1.7 Liberty is order 自由就是秩序（在线收听）

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 invincible② — that it derides all other sources of strength.

　　And shall the preposterous③ 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 condemned 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 degradation④?

　　As well, sir, might you try, by a miserable 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 devastation⑦ and ruin on every side.

　　The progress of liberty is like the progress of the stream. Kept within its bounds, it is sure to fertilize 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 projector 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。