journal of a voyage to lisbon-第7部分

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of　goods　and　passengers　from　one　place　to　another。　　Now　there　is

no　such　thing　as　any　kind　of　knowledge　contemptible　in　itself；

and；　as　the　particular　knowledge　I　here　mean　is　entirely

necessary　to　the　well　understanding　and　well　enjoying　this

journal；　and；　lastly；　as　in　this　case　the　most　ignorant　will　be

those　very　readers　whose　amusement　we　chiefly　consult；　and　to

whom　we　wish　to　be　supposed　principally　to　write；　we　will　here

enter　somewhat　largely　into　the　discussion　of　this　matter；　the

rather；　for　that　no　ancient　or　modern　author　（if　we　can　trust　the

catalogue　of　doctor　Mead's　library）　hath　ever　undertaken　it；　but

that　it　seems　（in　the　style　of　Don　Quixote）　a　task　reserved　for

my　pen　alone。



When　I　first　conceived　this　intention　I　began　to　entertain

thoughts　of　inquiring　into　the　antiquity　of　traveling；　and；　as

many　persons　have　performed　in　this　way　（I　mean　have　traveled）　at

the　expense　of　the　public；　I　flattered　myself　that　the　spirit　of

improving　arts　and　sciences；　and　of　advancing　useful　and

substantial　learning；　which　so　eminently　distinguishes　this　age；

and　hath　given　rise　to　more　speculative　societies　in　Europe　than

I　at　present　can　recollect　the　names　ofperhaps；　indeed；　than　I

or　any　other；　besides　their　very　near　neighbors；　ever　heard

mentionedwould　assist　in　promoting　so　curious　a　work；　a　work

begun　with　the　same　views；　calculated　for　the　same　purposes；　and

fitted　for　the　same　uses；　with　the　labors　which　those　right

honorable　societies　have　so　cheerfully　undertaken　themselves；　and

encouraged　in　others；　sometimes　with　the　highest　honors；　even

with　admission　into　their　colleges；　and　with　enrollment　among

their　members。



From　these　societies　I　promised　myself　all　assistance　in　their

power；　particularly　the　communication　of　such　valuable

manuscripts　and　records　as　they　must　be　supposed　to　have

collected　from　those　obscure　ages　of　antiquity　when　history

yields　us　such　imperfect　accounts　of　the　residence；　and　much　more

imperfect　of　the　travels；　of　the　human　race；　unless；　perhaps；　as

a　curious　and　learned　member　of　the　young　Society　of　Antiquarians

is　said　to　have　hinted　his　conjectures；　that　their　residence　and

their　travels　were　one　and　the　same；　and　this　discovery　（for　such

it　seems　to　be）　he　is　said　to　have　owed　to　the　lighting　by　accident

on　a　book；　which　we　shall　have　occasion　to　mention　presently；

the　contents　of　which　were　then　little　known　to　the　society。



The　king　of　Prussia；　moreover；　who；　from　a　degree　of　benevolence

and　taste　which　in　either　case　is　a　rare　production　in　so

northern　a　climate；　is　the　great　encourager　of　art　and　science；　I

was　well　assured　would　promote　so　useful　a　design；　and　order　his

archives　to　be　searched　on　my　behalf。　　But　after　well　weighing

all　these　advantages；　and　much　meditation　on　the　order　of　my

work；　my　whole　design　was　subverted　in　a　moment　by　hearing　of　the

discovery　just　mentioned　to　have　been　made　by　the　young

antiquarian；　who；　from　the　most　ancient　record　in　the　world

（though　I　don't　find　the　society　are　all　agreed　on　this　point）；

one　long　preceding　the　date　of　the　earliest　modern　collections；

either　of　books　or　butterflies；　none　of　which　pretend　to　go

beyond　the　flood；　shows　us　that　the　first　man　was　a　traveler；　and

that　he　and　his　family　were　scarce　settled　in　Paradise　before

they　disliked　their　own　home；　and　became　passengers　to　another

place。　　Hence　it　appears　that　the　humor　of　traveling　is　as　old　as

the　human　race；　and　that　it　was　their　curse　from　the　beginning。

By　this　discovery　my　plan　became　much　shortened；　and　I　found　it

only　necessary　to　treat　of　the　conveyance　of　goods　and　passengers

from　place　to　place；　which；　not　being　universally　known；　seemed

proper　to　be　explained　before　we　examined　into　its　original。

There　are　indeed　two　different　ways　of　tracing　all　things　used　by

the　historian　and　the　antiquary；　these　are　upwards　and　downwards。



The　former　shows　you　how　things　are；　and　leaves　to　others　to

discover　when　they　began　to　be　so。　　The　latter　shows　you　how

things　were；　and　leaves　their　present　existence　to　be　examined　by

others。　　Hence　the　former　is　more　useful；　the　latter　more

curious。　　The　former　receives　the　thanks　of　mankind；　the　latter

of　that　valuable　part；　the　virtuosi。



In　explaining；　therefore；　this　mystery　of　carrying　goods　and

passengers　from　one　place　to　another；　hitherto　so　profound　a

secret　to　the　very　best　of　our　readers；　we　shall　pursue　the

historical　method；　and　endeavor　to　show　by　what　means　it　is　at

present　performed；　referring　the　more　curious　inquiry　either　to

some　other　pen　or　to　some　other　opportunity。



Now　there　are　two　general　ways　of　performing　（if　God　permit）　this

conveyance；　viz。；　by　land　and　water；　both　of　which　have　much

variety；　that　by　land　being　performed　in　different　vehicles；　such

as　coaches；　caravans；　wagons；　etc。；　and　that　by　water　in　ships；

barges；　and　boats；　of　various　sizes　and　denominations。　　But；　as

all　these　methods　of　conveyance　are　formed　on　the　same

principles；　they　agree　so　well　together；　that　it　is　fully

sufficient　to　comprehend　them　all　in　the　general　view；　without

descending　to　such　minute　particulars　as　would　distinguish　one

method　from　another。



Common　to　all　of　these　is　one　general　principle　that；　as　the

goods　to　be　conveyed　are　usually　the　larger；　so　they　are　to　be

chiefly　considered　in　the　conveyance；　the　owner　being　indeed

little　more　than　an　appendage　to　his　trunk；　or　box；　or　bale；　or

at　best　a　small　part　of　his　own　baggage；　very　little　care　is　to

be　taken　in　stowing　or　packing　them　up　with　convenience　to

himself；　for　the　conveyance　is　not　of　passengers　and　goods；　but

of　goods　and　passengers。



Secondly；　from　this　conveyance　arises　a　new　kind　of　relation；　or

rather　of　subjection；　in　the　society；　by　which　the　passenger

becomes　bound　in　allegiance　to　his　conveyer。　　This　allegiance　is

indeed　only　temporary　and　local；　but　the　most　absolute　during　its

continuance　of　any　known　in　Great　Britain；　and；　to　say　truth；

scarce　consistent　with　the　liberties　of　a　free　people；　nor　could

it　be　reconciled　　with　them；　did　it　not　move　downwards；　a

circumstance　universally　apprehended　to　be　incompatible　to　all

kinds　of　slavery；　for　Aristotle　in　his　Politics　hath　proved

abundantly　to　my　satisfaction　that　no　men　are　born　to　be　slaves；

except　barbarians；　and　these　only　to　such　as　are　not　themselves

barbarians；　and　indeed　Mr。　Montesquieu　hath　carried　it　very

little　farther　in　the　case　of　the　Africans；　the　real　truth　being

that　no　man　is　born　to　be　a　slave；　unless　to　him　who　is　able　to

make　him　so。



Thirdly；　this　subjection　is　absolute；　and　consists　of　a　perfect

resignation　both　of　body　and　soul　to　the　disposal　of　another；

after　which　resignation；　during　a　certain　time；　his　subject

retains　no　more　power　over　his　own　will　than　an　Asiatic　slave；　or

an　English　wife；　by　the　laws　of　both　countries；　and　by　the

customs　of　one　of　them。　　If　I　should　mention　the　instance　of　a

stage…coachman；　many　of　my　readers　would　recognize　the　truth　of

what　I　have　here　observed；　all；　indeed；　that　ever　have　been　under

the　dominion　of　that　tyrant；　who　in　this　free　country　is　as

absolute　as　a　Turkish　bashaw。　　In　two　particulars　only　his　power

is　defective；　he　cannot　press　you　into　his　service；　and　if　you

enter　yourself　at　one　place；　on　condition　of　being　discharged　at

a　certain　time　at　another；　he　is　obliged　to　perform　his

agreement；　if　God　permit；　but　all　the　intermediate　time　you　are

absolutely　under　his　government；　he　carries　you　how　he　will；　when

he　will；　and　whither　he　will；　provided　it　be　not　much　out　of　the

road；　you　have　nothing　to　eat　or　to　drink；　but　what；　and　when；

and　where　he　pleases。　　Nay；　you　cannot　sleep　unless　he　pleases

you　should；　for　he　will　order　you　sometimes　out　of　bed　at

midnight　and　hurry　you　away　at　a　moment's　warning：　　indeed；　if

you　can　sleep　in　his　vehicle　he　cannot　prevent　it；　nay；　indeed；

to　give　him　his　due；　this　he　is　ordinarily　disposed　to　encourage：

for　the　earlier　he　forces　yon　to　rise　in　the　morning；　the　more

time　he　will　give　you　in　the　heat　of　the　day；　sometimes　even　six

hours　at　an　ale…house；　or　at　their　doors；　where　he　always　gives

you　the　same　indulgence　which　he　allows　himself；　and　for　this　he

is　generally　very　moderate　in　his　demands。　　I　have　known　a　whole

bundle　of　passengers　charged　no　more　than　half…a…crown　for　being

suffered　to　remain　quiet　at　an　ale…house　door　for　above　a　whole

hour；　and　that　even　in　the　hottest　day　in　summer。　　But　as　this

kind　of　tyranny；　though　it　hath　escaped　our　political　writers；

hath　been　I　think　touched　by　our　dramatic；　and　is　more　trite

among　the　generality　of　readers；　and　as　this　and　all　other　kinds

of　such　subjection　are　alike　unknown　to　my　friends；　I　will　quit

the　passengers　by　land；　and　treat　of　those　who　travel　by　water；

for　whatever　is　said　on　this　subject　is　applicable　to　both　alike；

and　we　may　bring　them　together　as　closely　as　they　are　brought　in

the　liturgy；　when　they　are　recommended　to　the　prayers　of　all

Christian　congregations；　and　（which　I　have　often　thought　very

remarkable）　where　they　are　joined　with　other　miserable　wretches；

such　as　women　in　labor；　people　in　sickness；　infants　just　born；

prisoners　and　captives。　　Goods　and　passengers　are　conveyed　by

water　in　divers　vehicles；　the　principal　of　which　being　a　ship；　it

shall　suffice　to　mention　that　alone。　　Here　the　tyrant　doth　not

derive　his　title；　as　the　stage…coachman　doth；　from　the　vehicle

itself　in　which　he　stows　his　goods　and　passengers；　but　he　is

called　the　captaina　word　of　such　various　use　and　uncertain

signification；　that　it　seems　very　difficult　to　fix　any　positive

idea　to　it：　　if；　indeed；　there　be　any　general　meaning　which　may

comprehend　all　its　different　uses；　that　of　the　head　or　chief　of

any　body　of　men　seems　to　be　most　capable　of　this　comprehension；

for　whether　they　be　a　company　of　soldiers；　a　crew　of　sailors；　or

a　gang　of　rogues；　he