84 



ON THE GENERAL DIFFUSION OF KNOWLEDGE. 



the palsy, the itch, the tooth-ache, and many 

 other maladies. Attention to cleanliness of body 

 would also lead to cleanliness in regard to 

 clothes, victuals, apartments, beds and furniture. 

 A knowledge of the nature of the mephitic gases, 

 of the necessity of pure atmospheric air to health 

 and vigour, and of the means by which infection 

 is produced and communicated, would lead per 

 sons to see the propriety of frequently opening 

 doors and windows to dissipate corrupted air, 

 and to admit the refreshing breeze, of sweeping 

 cobwebs from the corners and ceiling of the 

 room, and of removing dust, straw, or filth of any 

 kind which is offensive to the smell, and in which 

 infection might be deposited. By such attention, 

 fevers and other malignant disorders might be 

 prevented, vigour, heallh, and serenity promoted, 

 and the whole dwelling and its inmates present 

 an air of cheerfulness and comfort, and become 

 the seat of domestic felicity. 



Again, scientific knowledge would display it 

 self among the lower orders, in the tasteful de 

 corations of their houses and garden plots. The 

 study of botany and horticulture would teach 

 them to select the most beautiful flowers, shrubs, 

 and evergreens ; to arrange their plots with 

 neatness and taste, and to improve their 

 kitchen-garden to the best advantage, so as to 

 render it productive for the pleasure and suste 

 nance of their families. A genius for mecha 

 nical operations which almost every person may 

 acquire, would lead them to invent a variety of 

 decorations, and to devise many contrivances for 

 the purpose of conveniency, and for keeping 

 every thing in its proper place and order which 

 never enter into the conceptions of rude and 

 vulgar minds. Were such dispositions and 

 mental activity generally prevalent, the circum 

 stances which lead to poverty, beggary, and 

 drunkenness, would be in a great measure re 

 moved, and home would always be resorted to as 

 a place of comfort and enjoyment. 



Again the study of science and art would in 

 cline the lower classes to enter into the spirit of 

 every new improvement, and to give their assist 

 ance in carrying it forward. The want of taste 

 and of mental activity, and the spirit of selfish 

 ness which at present prevails among the mass 

 of mankind, prevent the accomplishment of a 

 variety of schemes which might tend to promote 

 thf conveniences and comforts of general society. 

 For example ; many of our villages which might 

 Otherwise present the appearance of neatness 

 and comfort, are almost impassable, especially 

 in the winter season, and during rainy weather, 

 on account of the badness of roads and the want 

 of foot-paths. At almost every step you en 

 counter a pool, a heap of rubbish, or a dunghill, 

 and in many places feel as if you were walking 

 in a quagmire. In some villages, otherwise 

 well planned, the streets present a grotesque 

 appearance of sandy hillocks and mounds, and 



pools of stagnant water scattered in every di*er- 

 tion, with scarcely the vestige of a pathway to 

 guide the steps of the passenger. In winter, the 

 traveller, in passing along, is bespattered with 

 mire and dirt, arid in summer, he can only drag 

 heavily on, while his feet at every step sink into 

 soft and parched sand. Now, such is the apathy 

 and indifference that prevail among many villa 

 gers as to improvement in 1 these respects, that 

 although the contribution of a single shilling or 

 of half a day s labour might, in some instances, 

 accomplish the requisite improvements, they 

 will stand aloof from such operations with a 

 sullen obstinacy, and even glory in being the 

 means of preventing them. Nay, such is the 

 selfishness of many individuals, that they will 

 not remove nuisances even from the front of 

 their own dwellings, because it might at the 

 same time promote the convenience of the public 

 at large. In large towns, likewise, many narrow 

 lanes are rendered filthy, gloomy, and unwhole 

 some by the avarice of landlords, and the obsti 

 nate and boorish manners of their tenants, and 

 improvements prevented which would tend to 

 the health and comfort of the inhabitants. But 

 as knowledge tends to liberalise the mind, to 

 subdue the principle of selfishness, and to pro 

 duce a relish for cleanliness and comfort, when 

 it is more generally diffused, we may expect that 

 such improvements as those to which I allude 

 will be carried forward with spirit and alacrity. 

 There would not be the smallest difficulty in ac 

 complishing every object of this kind, and every 

 other improvement conducive to the pleasure 

 and comfort of the social state, provided the ma 

 jority of a community were cheerfully to come 

 forward with their assistance and contributions, 

 however small, and to act with concord and har 

 mony. A whole community or nation acting in 

 unison, and every one contributing according to 

 his ability, would accomplish wonders in rela 

 tion to the improvement of towns, villages, and 

 hamlets, and of every thing that regards the 

 comfort of civil and domestic society. 



In short, were knowledge generally diffused, 

 and art uniformly directed by the principles of 

 science, new and interesting plans would be 

 formed, new improvements set on foot, new 

 comforts enjoyed, and a new lustre would ap 

 pear on the face of nature, and on the state of 

 general society. Numerous conveniences, de 

 corations, and useful establishments never yet 

 attempted, would soon be realized. Houses on 

 neat and commodious plans, in airy situations, 

 and furnished with every requisite accommoda 

 tion, would be reared for the use of the peasant 

 and mechanic; schools on spacious plans for 

 the promotion of useful knowledge would be 

 erected in every village and hamlet, and ir every 

 quarter of a city where they were found expe 

 dient; asylums would be built for the reception 

 of the friendless poor, whether young or old ; 



