1.7 Liberty is order 自由就是秩序

Liberty is order. Liberty is strength. Look around the world, and admire, as you must, the instructive spectacle. You will see that liberty not only is power and order, but that it is power and order predominant① and invincible¹② — that it derides² all other sources of strength.

　　And shall the preposterous³③ imagination be fostered, that men bred in liberty — the first of humankind who asserted the glorious distinction of forming for themselves their social compact — can be condemned⁴ to silence upon their rights? Is it to be conceived that men who have enjoyed, for such a length of days, the light and happiness of freedom, can be restrained, and shut up again in the gloom of ignorance and degradation⁵④?

　　As well, sir, might you try, by a miserable⁶ dam, to shut up the flowing of a rapid river! The rolling and impetuous⑤ tide would burst through every impediment that man might throw in its way; and the only consequence of the impotent⑥ attempt would be, that, having collected new force by its temporary suspension, enforcing itself through new channels, it would spread devastation⁷⑦ and ruin on every side.

　　The progress of liberty is like the progress of the stream. Kept within its bounds, it is sure to fertilize⁸ the country through which it runs; but no power can arrest it in its passage; and short-sighted, as well as wicked, must be the heart of the projector⁹ that would strive to divert its course.

　　① predominant a. 占支配地位的

　　② invincible a. 不可征服的

　　③ preposterous a. 荒谬的

　　④ degradation n. 堕落，降级

　　⑤ impetuous a. 猛烈的，激烈的

　　⑥ impotent a. 无力的，无效的

　　⑦ devastation n. 毁坏

　　自由就是秩序，自由就是力量，放眼寰宇，你不得不为具有启发意义的景象赞美。你会发现自由不仅仅是力量和秩序，而且是主导的，不可征服的力量和秩序，它使一切其它的力量源泉都相形见绌。

　　难道能助长这种荒谬的幻觉吗？在自由中被哺育的人们——人类中第一批坚持认为自己享有订立社会契约的殊荣的人们——难道会被宣告对自己的权利缄默不语吗？难道能想象出在自由的光芒与幸福中沐浴已久的人们，能够被压制，并重新陷入无知和堕落的深渊吗？

　　是的，先生，你完全可以试着用一道可怜的堤坝去围堵奔腾湍急的河流！翻腾的急流会冲垮人们设置在河道上的任何障碍物，这种于事无补的尝试的唯一后果便是：河水由于暂时的停留而积聚了新生力量，它强行冲破新的河道，使两岸损毁惨重。

　　自由的进程如同河流。它保持在自己的活动范围内，必然会使流经的土地肥沃，但是，任何势力都无法阻碍它按照自己的路径前进，那些力图改变其路径的谋划者必定目光短浅，招人憎恶。

　　反思：自由是不可征服的力量和秩序。

1 invincible   

adj.不可征服的，难以制服的

参考例句：

• This football team was once reputed to be invincible.这支足球队曾被誉为无敌的劲旅。
• The workers are invincible as long as they hold together.只要工人团结一致，他们就是不可战胜的。

2 derides   

v.取笑，嘲笑( deride的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• That newspaper columnist derides the mayor whenever he can. 那位报纸专栏作家从不放过取笑市长的机会。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mr Bayrou derides his rivals for proposing to spend France's problems away. Bayrou先生嘲笑他的竞争者意图将法国的问题撇开。 来自互联网

3 preposterous   

adj.荒谬的，可笑的

参考例句：

• The whole idea was preposterous.整个想法都荒唐透顶。
• It would be preposterous to shovel coal with a teaspoon.用茶匙铲煤是荒谬的。

4 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

5 degradation   

n.降级；低落；退化；陵削；降解；衰变

参考例句：

• There are serious problems of land degradation in some arid zones.在一些干旱地带存在严重的土地退化问题。
• Gambling is always coupled with degradation.赌博总是与堕落相联系。

6 miserable   

adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的

参考例句：

• It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。
• Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

7 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 fertilize   

v.使受精，施肥于，使肥沃

参考例句：

• Fertilizer is a substance put on land to fertilize it.肥料是施在地里使之肥沃的物质。
• Reading will fertilize his vocabulary.阅读会丰富他的词汇。

9 projector   

n.投影机，放映机，幻灯机

参考例句：

• There is a new projector in my office.我的办公室里有一架新的幻灯机。
• How long will it take to set up the projector?把这个放映机安放好需要多长时间？