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# 2016-12-29 - Citizen of the World by Oliver Goldsmith
Wild bird of planet earth
Book review from 2009.
A collection of letters from a fictional Chinese philosopher who
visits England in the mid-1700's. The style is similar to Goldsmith's
Friend Abroad and also other writings by Mark Twain. I read an
edition that included more modern typography, explanatory footnotes,
and woodcut illustrations. I was surprised how philosophical some of
the letters were, and in some cases almost satirical.
The preface starts by introducing a poetical scale, which maxes out
at 20 and reminds me a little of ADND.
In letter XV the Chinese philosopher advocates vegetarianism to avoid
cruelty to animals.
In letter XVII the Chinese philosopher discusses the English and
French dispute over the northwest American territories. He says that
it is bad for territories to become too populated, because then they
become too powerful and independent. "Yet, obvious as these truths
are, there are many Englishmen who are for transplanting new colonies
into this late acquisition, for peopling the deserts of America with
the refuse of their countrymen, and (as they express it) with the
waste of an exuberant nation. But who are those unhappy creatures who
are to be thus drained away? Not the sickly, for they are unwelcome
guests abroad as well as at home; nor the idle, for they would starve
as well behind the Appalachian mountains as in the streets of London.
This refuse is composed of the laborious and enterprising-of such
men as can be serviceable to their country at home-of men who ought
to be regarded as the sinews of the people, and cherished with every
degree of political indulgence. And what are the commodities which
this colony, when established, are to produce in return? Why, raw
silk, hemp, and tobacco. England, therefore, must make an exchange of
her best and bravest subjects for raw silk, hemp, and tobacco; her
hardy veterans and honest tradesmen must be trucked for a box of
snuff or a silk petticoat. Strange absurdity! Surely the politics of
the Daures are not more strange, who sell their religion, their
wives, and their liberty for a glass bead, or a paltry pen-knife."
Letter XXV uses simple language to describe the natural rise and
decline of nations.
Letter LXXXII argued that "In order to make the sciences useful in
any country it must first become populous ... The sciences are not
the cause of luxury, but its consequence." This is a subtle argument.
Luxury may produce laws and science, but science may produce an
infrastructure that is not a luxury. A luxury in the context of the
18th century may have become a matter of life or death in the context
of 21st century population density.
Letter CXXI asserted that reason contributes to confusion and
injustice. "The man who examines a complicated subject on every side,
and calls in reason to his assistance, will frequently change; will
find himself distracted by opposing probabilities and contending
proofs; every alteration of place will diversify the prospect, will
give some latent argument new force, and contribute to maintain an
anarchy in the mind." The letter argues that a totalitarian
government of ignorant subjects, though less reasonable, is safer
because it is more stable and predictable. "It is extremely difficult
to induce a number of free beings to cooperate for their mutual
benefit; every possible advantage will necessarily be sought, and
every attempt to procure it must be attended with a new fermentation;
various reasons will lead different ways, and equity and advantage
will often be out-balanced by a combination of clamour and prejudice."
author: Goldsmith, Oliver, 1730-1774
LOC: PR3485 .C5
source: gopher://tilde.pink/1/~bencollver/ia/details/lettersfromcitiz00golduoft
tags: ebook,fiction,political
title: The Citizen Of The World
# Tags
ebook
fiction
political
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