《Common Sense》第7章

and　fix　our　station　a　few　years　farther　into　life；　that　eminence　will　present　a　prospect；　which　a　few　present　fears　and　prejudices　conceal　from　our　sight。
though　i　would　carefully　avoid　giving　unnecessary　offense；　yet　i　am　inclined　to　believe；　that　all　those　who　espouse　the　doctrine　of　reconciliation；　may　be　included　within　the　following　descriptions。
interested　men；　who　are　not　to　be　trusted；　weak　men；　who　cannot　see；　prejudiced　men；　who　will　not　see；　and　a　certain　set　of　moderate　men；　who　think　better　of　the　european　world　than　it　deserves；　and　this　last　class；　by　an　ill…judged　deliberation；　will　be　the　cause　of　more　calamities　to　this　continent；　than　all　the　other　three。
it　is　the　good　fortune　of　many　to　live　distant　from　the　scene　of　sorrow；　the　evil　is　not　sufficient　brought　to　their　doors　to　make　them　feel　the　precariousness　with　which　all　american　property　is　possessed。
but　let　our　imaginations　transport　us　far　a　few　moments　to　boston；　that　seat　of　wretchedness　will　teach　us　wisdom；　and　instruct　us　for　ever　to　renounce　a　power　in　whom　we　can　have　no　trust。
the　inhabitants　of　that　unfortunate　city；　who　but　a　few　months　ago　were　in　ease　and　affluence；　have　now；　no　other　alternative　than　to　stay　and　starve；　or　turn　and　beg。 endangered　by　the　fire　of　their　friends　if　they　continue　within　the　city；　and　plundered　by　the　soldiery　if　they　leave　it。 in　their　present　condition　they　are　prisoners　without　the　hope　of　redemption；　and　in　a　general　attack　for　their　relief；　they　would　be　exposed　to　the　fury　of　both　armies。
men　of　passive　tempers　look　somewhat　lightly　over　the　offenses　of　britain；　and；　still　hoping　for　the　best；　are　apt　to　call　out；　〃e；　e；　we　shall　be　friends　again；　for　all　this。〃　but　examine　the　passions　and　feelings　of　mankind；　bring　the　doctrine　of　reconciliation　to　the　touchstone　of　nature；　and　then　tell　me；　whether　you　can　hereafter　love；　honor；　and　faithfully　serve　the　power　that　hath　carried　fire　and　sword　into　your　land？ if　yon　cannot　do　all　these；　then　are　you　only　deceiving　yourselves；　and　by　your　delay　bringing　ruin　upon　posterity。 your　future　connection　with　britain；　whom　you　can　neither　love　nor　honor　will　be　forced　and　unnatural；　and　being　formed　only　on　the　plan　of　present　convenience；　will　in　a　little　time　fall　into　a　relapse　more　wretched　than　the　first。
but　if　you　say；　you　can　still　pass　the　violations　over；　then　i　ask；　hath　your　house　been　burnt？　hath　your　property　been　destroyed　before　your　face！　are　your　wife　and　children　destitute　of　a　bed　to　lie　on；　or　bread　to　live　on？　have　you　lost　a　parent　or　a　child　by　their　hands；　and　yourself　the　ruined　and　wretched　survivor！ if　you　have　not；　then　are　you　not　a　judge　of　those　who　have。 but　if　you　have；　and　still　can　shake　hands　with　the　murderers；　then　are　you　unworthy　the　name　of　husband；　father；　friend；　or　lover；　and　whatever　may　be　your　rank　or　title　in　life；　you　have　the　heart　of　a　coward；　and　the　spirit　of　a　sycophant。
this　is　not　inflaming　or　exaggerating　matters；　but　trying　them　by　those　feelings　and　affections　which　nature　justifies；　and　without　which；　we　should　be　incapable　of　discharging　the　social　duties　of　life；　or　enjoying　the　felicities　of　it。
i　mean　not　to　exhibit　horror　for　the　purpose　of　provoking　revenge；　but　to　awaken　us　from　fatal　and　unmanly　slumbers；　that　we　may　pursue　determinately　some　fixed　object。 it　is　not　in　the　power　of　britain　or　of　europe　to　conquer　america；　if　she　do　not　conquer　herself　by　delay　and　timidity。 the　present　winter　is　worth　an　age　if　rightly　employed；　but　if　lost　or　neglected；　the　whole　continent　will　partake　of　the　misfortune；　and　there　is　no　punishment　which　that　man　will　not　deserve；　be　he　who；　or　what；　or　where　he　will；　that　may　be　the　means　of　sacrificing　a　season　so　precious　and　useful。
it　is　repugnant　to　reason；　to　the　universal　order　of　things；　to　all　examples　from　former　ages；　to　suppose；　that　this　continent　can　longer　remain　subject　to　any　external　power。
the　most　sanguine　in　britain　does　not　think　so。 the　utmost　stretch　of　human　wisdom　cannot；　at　this　time；　pass　a　plan　short　of　separation；　which　can　promise　the　continent　even　a　years　security。 reconciliation　is　now　a　fallacious　dream。
nature　hath　deserted　the　connection；　and　art　cannot　supply　her　place。 for；　as　milton　wisely　expresses；　〃never　can　true　reconcilement　grow；　where　wounds　of　deadly　hate　have　pierced　so　deep。〃 every　quiet　method　for　peace　hath　been　ineffectual。 our　prayers　have　been　rejected　with　disdain；　and　only　tended　to　convince　us；　that　nothing　batters　vanity；　or　confirms　obstinacy　in　kings　more　than　repeated　petitioning…and　nothing　hath　contributed　more　than　that　very　measure　to　make　the　kings　of　europe　absolute：　witness　denmark　and　sweden。 wherefore；　since　nothing　but　blows　will　do；　for　gods　sake；　let　us　e　to　a　final　separation；　and　not　leave　the　next　generation　to　be　cutting　throats；　under　the　violated　unmeaning　names　of　parent　and　child。
to　say；　they　will　never　attempt　it　again　is　idle　and　visionary；　we　thought　so　at　the　repeal　of　the　stamp…act；　yet　a　year　or　two　undeceived　us；　as　well　may　we　suppose　that　nations；　which　have　been　once　defeated；　will　never　renew　the　quarrel。
as　to　government　matters；　it　is　not　in　the　power　of　britain　to　do　this　continent　justice： the　business　of　it　will　soon　be　too　weighty；　and　intricate；　to　be　managed　with　any　tolerable　degree　of　convenience；　by　a　power　so　distant　from　us；　and　so　very　ignorant　of　us；　for　if　they　cannot　conquer　us；　they　cannot　govern　us。 to　be　always　running　three　or　four　thousand　miles　with　a　tale　or　a　petition；　waiting　four　or　five　months　for　an　answer；　which　when　obtained　requires　five　or　six　more　to　explain　it　in；　will　in　a　few　years　be　looked　upon　as　folly　and　childishness……there　was　a　time　when　it　was　proper；　and　there　is　a　proper　time　for　it　to　cease。
small　islands　not　capable　of　protecting　themselves；　are　the　proper　objects　for　kingdoms　to　take　under　their　care；　but　there　is　something　very　absurd；　in　supposing　a　continent　to　be　perpetually　governed　by　an　island。 in　no　instance　hath　nature　made　the　satellite　larger　than　its　primary　planet；　and　as　england　and　america；　with　respect　to　each　other；　reverses　the　mon　orde