language　…　Traces　of　an　unknown　people。

Exterior　Form　Of　North　America

North　America　presents　in　its　external　form　certain　general　features　which　it　is　easy　to　discriminate　at　the　first　glance。　　A　sort　of　methodical　order　seems　to　have　regulated　the　separation　of　land　and　water；　mountains　and　valleys。　　A　simple；　but　grand；　arrangement　is　discoverable　amidst　the　confusion　of　objects　and　the　prodigious　variety　of　scenes。　　This　continent　is　divided；　almost　equally；　into　two　vast　regions；　one　of　which　is　bounded　on　the　north　by　the　Arctic　Pole；　and　by　the　two　great　oceans　on　the　east　and　west。　It　stretches　towards　the　south；　forming　a　triangle　whose　irregular　sides　meet　at　length　below　the　great　lakes　of　Canada。　　The　second　region　begins　where　the　other　terminates；　and　includes　all　the　remainder　of　the　continent。　　The　one　slopes　gently　towards　the　Pole；　the　other　towards　the　Equator。

The　territory　comprehended　in　the　first　region　descends　towards　the　north　with　so　imperceptible　a　slope　that　it　may　almost　be　said　to　form　a　level　plain。　　Within　the　bounds　of　this　immense　tract　of　country　there　are　neither　high　mountains　nor　deep　valleys。　　Streams　meander　through　it　irregularly：　great　rivers　mix　their　currents；　separate　and　meet　again；　disperse　and　form　vast　marshes；　losing　all　trace　of　their　channels　in　the　labyrinth　of　waters　they　have　themselves　created；　and　thus；　at　length；　after　innumerable　windings；　fall　into　the　Polar　Seas。　　The　great　lakes　which　bound　this　first　region　are　not　walled　in；　like　most　of　those　in　the　Old　World；　between　hills　and　rocks。　Their　banks　are　flat；　and　rise　but　a　few　feet　above　the　level　of　their　waters；　each　of　them　thus　forming　a　vast　bowl　filled　to　the　brim。　　The　slightest　change　in　the　structure　of　the　globe　would　cause　their　waters　to　rush　either　towards　the　Pole　or　to　the　tropical　sea。

The　second　region　is　more　varied　on　its　surface；　and　better　suited　for　the　habitation　of　man。　　Two　long　chains　of　mountains　divide　it　from　one　extreme　to　the　other；　the　Alleghany　ridge　takes　the　form　of　the　shores　of　the　Atlantic　Ocean；　the　other　is　parallel　with　the　Pacific。　　The　space　which　lies　between　these　two　chains　of　mountains　contains　1；341；649　square　miles。　*a　Its　surface　is　therefore　about　six　times　as　great　as　that　of　France。　　This　vast　territory；　however；　forms　a　single　valley；　one　side　of　which　descends　gradually　from　the　rounded　summits　of　the　Alleghanies；　while　the　other　rises　in　an　uninterrupted　course　towards　the