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Unit thirty-three
The Liberty of Press
The proposition which I mean to maintain as the basis of the liberty of the press, and without which it is an empty sound, is this: that every man, not intending to mislead, but seeking to enlighten others with what his own reason and conscience, however erroneously, have dictated to him as truth, may address himself to the universal reason of a whole nation, either upon the subject of government in general, or upon that of our own particular country; that he may analyse the principles of its constitution, point out its errors and defects, examine and publish its corruptions, warn his fellow-citizens against their ruinous consequences, and exert his whole faculties in pointing out the most advantageous changes in establishments which he considers to be radically defective, or sliding from their object by abuse. All his every subject of his country has right to do, if he contemplates only what he thinks would be for its advantage, but seeks to change the public mind by the conviction which flows from reasonings dictated by conscience.
If, indeed, he writes what he does not think; if, contemplating the misery of others, he wickedly condemns what his own understanding approves; or, even admitting his real disgust against the government or its corruptions if he calumniates living magistrates, or holds out to individuals that they have a right to run before the public mind in their conduct; that they may oppose by contumacy or force what private reason only disapproves; that they may disobey the law, because their judgment condemns it; or resist the public will, because they honestly wish to change it – he is then a criminal upon every principle of rational policy, as well as upon the immemorial precedents of English justice; because such a person seeks to disunite individuals from their duty to the whole, and excites to overt acts of endeavouring to change, by the impulse of reason, that universal assent which, in this and every country, constitutes the law for all.
proposition n.1.论点,主张 2.建议,提案 3.命题
[联想词] contention n.1.论点 2.争论,争辩
deduce vt.推论,推断,演绎
enlighten vt.启发,开导
conscience n.良心,道德心
conscientious a.按良心办事的,认真的,勤勤恳恳的
erroneous a.错误的,不正确的
corrupt a.堕落的,腐败的,贪赃舞弊的 vt.腐蚀,使堕落
corruption n.堕落,腐化,贿赂
[联想词] fraud n.欺诈,诈骗 2.骗子
bribe vt.向…行贿,买通 n.贿赂,行贿物
fellowship n.伙伴关系,交情,友谊 2.团体,协会,联谊会 3.(研究生)奖学金,(大学)研究员职位
contemplate vt.1.盘算,讲议 2.思量,对…周密考虑 3.注视,凝视
misery n.1.痛苦,苦难,苦恼 2.悲惨的境遇,贫苦
[联想词] misfortune n.1.不幸,厄运,逆境 2.灾难,灾祸
catastrophe n.大灾难,灾祸
casualty n.1.伤亡人员,死伤者 2.受害人,损失的东西
calumniate vt.诽谤,恶意中伤
magistrate n.地方行政官司,地方法官,治安官
contumacy n.叛逆性,反抗权威,藐视法庭
precedent n.1.先例,范例,判例 2.惯例
overt a.公开的,不隐蔽的
[联想词] disclose vt.揭露,泄露,透露
endeavour vt.努力,尽力,尝试 n.努力,尽力,尝试
impulse n.1.冲动,一时的念头 2.驱动,驱使 3.脉冲
assent vi.同意,赞成 n.同意,赞成,赞同
[联想词] consent n.vi.准许,同意,赞成
comply vi.遵从,依从,服从
compliance n.1.遵从,依从 2.顺从,屈从
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