washington and his comrades in arms-第3部分

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



The　assumption　that　Washington　fought　against　an　England　grown　decadent　is　not　justified。　To　admit　this　would　be　to　make　his　task　seem　lighter　than　it　really　was。　No　doubt　many　of　the　rich　aristocracy　spent　idle　days　of　pleasure…seeking　with　the　comfortable　conviction　that　they　could　discharge　their　duties　to　society　by　merely　existing；　since　their　luxury　made　work　and　the　more　they　indulged　themselves　the　more　happy　and　profitable　employment　would　their　many　dependents　enjoy。　The　eighteenth　century　was；　however；　a　wonderful　epoch　in　England。　Agriculture　became　a　new　thing　under　the　leadership　of　great　landowners　like　Lord　Townshend　and　Coke　of　Norfolk。　Already　was　abroad　in　society　a　divine　discontent　at　existing　abuses。　It　brought　Warren　Hastings　to　trial　on　the　charge　of　plundering　India。　It　attacked　slavery；　the　cruelty　of　the　criminal　law；　which　sent　children　to　execution　for　the　theft　of　a　few　pennies；　the　brutality　of　the　prisons；　the　torpid　indifference　of　the　church　to　the　needs　of　the　masses。　New　inventions　were　beginning　the　age　of　machinery。　The　reform　of　Parliament；　votes　for　the　toiling　masses；　and　a　thousand　other　improvements　were　being　urged。　It　was　a　vigorous；　rich；　and　arrogant　England　which　Washington　confronted。

It　is　sometimes　said　of　Washington　that　he　was　an　English　country　gentleman。　A　gentleman　he　was；　but　with　an　experience　and　training　quite　unlike　that　of　a　gentleman　in　England。　The　young　heir　to　an　English　estate　might　or　might　not　go　to　a　university。　He　could；　like　the　young　Charles　James　Fox；　become　a　scholar；　but　like　Fox；　who　knew　some　of　the　virtues　and　all　the　supposed　gentlemanly　vices；　he　might　dissipate　his　energies　in　hunting；　gambling；　and　cockfighting。　He　would　almost　certainly　make　the　grand　tour　of　Europe；　and；　if　he　had　little　Latin　and　less　Greek；　he　was　pretty　certain　to　have　some　familiarity　with　Paris　and　a　smattering　of　French。　The　eighteenth　century　was　a　period　of　magnificent　living　in　England。　The　great　landowner；　then；　as　now；　the　magnate　of　his　neighborhood；　was　likely　to　rear；　if　he　did　not　inherit；　one　of　those　vast　palaces　which　are　today　burdens　so　costly　to　the　heirs　of　their　builders。　At　the　beginning　of　the　century　the　nation　to　honor　Marlborough　for　his　victories　could　think　of　nothing　better　than　to　give　him　half　a　million　pounds　to　build　a　palace。　Even　with　the　colossal　wealth　produced　by　modern　industry　we　should　be　staggered　at　a　residence　costing　millions　of　dollars。　Yet　the　Duke　of　Devonshire　rivaled　at　Chatsworth；　and　Lord　Leicester　at　Holkham；　Marlborough's　building　at　Blenheim；　and　many　other　costly　palaces　were　erected　during　the　following　half　century。　Their　owners　sometimes　built　in　order　to　surpass　a　neighbor　in　grandeur；　and　to　this　day　great　estates　are　encumbered　by　the　debts　thus　incurred　in　vain　show。　The　heir　to　such　a　property　was　reared　in　a　pomp　and　luxury　undreamed　of　by　the　frugal　young　planter　of　Virginia。　Of　working　for　a　livelihood；　in　the　sense　in　which　Washington　knew　it；　the　young　Englishman　of　great　estate　would　never　dream。

The　Atlantic　is　a　broad　sea　and　even　in　our　own　day；　when　instant　messages　flash　across　it　and　man　himself　can　fly　from　shore　to　shore　in　less　than　a　score　of　hours；　it　is　not　easy　for　those　on　one　strand　to　understand　the　thought　of　those　on　the　other。　Every　community　evolves　its　own　spirit　not　easily　to　be　apprehended　by　the　onlooker。　The　state　of　society　in　America　was　vitally　different　from　that　in　England。　The　plain　living　of　Virginia　was　in　sharp　contrast　with　the　magnificence　and　ease　of　England。　It　is　true　that　we　hear　of　plate　and　elaborate　furniture；　of　servants　in　livery；　and　much　drinking　of　Port　and　Madeira；　among　the　Virginians：　They　had　good　horses。　Driving；　as　often　they　did；　with　six　in　a　carriage；　they　seemed　to　keep　up　regal　style。　Spaces　were　wide　in　a　country　where　one　great　landowner；　Lord　Fairfax；　held　no　less　than　five　million　acres。　Houses　lay　isolated　and　remote　and　a　gentleman　dining　out　would　sometimes　drive　his　elaborate　equipage　from　twenty　to　fifty　miles。　There　was　a　tradition　of　lavish　hospitality；　of　gallant　men　and　fair　women；　and　sometimes　of　hard　and　riotous　living。　Many　of　the　houses　were；　however；　in　a　state　of　decay；　with　leaking　roofs；　battered　doors　and　windows　and　shabby　furniture。　To　own　land　in　Virginia　did　not　mean　to　live　in　luxurious　ease。　Land　brought　in　truth　no　very　large　income。　It　was　easier　to　break　new　land　than　to　fertilize　that　long　in　use。　An　acre　yielded　only　eight　or　ten　bushels　of　wheat。　In　England　the　land　was　more　fruitful。　One　who　was　only　a　tenant　on　the　estate　of　Coke　of　Norfolk　died　worth　150；000　pounds；　and　Coke　himself　had　the　income　of　a　prince。　When　Washington　died　he　was　reputed　one　of　the　richest　men　in　America　and　yet　his　estate　was　hardly　equal　to　that　of　Coke's　tenant。

Washington　was　a　good　farmer；　inventive　and　enterprising；　but　he　had　difficulties　which　ruined　many　of　his　neighbors。　Today　much　of　his　infertile　estate　of　Mount　Vernon　would　hardly　grow　enough　to　pay　the　taxes。　When　Washington　desired　a　gardener；　or　a　bricklayer；　or　a　carpenter；　he　usually　had　to　buy　him　in　the　form　of　a　convict；　or　of　a　negro　slave；　or　of　a　white　man　indentured　for　a　term　of　years。　Such　labor　required　eternal　vigilance。　The　negro；　himself　property；　had　no　respect　for　it　in　others。　He　stole　when　he　could　and　worked　only　when　the　eyes　of　a　master　were　upon　him。　If　left　in　charge　of　plants　or　of　stock　he　was　likely　to　let　them　perish　for　lack　of　water。　Washington's　losses　of　cattle；　horses；　and　sheep　from　this　cause　were　enormous。　The　neglected　cattle　gave　so　little　milk　that　at　one　time　Washington；　with　a　hundred　cows；　had　to　buy　his　butter。　Negroes　feigned　sickness　for　weeks　at　a　time。　A　visitor　noted　that　Washington　spoke　to　his　slaves　with　a　stern　harshness。　No　doubt　it　was　necessary。　The　management　of　this　intractable　material　brought　training　in　command。　If　Washington　could　make　negroes　efficient　and　farming　pay　in　Virginia；　he　need　hardly　be　afraid　to　meet　any　other　type　of　difficulty。

From　the　first　he　was　satisfied　that　the　colonies　had　before　them　a　difficult　struggle。　Many　still　refused　to　believe　that　there　was　really　a　state　of　war。　Lexington　and　Bunker　Hill　might　be　regarded　as　unfortunate　accidents　to　be　explained　away　in　an　era　of　good　feeling　when　each　side　should　acknowledge　the　merits　of　the　other　and　apologize　for　its　own　faults。　Washington　had　few　illusions　of　this　kind。　He　took　the　issue　in　a　serious　and　even　bitter　spirit。　He　knew　nothing　of　the　Englishman　at　home　for　he　had　never　set　foot　outside　of　the　colonies　except　to　visit　Barbados　with　an　invalid　half…brother。　Even　then　he　noted　that　the　〃gentleman　inhabitants〃　whose　〃hospitality　and　genteel　behaviour〃　he　admired　were　discontented　with　the　tone　of　the　officials　sent　out　from　England。　From　early　life　Washington　had　seen　much　of　British　officers　in　America。　Some　of　them　had　been　men　of　high　birth　and　station　who　treated　the　young　colonial　officer　with　due　courtesy。　When；　however；　he　had　served　on　the　staff　of　the　unfortunate　General　Braddock　in　the　calamitous　campaign　of　1755；　he　had　been　offended　by　the　tone　of　that　leader。　Probably　it　was　in　these　days　that　Washington　first　brooded　over　the　contrasts　between　the　Englishman　and　the　Virginian。　With　obstinate　complacency　Braddock　had　disregarded　Washington's　counsels　of　prudence。　He　showed　arrogant　confidence　in　his　veteran　troops　and　contempt　for　the　amateur　soldiers　of　whom　Washington　was　one。　In　a　wild　country　where　rapid　movement　was　the　condition　of　success　Braddock　would　halt；　as　Washington　said；　〃to　level　every　mole　hill　and　to　erect　bridges　over　every　brook。〃　His　transport　was　poor　and　Washington；　a　lover　of　horses；　chafed　at　what　he　called　〃vile　management〃　of　the　horses　by　the　British　soldier。　When　anything　went　wrong　Braddock　blamed；　not　the　ineffective　work　of　his　own　men；　but　the　supineness　of　Virginia。　〃He　looks　upon　the　country；〃　Washington　wrote　in　wrath；　〃I　believe；　as　void　of　honour　and　honesty。〃　The　hour　of　trial　came　in　the　fight　of　July；　1755；　when　Braddock　was　defeated　and　killed　on　the　march　to　the　Ohio。　Washington　told　his　mother　that　in　the　fight　the　Virginian　troops　stood　their　ground　and　were　nearly　all　killed　but　the　boasted　regulars　〃were　struck　with　such　a　panic　that　they　behaved　with　more　cowardice　than　it　is　possible　to　conceive。〃　In　the　anger　and　resentment　of　this　comment　is　found　the　spirit　which　made　Washington　a　champion　of　the　colonial　cause　from　the　first　hour　of　disagreement。

That　was　a　fatal　day　in　March；　1765；　when　the　British　Parliament　voted　that　it　was　just　and　necessary　that　a　revenue　be　raised　in　America。　Washington　was　uncompromising。　After　the　tax　on　tea　he　derided　〃our　lordly　masters　in　Great　Britain。〃　No　man；　he　said；　should　scruple　for　a　moment　to　take　up　arms　against　the　threatened　tyranny。　He　and　his　neighbors　of　Fairfax　County；　Virginia；　took　the　trouble　to　tell　the　world　by　formal　resolution　on　July　18；　1774；　that　they　were　descended　not　from　a　conquered　but　from　a　conquering　people；　that　they　claimed　full　equality　with　the　people　of　Great　Britain；　and　like　them　would　make　their　own　laws　and　impose　their　own　taxes。　They　were　not　democrats；　they　had　no　theories　of　equality；　but　as　〃gentlemen　and　men　of　fortune〃　they　would　show　to　others　the　right　path　in　the　crisis　which　had　arisen。　In　this　resolution　spoke　the　proud　spirit　of　Washington；　and；　as　he　brooded　over　what　was　happening；　anger　fortified　his　pride。　Of　the　Tories　in　Boston；　some　of　them　highly　educated　men；　who　with　sorrow　were　walking　in　what　was　to　them　the　hard　path　of　duty；　Washington　could　say　later　that　〃there　never　existed　a　more　miserable　set　of　beings　than　these　wretched　creatures。〃

The　age　of　Washington　was　one　of　bitter　vehemence　in　political　thought。　In　England　the　good　Whig　was　taught　that　to　deny　Whig　doctrine　was　blasphemy；　that　there　was　no　truth　or　honesty　on　the　other　side；　and　that　no　one　should　trust　a　Tory；　and　usually　the　good　Whig　was　true　to　the　teaching　he　had　received。　In　America　there　had　hitherto　been　no　national　politics。　Issues　had　been　local　and　passions　thus　confined　exploded　all　the　more　fiercely。　Franklin　spoke　of　George　III　as　drinking　long　draughts　of　American　blood　and　of　the　Brit