,,thrift4 ,,by ,,samuel ,,smiles1 ,be thrifty1 but not covetous2 therefore give ,thy need1 thine honour1 and thy friend his due1 ,never was scraper brave man4 ,get to live1 ,then live1 and use it2 else it is not true ,that thou hast gotten4 ,surely use alone ,make money not a contemptible stone4 ,,george ,,herbert4 ,to catch ,dame ,fortune's golden smile1 ,assiduous wait upon her2 ,and gather gear by ev'ry wile ,that's justify'd by ,honour3 ,not for to hide it in a hedge1 ,not for a train attendant2 ,but for the glorious privilege ,of being ,independent4 ,,robert ,,burns4 ,,fiftieth ,,thousand4 ,,london3 ,,john ,,murray1 ,,albemarle ,,street4 #ahib4 ,printed by ,hazell1 ,watson1 ,viney1 ,ld41 ,london and ,aylesbury4 ,,preface4 ,this book is intended as a sequel to ,self-,help1 and ,character4 ,it might1 indeed1 have appeared as an introduction to these volumes2 for ,thrift is the basis of ,self-,help1 and the foundation of much that is excellent in ,character4 ,the author has already referred to the ,use and ,abuse of ,money2 but the lesson is worthy of being repeated and enforced4 ,as he has already observed1--,some of the finest qualities of human nature are intimately related to the right use of money2 such as generosity1 honesty1 justice1 and self-denial2 as well as the practical virtues of economy and providence4 ,on the other hand1 there are their counterparts of avarice1 fraud1 injustice1 and selfishness1 as displayed by the inordinate lovers of gain2 and the vices of thoughtlessness1 extravagance1 and improvidence1 on the part of those who misuse and abuse the means entrusted to them4 ,sir ,henry ,taylor has observed that industry must take an interest in its own fruits1 and ,god has appointed that the mass of mankind shall be moved by this interest1 and have their daily labour sweetened by it4 ,the earnings and savings of industry should be intelligent for a purpose beyond mere earnings and savings4 ,we do not work and strive for ourselves alone1 but for the benefit of those who dependent upon us4 ,industry must know how to earn1 how to spend1 and how to save4 ,the man who knows1 like ,st4 ,paul1 how to spare and how to abound1 has a great knowledge4 ,every man is bound to do what he can to elevate his social state1 and to secure his independence4 ,for this purpose he must spare from his means in order to be independent in his condition4 ,industry enables men to earn their living2 it should also enable them to learn to live4 ,independence can only be established by the exercise of forethought1 prudence1 frugality1 and self-denial4 ,to be just as well as generous1 men must deny themselves4 ,the essence of generosity is self-sacrifice4 ,the object of this book is to induce men to employ their means for worthy purposes1 and not to waste them upon selfish indulgences4 ,many enemies have to be encountered in accomplishing this object4 ,there are idleness1 thoughtlessness1 vanity1 vice1 intemperance4 ,the last is the worst enemy of all4 ,numerous cases are cited in the course of the following book1 which show that one of the best methods of abating the ,curse of ,drink1 is to induce old and young to practise the virtue of ,thrift4 ,much of this book was written1 and some of it published1 years ago2 but an attack of paralysis1 which compelled the author to give up writing for some time1 has delayed its appearance until now4 ,for much of the information recently received1 he is indebted to ,edward ,crossley1 ,esq41 ,mayor of ,halifax2 ,edward ,akroyd1 ,esq41 ,halifax2 ,george ,chetwynd1 ,esq41 ,general ,post ,office2 ,s4,a4 ,nichols1 ,esq41 ,over ,darwen2 ,jeremiah ,head1 ,esq41 ,middlesborough2 ,charles ,w4 ,sikes1 ,esq41 ,huddersfield3 and numerous other correspondents in ,durham1 ,renfrewshire1 ,yorkshire1 ,lancashire1 ,staffordshire1 and ,south ,wales4 ,the author trusts that the book will prove useful and helpful towards the purpose for which it is intended4 ,london1 ,november1 #ahge4 ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,industry4 ,private economy--,useful labours--,our birthright--,results of labour--,necessity for labour--,industry and intellect--,thrift and civilization--,thrifty industry--,thrifty economy4 ,pages #a--aj ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,habits ,,of ,,thrift4 ,workmen and capital--,habits of economy--,self-indulgence--,results of thriftlessness--,uses of saved money--,extravagant living--,bargain-buying--,thrift and unthrift--,johnson on economy--,self-respect--,self-help--,unc ertainty of life--,laws of mortality--,will nobody help us8--,prosperous times the least prosperous--,national prosperity--,moral independence4 ,pages #aa--bi ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,improvidence4 ,misery and wealth--,the uncivilized--,the ,east ,end--,edward ,denison--,thrift in ,guernsey--,improvidence and misery--,social ,degradation--,fatalism of improvidence--,self-taxation--,slowness of progress4 ,pages #cj--dj ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,means ,,of ,,saving4 ,earnings of operatives--,colliers and iron-workers--,earnings of colliers--,the revellers--,lord ,elcho and the colliers--,high wages and heavy losses--,high wages and drink--,sensual indulgence--,indifference to well-being--,hugh ,miller's experience--,mr4 ,roebuck's advice--,survival of slavery--,extinction of slavery--,power unexercised--,earnings and character--,ignorance is power--,results of ignorance--,increase of knowledge--,education not enough--,words of ,sir ,arthur ,helps--,divine uses of knowledge--,public school education--,words of ,william ,felkin4 ,pages #da--fd ,,chapter ,v4 ,,examples ,,of ,,thrift4 ,spirit of order--,examples of economy--,david ,hume--,rev4 ,robert ,walker--,self-application--,distinguish ed miners--,geo4 ,stephenson--,james ,watt--,working for independence--,working for higher things--,work and culture--,richardson and ,gregory--,results of application--,distinguished artists--,canova and ,lough--,john ,lough--,lough's success--,words of ,lord ,derby--,james ,nasmyth--,bridgewater foundry--,advice to young men4 ,pages #fe--hh ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,methods ,,of ,,economy4 ,keeping regular account--,generosity and forethought--,prudent economy--,a dignity in saving--,self-improvement--,causes of failure--,the price of success--,power of combining--,principle of association--,savings of capital--,loss by strikes--,money thrown away--,industrial societies--,co-operative companies--,equitable pioneers--,darwen co-operatives--,spread of co-operation--,thrift conservative--,uses of investments in building societies4 ,pages #hi--aji ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,economy ,,in ,,life ,,assurance4 ,co-operation in assurance--,improvidence cruel--,compensation of assurance--,benefit societies--,french and ,belgian thrift--,workmen's societies--,manchester ,unity--,duty and ,dinners--,low rates of contribution--,failure of friendly societies--,improvement by experience--,defects will disappear4 ,pages #aaj--abb ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,savings ,,banks4 ,direct saving--,uses of saved money--,beginnings of savings banks--,dr4 ,duncan of ,ruthwell--,establishment of savings banks--,classes of ,depositors--,magic of drill--,military savings banks--,savings of soldiers--,soldiers abroad--,deposits in savings banks--,savings at ,bilston--,savings of working men--,penny banks--,charles ,w4 ,sikes--,mechanics' institute banks--,the poor man's purse--,depositors in penny banks--,they cultivate prudent habits--,influence of women--,early lessons in thrift--,belgian ,schools--,facilities for saving--,extension of savings banks--,money order offices--,post office savings banks--,charles ,w4 ,sikes--,lessons of thrift--,mechanics' savings banks--,savings of artizans--,savings in ,preston4 ,pages #abc--aeh ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,little ,,things4 ,luck and labour--,neglect of little things--,it will do6--,spending of pennies--,the thrifty woman--,a helpful wife--,a man's daily life--,the two workmen--,rights and habits--,influence of the wife--,a penny a day--,the power of a penny--,joseph ,baxendale--,pickford and ,co4--,roads and ,railways--,business maxims4 ,pages #aei--agh ,,chapter ,x4 ,,masters ,,and ,,men4 ,want of sympathy--,masters and servants--,christian sympathy--,competition--,what capital represents--,workmen and employers--,the ,ashworths--,new ,eagley ,mills--,improved workpeople--,public spirit of manufacturers--,mr4 ,lister of ,bradford--,mr4 ,foster's speech--,great men wise savers--,sir ,titus ,salt--,saltaire--,its institutions--,music and sobriety--,mr4 ,akroyd1 ,halifax--,yorkshire penny bank--,origin of the bank--,how to help the poor--,saving helps sobriety--,drunkenness put down--,childish work--,penny banks4 ,pages #agi--bjd ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,the ,,crossleys--,,masters ,,and ,,men 7,,continued74 ,john ,crossley--,martha ,crossley--,a courtship begun--,a courtship concluded--,john ,crossley begins business--,dean ,clough ,mill--,the ,crossley family--,sir ,francis ,crossley--,martha ,crossley's vow--,halifax ,people's ,park--,martha's vow fulfilled--,co-operation of colliers--,partnership of industry--,other co-operative schemes--,jeremiah ,head--,newport rolling mills--,bonuses to workmen--,mr4 ,carlyle's letter--,a contrast--,a hundred years ago--,popular amusements--,improvement of manners--,english mechanics and workmen--,english engineers and miners--,swiftness of machinery--,foreign workmen--,provident habits of foreigners4 ,pages #bje--bcb ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,living ,,beyond ,,the ,,means4 ,hypocrisy and debt--,conventionalism--,keeping up appearances--,exclusive circles--,women and exclusiveness--,women and extravagance--,running into debt--,the temptation of shopkeepers--,temptations to crime--,how crime is committed--,love of dress--,gents--,reckless expenditure--,knowledge of ,arithmetic--,marriage--,happy tempers--,responsibilities of marriage--,marriage not a lottery--,the man who couldn't say ,no--,the courage to say ,no--,respectable funerals--,funeral extravagance--,john ,wesley's will--,funeral reform4 ,pages #bcc--beh ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,great ,,debtors4 ,greatness and debt--,seedy side of debt--,running up bills--,loan clubs--,genius and debt--,fox and ,sheridan--,sheridan's debts--,lamartine--,webster--,debts of men of science--,debts of artists--,italian artists--,haydon--,the old poets--,savage and ,johnson--,steele and ,goldsmith--,goldsmith's debts--,goldsmith's advice--,byron's debts--,the burden of debt--,burns and ,sydney ,smith--,de ,foe and ,southey--,southey and ,scott--,scott's debts and labours--,great poor men--,johnson's advice--,genius and debt--,literary men4 ,pages #bei--bhe ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,riches ,,and ,,charity4 ,helping the helpless--,dr4 ,donne--,rich people--,love of gold--,eagerness to be rich--,riches and poverty--,riches in old age--,riches no claim to distinction--,democrats and riches--,saladin the great--,don ,jose de ,salamanca--,compensations of poverty--,honest poverty--,poverty and happiness--,charity--,evils of money-giving--,philanthropy and charity--,rich people's wills--,stephen ,girard--,thomas ,guy--,educational charities--,peabody's benefaction--,benefactors of the poor--,the ,navvy's ,home4 ,pages #bhf--cad ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,healthy ,,homes4 ,healthy existence--,necessity for pure air--,the fever tax--,the ,arcadians--,the rural poor--,influence of the home--,unhealthy homes--,health and drunkenness--,wholesome dwellings--,edwin ,chadwick--,expectancy of life--,the poor laws--,the sanitary idea--,the sanitary inquiry--,sanitary commission--,sanitary science--,results of uncleanness--,losses by ill-health--,that terrible ,nobody6--,home reform--,domestic improvement--,cleanliness--,dirt and immorality--,worship in washing--,knowledge of physiology--,domestic economy--,english cookery--,morals and cookery--,work for ladies--,joseph ,corbet's story4 ,pages #cae--cec ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,the ,,art ,,of ,,living4 ,art of living exemplified--,taste an economist--,contrasts in cottage life--,difference in workmen--,living at home--,home and comfort--,comfortable people--,beneficence of house thrift--,organization and method--,industry and punctuality--,management of temper--,good manners--,habitual politeness--,french manners--,happiness in good manners--,amusement--,relaxation--,influ ence of music--,household elegance--,elegance of flowers--,common enjoyments--,portraits of great men--,art at home--,final art of living4 ,pages #ceh--cgh ,,index #cgi ,a ,,fable4 ,a grasshopper1 half starved with cold and hunger1 came to a well-stored beehive at the approach of winter1 and humbly begged the bees to relieve his wants with a few drops of honey4 ,one of the bees asked him how he had spent his time all the summer1 and why he had not laid up a store of food like them4 ,truly4 said he1 ,i spent my time very merrily1 in drinking1 dancing1 and singing1 and never once thought of winter4 ,our plan is very different1 said the bee2 we work hard in the summer1 to lay by a store of food against the season when we foresee we shall want it2 but those who do nothing but drink1 and dance1 and sing in the summer1 must expect to starve in the winter4 ,,thrift4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,industry4 ,not what ,i have1 but what ,i do1 is my kingdom4--,carlyle4 ,productive industry is the only capital which enriches a people1 and spreads national prosperity and well-being4 ,in all labour there is profit1 says ,solomon4 ,what is the science of ,political ,economy1 but a dull sermon on this text8--,samuel ,laing4 ,god provides the good things of the world to serve the needs of nature1 by the labours of the ploughman1 the skill and pains of the artizan1 and the dangers and traffic of the merchant4444 ,the idle person is like one that is dead1 unconcerned in the changes and necessities of the world2 and he only lives to spend his time1 and eat the fruits of the earth3 like a vermin or a wolf1 when their time comes they die and perish1 and in the meantime do no good4--,jeremy ,taylor4 ,for the structure that we raise1 ,time is with materials filled2 ,our to-days and yesterdays ,are the blocks with which we build4--,longfellow4 99 99 99 99 99 ,thrift began with civilization4 ,it began when men found it necessary to provide for to-morrow1 as well as for to-day4 ,it began long before money was invented4 ,thrift means private economy4 ,it includes domestic economy1 as well as the order and management of a family4 ,while it is the object of ,private ,economy to create and promote the well-being of individuals1 it is the object of ,political ,economy to create and increase the wealth of nations4 ,private and public wealth have the same origin4 ,wealth is obtained by labour2 it is preserved by savings and accumulations2 and it is increased by diligence and perseverance4 ,it is the savings of individuals which compose the wealth--in other words1 the well-being--of every nation4 ,on the other hand1 it is the wastefulness of individuals which occasions the impoverishment of states4 ,so that every thrifty person may be regarded as a public benefactor1 and every thriftless person as a public enemy4 ,there is no dispute as to the necessity for ,private ,economy4 ,everybody admits it1 and recommends it4 ,but with respect to ,political ,economy1 there are numerous discussions1--for instance1 as to the distribution of capital1 the accumulations of property1 the incidence of taxation1 the ,poor ,laws1 and other subjects1--into which we do not propose to enter4 ,the subject of ,private ,economy1 of ,thrift1 is quite sufficient by itself to occupy the pages of this book4 ,economy is not a natural instinct1 but the growth of experience1 example1 and forethought4 ,it is also the result of education and intelligence4 ,it is only when men become wise and thoughtful that they become frugal4 ,hence the best means of making men and women provident is to make them wise4 ,prodigality is much more natural to man than thrift4 ,the savage is the greatest of spendthrifts1 for he has no forethought1 no to-morrow4 ,the prehistoric man saved nothing4 ,he lived in caves1 or in hollows of the ground covered with branches4 ,he subsisted on shellfish which he picked up on the seashore1 or upon hips and haws which he gathered in the woods4 ,he killed animals with stones4 ,he lay in wait for them1 or ran them down on foot4 ,then he learnt to use stones as tools2 making stone arrow-heads and spear-points1 thereby utilizing his labour1 and killing birds and animals more quickly4 ,the original savage knew nothing of agriculture4 ,it was only in comparatively recent times that men gathered seeds for food1 and saved a portion of them for next year's crop4 ,when minerals were discovered1 and fire was applied to them1 and the minerals were smelted into metal1 man made an immense stride4 ,he could then fabricate hard tools1 chisel stone1 build houses1 and proceed by unwearying industry to devise the manifold means and agencies of civilization4 ,the dweller by the ocean burnt a hollow in a felled tree1 launched it1 went to sea in it1 and fished for food4 ,the hollowed tree became a boat1 held together with iron nails4 ,the boat became a galley1 a ship1 a paddle-boat1 a screw steamer1 and the world was opened up for colonization and civilization4 ,man would have continued uncivilized1 but for the results of the useful labours of those who preceded him4 ,the soil was reclaimed by his predecessors1 and made to grow food for human uses4 ,they invented tools and fabrics1 and we reap the useful results4 ,they discovered art and science1 and we succeed to the useful effects of their labours4 ,all nature teaches that no good thing which has once been done passes utterly away4 ,the living are ever reminded of the buried millions who have worked and won before them4 ,the handicraft and skill displayed in the buildings and sculptures of the long-lost cities of ,nineveh1 ,babylon1 and ,troy1 have descended to the present time4 ,in nature's economy1 no human labour is altogether lost4 ,some remnant of useful effect continues to reward the race1 if not the individual4 ,the mere material wealth bequeathed to us by our forefathers forms but an insignificant item in the sum of our inheritance4 ,our birthright is made up of something far more imperishable4 ,it consists of the sum of the useful effects of human skill and labour4 ,these effects were not transmitted by learning1 but by teaching and example4 ,one generation taught another1 and thus art and handicraft1 the knowledge of mechanical appliances and materials1 continued to be preserved4 ,the labours and efforts of former generations were thus transmitted by father to son2 and they continue to form the natural heritage of the human race--one of the most important instruments of civilization4 ,our birthright1 therefore1 consists in the useful effects of the labours of our forefathers2 but we cannot enjoy them unless we ourselves take part in the work4 ,all must labour1 either with hand or head4 ,without work1 life is worthless2 it becomes a mere state of moral coma4 ,we do not mean merely physical work4 ,there is a great deal of higher work--the work of action and endurance1 of trial and patience1 of enterprise and philanthropy1 of spreading truth and civilization1 of diminishing suffering and relieving the poor1 of helping the weak1 and enabling them to help themselves4 ,a noble heart1 says ,barrow1 will disdain to subsist1 like a drone1 upon others' labours2 like a vermin to filch its food out of the public granary2 or1 like a shark1 to prey upon the lesser fry2 but it will rather outdo his private obligations to other men's care and toil1 by considerable service and beneficence to the public2 for there is no calling of any sort1 from the sceptre to the spade1 the management whereof1 with any good success1 any credit1 any satisfaction1 doth not demand much work of the head1 or of the hands1 or of both4 ,labour is not only a necessity1 but it is also a pleasure4 ,what would otherwise be a curse1 by the constitution of our physical system becomes a blessing4 ,our life is a conflict with nature in some respects1 but it is also a co-operation with nature in others4 ,the sun1 the air1 and the earth are constantly abstracting from us our vital forces4 ,hence we eat and drink for nourishment1 and clothe ourselves for warmth4 ,nature works with us4 ,she provides the earth which we furrow2 she grows and ripens the seeds that we sow and gather4 ,she furnishes1 with the help of human labour1 the wool that we spin and the food that we eat4 ,and it ought never to be forgotten1 that however rich or poor we may be1 all that we eat1 all that we are clothed with1 all that shelters us1 from the palace to the cottage1 is the result of labour4 ,men co-operate with each other for the mutual sustenance of all4 ,the husbandman tills the ground and provides food2 the manufacturer weaves tissues1 which the tailor and seamstress make into clothes2 the mason and the bricklayer build the houses in which we enjoy household life4 ,numbers of workmen thus contribute and help to create the general result4 ,labour and skill applied to the vulgarest things invest them at once with precious value4 ,labour is indeed the life of humanity2 take it away1 banish it1 and the race of ,adam were at once stricken with death4 ,he that will not work1 said ,st4 ,paul1 neither shall he eat2 and the apostle glorified himself in that he had laboured with his own hands1 and had not been chargeable to any man4 ,there is a well-known story of an old farmer calling his three idle sons around him when on his deathbed1 to impart to them an important secret4 ,my sons1 said he1 a great treasure lies hid in the estate which ,i am about to leave to you4 ,the old man gasped4 ,where is it hid8 exclaimed the sons in a breath4 ,i am about to tell you1 said the old man2 you will have to dig for it---- but his breath failed him before he could impart the weighty secret2 and he died4 ,forthwith the sons set to work with spade and mattock upon the long neglected fields1 and they turned up every sod and clod upon the estate4 ,they discovered no treasure1 but they learnt to work2 and when fields were sown1 and the harvests came1 lo6 the yield was prodigious1 in consequence of the thorough tillage which they had undergone4 ,then it was that they discovered the treasure concealed in the estate1 of which their wise old father had advised them4 ,labour is at once a burden1 a chastisement1 an honour1 and a pleasure4 ,it may be identified with poverty1 but there is also glory in it4 ,it bears witness1 at the same time1 to our natural wants and to our manifold needs4 ,what were man1 what were life1 what were civilization1 without labour8 ,all that is great in man comes of labour2--greatness in art1 in literature1 in science4 ,knowledge--the wing wherewith we fly to heaven--is only acquired through labour4 ,genius is but a capability of labouring intensely3 it is the power of making great and sustained efforts4 ,labour may be a chastisement1 but it is indeed a glorious one4 ,it is worship1 duty1 praise1 and immortality1--for those who labour with the highest aims1 and for the purest purposes4 ,there are many who murmur and complain at the law of labour under which we live1 without reflecting that obedience to it is not only in conformity with the ,divine will1 but also necessary for the development of intelligence1 and for the thorough enjoyment of our common nature4 ,of all wretched men1 surely the idle are the most so2--those whose life is barren of utility1 who have nothing to do except to gratify their senses4 ,are not such men the most querulous1 miserable1 and dissatisfied of all1 constantly in a state of ennui1 alike useless to themselves and to others--mere cumberers of the earth1 who when removed are missed by none1 and whom none regret8 ,most wretched and ignoble lot1 indeed1 is the lot of the idlers4 ,who have helped the world onward so much as the workers2 men who have had to work for necessity or from choice8 ,all that we call progress--civilization1 well-being1 and prosperity--depends upon industry1 diligently applied1--from the culture of a barley-stalk1 to the construction of a steamship1--from the stitching of a collar1 to the sculpturing of the statue that enchants the world4 ,all useful and beautiful thoughts1 in like manner1 are the issue of labour1 of study1 of observation1 of research1 of diligent elaboration4 ,the noblest poem cannot be elaborated1 and send down its undying strains into the future1 without steady and painstaking labour4 ,no great work has ever been done at a heat4 ,it is the result of repeated efforts1 and often of many failures4 ,one generation begins1 and another continues--the present co-operating with the past4 ,thus1 the ,parthenon began with a mud-hut2 the ,last ,judgment with a few scratches on the sand4 ,it is the same with individuals of the race2 they begin with abortive efforts1 which1 by means of perseverance1 lead to successful issues4 ,the history of industry is uniform in the character of its illustrations4 ,industry enables the poorest man to achieve honour1 if not distinction4 ,the greatest names in the history of art1 literature1 and science1 are those of labouring men4 ,a working instrument-maker gave us the steam-engine2 a barber1 the spinning-machine2 a weaver1 the mule2 a pitman perfected the locomotive2--and working men of all grades have1 one after another1 added to the triumphs of mechanical skill4 ,by the working man1 we do not mean merely the man who labours with his muscles and sinews4 ,a horse can do this4 ,but he is pre-eminently the working man who works with his brain also1 and whose whole physical system is under the influence of his higher faculties4 ,the man who paints a picture1 who writes a book1 who makes a law1 who creates a poem1 is a working man of the highest order1--not so necessary to the physical sustainment of the community as the ploughman or the shepherd2 but not less important as providing for society its highest intellectual nourishment4 ,having said so much of the importance and the necessity of industry1 let us see what uses are made of the advantages derivable from it4 ,it is clear that man would have continued uncivilized but for the accumulations of savings made by his forefathers1--the savings of skill1 of art1 of invention1 and of intellectual culture4 ,it is the savings of the world that have made the civilization of the world4 ,savings are the result of labour2 and it is only when labourers begin to save1 that the results of civilization accumulate4 ,we have said that thrift began with civilization3 we might almost have said that thrift produced civilization4 ,thrift produces capital2 and capital is the conserved result of labour4 ,the capitalist is merely a man who does not spend all that is earned by work4 ,but thrift is not a natural instinct4 ,it is an acquired principle of conduct4 ,it involves self-denial--the denial of present enjoyment for future1 good--the subordination of animal appetite to reason1 forethought1 and prudence4 ,it works for to-day1 but also provides for to-morrow4 ,it invests the capital it has saved1 and makes provision for the future4 ,man's right of seeing the future1 says ,mr4 ,edward ,denison1 which is conferred on him by reason1 has attached to it the duty of providing for that future2 and our language bears witness to this truth by using1 as expressive of active precaution against future want1 a word which in its radical meaning implies only a passive foreknowledge of the same4 ,whenever we speak of the virtue of providence1 we assume that forewarned is fore-armed1 ,to know the future is no virtue1 but it is the greatest of virtues to prepare for it4#a ,footnote #a3 ,letters of the late ,edward ,denison4 p4 #bdj4 ,but a large proportion of men do not provide for the future4 ,they do not remember the past4 ,they think only of the present4 ,they preserve nothing4 ,they spend all that they earn4 ,they do not provide for themselves3 they do not provide for their families4 ,they may make high wages1 but eat and drink the whole of what they earn4 ,such people are constantly poor1 and hanging on the verge of destitution4 ,it is the same with nations4 ,the nations which consume all that they produce1 without leaving a store for future production1 have no capital4 ,like thriftless individuals1 they live from hand to mouth1 and are always poor and miserable4 ,nations that have no capital1 have no commerce4 ,they have no accumulations to dispose of2 hence they have no ships1 no sailors1 no docks1 no harbours1 no canals1 and no railways4 ,thrifty industry lies at the root of the civilization of the world4 ,look at ,spain4 ,there1 the richest soil is the least productive4 ,along the banks of the ,guadalquiver1 where once twelve thousand villages existed1 there are now not eight hundred2 and they are full of beggars4 ,a ,spanish proverb says1 ,el cielo y suelo es bueno1 el entresuelo malo--,the sky is good1 the earth is good2 that only is bad which lies between the sky and the earth4 ,continuous effort1 or patient labour1 is for the ,spaniard an insupportable thing4 ,half through indolence1 half through pride1 he cannot bend to work4 ,a ,spaniard will blush to work2 he will not blush to beg6#b ,footnote #b3 ,,eugene ,,poitou--,spain and its ,people4 pp4 #ahd--ahh4 ,it is in this way that society mainly consists of two classes--the savers and the wasters1 the provident and the improvident1 the thrifty and the thriftless1 the ,haves and the ,have-nots4 ,the men who economize by means of labour become the owners of capital which sets other labour in motion4 ,capital accumulates in their hands1 and they employ other labourers to work for them4 ,thus trade and commerce begin4 ,the thrifty build houses1 warehouses1 and mills4 ,they fit manufactories with tools and machines4 ,they build ships1 and send them to various parts of the world4 ,they put their capital together1 and build railroads1 harbours1 and docks4 ,they open up mines of coal1 iron1 and copper2 and erect pumping engines to keep them clear of water4 ,they employ labourers to work the mines1 and thus give rise to an immense amount of employment4 ,all this is the result of thrift4 ,it is the result of economizing money1 and employing it for beneficial purposes4 ,the thriftless man has no share in the progress of the world4 ,he spends all that he gets1 and can give no help to anybody4 ,no matter how much money he makes1 his position is not in any respect raised4 ,he husbands none of his resources4 ,he is always calling for help4 ,he is1 in fact1 the born thrall and slave of the thrifty4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,habits ,,of ,,thrift4 ,die ,hauptsache ist dass man lerne sich selbst zu beherrschen4 ,the great matter is to learn to rule oneself4--,goethe4 ,most men work for the present1 a few for the future4 ,the wise work for both--for the future in the present1 and for the present in the future4--,guesses at ,truth4 ,the secret of all success is to know how to deny yourself4444 ,if you once learn to get the whip-hand of yourself1 that is the best educator4 ,prove to me that you can control yourself1 and ,i'll say you're an educated man2 and without this1 all other education is good for next to nothing4--,mrs4 ,oliphant4 ,all the world cries1 ',where is the man who will save us8 ,we want a man6 ,don't look so far for this man4 ,you have him at hand4 ,this man--it is you1 it is ,i1 it is each one of us6 444 ,how to constitute oneself a man8 ,nothing harder1 if one knows not how to will it2 nothing easier1 if one wills it4--,alexandre ,dumas4 ,competence and comfort lie within the reach of most people1 were they to take the adequate means to secure and enjoy them4 ,men who are paid good wages might also become capitalists1 and take their fair share in the improvement and well-being of the world4 ,but it is only by the exercise of labour1 energy1 honesty1 and thrift1 that they can advance their own position or that of their class4 ,society at present suffers far more from waste of money than from want of money4 ,it is easier to make money than to know how to spend it4 ,it is not what a man gets that constitutes his wealth1 but his manner of spending and economizing4 ,and when a man obtains by his labour more than enough for his personal and family wants1 and can lay by a little store of savings besides1 he unquestionably possesses the elements of social well-being4 ,the savings may amount to little1 but they may be sufficient to make him independent4 ,there is no reason why the highly-paid workman of to-day may not save a store of capital4 ,it is merely a matter of self-denial and private economy4 ,indeed1 the principal industrial leaders of to-day consist1 for the most part1 of men who have sprung directly from the ranks4 ,it is the accumulation of experience and skill that makes the difference between the workman and the no-workman2 and it depends upon the workman himself whether he will save his capital or waste it4 ,if he save it1 he will always find that he has sufficient opportunities for employing it profitably and usefully4 ,when ,i was down in ,lancashire the other day1 said ,mr4 ,cobden to his fellow-townsmen at ,midhurst1 ,i visited a mill1 in company with some other gentlemen1 and that mill belonged to a person whose real name ,i will not mention1 but whom for the present purpose ,i will call ,mr4 ,smith4 ,there could not have been less than three or four thousand persons engaged in this mill when it was at work1 and there were seven hundred power-looms under one roof4 ,as we were coming away1 one of the friends who accompanied me patted the owner of the mill on the shoulder1 and with that frank and manly familiarity which rather distinguishes the ,lancashire race1 he said1 ',mr4 ,smith was a working man himself twenty-five years ago1 and he owes all this entirely to his own industry and frugality4' ,to which ,mr4 ,smith immediately replied1 in the same frank and good-humoured manner1 ',nay1 ,i do not owe it all to myself2 ,i married a wife with a fortune2 for she was earning #is #f;d4 a week as a weaver at the power-loom1 when she married me4' ,thrift of ,time is equal to thrift of money4 ,franklin said1 ,time is gold4 ,if one wishes to earn money1 it may be done by the proper use of time4 ,but time may also be spent in doing many good and noble actions4 ,it may be spent in learning1 in study1 in art1 in science1 in literature4 ,time can be economized by system4 ,system is an arrangement to secure certain ends1 so that no time may be lost in accomplishing them4 ,every business man must be systematic and orderly4 ,so must every housewife4 ,there must be a place for everything1 and everything in its place4 ,there must also be a time for everything1 and everything must be done in time4 ,it is not necessary to show that economy is useful4 ,nobody denies that thrift may be practised4 ,we see numerous examples of it4 ,what many men have already done1 all other men may do4 ,nor is thrift a painful virtue4 ,on the contrary1 it enables us to avoid much contempt and many indignities4 ,it requires us to deny ourselves1 but not to abstain from any proper enjoyment4 ,it provides many honest pleasures1 of which thriftlessness and extravagance deprive us4 ,let no man say that he cannot economize4 ,there are few persons who could not contrive to save a few shillings weekly4 ,in twenty years1 three shillings saved weekly would amount to two hundred and forty pounds2 and in ten years more1 by addition of interest1 to four hundred and twenty pounds4 ,some may say that they cannot save nearly so much4 ,well6 begin with two shillings1 one shilling1 or even sixpence4 ,begin somewhere2 but1 at all events1 make a beginning4 ,sixpence a week1 deposited in the savings bank1 will amount to forty pounds in twenty years1 and seventy pounds in thirty years4 ,it is the habit of economizing and denying oneself that needs to be formed4 ,thrift does not require superior courage1 nor superior intellect1 nor any superhuman virtue4 ,it merely requires common sense1 and the power of resisting selfish enjoyments4 ,in fact1 thrift is merely common sense in every-day working action4 ,it needs no fervent resolution1 but only a little patient self-denial4 ,,begin is its device6 ,the more the habit of thrift is practised1 the easier it becomes2 and the sooner it compensates the self-denier for the sacrifices which it has imposed4 ,the question may be asked1--,is it possible for a man working for small wages to save anything1 and lay it by in a savings bank1 when he requires every penny for the maintenance of his family8 ,but the fact remains1 that it is done by many industrious and sober men2 that they do deny themselves1 and put their spare earnings into savings banks1 and the other receptacles provided for poor men's savings4 ,and if some can do this1 all may do it under similar circumstances1--without depriving themselves of any genuine pleasure1 or any real enjoyment4 ,how intensely selfish is it for a person in the receipt of good pay to spend everything upon himself1--or1 if he has a family1 to spend his whole earnings from week to week1 and lay nothing by4 ,when we hear that a man1 who has been in the receipt of a good salary1 has died and left nothing behind him--that he has left his wife and family destitute--left them to chance--to live or perish anywhere1--we cannot but regard it as the most selfish thriftlessness4 ,and yet1 comparatively little is thought of such cases4 ,perhaps the hat goes round4 ,subscriptions may produce something--perhaps nothing2 and the ruined remnants of the unhappy family sink into poverty and destitution4 ,yet the merest prudence would1 to a great extent1 have obviated this result4 ,the curtailment of any sensual and selfish enjoyment--of a glass of beer or a screw of tobacco--would enable a man1 in the course of years1 to save at least something for others1 instead of wasting it on himself4 ,it is1 in fact1 the absolute duty of the poorest man to provide1 in however slight a degree1 for the support of himself and his family in the season of sickness and helplessness which often comes upon men when they least expect such a visitation4 ,comparatively few people can be rich2 but most have it in their power to acquire1 by industry and economy1 sufficient to meet their personal wants4 ,they may even become the possessors of savings sufficient to secure them against penury and poverty in their old age4 ,it is not1 however1 the want of opportunity1 but the want of will1 that stands in the way of economy4 ,men may labour unceasingly with hand or head2 but they cannot abstain from spending too freely1 and living too highly4 ,the majority prefer the enjoyment of pleasure to the practice of self-denial4 ,with the mass of men1 the animal is paramount4 ,they often spend all that they earn4 ,but it is not merely the working people who are spendthrifts4 ,we hear of men who for years have been earning and spending hundreds a year1 who suddenly die1--leaving their children penniless4 ,everybody knows of such cases4 ,at their death1 the very furniture of the house they have lived in belongs to others4 ,it is sold to pay their funeral expenses and debts which they have incurred during their thriftless lifetime4 ,money represents a multitude of objects without value1 or without real utility2 but it also represents something much more precious1--and that is independence4 ,in this light it is of great moral importance4 ,as a guarantee of independence1 the modest and plebeian quality of economy is at once ennobled and raised to the rank of one of the most meritorious of virtues4 ,never treat money affairs with levity1 said ,bulwer2 ,money is ,character4 ,some of man's best qualities depend upon the right use of money1--such as his generosity1 benevolence1 justice1 honesty1 and forethought4 ,many of his worst qualities also originate in the bad use of money1--such as greed1 miserliness1 injustice1 extravagance1 and improvidence4 ,no class ever accomplished anything that lived from hand to mouth4 ,people who spend all that they earn1 are ever hanging on the brink of destitution4 ,they must necessarily be weak and impotent--the slaves of time and circumstance4 ,they keep themselves poor4 ,they lose self-respect1 as well as the respect of others4 ,it is impossible that they can be free and independent4 ,to be thriftless1 is enough to deprive one of all manly spirit and virtue4 ,but a man with something saved1 no matter how little1 is in a different position4 ,the little capital he has stored up1 is always a source of power4 ,he is no longer the sport of time and fate4 ,he can boldly look the world in the face4 ,he is1 in a manner1 his own master4 ,he can dictate his own terms4 ,he can neither be bought nor sold4 ,he can look forward with cheerfulness to an old age of comfort and happiness4 ,as men become wise and thoughtful1 they generally become provident and frugal4 ,a thoughtless man1 like a savage1 spends as he gets1 thinking nothing of to-morrow1 of the time of adversity1 or of the claims of those whom he has made dependent on him4 ,but a wise man thinks of the future2 he prepares in good time for the evil day that may come upon him and his family2 and he provides carefully for those who are near and dear to him4 ,what a serious responsibility does the man incur who marries6 ,not many seriously think1 of this responsibility4 ,perhaps this is wisely ordered4 ,for1 much serious thinking might end in the avoidance of married life and its responsibilities4 ,but1 once married1 a man ought forthwith to determine that1 so far as his own efforts are concerned1 want shall never enter his household2 and that his children shall not1 in the event of his being removed from the scene of life and labour1 be left a burthen upon society4 ,economy with this object is an important duty4 ,without economy1 no man can be just--no man can be honest4 ,improvidence is cruelty to women and children2 though the cruelty is born of ignorance4 ,a father spends his surplus means in drink1 providing little1 and saving nothing2 and then he dies1 leaving his destitute family his lifelong victims4 ,can any form of cruelty surpass this8 ,yet this reckless course is pursued to a large extent among every class4 ,the middle and upper classes are equally guilty with the lower class4 ,they live beyond their means4 ,they live extravagantly4 ,they are ambitious of glare and glitter--frivolity and pleasure4 ,they struggle to be rich1 that they may have the means of spending1--of drinking rich wines1 and giving good dinners4 ,when ,mr4 ,hume said in the ,house of ,commons1 some years ago1 that the tone of living in ,england was altogether too high1 his observation was followed with loud laughter4 ,yet his remark was perfectly true4 ,it is far more true now than it was then4 ,thinking people believe that life is now too fast1 and that we are living at high-pressure4 ,in short1 we live extravagantly4 ,we live beyond our means4 ,we throw away oar earnings1 and often throw our lives after them4 ,many persons are diligent enough in making money1 but do not know how to economize it1--or how to spend it4 ,they have sufficient skill and industry to do the one1 but they want the necessary wisdom to do the other4 ,the temporary passion for enjoyment seizes us1 and we give way to it without regard to consequences4 ,and yet it may be merely the result of forgetfulness1 and might be easily controlled by firmness of will1 and by energetic resolution to avoid the occasional causes of expenditure for the future4 ,the habit of saving arises1 for the most part1 in the desire to ameliorate our social condition1 as well as to ameliorate the condition of those who are dependent upon us4 ,it dispenses with everything which is not essential1 and avoids all methods of living that are wasteful and extravagant4 ,a purchase made at the lowest price will be dear1 if it be a superfluity4 ,little expenses lead to great4 ,buying things that are not wanted1 soon accustoms us to prodigality in other respects4 ,cicero said1 ,not to have a mania for buying1 is to possess a revenue4 ,many are carried away by the habit of bargain-buying4 ,here is something wonderfully cheap3 let us buy it4 ,have you any use for it8 ,no1 not at present2 but it is sure to come in useful1 some time4 ,fashion runs in this habit of buying4 ,some buy old china--as much as will furnish a china-shop4 ,others buy old pictures--old furniture--old wines1--all great bargains6 ,there would be little harm in buying these old things1 if they were not so often bought at the expense of the connoisseur's creditors4 ,horace ,walpole once said1 ,i hope that there will not be another sale1 for ,i have not an inch of room nor a farthing left4 ,men must prepare in youth and in middle age the means of enjoying old age pleasantly and happily4 ,there can be nothing more distressing than to see an old man who has spent the greater part of his life in well-paid-for-labour1 reduced to the necessity of begging for bread1 and relying entirely on the commiseration of his neighbours1 or upon the bounty of strangers4 ,such a consideration as this should inspire men in early life with a determination to work and to save1 for the benefit of themselves and their families in later years4 ,it is1 in fact1 in youth that economy should be practised1 and in old age that men should dispense liberally1 provided they do not exceed their income4 ,the young man has a long future before him1 during which he may exercise the principles of economy2 whilst the other is reaching the end of his career1 and can carry nothing out of the world with him4 ,this1 however1 is not the usual practice4 ,the young man now spends1 or desires to spend1 quite as liberally1 and often much more liberally1 than his father1 who is about to end his career4 ,he begins life where his father left off4 ,he spends more than his father did at his age1 and soon finds himself up to his ears in debt4 ,to satisfy his incessant wants1 he resorts to unscrupulous means1 and to illicit gains4 ,he tries to make money rapidly2 he speculates1 over-trades1 and is speedily wound up4 ,thus he obtains experience2 but it is the result1 not of well-doing1 but of ill-doing4 ,socrates recommends fathers of families to observe the practice of their thrifty neighbours--of those who spend their means to the best advantage1--and to profit by their example4 ,thrift is essentially practical1 and can best be taught by facts4 ,two men earn1 say1 five shillings a day4 ,they are in precisely the same condition as respects family living1 and expenditure ,yet the one says he cannot save1 and does not2 while the other says he can save1 and regularly deposits part of his savings in a savings bank1 and eventually becomes a capitalist4 ,samuel ,johnson fully knew the straits of poverty4 ,he once signed his name ,impransus1 or ,dinnerless4 ,he had walked the streets with ,savage1 not knowing where to lay his head at night4 ,johnson never forgot the poverty through which he passed in his early life1 and he was always counselling his friends and readers to avoid it4 ,like ,cicero1 he averred that the best source of wealth or well-being was economy4 ,he called it the daughter of ,prudence1 the sister of ,temperance1 and the mother of ,liberty4 his mind1 his character4 ,self-respect1 originating in self-love1 instigates the first step of improvement4 ,it stimulates a man to rise1 to look upward1 to develop his intelligence1 to improve his condition4 ,self-respect is the root of most of the virtues--of cleanliness1 chastity1 reverence1 honesty1 sobriety4 ,to think meanly of one's self is to sink2 sometimes to descend a precipice at the bottom of which is infamy4 ,every man can help himself to some extent4 ,we are not mere straws thrown upon the current to mark its course2 but possessed of freedom of action1 endowed with power to stem the waves and rise above them1 each marking out a course for himself4 ,we can each elevate ourselves in the scale of moral being4 ,we can cherish pure thoughts4 ,we can perform good actions4 ,we can live soberly and frugally4 ,we can provide against the evil day4 ,we can read good books1 listen to wise teachers1 and place ourselves under the divinest influences on earth4 ,we can live for the highest purposes1 and with the highest aims in view4 ,self-love and social are the same1 says one of our poets4 ,the man who improves himself1 improves the world4 ,he adds one more true man to the mass4 ,and the mass being made up of individuals1 it is clear that were each to improve himself1 the result would be the improvement of the whole4 ,social advancement is the consequence of individual advancement4 ,the whole cannot be pure1 unless the individuals composing it are pure4 ,society at large is but the reflex of individual conditions4 ,all this is but the repetition of a truism1 but truisms have often to be repeated to make their full impression4 ,then again1 a man1 when he has improved himself1 is better able to improve those who are brought into contact with him4 ,he has more power4 ,his sphere of vision is enlarged4 ,he sees more clearly the defects in the condition of others that might be remedied4 ,he can lend a more active helping hand to raise them4 ,he has done his duty by himself1 and can with more authority urge upon others the necessity of doing the like duty to themselves4 ,how can a man be a social elevator1 who is himself walking in the mire of self-indulgence8 ,how can he teach sobriety or cleanliness1 if he be himself drunken or foul8 ,physician1 heal thyself1 is the answer of his neighbours4 ,the sum and substance of our remarks is this3 ,in all the individual reforms or improvements that we desire1 we must begin with ourselves4 ,we must exhibit our gospel in our own life4 ,we must teach by our own example4 ,if we would have others elevated1 we must elevate ourselves4 ,each man can exhibit the results in his own person4 ,he can begin with self-respect4 ,the uncertainty of life is a strong inducement to provide against the evil day4 ,to do this is a moral and social1 as well as a religious duty4 ,he that provideth not for his own1 and especially for those of his own household1 hath denied the faith1 and is worse than an infidel4 ,the uncertainty of life is proverbially true4 ,the strongest and healthiest man may be stricken down in a moment1 by accident or disease4 ,if we take human life in the mass1 we cannot fail to recognize the uncertainty of life as much as we do the certainty of death4 ,there is a striking passage in ,addison's ,vision of ,mirza1 in which life is pictured as a passage over a bridge of about a hundred arches4 ,a black cloud hangs over each end of the bridge4 ,at the entrance to it there are hidden pitfalls very thickly set1 through which throngs disappear1 so soon as they have placed their feet upon the bridge4 ,they grow thinner towards the centre2 they gradually disappear2 until at length only a few persons reach the further side1 and these also having dropped through the pitfalls1 the bridge at its further extremity becomes entirely clear4 ,the description of ,addison corresponds with the results of the observations made as to the duration of human life4 ,thus1 of a hundred thousand persons born in this country1 it has been ascertained that a fourth of them die before they have reached their fifth year2 and one-half before they have reached their fiftieth year4 ,one thousand one hundred will reach their ninetieth year4 ,sixteen will live to a hundred4 ,and only two persons out of the hundred thousand--like the last barks of an innumerable convoy1 will reach the advanced and helpless age of a hundred and five years4 ,two things are very obvious1--the uncertainty as to the hour of death in individuals1 but the regularity and constancy of the circumstances which influence the duration of human life in the aggregate4 ,it is a matter of certainty that the average life of all persons born in this country extends to about forty-five years4 ,this has been proved by a very large number of observations of human life and its duration4 ,equally extensive observations have been made as to the average number of persons of various ages who die yearly4 ,it is always the number of the experiments which gives the law of the probability4 ,it is on such observations that the actuary founds his estimates of the mortality that exists at any given period of life4 ,the actuary tells you that he has been guided by the ,laws of ,mortality4 ,now the results must be very regular1 to justify the actuary in speaking of ,mortality as governed by ,laws4 ,and yet it is so4 ,indeed1 there would seem to be no such thing as chance in the world4 ,man lives and dies in conformity to a law4 ,a sparrow falls to the ground in obedience to a law4 ,nay1 there are matters in the ordinary transactions of life1 such as one might suppose were the mere result of chance1 which are ascertained to be of remarkable accuracy when taken in the mass4 ,for instance1 the number of letters put in the post-office without an address2 the number of letters wrongly directed2 the number containing money2 the number unstamped2 continue nearly the same1 in relation to the number of letters posted1 from one year to another4 ,now it is the business of man to understand the laws of health1 and to provide against their consequences1--as1 for instance1 in the matter of sickness1 accident1 and premature death4 ,we cannot escape the consequences of transgression of the natural laws1 though we may have meant well4 ,we must have done well4 ,the ,creator does not alter ,his laws to accommodate them to our ignorance4 ,he has furnished us with intelligence1 so that we may understand them and act upon them3 otherwise we must suffer the consequences in inevitable pain and sorrow4 ,we often hear the cry raised1 ,will nobody help us8 ,it is a spiritless1 hopeless cry4 ,it is sometimes a cry of revolting meanness1 especially when it issues from those who with a little self-denial1 sobriety1 and thrift1 might easily help themselves4 ,many people have yet to learn1 that virtue1 knowledge1 freedom1 and prosperity must spring from themselves4 ,legislation can do very little for them3 it cannot make them sober1 intelligent1 and well-doing4 ,the prime miseries of most men have their origin in causes far removed from ,acts of ,parliament4 ,the spendthrift laughs at legislation4 ,the drunkard defies it1 and arrogates the right of dispensing with forethought and self-denial1--throwing upon others the blame of his ultimate wretchedness4 ,the mob orators1 who gather the millions about them1 are very wide of the mark1 when1 instead of seeking to train their crowd of hearers to habits of frugality1 temperance1 and self-culture1 they encourage them to keep up the cry1 ,will nobody help us8 ,the cry sickens the soul4 ,it shows gross ignorance of the first elements of personal welfare4 ,help is in men themselves4 ,they were born to help and to elevate themselves4 ,they must work out their own salvation4 ,the poorest men have done it2 why should not every man do it8 ,the brave1 upward spirit ever conquers4 ,the number of well-paid workmen in this country has become very large1 who might easily save and economize1 to the improvement of their moral well-being1 of their respectability and independence1 and of their status in society as men and citizens4 ,they are improvident and thriftless to an extent which proves not less hurtful to their personal happiness and domestic comfort1 than it is injurious to the society of which they form so important a part4 ,in prosperous times they spend their gains recklessly1 and when adverse times come1 they are at once plunged in misery4 ,money is not used1 but abused2 and when wage-earning people should be providing against old age1 or for the wants of a growing family1 they are1 in too many cases1 feeding folly1 dissipation1 and vice4 ,let no one say that this is an exaggerated picture4 ,it is enough to look round in any neighbourhood1 and see how much is spent and how little is saved2 what a large proportion of earnings goes to the beershop1 and how little to the savings bank or the benefit society4 ,prosperous times are very often the least prosperous of all times4 ,in prosperous times1 mills are working full time2 men1 women1 and children are paid high wages2 warehouses are emptied and filled2 goods are manufactured and exported2 wherries full of produce pass along the streets2 immense luggage trains run along the railways1 and heavily-laden ships leave our shores daily for foreign ports1 full of the products of our industry4 ,everybody seems to be becoming richer and more prosperous4 ,but we do not think of whether men and women are becoming wiser1 better trained1 less self-indulgent1 more religiously disposed1 or living for any higher purpose than the satisfaction of the animal appetite4 ,if this apparent prosperity be closely examined1 it will be found that expenditure is increasing in all directions4 ,there are demands for higher wages2 and the higher wages1 when obtained1 are spent as soon as earned4 ,intemperate habits are formed1 and1 once formed1 the habit of intemperance continues4 ,increased wages1 instead of being saved1 are for the most part spent in drink4 ,thus1 when a population is thoughtless and improvident1 no kind of material prosperity will benefit them4 ,unless they exercise forethought and economy1 they will alternately be in a state of hunger and burst4 ,when trade falls off1 as it usually does after exceptional prosperity1 they will not be comforted by the thought of what they might have saved1 had it ever occurred to them that the prosperous times might not have proved permanent4 ,during prosperous times1 ,saint ,monday is regularly observed4 ,the ,bank ,holiday is repeated weekly4 ,where are all the workmen8 said a master to his foreman on going the rounds among his builders1--this work must be pushed on and covered in while the fine weather lasts4 ,why1 sir1 said the foreman1 this is ,monday2 and they have not spent all their money yet4 ,dean ,boyd1 preaching at ,exeter on behalf of the ,devonshire hospitals1 expressed his belief that the annual loss to the workpeople engaged in the woollen manufacture1 the cotton trade1 the bricklaying and building trade1 by ,idle ,monday1 amounted to over seven millions sterling4 ,if man's chief end were to manufacture cloth1 silk1 cotton1 hardware1 toys1 and china2 to buy in the cheapest market1 and to sell in the dearest2 to cultivate land1 grow corn1 and graze cattle2 to live for mere money profit1 and hoard or spend1 as the case might be1 we might then congratulate ourselves upon our ,national ,prosperity4 ,but is this the chief end of man8 ,has he not faculties1 affections1 and sympathies1 besides muscular organs8 ,has not his mind and heart certain claims1 as well as his mouth and his back8 ,has he not a soul as well as a stomach8 ,and ought not prosperity to include the improvement and well-being of his morals and intellect as well as of his bones and muscles8 ,mere money is no indication of prosperity4 ,a man's nature may remain the same4 ,it may even grow more stunted and deformed1 while he is doubling his expenditure1 or adding cent1 per cent1 to his hoards yearly4 ,it is the same with the mass4 ,the increase of their gains may merely furnish them with increased means for gratifying animal indulgences1 unless their moral character keeps pace with their physical advancement4 ,double the gains of an uneducated1 overworked man1 in a time of prosperity1 and what is the result8 ,simply that you have furnished him with the means of eating and drinking more6 ,thus1 not even the material well-being of the population is secured by that condition of things which is defined by political economists as ,national ,prosperity4 ,and so long as the moral elements of the question are ignored1 this kind of prosperity is1 we believe1 calculated to produce far more mischievous results than good4 ,it is knowledge and virtue alone that can confer dignity on a man's life2 and the growth of such qualities in a nation are the only true marks of its real prosperity2 not the infinite manufacture and sale of cotton prints1 toys1 hardware1 and crockery4 ,the ,bishop of ,manchester1 when preaching at a harvest thanksgiving near ,preston1 referred to a letter which he had received from a clergyman in the south of ,england1 who1 after expressing his pleasure at the fact that the agricultural labourers were receiving higher wages1 lamented that at present the only result he could discover from their higher wages was that a great deal more beer was consumed4 ,if this was the use we were making of this prosperity1 we could hardly call it a blessing for which we had a right or ground to thank ,god4 ,the true prosperity of the nation consisted not so much in the fact that the nation was growing in wealth--though wealth was a necessary attribute of prosperity--but that it was growing in virtue2 and that there was a more equable distribution of comfort1 contentment1 and the things of this lower world4 ,in making the preceding observations we do not in the least advocate the formation of miserly1 penurious habits2 for we hate the scrub1 the screw1 the miser4 ,all that we contend for is1 that man should provide for the future1--that they should provide during good times for the bad times which almost invariably follow them1--that they should lay by a store of savings as a breakwater against want1 and make sure of a little fund which may maintain them in old age1 secure their self-respect1 and add to their personal comfort and social well-being4 ,thrift is not in any way connected with avarice1 usury1 greed1 or selfishness4 ,it is1 in fact1 the very reverse of these disgusting dispositions4 ,it means economy for the purpose of securing independence4 ,thrift requires that money should be used and not abused--that it should be honestly earned and economically employed-- ,not for to put it in a hedge1 ,not for a train attendent1-- ,but for the glorious privilege ,of being ,independent4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,improvidence4 ,the man who has a wife and children has given hostages to fortune4--,lord ,bacon4 ,in all conditions and circumstances1 well-being is in the power of those who have power over themselves4--,j4,j4 ,gurney4 ,where is their common sense8 ,alas1 what imprudence6 ,early marriages2 many children2 poor-rates1 and the workhouse4444 ,they are born2 they are wretched2 they die4444 ,in no foreign country of far less civilization than ,england1 is there the same improvidence4--,lord ,lytton4 ,no man oppresses thee1 ,o free and independent franchiser2 but does not this stupid pewter pot oppress thee8 ,no son of ,adam can bid thee come or go1 but this absurd pot of heavy-wet can and does1 ,thou art the thrall1 not of ,cedric the ,saxon1 but of thy own brutal appetites1 and this accursed dish of liquor4 ,and thou pratest of thy 'liberty1' thou entire blockhead6--,carlyle4 ,never did any publike misery ,rise of it selfe2 ,god's plagues still grounded are ,on common staines of our ,humanity3 ,and to the flame1 which ruineth ,mankind1 ,man gives the matter1 or at least gives winde4--,daniell4 ,england is one of the richest countries in the world4 ,our merchants are enterprising1 our manufacturers are industrious1 our labourers are hard-working4 ,there is an accumulation of wealth in the country to which past times can offer no parallel4 ,the ,bank is gorged with gold4 ,there never was more food in the empire2 there never was more money4 ,there is no end to our manufacturing productions1 for the steam-engine never tires4 ,and yet notwithstanding all this wealth1 there is an enormous mass of poverty4 ,close alongside the ,wealth of ,nations1 there gloomily stalks the ,misery of ,nations1--luxurious ease resting upon a dark background of wretchedness4 ,parliamentary reports have again and again revealed to us the miseries endured by certain portions of our working population4 ,they have described the people employed in factories1 workshops1 mines1 and brickfields1 as well as in the pursuits of country life4 ,we have tried to grapple with the evils of their condition by legislation1 but it seems to mock us4 ,those who sink into poverty are fed1 but they remain paupers4 ,those who feed them1 feel no compassion2 and those who are fed1 return no gratitude4 ,there is no bond of sympathy between the givers and the receivers4 ,thus the ,haves and the ,have-nots1 the opulent and the indigent1 stand at the two extremes of the social scale1 and a wide gulf is fixed between them4 ,among rude and savage people1 the condition of poverty is uniform4 ,provided the bare appetites are satisfied1 suffering is scarcely felt4 ,where slavery exists1 indigence is little known2 for it is the master's interest to keep the slave in a condition fit for labour1 and the employer generally takes care to supply the animal wants of the employed4 ,it is only when society becomes civilized and free1 and man enters into competition with his fellows1 that he becomes exposed to indigence1 and experiences social misery4 ,where civilization1 as in this country1 has reached its highest point1 and where large accumulations of wealth have been made1 the misery of the indigent classes is only rendered more acute by the comfort and luxury with which it is placed in immediate contrast4 ,much of the existing misery is caused by selfishness--by the greed to accumulate wealth on the one hand1 and by improvidence on the other4 ,accumulation of money has become the great desire and passion of the age4 ,the wealth of nations1 and not the happiness of nations1 is the principal aim4 ,we study political economy1 and let social economy shift for itself4 ,regard for ,number ,one is the prevailing maxim4 ,high profits are regarded as the summum bonum1--no matter how obtained1 or at what sacrifice4 ,money is our god3 ,devil take the hindmost our motto4 ,the spirits of darkness rule supreme-- ,mammon has led them on1 ,mammon1 the least erect of all the spirits ,that fell from ,heaven4 ,with respect to the poorer classes1--what has become of them in the midst of our so-called civilization8 ,an immense proportion of them remain entirely uncivilized4 ,though living in a ,christian country1 ,christianity has never reached them4 ,they are as uncivilized and unchristianized as the ,trinobantes were at the landing of ,julius ,caesar1 about nineteen hundred years ago4 ,yet these uncivilized people live in our midst4 ,st4 ,james's and ,st4 ,giles's lie close together4 ,in the ,parks of ,london1 you may see how gold is worshipped2 in the ,east ,end of ,london1 you may see to what depths human misery may fall4 ,they work1 eat1 drink1 and sleep3 that constitutes their life4 ,they think nothing of providing for to-morrow1 or for next week1 or for next year4 ,they abandon themselves to their sensual appetites2 and make no provision whatever for the future4 ,the thought of adversity1 or of coming sorrow1 or of the helplessness that comes with years and sickness1 never crosses their minds4 ,in these respects1 they resemble the savage tribes1 who know no better1 and do no worse4 ,like the ,north ,american ,indians1 they debase themselves by the vices which accompany civilization1 but make no use whatever of its benefits and advantages4 ,captain ,parry found the ,esquimaux near the ,north ,pole as uncivilized as the miserable creatures who inhabit the dens of our great cities4 ,they were1 of course1 improvident2 for1 like savages generally1 they never save4 ,they were always either feasting or famished4 ,when they found a quantity of whale's blubber1 they would eat as much of it as they could1 and hide the rest4 ,yet their improvidence gave them no concern4 ,even when they had been without food or fuel for days together1 they would be as gay and good-humoured as usual4 ,they never thought of how they should be provided for to-morrow4 ,saving for the future forms no part of the savage economy4 ,amongst civilized peoples1 cold is said to be the parent of frugality4 ,thus the northern nations of ,europe owe a portion of their prosperity to the rigour of their climate4 ,cold makes them save during summer1 to provide food1 coal1 and clothing during winter4 ,it encourages house-building and housekeeping4 ,hence ,germany is more industrious than ,sicily2 ,holland and ,belgium than ,andalusia2 ,north ,america and ,canada than ,mexico4 ,when the late ,edward ,denison1 ,m4,p4 for ,newark1 with unexampled self-denial1 gave up a large portion of his time and labour to reclaim the comparatively uncivilized population of the ,east ,end of ,london1 the first thing he did was to erect an iron church of two stories1 the lower part of which was used as a school and lecture room1 and also as a club where men and boys might read1 play games1 and do anything else that might keep them out of the drinking-houses4 ,what is so bad in this quarter1 said ,mr4 ,denison1 is the habitual condition of this mass of humanity--its uniform mean level1 the absence of anything more civilizing than a grinding organ to raise the ideas beyond the daily bread and beer1 the utter want of education1 the complete indifference to religion1 with the fruits of all this--improvidence1 dirt1 and their secondaries1 crime and disease4444 ,there is no one to give a push to struggling energy1 to guide aspiring intelligence1 or to break the fall of unavoidable misfortune4444 ,the ,mission ,clergyman1 he goes on to say1 is a sensible1 energetic man1 in whose hands the work of civilizing the people is making as much progress as can be expected4 ,but most of his energy is taken up in serving tables1 nor can any great advance be made while every nerve has to be strained to keep the people from absolute starvation4 ,and this is what happens every winter4444 ,what a monstrous thing it is that in the richest country in the world1 large masses of the population should be condemned annually1 by a natural operation of nature1 to starvation and death4 ,it is all very well to say1 how can it be helped8 ,why1 it was not so in our grandfathers' time4 ,behind us they were in many ways1 but they were not met every winter with the spectacle of starving thousands4 ,the fact is1 we have accepted the marvellous prosperity which has in the last twenty years been granted us1 without reflecting on the conditions attached to it1 and without nerving ourselves to the exertion and the sacrifices which their fulfilment demands4 ,and yet ,mr4 ,denison clearly saw that if the people were sufficiently educated1 and taught to practise the virtue of ,thrift1 much of this misery might be prevented4 ,the people1 he elsewhere says1 create their destitution and their disease4 ,probably there are hardly any of the most needy who1 if they had been only moderately frugal and provident1 could not have placed themselves in a position to tide over the occasional months of want of work1 or of sickness1 which there always must be4444 ,i do not underrate the difficulty of laying by out of weekly earnings1 but ,i say it can be done4 ,a dock-labourer1 while a young1 strong1 unmarried man1 could lay by half his weekly wages1 and such men are almost sure of constant employment4 ,after showing how married men might also save1 ,mr4 ,denison goes on to say1 ,saving is within the reach of nearly every man1 even if quite at the bottom of the tree2 but if it were of anything like common occurrence1 the destitution and disease of this city would be kept within quite manageable limits4 ,and this will take place4 ,i may not live to see it1 but it will be within two generations4 ,for1 unfortunately1 this amount of change may be effected without the least improvement in the spiritual condition of the people4 ,good laws1 energetically enforced1 with compulsory education1 supplemented by gratuitous individual exertion 7which will then have a much reduced field and much fairer prospects71 will certainly succeed in giving the mass of the people so much light as will generally guide them into so much industry and morality as is clearly conducive to their bodily ease and advancement in life4 ,the difference in thriftiness between the ,english workpeople and the inhabitants of ,guernsey is thus referred to by ,mr4 ,denison3 ,the difference between poverty and pauperism is brought home to us very strongly by what ,i see here4 ,in ,england1 we have people faring sumptuously while they are getting good wages1 and coming on the parish paupers the moment those wages are suspended4 ,here1 people are never dependent upon any support but their own2 but they live1 of their own free will1 in a style of frugality which a landlord would be hooted at for suggesting to his cottagers4 ,we pity ,hodge1 reduced to bacon and greens1 and to meat only once a week4 ,the principal meal of a ,guernsey farmer consists of soupe la graisse1 which is1 being interpreted1 cabbage and peas stewed with a little dripping4 ,this is the daily dinner of men who own perhaps three or four cows1 a pig or two1 and poultry4 ,but the produce and the flesh of these creatures they sell in the market1 investing their gains in extension of land1 or stock1 or in quarters1 that is1 rent-charges on land1 certificates of which are readily bought and sold in the market4#a ,footnote #a3 ,letters and other writings of the late ,edward ,denison1 ,m4,p41 pp4 #ada1 #adb4 ,mr4 ,dension died before he could accomplish much4 ,he was only able to make a beginning4 ,the misery1 arising from improvidence1 which he so deeply deplored1 still exists1 and is even more widely spread4 ,it is not merely the artizan who spends all that he earns1 but the classes above him1 who cannot plead the same excuse of ignorance4 ,many of what are called the upper classes are no more excusable than the lower4 ,they waste their means on keeping up appearances1 and in feeding folly1 dissipation1 and vice4 ,no one can reproach the ,english workman with want of industry4 ,he works harder and more skilfully than the workman of any other country2 and he might be more comfortable and independent in his circumstances1 were he as prudent as he is laborious4 ,but improvidence is unhappily the defect of the class4 ,even the best-paid ,english workmen1 though earning more money than the average of professional men1 still for the most part belong to the poorer classes because of their thoughtlessness4 ,in prosperous times they are not accustomed to make provision for adverse times2 and when a period of social pressure occurs1 they are rarely found more than a few weeks ahead of positive want4 ,hence1 the skilled workman1 unless trained in good habits1 may exhibit no higher a life than that of the mere animal2 and the earning of increased wages will only furnish him with increased means for indulging in the gratification of his grosser appetites4 ,mr4 ,chadwick says1 that during the ,cotton ,famine1 families trooped into the relief rooms in the most abject condition1 whose previous aggregate wages exceeded the income of many curates1--as had the wages of many of the individual workmen4#a ,in a time of prosperity1 working-people feast1 and in a time of adversity they clem4 ,their earnings1 to use their own phrase1 come in at the spigot and go out at the bunghole4 ,when prosperity comes to an end1 and they are paid off1 they rely upon chance and providence--the providence of the ,improvident6 ,footnote #a3 ,address on ,economy and ,trade4 ,by ,,edwin ,,chadwick1 ,c4,b41 p4 #bb4 ,though trade has invariably its cycles of good and bad years1 like the lean and fat kine in ,pharaoh's dream--its bursts of prosperity1 followed by glut1 panic1 and distress--the thoughtless and spendthrift take no heed of experience1 and make no better provision for the future4 ,improvidence seems to be one of the most incorrigible of faults4 ,there are whole neighbourhoods in the manufacturing districts1 says ,mr4 ,baker in a recent ,report1 where not only are there no savings worth mentioning1 but where1 within a fortnight of being out of work1 the workers themselves are starving for want of the merest necessaries4 ,not a strike takes place1 but immediately the workmen are plunged in destitution2 their furniture and watches are sent to the pawnshop1 whilst deplorable appeals are made to the charitable1 and numerous families are cast upon the poor-rates4 ,this habitual improvidence--though of course there are many admirable exceptions--is the real cause of the social degradation of the artizan4 ,this too is the prolific source of social misery4 ,but the misery is entirely the result of human ignorance and self-indulgence4 ,for though the ,creator has ordained poverty1 the poor are not necessarily1 nor as a matter of fact1 the miserable4 ,misery is the result of moral causes1--most commonly of individual vice and improvidence4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,norris1 in speaking of the habits of the highly paid miners and iron-workers of ,south ,staffordshire1 says1 ,improvidence is too tame a word for it--it is recklessness2 here young and old1 married and unmarried1 are uniformly and almost avowedly self-indulgent spendthrifts4 ,one sees this reckless character marring and vitiating the nobler traits of their nature4 ,their gallantry in the face of danger is akin to foolhardiness2 their power of intense labour is seldom exerted except to compensate for time lost in idleness and revelry2 their readiness to make 'gatherings' for their sick and married comrades seems only to obviate the necessity of previous saving2 their very creed--and1 after their sort1 they are a curiously devotional people1 holding frequent prayer-meetings in the pits--often degenerates into fanatical fatalism4 ,but it is seen far more painfully and unmistakably in the alternate plethora and destitution between which1 from year's end to year's end1 the whole population seems to oscillate4 ,the prodigal revelry of the reckoning night1 the drunkenness of ,sunday1 the refusal to work on ,monday and perhaps ,tuesday1 and then the untidiness of their home towards the latter part of the two or three weeks which intervene before the next pay-day2 their children kept from school1 their wives and daughters on the pit-bank1 their furniture in the pawnshop2 the crowded and miry lanes in which they live1 their houses often cracked from top to bottom by the 'crowning in' of the ground1 without drainage1 or ventilation1 or due supply of water2--such a state of things as this1 co-existing with earnings which might ensure comfort and even prosperity1 seems to prove that no legislation can cure the evil4 ,we have certainly had numerous ,reforms4 ,we have had household suffrage1 and vote by ballot4 ,we have relieved the working classes of the taxes on corn1 cattle1 coffee1 sugar1 and provisions generally2 and imposed a considerable proportion of the taxes from which they have been relieved on the middle and upper ranks4 ,yet these measures have produced but little improvement in the condition of the working people4 ,they have not applied the principle of ,reform to themselves4 ,they have not begun at home4 ,yet the end of all ,reform is the improvement of the individual4 ,everything that is wrong in ,society results from that which is wrong in the ,individual4 ,when men are bad1 society is bad4 ,franklin1 with his shrewd common sense1 observed1 ,the taxes are indeed very heavy2 and if those laid on by the ,government were the only ones we had to pay1 we might more easily discharge them2 but we have many others1 and much more grievous to some of us4 ,we are taxed quite as much by our idleness1 three times as much by our pride1 and four times as much by our folly2 and from these taxes the ,commissioners cannot ease or deliver us by allowing an abatement4 ,lord ,john ,russell once made a similar statement to a body of working men who waited upon him for the purpose of asking relief from taxation4 ,you complain of the taxes1 he said2 but think of how you tax yourselves4 ,you consume about fifty millions yearly in drink4 ,is there any ,government that would dare to tax you to that extent8 ,you have it in your own power greatly to reduce the taxes1 and that without in any way appealing to us4 ,complaining that the laws are bad1 and that the taxes are heavy1 will not mend matters4 ,aristocratic government1 and the tyranny of masters1 are nothing like so injurious as the tyranny of vicious appetites4 ,men are easily led away by the parade of their miseries1 which are for the most part voluntary and self-imposed1--the results of idleness1 thriftlessness1 intemperance1 and misconduct4 ,to blame others for what we suffer1 is always more agreeable to our self-pride1 than to blame ourselves4 ,but it is perfectly clear that people who live from day to day without plan1 without rule1 without forethought--who spend all their earnings1 without saving anything for the future--are preparing beforehand for inevitable distress4 ,to provide only for the present1 is the sure means to sacrificing the future4 ,what hope can there be for a people whose only maxim seems to be1 ,let us eat and drink1 for to-morrow we die8 ,all this may seem very hopeless2 yet it is not entirely so4 ,the large earnings of the working classes is an important point to start with4 ,the gradual diffusion of education will help them to use1 and not abuse1 their means of comfortable living4 ,the more extended knowledge of the uses of economy1 frugality1 and thrift1 will help them to spend their lives more soberly1 virtuously1 and religiously4 ,mr4 ,denison was of opinion that much of this might be accomplished within two generations4 ,social improvement is always very slow4 ,how extremely tardy has been the progress of civilization6 ,how gradually have its humanizing influences operated in elevating the mass of the people6 ,it requires the lapse of generations before its effects can be so much as discerned3 for a generation is but as a day in the history of civilization4 ,it has cost most nations ages of wars1 before they could conquer their right of existence as nations4 ,it took four centuries of persecutions and martyrdoms to establish ,christianity1 and two centuries of civil wars to establish the ,reformation4 ,the emancipation of the bondsmen from feudal slavery was only reached through long ages of misery4 ,from the days in which our ,british progenitors rushed to battle in their war-paint1--or those more recent times when the whole of the labouring people were villeins and serfs1 bought and sold with the soil which they tilled1--to the times in which we now live1--how wide the difference1 how gratifying the contrast4 ,surely it ought not to be so difficult to put an end to the ,satanic influences of thriftlessness1 drunkenness1 and improvidence6 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,means ,,of ,,saving4 ,self-reliance and self-denial will teach a man to drink out of his own cistern1 and eat his own sweet bread1 and to learn and labour truly to get his own living1 and carefully to save and expend the good things committed to his trust4--,lord ,bacon4 ,love1 therefore1 labour3 if thou should'st not want it for food1 thou may'st for physic4 ,it is wholesome for the body1 and good for the mind2 it prevents the fruit of idleness4--,william ,penn4 ,the parent who does not teach his child a trade1 teaches him to be a thief4--,brahminical ,scriptures4 ,those who say that ,it can't be done1 are probably not aware that many of the working classes are in the receipt of incomes considerably larger than those of professional men4 ,that this is the case1 is not1 by any means1 a secret4 ,it is published in blue-books1 it is given in evidence before parliamentary committees1 it is reported in newspapers4 ,any coal-owner1 or iron-master1 or cotton-spinner1 will tell you of the high wages that he pays to his workpeople4 ,families employed in the cotton manufacture are able to earn over three pounds a week1 according to the number of the children employed4#a ,their annual incomes will thus amount to about a hundred and fifty pounds a year1--which is considerably larger than the incomes of many professional men--higher than the average of country surgeons1 higher than the average of the clergy and ministers of all denominations1 higher than the average of the teachers of common schools1 and probably higher than the average income of the middle classes of the ,united ,kingdom generally4 ,footnote #a3 ,a return of seven families employed by ,henry ,ashworth1 ,new ,cayley ,mills1 ,lancashire1 is given in the ,blue ,book1 entitled1 ,report of the ,paris ,universal ,exhibition1 #ahfg1 containing the ,returns relative to the ,new ,order of ,reward1 p4 #afc4 ,of the seven families1 the lowest earnings per family amounted to #b #ads4 #f;d42 and the highest to #c #ais4 a week4 ,an employer at ,blackburn informs us that many persons earn upwards of five pounds a week1--or equal to an average income of two hundred and sixty pounds a year4 ,such families1 he says1 ought not to expend more than three pounds weekly4 ,the rest should be saved4 ,but most of them1 after feeding and clothing themselves1 spend the rest in drink and dissipation4 ,the wages are similar in the ,burnley district1 where food1 drink1 and dress absorb the greater part of the workpeople's earnings4 ,in this1 as in other factory districts1 the practice of young persons 7mill-workers7 boarding with their parents is prevalent1 and is very detrimental to parental authority4 ,another reporter says1 ,wages are increasing3 as there is more money1 and more time to spend it in1 sobriety is not on the increase1 especially amongst females4 ,the operatives employed in the woollen manufacture receive about forty shillings a week1 and some as much as sixty1#a besides the amount earned by their children4 ,a good mechanic in an engine shop makes from thirty-five to forty-five shillings a week1 and some mechanics make much larger wages4 ,multiply these figures1 and it will be found that they amount to an annual income of from a hundred to a hundred and twenty pounds a year4 ,footnote #a3 ,see the above ,blue ,book1 p4 #eg1 certifying the wages paid by ,bliss and ,son1 of ,chipping ,norton ,woollen ,factory4 ,but the colliers and iron-workers are paid much higher wages4 ,one of the largest iron-masters recently published in the newspapers the names of certain colliers in his employment who were receiving from four to five pounds a week1--or equal to an annual income of from two hundred to two hundred and fifty pounds a year4#a ,footnote #a3 ,richard ,fothergill1 ,esq41 ,m4,p4 ,he published a subsequent letter1 from which we extract the following3-- ,no doubt such earnings seem large to clerks1 and educated men1 who after receiving a costly education have often to struggle hard for bread2 but they are nevertheless the rightful earnings of steady manual labour2 and ,i have the pleasure of adding that1 while all steady1 well-disposed colliers1 in good health1 could make equally good wages1 many hundreds in ,south ,wales are quietly doing as much or more3 witness a steady collier in my employment1 with his two sons living at home1 whose monthly pay ticket has averaged #cj for the past twelvemonth4 ,another steady collier within my information1 aided by his son1 h as earned during the past five months upwards of #bj a month on the average1 and from his manual labour as an ordinary collier--for it is of the working colliers and firemen ,i am speaking all along--he has built fifteen good houses1 and1 disregarding all menaces1 he continues his habits of steady industry1 whereby he hopes to accumulate an independence for his family in all events4 ,iron-workers are paid a still higher rate of wages4 ,a plate-roller easily makes three hundred a year4#b ,the rollers in rail mills often make much more4 ,in busy times they have made as much as from seven to ten guineas a week1 or equal to from three to five hundred a year4#c ,but1 like the workers in cotton mills1 the iron workers are often helped by their sons1 who are also paid high wages4 ,thus1 the under-hands are usually boys from fourteen years of age and upwards1 who earn about nineteen shillings a week1 and the helpers are boys of under fourteen1 who earn about nine shillings a week4 ,footnote #b3 ,see ,messrs4 ,fox1 ,head1 and ,co4's return1 in the ,blue ,book above referred to4 ,this was the rate of wages at ,middlesborough1 in ,yorkshire4 ,in ,south ,wales1 the wages of the principal operatives engaged in the iron manufacture1 recently1 were--,puddlers4 #is4 a day2 first heaters on the rail mills4 #hs4 #i;d4 a day3 second heaters1 #aas4 #g;d43 roughers1 #ajs4 #i;d43 rollers1 #acs4 #b;d41 or equal to that amount4 ,footnote #c3 ,even at the present time1 when business is so much depressed1 the mill-rollers make an average wage of #e #ajs4 a week4 ,these earnings are far above the average incomes of the professional classes4 ,the rail rollers are able to earn a rate of pay equal to that of ,lieutenant-,colonels in ,her ,majesty's ,foot ,guards2 plate-rollers equal to that of ,majors of ,foot2 and roughers equal to that of ,lieutenants and ,adjutants4 ,goldsmith spoke of the country curate as passing rich with forty pounds a year4 ,the incomes of curates have certainly increased since the time when ,goldsmith wrote1 but nothing like the incomes of skilled and unskilled workmen4 ,if curates merely worked for money1 they would certainly change their vocation1 and become colliers and iron-workers4 ,when the author visited ,renfrewshire a few years ago1 the colliers were earning from ten to fourteen shillings a day4 ,according to the common saying1 they were making money like a minting machine4 ,to take an instance1 a father and three sons were earning sixty pounds a month1--or equal to a united income of more than seven hundred pounds a year4 ,the father was a sober1 steady1 eident man4 ,while the high wages lasted1 he was the first to enter the pit in the morning1 and the last to leave it at night4 ,he only lost five days in one year 7#ahgc-d71--the loss being occasioned by fast-days and holidays4 ,believing that the period of high wages could not last long1 he and his sons worked as hard as they could4 ,they saved a good deal of money1 and bought several houses2 besides educating themselves to occupy higher positions4 ,in the same neighbourhood1 another collier1 with four sons1 was earning money at about the same rate per man1 that is about seventy-five-pounds a mouth1 or nine hundred pounds a year4 ,this family bought five houses within a year1 and saved a considerable sum besides4 ,the last information we had respecting them was that the father had become a contractor1--that he employed about sixty colliers and reddsmen1#a and was allowed so much for every ton of coals brought to bank4 ,the sons were looking after their father's interests4 ,they were all sober1 diligent1 sensible men2 and took a great deal of interest in the education and improvement of the people in their neighbourhood4 ,footnote #a3 ,reddsmen are the men who clear the way for the colliers4 ,they redd up the debris1 and build up the roof 7in the long wall system7 as the colliery advances4 ,at the same time that these two families of colliers were doing so well1 it was very different with the majority of their fellow-workmen4 ,these only worked about three days in every week4 ,some spent their earnings at the public-house2 others took a whisky ploy at the seaside4 ,for that purpose they hired all the gigs1 droskies1 cabs1 or machines1 about a fortnight beforehand4 ,the results were seen1 as the successive ,monday mornings come round4 ,the magistrate sat in the neighbouring town1 where a number of men and women1 with black eyes and broken heads1 were brought before him for judgment4 ,before the time of high wages1 the ,court-house business was got through in an hour3 sometimes there was no business at all4 ,but when the wages were doubled1 the magistrate could scarcely get through the business in a day4 ,it seemed as if high wages meant more idleness1 more whisky1 and more broken heads and faces4 ,these were doubtless roaring times for the colliers1 who1 had they possessed the requisite self-denial1 might have made little fortunes4 ,many of the men who worked out the coal remained idle three or four days in the week2 while those who burnt the coal1 were famished and frozen for want of it4 ,the working people who were not colliers1 will long remember that period as the time of the coal famine4 ,while it lasted1 ,lord ,elcho went over to ,tranent--a village in ,east ,lothian--to address the colliers upon their thriftlessness1 their idleness1 and their attempted combinations to keep up the price of coal4 ,he had the moral courage--a quality much wanted in these days--to tell his constituents some hard but honest truths4 ,he argued with them about the coal famine1 and their desire to prolong it4 ,they were working three days a week1 and idling the other days4 ,some of them did not do a stroke of work during a week or a fortnight2 others were taking about a hundred ,bank holidays yearly4 ,but what were they doing with the money they earned8 ,were they saving it for a rainy day2 or1 when the roaring times no longer existed1 were they preparing to fall back upon the poor-rates8 ,he found that in one case a man1 with his two sons1 was earning seven pounds in a fortnight4 ,i should like1 he said1 to see those ,scotchmen who are in the mining business taking advantage of these happy times1 and endeavouring by their industry to rise from their present position--to exercise self-help1 to acquire property1 and possibly to become coal masters themselves4 ,it had been said in a newspaper1 that a miner was earning wages equal to that of a ,captain1 and that a mining boy was earning wages equal to that of a ,lieutenant in ,her ,majesty's service4 ,i only know1 said ,lord ,elcho1 that ,i have a boy who1 when he first joined ,her ,majesty's service1 was an ,ensign1 and that his wage--to earn which1 remember1 he had1 under the purchase system1 to pay five hundred pounds1--was not the wage you are now receiving1 but the wage which you were receiving in bad times1--and that was only five shillings a day4 ,it might be said that the collier risks his life in earning his wages2 but so does the soldier2 and the gallant boy to whom ,lord ,elcho referred1 afterwards lost his life in the ,ashantee campaign4 ,the times of high wages did not leave a very good impression on the public mind4 ,prices became higher1 morals became lower1 and the work done was badly done4 ,there was a considerable deterioration in the character of ,british workmanship4 ,we began to rely too much upon the foreigner4 ,trade was to a large extent destroyed1 and an enormous loss of capital was sustained1 both by the workmen and by the masters4 ,lord ,aberdare was of opinion that three millions sterling were lost by the workmen alone1 during the recent strike in ,south ,wales4 ,one hundred and twenty thousand workmen were in enforced idleness at once1 and one hundred and fifty thousand pounds were lost every week in wages during the time that they remained idle4 ,what the employers think of the recent flash of prosperity1 can easily be imagined4 ,but it may not be unnecessary to quote some of the statements of correspondents4 ,a large employer of labour in ,south ,lancashire says3 ,drunkenness increases1 and personal violence is not sufficiently discouraged4 ,high wages and household suffrage came upon the people before education had prepared them for the change4 ,in a large iron-work near ,newcastle1 where the men were paid the highest wages for rolling plates and rails--and where they were earning between three and four hundred pounds a year--the proprietors observe3 ,except in a few instances1 we are afraid that workmen and their families spend most of their earnings4 ,another employer in ,south ,staffordshire says3 ,in the majority of cases1 the men employed in the iron-work spend the whole of their wages before the end of the following week4 ,there are1 of course1 some exceptions2 but they are1 unhappily1 very few4 ,another1 in ,south ,wales1 says3 ,as to the thrifty habits of the men1 a small minority are careful and saving2 they generally invest their money in cottage property4 ,but the great majority of the men spend their money often before they earn it1 and that in the most reckless way4 ,large sums are spent in drink3 this leads to idleness2 and1 owing to drinking and idling1 the works are kept short of men until about ,wednesday in each week1 when the greater part of the most idly disposed have become sobered down4 ,of course1 when wages are low1 the men work more regularly4 ,there is less drinking1 and altogether the condition of the place is healthier in every respect both in a moral and physical sense4 ,another observer remarks1 that the miners of ,bilston are about six thousand in number1 and they spend more than fifty thousand pounds annually in the purchase of ale and liquors4 ,their improvidence may be studied with advantage in the ,bilston ,market4 ,no other market is supplied with finer poultry1 or comparatively to the population1 in greater abundance2 and this is chiefly1 if not entirely1 for1 the consumption of the labouring classes1--for the resident inhabitants1 not directly associated with those classes are few in number4 ,sordid and ill-favoured men may there be seen buying on ,saturday1 chickens1 ducks1 and geese1 which they eat for supper2 and in some instances1 bottled porter and wine4 ,yet1 so little have they beforehand in the world1 that if the works were to stop1 they would begin within a fortnight to pawn the little furniture of their cottages1 and their clothes1 for subsistence and for drink4 ,mr4 ,chambers1 of ,edinburgh1 in his description of the working classes of ,sunderland makes these remarks3 ,with deep sorrow ,i mention that everywhere one tale was told4 ,intemperance prevails to a large extent2 good wages are squandered on mean indulgences2 there is little care for the morrow1 and the workhouse is the ultimate refuge4 ,one man1 a skilled worker in an iron-foundry1 was pointed out as having for years received a wage of one guinea a day1 or six guineas a week2 he had spent all1 mostly in drink1 and was now reduced to a lower department at a pound a week4 ,another illustration occurs4 ,a clerk at ,blackburn took a house for twenty pounds a year1 and sublet the cellars underneath to a factory operative at a rental of five pounds a year4 ,the clerk had a wife1 four children1 and a servant2 the operative had a wife and five children4 ,the clerk and his family were well dressed1 their children went to school1 and all went to church on ,sundays4 ,the operative's family went1 some to the factory1 others to the gutter1 but none to school2 they were ill-dressed1 excepting on ,sundays1 when they obtained their clothes from the pawnshop4 ,as the ,saturdays came round1 the frying-pan in the cellar was almost constantly at work until ,monday night2 and as regularly as ,thursday arrived1 the bundle of clothes was sent to the pawnshop4 ,yet the income of the upper-class family in the higher part of the house was a hundred a year2 and the income of the lower class family in the cellar was fifty pounds more--that is1 a hundred and fifty pounds a year6 ,an employer in the same neighbourhood used to say1 ,i cannot afford lamb1 salmon1 young ducks and green peas1 new potatoes1 strawberries and such-like1 until after my hands have been consuming these delicacies of the season for some three or four weeks4 ,the intense selfishness1 thriftlessness1 and folly of these highly paid operatives1 is scarcely credible4 ,exceptions are frequently taken to calling the working classes the lower orders2 but the lower orders they always will be1 so long as they indicate such sensual indulgence and improvidence4 ,in cases such as these1 improvidence is not only a great sin1 and a feeder of sin1 but it is a great cruelty4 ,in the case of the father of a family1 who has been instrumental in bringing a number of helpless beings into the world1 it is heartless and selfish in the highest degree to spend money on personal indulgences such as drink1 which do the parent no good1 and the mother and the children1 through the hereditary bad example1 an irreparable amount of mischief4 ,the father takes sick1 is thrown out of work1 and his children are at once deprived of the means of subsistence4 ,the reckless parent has not even taken the precaution to enter a ,provident or a ,benefit ,society2 and while he is sick1 his wife and children are suffering the pangs of hunger4 ,or1 he dies2 and the poor creatures are thrown upon the charity of strangers1 or on the miserable pittance wrung from the poor-rates4 ,it would seem to be of little use preaching up an extension of rights to a people who are so supinely indifferent to their own well-being1--who are really unconcerned about their own elevation4 ,the friends of the industrious should faithfully tell them that they must exercise prudence1 economy1 and self-denial1 if they would really be raised from selfish debasement1 and become elevated to the dignity of thinking beings4 ,it is only by practising the principles of self-dependence that they can achieve dignity1 stability1 and consideration in society2 or that they can acquire such influence and power as to raise them in the scale of social well-being4 ,brown1 the ,oxford shoemaker1 was of opinion that a good mechanic is the most independent man in the world4 ,at least he ought to be such4 ,he has always a market for his skill2 and if he be ordinarily diligent1 sober1 and intelligent1 he may be useful1 healthy1 and happy4 ,with a thrifty use of his means1 he may1 if he earns from thirty to forty shillings a week1 dress well1 live well1 and educate his children creditably4 ,hugh ,miller never had more than twenty-four shillings a week while working as a journeyman stonemason1 and here is the result of his fifteen years' experience3-- ,let me state1 for it seems to be very much the fashion to draw dolorous pictures of the condition of the labouring classes1 that from the close of the first year in which ,i worked as a journeyman until ,i took final leave of the mallet and chisel1 ,i never knew what it was to want a shilling2 that my two uncles1 my grandfather1 and the mason with whom ,i served my apprenticeship--all working men--had had a similar experience2 and that it was the experience of my father also4 ,i cannot doubt that deserving mechanics may1 in exceptional cases1 be exposed to want2 but ,i can as little doubt that the cases are exceptional1 and that much of the suffering of the class is a consequence either of improvidence on the part of the competently skilled1 or of a course of trifling during the term of apprenticeship1 quite as common as trifling at school1 that always lands those who indulge in it in the hapless position of the inferior workman4 ,it is most disheartening to find that so many of the highest paid workmen in the kingdom should spend so large a portion of their earnings in their own personal and sensual gratification4 ,many spend a third1 and others half their entire earnings1 in drink4 ,it would be considered monstrous1 on the part of any man whose lot has been cast among the educated classes to exhibit such a degree of selfish indulgence2 and to spend even one-fourth of his income upon objects in which his wife and children have no share4 ,mr4 ,roolmck recently asked1 at a public meeting1#a ,why should the mail who makes #bjj or #cjj a year by his mechanical labour1 be a rude1 coarse1 brutal fellow8 ,there is no reason why he should be so4 ,footnote #a3 ,meeting of the ,mechanics' ,institutes at ,dewsbury1 ,yorkshire4 ,why should he not be like a gentleman8 ,why should not his house be like my house8 ,when ,i go home from my labour1 what do ,i find8 ,i find a cheerful wife--,i find an elegant1 educated woman4 ,i have a daughter2 she is the same4 ,why should not you find the same happy influences at home8 ,i want to know1 when the working man comes from his daily labour to his home1 why he should not find his table spread as mine is spread2 why he should not find his wife well dressed1 cleanly1 loving1 kind1 and his daughter the same8444 ,we all know that many working men1 earning good wages1 spend their money in the beerhouse and in drunkenness1 instead of in clothing their wives and families4 ,why should not these men spend their wages as ,i spend my small stipend1 in intellectual pleasures1 in joining with my family in intellectual pursuits8 ,why should not working men1 after enjoying their dinners and thanking ,god for what they have got1 turn their attention to intellectual enjoyments1 instead of going out to get drunk in the nearest pothouse6 ,depend on it these things ought to go to the heart of a working man2 and he is not a friend to the working man who talks to him and makes him believe that he is a great man in the ,state1 and who don't tell him what are the duties of his position4 ,it is difficult to account for the waste and extravagance of working people4 ,it must be the hereditary remnant of the original savage4 ,it must be a survival4 ,the savage feasts and drinks until everything is gone2 and then he hunts or goes to war4 ,or it may be the survival of slavery in the ,state4 ,slavery was one of the first of human institutions4 ,the strong man made the weak man work for him4 ,the warlike race subdued the less warlike race1 and made them their slaves4 ,thus slavery existed from the earliest times4 ,in ,greece and ,rome the righting was done by freemen1 the labour by helots and bondsmen4 ,but slavery also existed in the family4 ,the wife was the slave of her husband as much as the slave whom he bought in the public market4 ,slavery long existed among ourselves4 ,it existed when ,caesar lauded4 ,it existed in ,saxon times1 when the household work was done by slaves4 ,the ,saxons were notorious slave-dealers1 and the ,irish were their best customers4 ,the principal mart was at ,bristol1 from whence the ,saxons exported large numbers of slaves into ,ireland so that1 according to ,irish historians1 there was scarcely a house in ,ireland without a ,british slave in it4 ,when the ,normans took possession of ,england1 they continued slavery4 ,they made slaves of the ,saxons themselves whom they decreed villeins and bondsmen4 ,domesday ,book shows that the toll of the market at ,lewes in ,sussex was a penny for a cow1 and fourpence for a slave--not a serf 7adscriptus glebae71 but an unconditional bondsman4 ,from that time slavery continued in various forms4 ,it is recorded of the good old times1 that it was not till the reign of ,henry ,,iv4 7#acbj--adac7 that villeins1 farmers1 and mechanics were permitted by law to put their children to school2 and long after that1 they dared not educate a son for the ,church without a licence from the lord4#a ,the ,kings of ,england1 in their contests with the feudal aristocracy1 gradually relaxed the slave laws4 ,they granted charters founding ,royal ,burghs2 and when the slaves fled into them1 and were able to conceal themselves for a year and a day1 they then became freemen of the burgh1 and were declared by law to be free4 ,footnote #a3 ,henry's ,history of ,england1 ,book v41 chap4 #d ,the last serfs in ,england were emancipated in the reign of ,queen ,elizabeth2 but the last serfs in ,scotland1 were not emancipated until the reign of ,george ,,iii1 at the end of last century4 ,before then1 the colliers and salters belonged to the soil4 ,they were bought and sold with it4 ,they had no power to determine what their wages should be4 ,like the slaves in the ,southern ,states of ,america1 they merely accepted such sustenance as was sufficient to maintain their muscles and sinews in working order4 ,they were never required to save for any purpose1 for they had no right to their own savings4 ,they did not need to provide for to-morrow2 their masters provided for them4 ,the habit of improvidence was thus formed2 and it still continues4 ,the ,scotch colliers1 who were recently earning from ten to fourteen shillings a day1 are the grandsons of men who were slaves down to the end of last century4 ,the preamble of an ,act passed in #agii 7#cith ,geo4 ,,iii41 c4 #ef71 runs as follows3 ,whereas1 before the passing of an ,act of the fifteenth of his present ,majesty1 many colliers1 coal-bearers1 and salters were bound for life to1 and transferable with1 the collieries and salt-works where they worked1 but by the said ,act their bondage was taken off and they were declared to be free1 notwithstanding which many colliers and coalbearers and salters still continue in a state of bondage from not having complied with the provisions1 or from having become subject to the penalties of that ,act1 etc4 ,the new ,act then proceeds to declare them free from servitude4 ,the slaves formerly earned only enough to keep them1 and laid by nothing whatever for the future4 ,hence we say that the improvidence of the colliers1 as of the iron-workers1 is but a survival of the system of slavery in our political constitution4 ,matters have now become entirely different4 ,the workman1 no matter what his trade1 is comparatively free4 ,the only slavery from which he suffers1 is his passion for drink4 ,in this respect he still resembles the ,esquimaux and the ,north ,american ,indians4 ,would he be really free8 ,then he must exercise the powers of a free1 responsible man4 ,he must exercise self-control and self-constraint1--and sacrifice present personal gratifications for prospective enjoyments of a much higher kind4 ,it is only by self-respect and self-control that the position of the workman can be really elevated4 ,the working man is now more of a citizen than he ever was before4 ,he is a recognized power1 and has been admitted within the pale of the constitution4 ,for him mechanics' institutes1 newspapers1 benefit societies1 and all the modern agencies of civilization1 exist in abundance4 ,he is admitted to the domain of intellect2 and1 from time to time1 great thinkers1 artists1 engineers1 philosophers1 and poets1 rise up from his order1 to proclaim that intellect is of no rank1 and nobility of no exclusive order4 ,the influences of civilization are rousing society to its depths2 and daily evidences are furnished of the rise of the industrious classes to a position of social power4 ,discontent may1 and does1 exhibit itself2 but discontent is only the necessary condition of improvement2 for a man will not be stimulated to rise up into a higher condition unless he be first made dissatisfied with the lower condition out of which he has to rise4 ,to be satisfied is to repose2 while1 to be rationally dissatisfied1 is to contrive1 to work1 and to act1 with an eye to future advancement4 ,the working classes very much under-estimate themselves4 ,though they receive salaries or wages beyond the average earnings of professional men1 yet many of them have no other thought than that of living in mean houses1 and spending their surplus time and money in drink4 ,they seem wanting in respect for themselves as well as for their class4 ,they encourage the notion that there is something degrading in labour1--than which nothing can be more false4 ,labour of all kinds is dignifying and honourable2 it is the idler1 above all others1 who is undignified and dishonourable4 ,let the working man1 says ,mr4 ,sterling1 try to connect his daily task1 however mean1 with the highest thoughts he can apprehend1 and he thereby secures the rightfulness of his lot1 and is raising his existence to his utmost good4 ,it is because the working man has failed to do this1 and because others have failed to help him as they ought1 that the lot of labour has hitherto been associated with what is mean and degrading4 ,with respect to remuneration1 the average of skilled mechanics and artisans1 as we have already said1 are better paid than the average of working curates4 ,the working engineer is better paid than the ensign in a marching regiment4 ,the foreman in any of our large engineering establishments is better paid than an army surgeon4 ,the rail-roller receives over a guinea a day1 while an assistant navy surgeon receives fourteen shillings1 and after three years' service1 twenty-one shillings1 with rations4 ,the majority of dissenting ministers are much worse paid than the better classes of skilled mechanics and artizans2 and the average of clerks employed in counting-houses and warehouses receive wages very much lower4 ,skilled workmen might--and1 if they had the will1 they would--occupy a social position as high as the educated classes we refer to4 ,what prevents them rising8 ,merely because they will not use their leisure to cultivate their minds4 ,they have sufficient money2 it is culture that they want4 ,they ought to know that the position of men in society does not depend so much upon their earnings1 as upon their character and intelligence4 ,and it is because they neglect their abundant opportunities1--because they are thriftless and spend their earnings in animal enjoyments1--because they refuse to cultivate the highest parts of their nature1--that they are excluded1 or rather self-excluded1 from those social and other privileges in which they are entitled to take part4 ,notwithstanding their high wages1 they for the most part cling to the dress1 the language1 and the manners of their class4 ,they appear1 during their leisure hours1 in filthy dresses1 and unwashed hands4 ,no matter how skilled the workman may be1 he is ready to sink his mind and character to the lowest level of his co-workers4 ,even the extra money which he earns by his greater skill1 often contributes to demoralize and degrade him4 ,and yet he might dress as well1 live as well1 and be surrounded by the physical comforts and intellectual luxuries of professional men4 ,but no6 ,from week to week his earnings are wasted4 ,he does not save a farthing2 he is a public-house victim2 and when work becomes slack1 and his body becomes diseased1 his only refuge is the workhouse4 ,how are these enormous evils to be cured8 ,some say by better education2 others by moral and religious instruction2 others by better homes1 and better wives and mothers4 ,all these influences will doubtless contribute much towards the improvement of the people4 ,one thing is perfectly clear1 that an immense amount of ignorance prevails1 and that such ignorance must be dissipated before the lower classes can be elevated4 ,their whole character must be changed1 and they must be taught in early life habits of forecast and self-control4 ,we often hear that ,knowledge is ,power2 but we never hear that ,ignorance is ,power4 ,and yet ,ignorance has always had more power in the world than ,knowledge4 ,ignorance dominates4 ,it is because of the evil propensities of men that the costly repressive institutions of modern governments exist4 ,ignorance arms men against each other2 provides gaols and penitentiaries2 police and constabulary4 ,all the physical force of the ,state is provided by ,ignorance2 is required by ,ignorance2 is very often wielded by ,ignorance4 ,we may well avow1 then1 that ,ignorance is ,power4 ,ignorance is powerful1 because ,knowledge1 as yet1 has obtained access only to the minds of the few4 ,let ,knowledge become more generally diffused2 let the multitude become educated1 thoughtful1 and wise2 and then ,knowledge may obtain the ascendancy over ,ignorance4 ,but that time has not yet arrived4 ,look into the records of crime1 and you will find that1 for one man possessed of wisdom or knowledge who commits a crime1 there are a hundred ignorant4 ,or1 into the statistics of drunkenness and improvidence of all sorts2 still ,ignorance is predominant4 ,or1 into the annals of pauperism2 there1 again1 ,ignorance is ,power4 ,the principal causes of anxiety in this country1 are the social suffering and disease which proceed from ,ignorance4 ,to mitigate these1 we form associations1 organize societies1 spend money1 and labour in committees4 ,but the power of ,ignorance is too great for us4 ,we almost despair while we work4 ,we feel that much of our effort is wasted4 ,we are often ready to give up in dismay1 and recoil from our encounter with the powers of evil4 ,how forcible are right words6 exclaimed ,job4 ,yes6 ,but1 with equal justice1 he might have said1 ,how forcible are wrong words6 ,the wrong words have more power with ignorant minds than the right words4 ,they fit themselves into wrong heads1 and prejudiced heads1 and empty heads2 and have power over them4 ,the right words have often no meaning for them1 any more than if they were the words of some dead language4 ,the wise man's thoughts do not reach the multitude1 but fly over their heads4 ,only the few as yet apprehend them4 ,the physiologist may discuss the laws of health1 and the ,board of ,health may write tracts for circulation among the people2 but half the people cannot so much as read2 and of the remaining half1 but a very small proportion are in the habit of thinking4 ,thus the laws of health are disregarded2 and when fever comes1 it finds a wide field to work upon3 in undrained and filthy streets and back-yards1--noisome1 pestilential districts1--foul1 uncleansed dwellings1--large populations ill-supplied with clean water and with pure air4 ,there death makes fell havoc2 many destitute widows and children have to be maintained out of the poor's-rates2 and then we reluctantly confess to ourselves that ,ignorance is ,power4 ,the only method of abating this power of ,ignorance1 is by increasing that of ,knowledge4 ,as the sun goes up the sky1 the darkness disappears2 and the owl1 the bat1 and the beasts of prey1 slink out of sight4 ,give the people knowledge1--give them better education1--and thus1 crime will be abated1--drunkenness1 improvidence1 lawlessness1 and all the powers of evil1 will1 to a certain extent1 disappear4#a ,footnote #a3 ,the recent reports of ,mr4 ,tremenheere to the ,secretary of ,state for the ,home ,department1 with respect to the condition of the population in the iron and coal districts1 show that he places considerable reliance upon the effect of ,education4 ,the evidence which he brought together from all parts of the country1 shows that the increase of immorality with the increase of wages was attributed to the low tastes and desires of the people4--that the obstinate refusal of the men to exert more than two-thirds of their fair powers of work1 by which the cost of production is largely enhanced1 capital crippled1 and the public mulcted1 was due to the same cause1--that their readiness to become the prey of unionists and agitators is traceable to their want of the most elementary principles of thought1--that most of the accidents1 which are of weekly occurrence1 are occasioned by their stupidity and ignorance1--that wherever they have advanced in intelligence1 they have become more skilful1 more subordinate1 and more industrious4 ,these facts have convinced the more thoughtful and far-sighted masters1 that the only sure means of maintaining their ground under increasing foreign competition1 and averting a social crisis1 is to reform the character of the rising generation of operatives by education1 ,it must1 however1 be admitted that education is not enough4 ,the clever man may be a clever rogue2 and the cleverer he is1 the cleverer rogue he will be4 ,education1 therefore1 must be based upon religion and morality2 for education by itself will not eradicate vicious propensities4 ,culture of intellect has but little effect upon moral conduct4 ,you may see clever1 educated1 literary men1 with no conduct whatever1--wasteful1 improvident1 drunken1 and vicious4 ,it follows1 therefore1 that education must be based upon the principles of religion and morality4 ,nor has the poverty of the people so much to do with their social degradation as is commonly supposed4 ,the question is essentially a moral one4 ,if the income of the labouring community could be suddenly doubled1 their happiness will not necessarily be increased2 for happiness does not consist in money4 ,in fact1 the increased wages might probably prove a curse instead of a blessing4 ,in the case of many1 there would be an increased consumption of drink1 with the usual results1--an increase of drunken violence1 and probably an increase of crime4 ,the late ,mr4 ,clay1 chaplain of the ,preston ,house of ,correction1 after characterizing drunkenness as the ,,great ,,sin1 proceeds3 ,it still rises in savage hostility1 against everything allied to order and religion2 it still barricades every avenue by which truth and peace seek to enter the poor man's home and heart4444 ,whatever may be the predominant cause of crime1 it is very clear that ignorance1 religious ignorance1 is the chief ingredient in the character of the criminal4 ,this combines with the passion for liquor1 and offences numberless are engendered by the union4 ,the late ,sir ,arthur ,helps1 when speaking of high and low wages1 and of the means of getting and spending money1 thus expresses himself on the subject1 in his ,friends in ,council3,my own conviction is1 that throughout ,england every year there is sufficient wages given1 even at the present low rate1 to make the condition of the labouring poor quite different from what it is4 ,but then these wages must be well spent4 ,i do not mean that the poor could of themselves alone effect this change2 but were they seconded by the advice1 the instruction1 and the aid 7not given in money1 or only in money lent to produce the current interest of the day7 of the classes above them1 the rest the poor might accomplish for themselves4 ,and1 indeed1 all that the rich could do to elevate the poor could hardly equal the advantage that would be gained by the poor themselves1 if they could thoroughly subdue that one vice of drunkenness1 the most wasteful of all the vices4 ,in the living of the poor 7as indeed of all of us7 there are two things to be considered2 how to get money1 and how to spend it4 ,now1 ,i believe1 the experience of employers will bear me out in saying1 that it is frequently found that the man with #bjs4 a week does not live more comfortably1 or save more1 than the man with #ads41--the families of the two men being the same in number and general circumstances4 ,it is probable that unless he have a good deal of prudence and thought1 the man who gets at all more than the average of his class does not know what to do with it1 or only finds in it a means superior to that which his fellows possess of satisfying his appetite for drinking4 ,notwithstanding1 however1 the discouraging circumstances to which we have referred1 we must believe that in course of time1 as men's nature becomes improved by education--secular1 moral1 and religious--they may be induced to make a better use of their means1 by considerations of prudence1 forethought1 and parental responsibility4 ,a ,german writer speaks of the education given to a child as a capital--equivalent to a store of money--placed at its disposal by the parent4 ,the child1 when grown to manhood1 may employ the education1 as he might employ the money1 badly2 but that is no argument against the possession of either4 ,of course1 the value of education1 as of money1 chiefly consists in its proper use4 ,and one of the advantages of knowledge is1 that the very acquisition of it tends to increase the capability of using it aright2 which is certainly not the case with the accumulation of money4 ,education1 however obtained1 is always an advantage to a man4 ,even as a means of material advancement1 it is worthy of being sought after1--not to speak of its moral uses as an elevator of character and intelligence4 ,and if1 as ,dr4 ,lyon ,playfair insists1 the composition between industrial nations must before long become a competition mainly of intelligence1 it is obvious that ,england must make better provision for the education of its industrial classes1 or be prepared to fall behind in the industrial progress of nations4 ,it would be of little avail1 said ,dr4 ,brewster of ,edinburgh1 to the peace and happiness of society1 if the great truths of the material world were confined to the educated and the wise4 ,the organization of science thus limited would cease to be a blessing4 ,knowledge secular1 and knowledge divine1 the double current of the intellectual life-blood of man1 must not merely descend through the great arteries of the social frame2 it must be taken up by the minutest capillaries before it can nourish and purify society4 ,knowledge is at once the manna and the medicine of our moral being4 ,where crime is the bane1 knowledge is the antidote4 ,society may escape from the pestilence and may survive the famine2 but the demon of ignorance1 with his grim adjutants of vice and riot1 will pursue her into her most peaceful haunts1 destroying our institutions1 and converting into a wilderness the paradise of social and domestic life4 ,the ,state has1 therefore1 a great duty to perform4 ,as it punishes crime1 it is bound to prevent it4 ,as it subjects us to laws1 it must teach us to read them2 and while it thus teaches1 it must teach also the ennobling truths which display the power and the wisdom of the great ,lawgiver1 thus diffusing knowledge while it is extending education2 and thus making men contented1 and happy1 and humble1 while it makes them quiet and obedient subjects4 ,a beginning has already been made with public school education4 ,much still remains to be done to establish the system throughout the empire4 ,at present we are unable to judge of the effects of what has been done4 ,but if general education accomplish as much for ,england as it has already accomplished for ,germany1 the character of this country will be immensely improved during the next twenty years4 ,education has almost banished drunkenness from ,germany2 and had ,england no drunkenness1 no thriftlessness1 no reckless multiplication1 our social miseries would be comparatively trivial4 ,we must therefore believe that as intelligence extends amongst the working class1 and as a better moral tone pervades them1 there will be a rapid improvement in their sober1 thrifty and provident habits2 for these form the firmest and surest foundations for social advancement4 ,there is a growing desire1 on the part of the more advanced minds in society1 to see the working men take up their right position4 ,they who do society's work1--who produce1 under the direction of the most intelligent of their number1 the wealth of the nation1--are entitled to a much higher place than they have yet assumed4 ,we believe in this good time coming1 for working men and women1--when an atmosphere of intelligence shall pervade them--when they will prove themselves as enlightened1 polite1 and independent as the other classes of society2 and1 as the first and surest step towards this consummation1 we counsel them to ,,provide--to provide for the future as well as for the present--to provide1 in times of youth and plenty1 against the times of adversity1 misfortune1 and old age4 ,if any one intends to improve his condition1 said the late ,william ,felkin1 ,mayor of ,nottingham1 himself originally a working man1 he must earn all he can1 spend as little as he can1 and make what he does spend1 bring him and his family all the real enjoyment he can4 ,the first saving which a working man makes out of his earnings is the first step1--and because it is the first1 the most important step towards true independence4 ,now independence is as practicable in the case of an industrious and economic1 though originally poor1 workman1 as in that of the tradesman or merchant1--and is as great and estimable a blessing4 ,the same process must be attended to1--that is1 the entire expenditure being kept below the clear income1 all contingent claims being carefully considered and provided for1 and the surplus held sacred1 to be employed for those purposes1 and those only1 which duty or conscience may point out as important or desirable4 ,this requires a course of laborious exertion and strict economy1 a little foresight1 and possibly some privation4 ,but this is only what is common to all desirable objects4 ,and inasmuch as ,i know what it is to labour with the hands long hours1 and for small wages1 as well as any workman to whom ,i address myself1 and to practise self-denial withal1 ,i am emboldened to declare from experience that the gain of independence1 or rather self-dependence1 for which ,i plead1 is worth infinitely more than all the cost of its attainment2 and1 moreover1 that to attain it in a greater or less degree1 according to circumstances1 is within the power of by far the greater number of skilled workmen engaged in our manufactories4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,examples ,,of ,,thrift4 ,examples demonstrate the possibility of success4--,cotton4 ,the force of his own merit1 makes his way4--,shakespeare4 ,reader1 attend1 whether thy soul ,soars ,fancy's flight beyond the ,pole1 ,or darkling grubs this earthly hole ,in low pursuit-- ,know1 prudent1 cautious self-control1 ,is wisdom's root4--,burns4 ,in the family1 as in the ,state1 the best source of wealth is ,economy4--,cicero4 ,right action is the result of right faith2 but a true and right faith cannot be sustained1 deepened1 extended1 save in a course of right action4--,m',combie4 ,thrift is the spirit of order applied to domestic management and organization4 ,its object is to manage frugally the resources of the family2 to prevent waste2 and avoid useless expenditure4 ,thrift is under the influence of reason and forethought1 and never works by chance or by fits4 ,it endeavours to make the most and the best of everything4 ,it does not save money for saving's sake4 ,it makes cheerful sacrifices for the present benefit of others2 or it submits to voluntary privation for some future good4 ,mrs4 ,inchbald1 author of the ,simple ,story1 was1 by dint of thrift1 able to set apart the half of her small income for the benefit of her infirm sister4 ,there was thus about two pounds a week for the maintenance of each4 ,many times1 she says1 during the winter1 when ,i was crying with cold1 have ,i said to myself1 ',thank ,god1 my dear sister need not leave her chamber2 she will find her fire ready for her each morning2 for she is now far less able than ,i am to endure privation4' ,mrs4 ,inchbald's family were1 for the most part very poor2 and she felt it right to support them during their numerous afflictions4 ,there is one thing that may be say of ,benevolence1--that it has never ruined anyone2 though selfishness and dissipation have ruined thousands4 ,the words ,waste not1 want not1 carved in stone over ,sir ,walter ,scott's kitchen fireplace at ,abbotsford1 expresses in a few words the secret of ,order in the midst of abundance4 ,order is most useful in the management of everything1--of a household1 of a business1 of a manufactory1 of an army4 ,its maxim is--,a place for everything1 and everything in its place4 ,order is wealth2 for1 whoever properly regulates the use of his income1 almost doubles his resources4 ,disorderly persons are rarely rich2 and orderly persons are rarely poor4 ,order is the best manager of time2 for unless work is properly arranged1 ,time is lost2 and1 once lost1 it is gone for ever4 ,order illustrates many important subjects4 ,thus1 obedience to the moral and natural law1 is order4 ,respect for ourselves and our neighbours1 is order4 ,regard for the rights and obligations of all1 is order4 ,virtue is order4 ,the world began with order4 ,chaos prevailed1 before the establishment of order4 ,thrift is the spirit of order in human life4 ,it is the prime agent in private economy4 ,it preserves the happiness of many a household4 ,and as it is usually woman who regulates the order of the household1 it is mainly upon her that the well-doing of society depends4 ,it is therefore all the more necessary that she should early be educated in the habit and the virtue of orderliness4 ,the peer1 the merchant1 the clerk1 the artizan1 and the labourer1 are all of the same nature1 born with the same propensities and subject to similar influences4 ,they are1 it is true1 born in different positions1 but it rests with themselves whether they shall live their lives nobly or vilely4 ,they may not have their choice of riches or poverty2 but they have their choice of being good or evil1--of being worthy or worthless4 ,people of the highest position1 in point of culture and education1 have often as great privations to endure as the average of working people4 ,they have often to make their incomes go much further4 ,they have to keep up a social standing4 ,they have to dress better2 and live sufficiently well for the purpose of health4 ,though their income may be less than that of colliers and iron-workers1 they are under the moral necessity of educating their sons and bringing them up as gentlemen1 so that they may take their fair share of the world's work4 ,thus1 the tenth ,earl of ,buchan brought up a numerous family of children1 one of whom afterwards rose to be ,lord ,chancellor of ,england1 upon an income not exceeding two hundred a year4 ,it is not the amount of income1 so much as the good use of it1 that marks the true man2 and viewed in this light1 good sense1 good taste1 and sound mental culture1 are among the best of all economists4 ,the late ,dr4 ,aiton said that his father brought up a still larger family on only half the income of the ,earl of ,buchan4 ,the following dedication1 prefixed to his work on ,clerical ,economics1 is worthy of being remembered3 ,this work is respectfully dedicated to a ,father1 now in the eighty-third year of his age1 who1 on an income which never exceeded a hundred pounds yearly1 educated1 out of a family of twelve children1 four sons to liberal professions1 and who has often sent his last shilling to each of them1 in their turn1 when they were at college4 ,the author might even cite his own case as an illustration of the advantages of thrift4 ,his mother was left a widow1 when her youngest child--the youngest of eleven--was only three weeks old4 ,notwithstanding a considerable debt on account of a suretyship1 which was paid1 she bravely met the difficulties of her position1 and perseveringly overcame them4 ,though her income was less than that of many highly paid working men1 she educated her children well1 and brought them up religiously and virtuously4 ,she put her sons in the way of doing well1 and if they have not done so1 it was through no fault of hers4 ,hume1 the historian1 was a man of good family2 but being a younger brother1 his means were very small4 ,his father died while he was an infant2 he was brought up by his mother1 who devoted herself entirely to the rearing and educating of her children4 ,at twenty-three1 young ,hume went to ,france to prosecute his studies4 ,there1 says he1 in his ,autobiography1 ,i laid down that plan of life which ,i have steadily and successfully pursued4 ,i resolved to make a very rigid frugality supply my deficiency of fortune1 to maintain unimpaired my independency1 and to regard every object as contemptible1 except the improvement of my talents in literature4 ,the first book he published was a complete failure4 ,but he went on again2 composed and published another book1 which was a success4 ,but he made no money by it4 ,he became secretary to the military embassy at ,vienna and ,turin2 and at thirty-six he thought himself rich4 ,these are his own words3 ,my appointments1 with my frugality1 had made me reach a fortune which ,i called independent1 though most of my friends were inclined to smile when ,i said so3 in short1 ,i was now master of near a thousand pounds4 ,every one knows that a thousand pounds1 at five per cent41 means fifty pounds a year2 and ,hume considered himself independent with that income4 ,his friend ,adam ,smith said of him3 ,even in the lowest state of his fortune1 his great and necessary frugality never hindered him from exercising1 upon proper occasions1 acts both of charity and generosity4 ,it was a frugality founded not on avarice1 but upon the love of independency4 ,but one of the most remarkable illustrations of ,thrift is to be found in the history of the ,rev4 ,robert ,walker--the ,wonderful ,robert ,walker1 as he is still called in the district of ,cumberland where he resided4 ,he was curate of ,leathwaite during the greater part of last century4 ,the income of the curacy1 at the time of his appointment 7#agce71 was only five pounds a year4 ,his wife brought him a fortune of forty pounds4 ,is it possible that he could contrive to live upon his five pounds a year1 the interest of his wife's fortune1 and the result of his labours as a clergyman8 ,yes1 he contrived to do all this2 and he not only lived well1 though plainly1 but he saved money1 which he left for the benefit of his family4 ,he accomplished all this by means of industry1 frugality1 and temperance4 ,first1 about his industry4 ,he thoroughly did the work connected with his curacy4 ,the ,sabbath was in all respects regarded by him as a holy day4 ,after morning and evening service1 he devoted the evening to reading the ,scriptures and family prayer4 ,on weekdays1 he taught the children of the parish1 charging nothing for the education1 but only taking so much as the people chose to give him4 ,the parish church was his school2 and while the children were repeating their lessons by his side1 he was1 like ,shenstone's schoolmistress1 engaged in spinning wool4 ,he had the right of pasturage upon the mountains for a few sheep and a couple of cows1 which required his attendance4 ,with this pastoral occupation he joined the labours of husbandry1 for he rented two or three acres of land in addition to his own acre of glebe1 and he also possessed a garden1--the whole of which was tilled by his own hand4 ,the fuel of the house consisted of peat1 procured by his labour from the neighbouring mosses4 ,he also assisted his parishioners in haymaking and shearing their flocks1--in which latter art he was eminently dexterous4 ,in return1 the neighbours would present him with a haycock1 or a fleece1 as a general acknowledgment of his services4 ,after officiating as curate of ,leathwaite for about twenty years1 the annual value of the living was increased to seventeen pounds ten shillings4 ,his character being already well known and highly appreciated1 the ,bishop of ,carlisle offered ,mr4 ,walker the appointment of the adjoining curacy of ,ulpha2 but he conscientiously refused it1 on the ground that the annexation would be apt to cause a general discontent among the inhabitants of both places1 by either thinking themselves slighted1 being only served alternately1 or neglected in the duty1 or attributing it to covetousness in me2 all which occasions of murmuring ,i would willingly avoid4 ,yet at this time ,mr4 ,walker had a family of eight children4 ,he afterwards maintained one of his sons at ,trinity ,college ,dublin1 until he was ready for taking ,holy ,orders4 ,the parish pastor was1 of course1 a most economical man4 ,yet no act of his life savoured in the least degree of meanness or avarice4 ,on the other hand1 his conduct throughout life displayed the greatest disinterestedness and generosity4 ,he knew very little of luxuries1 and he cared less4 ,tea was only used in his house for visitors4 ,the family used milk1 which was indeed far better4 ,excepting milk1 the only other drink used in the house was water--clear water drawn from the mountain spring4 ,the clothing of the family was comely and decent2 but it was all home-made3 it was simple1 like their diet4 ,occasionally one of the mountain sheep was killed for purposes of food2 and towards the end of the year1 a cow was killed and salted down for provision during winter4 ,the hide was tanned1 and the leather furnished shoes for the family4 ,by these and other means1 this venerable clergyman reared his numerous family2 not only preserving them1 as he so affectingly says1 from wanting the necessaries of life1 but affording them an unstinted education1 and the means of raising themselves in society4#a ,many men1 in order to advance themselves in the world1 and to raise themselves in society1 have scorned delights and lived laborious days4 ,they have lived humbly and frugally1 in order to accomplish greater things4 ,they have supported themselves by their hand labour1 until they could support themselves by their head labour4 ,some may allege that this is not justifiable--that it is a sin against the proletariat to attempt to rise in the world1--that once a cobbler always a cobbler4 ,but1 until a better system has been established1 the self-application of individuals is the only method by which science and knowledge can be conquered1 and the world permanently advanced4 ,goethe says1 ,it is perfectly indifferent within what circle an honest man acts1 provided he do but know how to understand and completely fill out that circle2 and again1 ,an honest and vigorous will could make itself a path and employ its activity to advantage under every form of society4 ,what is the best government8 he asks3 ,that which teaches us to govern ourselves6 ,all that we need1 in his opinion1 is individual liberty1 and self-culture4 ,let every one1 he says1 only do the right in his place1 without troubling himself about the turmoil of the world4 ,footnote #a3 ,the best account of ,mr4 ,walker is to be found in the ,appendix to the ,poems of ,wordsworth4 ,the poet greatly appreciated the clergyman's character1 and noticed him in his ,excursion1 as well as in the ,notes to the ,sonnets entitled ,the ,river ,duddon4 ,at all events1 it is not by socialism1 but by individualism1 that anything has been done towards the achievement of knowledge1 and the advancement of society4 ,it is the will and determination of individual men that impels the world forward in art1 in science1 and in all the means and methods of civilization4 ,individual men are willing to deny themselves1 but associated communities will not4 ,the masses are too selfish1 and fear that advantage will be taken of any sacrifices which they may be called upon to make4 ,hence it is amongst the noble band of resolute spirits that we look for those who raise and elevate the world1 as well as themselves4 ,the recollection of what they have done1 acts as a stimulus to others4 ,it braces the mind of man1 reanimates his will1 and encourages him to further exertions4 ,when ,lord ,elcho addressed the ,east ,lothian colliers1 he named several men who had raised themselves from the coalpit2 and first of all he referred to ,mr4 ,macdonald1 member for ,stafford4 ,the beginning of my acquaintance with ,mr4 ,macdonald1 he said1 was1 when ,i was told that a miner wanted to see me in the lobby of the ,house of ,commons4 ,i went out and saw ,mr4 ,macdonald1 who gave me a petition from this district1 which he asked me to present4 ,i entered into conversation with him1 and was much struck by his intelligence4 ,he told me that he had begun life as a boy in the pit in ,lanarkshire1 and that the money he saved as a youth in the summer1 he spent at ,glasgow ,university in the winter2 and that is where he got whatever book-learning or power of writing he possesses4 ,i say that is an instance that does honour to the miners of ,scotland4 ,another instance was that of ,dr4 ,hogg1 who began as a pitman in this county2 worked in the morning1 attended school in the afternoon2 then went to the ,university for four years and to the ,theological ,hall for five years2 and afterwards1 in consequence of his health failing1 he went abroad1 and is now engaged as a missionary in ,upper ,egypt4 ,or take the case of ,mr4 7now ,sir ,george7 ,elliot1 member for ,north ,durham1 who has spoken up for the miners all the better1 for having had practical knowledge of their work4 ,he began as a miner in the pit1 and he worked his way up till he has in his employment many thousand men4 ,he has risen to his great wealth and station from the humblest position2 as every man who now hears me is capable of doing1 to a greater or less degree1 if he will only be thrifty and industrious4 ,lord ,elcho might also have mentioned ,dr4 ,hutton1 the geologist1 a man of a much higher order of genius2 who was the son of a coal-viewer4 ,bewick1 the wood engraver1 is also said to have been the son of a coal-miner4 ,dr4 ,campbell was the son of a ,loanhead collier3 he was the forerunner of ,moffat and ,livingstone1 in their missionary journeys among the ,bechuanas in ,south ,africa4 ,allan ,ramsay1 the poet1 was also the son of a miner4 ,george ,stephenson worked his way from the pithead to the highest position as an engineer4 ,george began his life with industry1 and when he had saved a little money1 he spent it in getting a little learning4 ,what a happy man he was1 when his wages were increased to twelve shillings a week4 ,he declared upon that occasion that he was made a man for life6 ,he was not only enabled to maintain himself upon his earnings1 but to help his poor parents1 and to pay for his own education4 ,when his skill had increased1 and his wages were advanced to a pound a week1 he immediately began1 like a thoughtful1 intelligent workman1 to lay by his surplus money2 and when he had saved his first guinea1 he proudly declared to one of his colleagues that he was now a rich man6 ,and he was right4 ,for the man who1 after satisfying his wants1 has something to spare1 is no longer poor4 ,it is certain that from that day ,stephenson never looked back2 his advance as a self-improving man was as steady as the light of sunrise4 ,a person of large experience has indeed stated that he never knew1 amongst working people1 a single instance of a man having out of his small earnings laid by a pound1 who had in the end become a pauper4 ,when ,stephenson proposed to erect his first locomotive1 he had not sufficient means to defray its cost4 ,but in the course of his life as a workman1 he had established a character4 ,he was trusted4 ,he was faithful4 ,he was a man who could be depended on4 ,accordingly1 when the ,earl of ,havensworth was informed of ,stephenson's desire to erect a locomotive1 he at once furnished him with the means for enabling him to carry his wishes into effect4 ,watt1 also1 when inventing the condensing steam-engine1 maintained himself by making and selling mathematical instruments4 ,he made flutes1 organs1 compasses1--anything that would maintain him1 until he had completed his invention4 ,at the same time he was perfecting his own education--learning ,french1 ,german1 mathematics1 and the principles of natural philosophy4 ,this lasted for many years2 and by the time that ,watt developed his steam-engine and discovered ,mathew ,boulton1 he had1 by his own efforts1 become an accomplished and scientific man4 ,these great workers did not feel ashamed of labouring with their hands for a living2 but they also felt within themselves the power of doing head-work as well as hand-work4 ,and while thus labouring with their hands1 they went on with their inventions1 the perfecting of which has proved of so much advantage to the world4 ,hugh ,miller furnished1 in his own life1 an excellent instance of that practical common sense in the business of life which he so strongly recommended to others4 ,when he began to write poetry1 and felt within him the growing powers of a literary man1 he diligently continued his labour as a stone-cutter4 ,horace ,walpole has said that ,queen ,caroline's patronage of ,stephen ,duck1 the thresher poet1 ruined twenty men1 who all turned poets4 ,it was not so with the early success of ,hugh ,miller4 ,there is no more fatal error1 he says1 into which a working man of a literary turn can fall1 than the mistake of deeming himself too good for his humble employments2 and yet it is a mistake as common as it is fatal4 ,i had already seen several poor wrecked mechanics1 who1 believing themselves to be poets1 and regarding the manual occupation by which they could alone live in independence as beneath them1 and become in consequence little better than mendicants1--too good to work for their bread1 but not too good virtually to beg it2 and looking upon them as beacons of warning1 ,i determined that1 with ,god's help1 ,i should give their error a wide offing1 and never associate the idea of meanness with an honest calling1 or deem myself too good to be independent4 ,at the same time1 a man who feels that he has some good work in him1 which study and labour might yet bring out1 is fully justified in denying himself1 and in applying his energies to the culture of his intellect4 ,and it is astonishing how much carefulness1 thrift1 the reading of books1 and diligent application1 will help such men onward4 ,the author in his boyhood knew three men who worked in an agricultural implement maker's shop4 ,they worked in wood and iron1 and made carts1 ploughs1 harrows1 drilling-machines1 and such-like articles4 ,somehow or other1 the idea got into their heads that they might be able to do something better than making carts and harrows4 ,they did not despise the lot of hand-labour1 but they desired to use it as a step towards something better4 ,their wages at that time could not have exceeded from eighteen to twenty shillings a week4 ,two of the young men1 who worked at the same bench1 contrived to save enough money to enable them to attend college during the winter4 ,at the end of each session they went back to their hand-labour1 and earned enough wages during the summer to enable them to return to their classes during the winter4 ,the third did not adopt this course4 ,he joined a mechanics' institute which had just been started in the town in which he lived4 ,by attending the lectures and reading the books in the library1 he acquired some knowledge of chemistry1 of the principles of mechanics1 and of natural philosophy4 ,he applied himself closely1 studied hard in his evening hours1 and became an accomplished man4 ,it is not necessary to trace their history2 but what they eventually arrived at1 may be mentioned4 ,of the first two1 one became the teacher and proprietor of a large public school2 the other became a well-known dissenting minister2 while the third1 working his way strenuously and bravely1 became the principal engineer and manager of the largest steamship company in the world4 ,although mechanics' institutes are old institutions1 they have scarcely been supported by working men4 ,the public-house is more attractive and more frequented4 ,and yet mechanics' institutes--even though they are scarcely known south of ,yorkshire and ,lancashire--have been the means of doing a great deal of good4 ,by placing sound mechanical knowledge within the reach of even the few persons who have been disposed to take advantage of them1 they have elevated many persons into positions of great social influence4 ,we have heard a distinguished man say publicly1 that a mechanics' institution had made him2 that but for the access which it had afforded him to knowledge of all kinds1 he would have occupied a very different position4 ,in short1 the mechanics' institution had elevated him from the position of a licensed victualler to that of an engineer4 ,we have referred to the wise practice of men in humble position maintaining themselves by their trade until they saw a way towards maintaining themselves by a higher calling4 ,thus ,herschell maintained himself by music1 while pursuing his discoveries in astronomy4 ,when playing the oboe in the pump-room at ,bath1 he would retire while the dancers were lounging round the room1 go out and take a peep at the heavens through his telescope1 and quietly return to his instrument4 ,it was while he was thus maintaining himself by music1 that he discovered the ,georgium ,sidus4 ,when the ,royal ,society recognized his discovery1 the oboe-player suddenly found himself famous4 ,franklin long maintained himself by his trade of printing4 ,he was a hard-working man1--thrifty1 frugal and a great saver of time4 ,he worked for character as much as for wages2 and when it was found that he could be relied on1 he prospered4 ,at length he was publicly recognized as a great statesman1 and as one of the most scientific men of his time4 ,ferguson1 the astronomer1 lived by portrait painting1 until his merits as a scientific man were recognized4 ,john ,dollond maintained himself as a silk weaver in ,spitalfields4 ,in the course of his studies he made great improvements in the refracting telescope2 and the achromatic telescope1 which he invented1 gave him a high rank among the philosophers of his age4 ,but during the greater part of his life1 while he was carrying on his investigations1 he continued1 until the age of forty-six1 to carry on his original trade4 ,at length he confined himself entirely to making telescopes2 and then he gave up his trade of a silk weaver4 ,winckelmann1 the distinguished writer on classical antiquities and the fine arts1 was the son of a shoemaker4 ,his father endeavoured1 as long as he could1 to give his hoy a learned education2 but becoming ill and worn-out1 he had eventually to retire to the hospital4 ,winckelmann and his father were once accustomed to sing at night in the streets to raise fees to enable the boy to attend the grammar school4 ,the younger ,winckelmann then undertook1 by hard labour1 to support his father2 and afterwards1 by means of teaching1 to keep himself at college4 ,every one knows how distinguished he eventually became4 ,samuel ,richardson1 while writing his novels1 stuck to his trade of a bookseller4 ,he sold his books in the front shop1 while he wrote them in the back4 ,he would not give himself up to authorship1 because he loved his independence4 ,you know1 he said to his friend ,defreval1 how my business engages me4 ,you know by what snatches of time ,i write1 that ,i may not neglect that1 and that ,i may preserve that independency which is the comfort of my life4 ,i never sought out of myself for patrons4 ,my own industry and ,god's providence have been my whole reliance4 ,the great are not great to me unless they are good1 and it is a glorious privilege that a middling man enjoys1 who has preserved his independency1 and can occasionally 7though not stoically7 tell the world what he thinks of that world1 in hopes to contribute1 though by his mite1 to mend it4 ,the late ,dr4 ,olynthus ,gregory1 in addressing the ,deptford ,mechanics' ,institution at their first anniversary1 took the opportunity of mentioning various men in humble circumstances 7some of whom he had been able to assist71 who1 by means of energy1 application1 and self-denial1 had been able to accomplish great things in the acquisition of knowledge4 ,thus he described the case of a ,labourer on the turnpike road1 who had become an able ,greek scholar2 of a ,fifer1 and a ,private ,soldier1 in a regiment of militia1 both self-taught mathematicians1 one of whom became a successful schoolmaster1 the other a lecturer on natural philosophy2 of a journeyman ,tin-plate worker1 who invented rules for the solution of cubic equations2 of a country ,sexton1 who became a teacher of music1 and who1 by his love of the study of musical science1 was transformed from a drunken sot to an exemplary husband and father2 of a ,coal ,miner 7a correspondent of ,dr4 ,gregory's71 who was an able writer on topics of the higher mathematics2 of another correspondent1 a labouring ,whitesmith1 who was also well acquainted with the course of pure mathematics1 as taught at ,cambridge1 ,dublin1 and the military colleges2 of a ,tailor1 who was an excellent geometrician1 and had discovered curves which escaped the notice of ,newton1 and who laboured industriously and contentedly at his trade until sixty years of age1 when1 by the recommendation of his scientific friends1 he was appointed ,nautical ,examiner at the ,trinity ,house2 of a ploughman in ,lincolnshire1 who1 without aid of men or books1 discovered the rotation of the earth1 the principles of spherical astronomy1 and invented a planetary system akin to the ,tychonic2 of a country ,shoemaker1 who became distinguished as one of the ablest metaphysical writers in ,britain1 and who1 at more than fifty years of age1 was removed by the influence of his talents and their worth1 from his native country to ,london1 where he was employed to edit some useful publications devoted to the diffusion of knowledge and the best interests of mankind4 ,students of ,art have had to practise self-denial in many ways4 ,quentin ,matsys1 having fallen in love with a painter's daughter1 and determined to win her4 ,though but a blacksmith and a farrier1 he studied art so diligently1 and acquired so much distinction1 that his mistress afterwards accepted the painter whom she had before rejected as the blacksmith4 ,flaxman1 however1 married his wife before he had acquired any distinction whatever as an artist4 ,he was merely a skilful and promising pupil4 ,when ,sir ,joshua ,reynolds heard of his marriage1 he exclaimed1 ,flaxman is ruined for an artist6 ,but it was not so4 ,when ,flaxman's wife heard of the remark1 she said1 ,let us work and economize2 ,i will never have it said that ,ann ,denbam ruined ,john ,flaxman as an artist4 ,they economized accordingly4 ,to earn money1 ,flaxman undertook to collect the local rates2 and what with art and industry1 the patient1 hard-working1 thrifty couple1 after five years of careful saving1 set out for ,rome together4 ,there ,flaxman studied and worked2 there he improved his knowledge of art2 and there he acquired the reputation of being the first of ,english sculptors4 ,the greater number of artists have sprung from humble life4 ,if they had been born rich1 they would probably never have been artists4 ,they have had to work their way from one position to another2 and to strengthen their nature by conquering difficulty4 ,hogarth began his career by engraving shop-bills4 ,william ,sharp began by engraving door-plates4 ,tassie the sculptor and medallist1 began life as a stone-cutter4 ,having accidentally seen a collection of pictures1 he aspired to become an artist and entered an academy to learn the elements of drawing4 ,he continued to work at his old trade until he was able to maintain himself by his new one4 ,he used his labour as the means of cultivating his skill in his more refined and elevated profession4 ,chantry of ,sheffield1 was an economist both of time and money4 ,he saved fifty pounds out of his earnings as a carver and gilder2 paid the money to his master1 and cancelled his indentures4 ,then he came up to ,london1 and found employment as a journeyman carver2 he proceeded to paint portraits and model busts1 and at length worked his way to the first position as a sculptor4 ,canova was a stone-cutter1 like his father and his grandfather2 and through stone-cutting he worked his way to sculpture4 ,after leaving the quarry1 he went to ,venice1 and gave his services to an artist1 from whom he received but little recompense for his work4 ,i laboured1 said he1 for a mere pittance1 but it was sufficient4 ,it was the fruit of my own resolution2 and1 as ,i then flattered myself1 the foretaste of more honourable rewards1--for ,i never thought of wealth4 ,he pursued his studies1--in drawing and modelling2 in languages1 poetry1 history1 antiquity1 and the ,greek and ,roman classics4 ,a long time elapsed before his talents were recognised1 and then he suddenly became famous4 ,lough1 the ,english sculptor1 is another instance of self-denial and hard work4 ,when a boy1 he was fond of drawing4 ,at school1 he made drawings of horses1 dogs1 cows1 and men1 for pins3 that was his first pay2 and he used to go home with his jacket sleeve stuck full of them4 ,he and his brothers next made figures in clay4 ,pope's ,homer lay on his father's window4 ,the boys were so delighted with it1 that they made thousands of models--one taking the ,greeks1 and the other the ,trojans4 ,an odd volume of ,gibbon gave an account of the ,coliseum4 ,after the family were in bed1 the brothers made a model of the ,coliseum1 and filled it with fighting gladiators4 ,as the boys grew up1 they were sent to their usual outdoor work1 following the plough and doing the usual agricultural labour2 but still adhering to their modelling at leisure hours4 ,at ,christmas-time1 ,lough was very much in demand4 ,everybody wanted him to make models in pastry for ,christmas pies1--the neighbouring farmers especially1 ,it was capital practice1 he afterwards said4 ,at length ,lough went from ,newcastle to ,london1 to push his way in the world of art4 ,he obtained a passage in a collier1 the skipper of which he knew4 ,when he reached ,london1 he slept on board the collier as long as it remained in the ,thames4 ,he was so great a favourite with the men1 that they all urged him to go back4 ,he had no friends1 no patronage1 no money2 ,what could he do with everything against him8 ,but1 having already gone so far1 he determined to proceed4 ,he would not go back--at least1 not yet4 ,the men all wept when he took farewell of them4 ,he was alone in ,london2 under the shadow of ,st4 ,paul's4 ,his next step was to take a lodging in an obscure first floor in ,burleigh ,street1 over a greengrocer's shop2 and there he began to model his grand statue of ,milo4 ,he had to take the roof off to let ,milo's head out4 ,there ,haydon found him1 and was delighted with his genius4 ,i went1 he says1 to young ,lough1 the sculptor1 who has just burst out1 and has produced a great effect4 ,his ,milo is really the most extraordinary thing1 considering all the circumstances1 in modern sculpture4 ,it is another proof of the efficacy of inherent genius4 #a ,that ,lough must have been poor enough at this time1 is evident from the fact that1 during the execution of his ,milo1 he did not eat meat for three months2 and when ,peter ,coxe found him out1 he was tearing up his shirt to make wet rags for his figure1 to keep the clay moist4 ,he had a bushel and a half of coals during the whole winter2 and he used to lie down by the side of his clay model of the immortal figure1 damp as it was1 and shiver for hours till he fell asleep4 ,footnote #a3 ,haydon's ,autobiography1 vol4 ii41 p1 #aee4 ,chantrey once said to ,haydon1 ,when ,i have made money enough1 ,i will devote myself to high art4 ,but busts engrossed ,chantrey's time4 ,he was munificently paid for them1 and never raised himself above the money-making part of his profession4 ,when ,haydon next saw ,chantrey at ,brighton1 he said to him1 ,here is a young man from the country1 who has come to ,london2 and he is doing precisely what you have so long been dreaming of doing4 ,the exhibition of ,milo was a great success4 ,the ,duke of ,wellington went to see it1 and ordered a statue4 ,sir ,matthew ,white ,eidley was much struck by the genius of young ,lough1 and became one of his greatest patrons4 ,the sculptor determined to strike out a new path for himself4 ,he thought the ,greeks had exhausted the ,pantheistic1 and that heathen gods had been overdone4 ,lough began and pursued the study of lyric sculpture3 he would illustrate the great ,english poets4 ,but there was the obvious difficulty of telling the story of a figure by a single attitude4 ,it was like a flash of thought4 ,the true artist1 he said1 must plant his feet firmly on the earth1 and sweep the heavens with his pencil4 ,i mean1 he added1 that the soul must be combined with the body1 the ideal with the real1 the heavens with the earth4 ,it is not necessary to describe the success of ,mr4 ,lough as a sculptor4 ,his statue of ,the ,mourners is known all over the world4 ,he has illustrated ,shakespeare and ,milton4 ,his ,puck1 ,titania1 and other great works1 are extensively known1 and their genius universally admired4 ,but it may be mentioned that his noble statue of ,milo was not cast in bronze until #ahfb1 when it was exhibited at the ,international ,exhibition of that year4 ,the ,earl of ,derby1 in recently distributing the prizes to the successful pupils of the ,liverpool ,college#a1 made the following observations3-- ,the vast majority of men1 in all ages and countries1 must work before they can eat4 ,even those who are not under the necessity1 are1 in ,england1 generally impelled by example1 by custom1 perhaps by a sense of what is fitted for them1 to adopt what is called an active pursuit of some sort4444 ,if there is one thing more certain than another1 it is this--that every member of a community is bound to do something for that community1 in return for what he gets from it2 and neither intellectual cultivation1 nor the possession of material wealth1 nor any other plea whatever1 except that of physical or mental incapacity1 can excuse any of us from that plain and personal duty4444 ,and though it may be1 in a community like this1 considered by some to be a heterodox view1 ,i will say that it often appears to me1 in the present day1 that we are a little too apt in all classes to look upon ourselves as mere machines for what is called 'getting on1' and to forget that there are in every human being many faculties which cannot be employed1 and many wants which cannot be satisfied1 by that occupation4 ,i have not a word to utter against strenuous devotion to business while you are at it4 ,but one of the wisest and most thoroughly cultivated men whom ,i ever knew1 retired before the age of fifty1 from a profession in which he was making an enormous income1 because1 he said1 he had got as much as he or any one belonging to him could want1 and he did not see why he should sacrifice the rest of his life to money-getting4 ,some people thought him very foolish4 ,i did not4 ,and ,i believe that the gentleman of whom ,i speak never once repented his decision4 ,footnote #a3 ,a collection ought to be made and published of ,lord ,derby's admirable ,addresses to ,young ,men4 ,the gentleman to whom ,lord ,derby referred was ,mr4 ,nasmyth1 the inventor of the steam hammer4 ,and as he has himself permitted the story of his life to be published1 there is no necessity for concealing his name4 ,his life is besides calculated to furnish one of the best illustrations of our subject4 ,when a boy1 he was of a bright1 active1 cheerful disposition4 ,to a certain extent he inherited his mechanical powers from his father1 who1 besides being an excellent painter1 was a thorough mechanic4 ,it was in his workshop that the boy made his first acquaintance with tools4 ,he also had for his companion the son of an iron-founder1 and he often went to the founder's shop to watch the moulding1 iron-melting1 casting1 forging1 pattern-making1 and smith's work that was going on4 ,i look back1 ,mr4 ,nasmyth says1 to the hours of ,saturday afternoons spent in having the run of the workshops of this small foundry as the true and only apprenticeship of my life4 ,i did not trust to reading about such things4 ,i saw1 handled1 and helped when ,i could2 and all the ideas in connection with them became in all details1 ever after1 permanent in my mind1--to say nothing of the no small acquaintance obtained at the same time of the nature of workmen4 ,in course of time1 young ,nasmyth1 with the aid of his father's tools1 could do little jobs for himself4 ,he made steels for tinder-boxes1 which he sold to his schoolfellows4 ,he made model steam-engines1 and sectional models1 for use at popular lectures and in schools2 and by selling such models1 he raised sufficient money to enable him to attend the lectures on ,natural ,philosophy and ,chemistry at the ,edinburgh ,university4 ,among his works at that time1 was a working model of a steam carriage for use on common roads4 ,it worked so well that he was induced to make another on a larger scale4 ,after having been successfully used1 he sold the engine for the purpose of driving a small factory4 ,nasmyth was now twenty years old1 and wished to turn his practical faculties to account4 ,his object was to find employment in one of the great engineering establishments of the day4 ,the first1 in his opinion1 was that of ,henry ,maudslay1 of ,london4 ,to attain his object1 he made a small steam-engine1 every part of which was his own handiwork1 including the casting and forging4 ,he proceeded to ,london2 introduced himself to the great engineer2 submitted his drawings2 showed his models2 and was finally engaged as ,mr4 ,maudslay's private workman4 ,then came the question of wages4 ,when ,nasmyth finally left home to begin the world on his own account1 he determined not to cost his father another farthing4 ,being the youngest of eleven children1 he thought that he could maintain himself1 without trenching farther upon the family means4 ,and he nobly fulfilled his determination4 ,he felt that the wages sufficient to maintain other workmen1 would surely be sufficient to maintain him4 ,he might have to exercise self-control and self-denial2 but of course he could do that4 ,though but a youth1 he had wisdom enough and self-respect enough to deny himself everything that was unnecessary1 in order to preserve the valuable situation which he had obtained4 ,well1 about the wages4 ,when ,mr4 ,maudslay referred his young workman to the chief cashier as to his weekly wages1 it was arranged that ,nasmyth was to receive ten shillings a week4 ,he knew that1 by strict economy1 he could live within this amount4 ,he contrived a small cooking apparatus1 of which we possess the drawings4 ,it is not necessary to describe his method of cooking1 nor his method of living2 it is sufficient to say that his little cooking apparatus 7in which he still takes great pride7 enabled him fully to accomplish his purpose4 ,he lived within his means1 and did not cost his father another farthing4 ,next year his wages were increased to fifteen shillings4 ,he then began to save money4 ,he did not put it in a bank1 but used his savings for the purpose of making the tools with which he afterwards commenced business4 ,in the third year of his service1 his wages were again increased1 on account1 doubtless1 of the value of his services4 ,i don't know1 he has since said1 that any future period of my life abounded in such high enjoyment of existence as the three years ,i spent at ,maudslay's4 ,it was a glorious situation for one like myself1--so earnest as ,i was in all that related to mechanism--in the study of men as well as of machinery4 ,i wish many a young man would do as ,i then did4 ,i am sure they would find their reward in that feeling of constant improvement1 of daily advancement1 and true independence1 which will ever have a charm for those who are earnest in their endeavours to make right progress in life and in the regard of all good men4 ,after three years spent at ,maudslay's1 ,mr4 ,nasmyth returned to ,edinburgh to construct a small stock of engineering tools suitable for starting him in business on his own account4 ,he hired a workshop and did various engineering jobs1 in order to increase his little store of money and to execute his little stock of tools4 ,this occupied him for two years2 and in #ahcd he removed the whole of his tools and machinery to ,manchester4 ,he began business there in a very humble way1 but it increased so rapidly that he was induced to remove to a choice piece of land on the banks of the ,bridgewater ,canal at ,patricroft1 and there make a beginning--at first in wooden sheds--of the now famous ,bridgewater ,foundry4 ,there1 says he1 ,i toiled right heartily until ,december #cast1 #ahef1 when ,i retired to enjoy1 in active leisure1 the result of many an anxious and interesting day4 ,i had there1 with the blessing of ,god1 devoted the best years of my life to the pursuit of a business of which ,i was proud4 ,and ,i trust that1 without undue vanity1 ,i may be allowed to say that ,i have left my mark upon several useful inventions1 which probably have had no small share in the mechanical works of the age4 ,there is scarcely a steamship or locomotive that is not indebted to my steam hammer2 and without it1 ,armstrong and ,whitworth guns and iron-plated men-of-war could scarcely have existed4 ,but though ,nasmyth retired from business at the age of forty-eight1 he did not seek repose in idleness4 ,he continues to be as busy as the busiest2 but in an altogether different direction4 ,instead of being tied to the earth1 he enjoys himself amongst the stars4 ,by means of telescopes of his own making1 he has investigated the sun1 and discovered its willow leaves2 he has examined and photographed the moon1 and in the monograph of it which he has published1 he has made us fully acquainted with its geography4 ,he is also a thorough artist1 and spends a considerable portion of his time in painting1--though he is too modest to exhibit4 ,the last time we visited his beautiful home at ,hammerfield1 he was busy polishing glasses for one of his new telescopes1--the motive power being a windmill erected on one of his outhouses4 ,another word before we have done4 ,if1 said ,nasmyth1 ,i were to try to compress into one sentence the whole of the experience ,i have had during an active and successful life1 and offer it to young men as a rule and certain receipt for success in any station1 it would be composed in these words--',duty first6 ,pleasure second6' ,from what ,i have seen of young men and their after-progress1 ,i am satisfied that what is generally termed 'bad fortune1' 'ill luck1' and 'misfortune1' is in nine cases out of ten1 simply the result of inverting the above simple maxim4 ,such experience as ,i have had1 convinces me that absence of success arises in the great majority of cases from want of self-denial and want of common sense4 ,the worst of all maxims is ',pleasure first6 ,work and ,duty second6 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,methods ,,of ,,economy4 ,it was with profound wisdom that the ,romans called by the same name courage and virtue4 ,there is in fact no virtue1 properly so called1 without victory over ourselves2 and what cost us nothing1 is worth nothing4--,de ,maistre4 ,almost all the advantages which man possesses above the inferior animals1 arise from his power of acting in combination with his fellows2 and of accomplishing by the united efforts of numbers what could not be accomplished by the detached efforts of indivduals4--,j4,s4 ,mill4 ,for the future1 our main security will be in the wider diffusion of ,property1 and in all such measures as will facilitate this result4 ,with the possession of property will come ,conservative instincts1 and disinclination for rash and reckless schemes4444 ,we trust much1 therefore1 to the rural population becoming ,proprietors1 and to the urban population becoming ,capitalists4--,w4,r4 ,greg4 ,the methods of practising economy are very simple4 ,spend less than you earn4 ,that is the first rule4 ,a portion should always be set apart for the future4 ,the person who spends more than he earns1 is a fool4 ,the civil law regards the spendthrift as akin to the lunatic1 and frequently takes from him the management of his own affairs4 ,the next rule is to pay ready money1 and never1 on any account1 to run into debt4 ,the person who runs into debt is apt to get cheated2 and if he runs into debt to any extent1 he will himself be apt to get dishonest4 ,who pays what he owes1 enriches himself4 ,the next is1 never to anticipate uncertain profits by expending them before they are secured4 ,the profits may never come1 and in that case you will have taken upon yourself a load of debt which you may never get rid of4 ,it will sit upon your shoulders like the old man in ,sinbad4 ,another method of economy is1 to keep a regular account of all that you earn1 and of all that you expend4 ,an orderly man will know beforehand what he requires1 and will be provided with the necessary means for obtaining it4 ,thus his domestic budget will be balanced2 and his expenditure kept within his income4 ,john ,wesley regularly adopted this course4 ,although he possessed a small income1 he always kept his eyes upon the state of his affairs4 ,a year before his death1 he wrote with a trembling hand1 in his ,journal of ,expenses2 ,for more than eighty-six years ,i have kept my accounts exactly4 ,i do not care to continue to do so any longer1 having the conviction that ,i economize all that ,i obtain1 and give all that ,i can1--that is to say1 all that ,i have4#a ,footnote #a3 ,southey's ,life of ,wesley1 vol4 ii41 p4 #efj4 ,besides these methods of economy1 the eye of the master or the mistress is always necessary to see that nothing is lost1 that everything is put to its proper use and kept in its proper place1 and that all things are done decently and in order4 ,it does no dishonour to even the highest individuals to take a personal interest in their own affairs4 ,and with persons of moderate means1 the necessity for the eye of the master overlooking everything1 is absolutely necessary for the proper conduct of business4 ,it is difficult to fix the precise limits of economy4 ,bacon says that if a man would live well within his income1 he ought not to expend more than one-half1 and save the rest4 ,this is perhaps too exacting2 and ,bacon himself did not follow his own advice4 ,what proportion of one's income should be expended on rent8 ,that depends upon circumstances4 ,in the country about one-tenth2 in ,london about one-sixth4 ,it is at all events better to save too much1 than spend too much4 ,one may remedy the first defect1 but not so easily the latter4 ,wherever there is a large family1 the more money that is put to one side and saved1 the better4 ,economy is necessary to the moderately rich1 as well as to the comparatively poor man4 ,without economy1 a man cannot be generous4 ,he cannot take part in the charitable work of the world4 ,if he spends all that he earns1 he can help nobody4 ,he cannot properly educate his children1 nor put them in the way of starting fairly in the business of life4 ,even the example of ,bacon shows that the loftiest intelligence cannot neglect thrift without peril4 ,but thousands of witnesses daily testify1 that men even of the most moderate intelligence1 can practise the virtue with success4 ,although ,englishmen are a diligent1 hard-working1 and generally self-reliant race1 trusting to themselves and their own efforts for their sustenance and advancement in the world1 they are yet liable to overlook and neglect some of the best practical methods of improving their position1 and securing their social well-being4 ,they are not yet sufficiently educated to be temperate1 provident1 and foreseeing4 ,they live for the present1 and are too regardless of the coming time4 ,men who are husbands and parents1 generally think they do their duty if they provide for the hour that is1 neglectful of the hour that is to come4 ,though industrious1 they are improvident2 though money-making1 they are spendthrift4 ,they do not exercise forethought enough1 and are defective in the virtue of prudent economy4 ,men of all classes are1 as yet1 too little influenced by these considerations4 ,they are apt to live beyond their incomes1--at all events1 to live up to them1 ,the upper classes live too much for display2 they must keep up their position in society2 they must have fine houses1 horses1 and carriages2 give good dinners1 and drink rich wines1 their ladies must wear costly and gay dresses4 ,thus the march of improvidence goes on over broken hearts1 ruined hopes1 and wasted ambitions4 ,the vice descends in society1--the middle classes strive to ape the patrician orders2 they flourish crests1 liveries1 and hammercloths2 their daughters must learn accomplishments--see society--ride and drive--frequent operas and theatres4 ,display is the rage1 ambition rivalling ambition2 and thus the vicious folly rolls on like a tide4 ,the vice again descends4 ,the working classes1 too1 live up to their means--much smaller means1 it is true2 but even when they are able1 they are not sufficiently careful to provide against the evil day2 and then only the poorhouse offers its scanty aid to protect them against want4 ,to save money for avaricious purposes is altogether different from saving it for economical purposes4 ,the saving may be accomplished in the same manner--by wasting nothing1 and saving everything4 ,but here the comparison ends4 ,the miser's only pleasure is in saving4 ,the prudent economist spends what he can afford for comfort and enjoyment1 and saves a surplus for some future time4 ,the avaricious person makes gold his idol3 it is his molten calf1 before which he constantly bows down2 whereas the thrifty person regards it as a useful instrument1 and as a means of promoting his own happiness and the happiness of those who are dependent upon him4 ,the miser is never satisfied4 ,he amasses wealth that he can never consume1 but leaves it to be squandered by others1 probably by spendthrifts2 whereas the economist aims at securing a fair share of the world's wealth and comfort1 without any thought of amassing a fortune4 ,it is the duty of all persons to economize their means1--of the young as well as of the old4 ,the ,duke of ,sully mentions1 in his ,memoirs1 that nothing contributed more to his fortune than the prudent economy which he practised1 even in his youth1 of always preserving some ready money in hand for the purpose of meeting circumstances of emergency4 ,is a man married8 ,then the duty of economy is still more binding4 ,his wife and children plead to him most eloquently4 ,are they1 in the event of his early death1 to be left to buffet with the world unaided8 ,the hand of charity is cold1 the gifts of charity are valueless1 compared with the gains of industry1 and the honest savings of frugal labour1 which carry with them blessings and comforts1 without inflicting any wound upon the feelings of the helpless and bereaved4 ,let every man1 therefore1 who can1 endeavour to economize and to save2 not to hoard1 but to nurse his little savings1 for the sake of promoting the welfare and happiness of himself while here1 and of others when he has departed4 ,there is a dignity in the very effort to save with a worthy purpose1 even though the attempt should not be crowned with eventual success4 ,it produces a well-regulated mind2 it gives prudence a triumph over extravagance2 it gives virtue the mastery over vice2 it puts the passions under control2 it drives away care2 it secures comfort4 ,saved money1 however little1 will serve to dry up many a tear--will ward off many sorrows and heartburnings1 which otherwise might prey upon us4 ,possessed of a little store of capital1 a man walks with a lighter step--his heart beats more cheerily4 ,when interruption of work or adversity happens1 he can meet them2 he can recline on his capital1 which will either break his fall1 or prevent it altogether4 ,by prudential economy1 we can realize the dignity of man2 life will be a blessing1 and old age an honour4 ,we can ultimately1 under a kind ,providence1 surrender life1 conscious that we have been no burden upon society1 but rather1 perhaps1 an acquisition and ornament to it2 conscious1 also1 that as we have been independent1 our children after us1 by following our example1 and availing themselves of the means we have left behind us1 will walk in like manner through the world in happiness and independence4 ,every man's first duty is1 to improve1 to educate1 and elevate himself--helping forward his brethren at the same time by all reasonable methods4 ,each has within himself the capability of free will and free action to a large extent2 and the fact is proved by the multitude of men who have successfully battled with and overcome the adverse circumstances of life in which they have been placed2 and who have risen from the lowest depths of poverty and social debasement1 as if to prove what energetic man1 resolute of purpose1 can do for his own elevation1 progress1 and advancement in the world4 ,is it not a fact that the greatness of humanity1 the glory of communities1 the power of nations1 are the result of trials and difficulties encountered and overcome8 ,let a man resolve and determine that he will advance1 and the first step of advancement is already made4 ,the first step is half the battle4 ,in the very fact of advancing himself1 he is in the most effectual possible way advancing others4 ,he is giving them the most eloquent of all lessons--that of example2 which teaches far more emphatically than words can teach4 ,he is doing1 what others are by imitation incited to do4 ,beginning with himself1 he is in the most emphatic manner teaching the duty of self-reform and of self-improvement2 and if the majority of men acted as he did1 how much wiser1 how much happier1 how much more prosperous as a whole1 would society become4 ,for1 society being made up of units1 will be happy and prosperous1 or the reverse1 exactly in the same degree as the respective individuals who compose it4 ,complaints about the inequality of conditions are as old as the world4 ,in the ,economy of ,xenophon1 ,socrates asks1 ,how is it that some men live in abundance1 and have something to spare1 whilst others can scarcely obtain the necessaries of life1 and at the same time run into debt8 ,the reason is1 replied ,isomachus1 because the former occupy themselves with their business1 whilst the latter neglect it4 ,the difference between men consists for the most part in intelligence1 conduct1 and energy4 ,the best character never works by chance1 but is under the influence of virtue1 prudence1 and forethought4 ,there are1 of course1 many failures in the world4 ,the man who looks to others for help1 instead of relying on himself1 will fail4 ,the man who is undergoing the process of perpetual waste1 will fail4 ,the miser1 the scrub1 the extravagant1 the thriftless1 will necessarily fail4 ,indeed1 most people fail because they do not deserve to succeed4 ,they set about their work in the wrong way1 and no amount of experience seems to improve them4 ,there is not so much in luck as some people profess to believe4 ,luck is only another word for good management in practical affairs4 ,richelieu used to say that he would not continue to employ an unlucky man1--in other words1 a man wanting in practical qualities1 and unable to profit by experience2 for failures in the past are very often the auguries of failures in the future4 ,some of the best and ablest of men are wanting in tact4 ,they will neither make allowance for circumstances1 nor adapt themselves to circumstances3 they will insist on trying to drive their wedge the broad end foremost4 ,they raise walls only to run their own heads against4 ,they make such great preparations1 and use such great precautions1 that they defeat their own object1--like the ,dutchman mentioned by ,washington ,irving1 who1 having to leap a ditch1 went so far back to have a good run at it1 that when he came up he was completely winded1 and had to sit down on the wrong side to recover his breath4 ,in actual life1 we want things done1 not preparations for doing them2 and we naturally prefer the man who has definite aims and purposes1 and proceeds in the straightest and shortest way to accomplish his object1 to the one who describes the thing to be done1 and spins fine phrases about doing it4 ,without action1 words are mere maundering4 ,the desire for success in the world1 and even for the accumulation of money1 is not without its uses4 ,it has doubtless been implanted in the human heart for good rather than for evil purposes4 ,indeed the desire to accumulate1 forms one of the most powerful instruments for the regeneration of society4 ,it provides the basis for individual energy and activity4 ,it is the beginning of maritime and commercial enterprise4 ,it is the foundation of industry1 as well as of independence4 ,it impels men to labour1 to invent1 and to excel4 ,no idle nor thriftless man ever became great4 ,it is amongst those who never lost a moment1 that we find the men who have moved and advanced the world1--by their learning1 their science1 or their inventions4 ,labour of some sort is one of the conditions of existence4 ,the thought has come down to us from pagan times1 that ,labour is the price which the gods have set upon all that is excellent4 ,the thought is also worthy of ,christian times4 ,everything depends1 as we shall afterwards find1 upon the uses to which accumulations of wealth are applied4 ,on the tombstone of ,john ,donough1 of ,new ,orleans1 the following maxims are engraved as the merchant's guide to young men on their way through life3-- ,remember always that labour is one of the conditions of our existence4 ,time is gold2 throw not one minute away1 but place each one to account4 ,do unto all men as you would be done by4 ,never put off till to-morrow what can be done to-day4 ,never bid another do what you can do yourself4 ,never covet what is not your own4 ,never think any matter so trifling as not to deserve notice4 ,never give out what does not come in4 ,do not spend1 but produce4 ,let the greatest order regulate the actions of your life4 ,study in your course of life to do the greatest amount of good4 ,deprive yourself of nothing that is necessary to your comfort1 but live in honourable simplicity and frugality4 ,labour then to the last moment of your existence4 ,most men have it in their power1 by prudent arrangements1 to defend themselves against adversity1 and to throw up a barrier against destitution4 ,they can do this by their own individual efforts1 or by acting on the principle of co-operation1 which is capable of an almost indefinite extension4 ,people of the most humble condition1 by combining their means and associating together1 are enabled in many ways to defend themselves against the pressure of poverty1 to promote their physical well-being1 and even to advance the progress of the nation4 ,a solitary individual may be able to do very little to advance and improve society2 but when he combines with his fellows for the purpose1 he can do a very great deal4 ,civilization itself is but the effect of combining4 ,mr4 ,mill has said that almost all the advantages which man possesses over the inferior animals1 arise from his power of acting in combination with his fellows1 and of accomplishing1 by the united efforts of numbers1 what could not be accomplished by the detached efforts of individuals4 ,the secret of social development is to be found in co-operation2 and the great question of improved economical and social life can only receive a satisfactory solution through its means4 ,to effect good on a large scale1 men must combine their efforts2 and the best social system is that in which the organization for the common good is rendered the most complete in all respects4 ,the middle classes have largely employed the principle of association4 ,no class has risen so rapidly1 or done more by their energy and industry to advance the power and progress of ,england4 ,and why8 ,because the most active have always been the most ready to associate1 to co-operate1 and to combine4 ,they have combined when they were attacked1 combined when they had an abuse to destroy1 or a great object to accomplish4 ,they have associated together to manufacture articles of commerce1 to make canals1 to construct railways1 to form gas companies1 to institute insurance and banking companies1 and to do an immense amount of industrial work4 ,by combining their small capitals together1 they have been able to accumulate an enormous aggregate capital1 and to execute the most gigantic undertakings4 ,the middle classes have accomplished more by the principle of co-operation than the classes who have so much greater need of it4 ,all the joint stock companies are the result of association4 ,the railways1 the telegraphs1 the banks1 the mines1 the manufactories1 have for the most part been established and are carried on by means of the savings of the middle classes4 ,the working classes have only begun to employ the same principle4 ,yet how much might they accomplish by its means6 ,they might co-operate in saving as well as in producing4 ,they might1 by putting their saved earnings together1 become1 by combination1 their own masters4 ,within a few years past1 many millions sterling have been expended in strikes for wages4 ,a hundred millions a year are thrown away upon drink and other unnecessary articles4 ,here is an enormous capital4 ,men who expend or waste such an amount can easily become capitalists4 ,it requires only will1 energy1 and self-denial4 ,so much money spent on buildings1 plant1 and steam-engines1 would enable them to manufacture for themselves1 instead of for the benefit of individual capitalists4 ,the steam-engine is impartial in its services4 ,it is no respecter of persons2 it will work for the benefit of the labourer as well as for the benefit of the millionaire4 ,it will work for those who make the best use of it1 and who have the greatest knowledge of its powers4 ,the greater number of workmen possess little capital save their labour2 and1 as we have already seen1 many of them uselessly and wastefully spend most of their earnings1 instead of saving them and becoming capitalists4 ,by combining in large numbers for the purposes of economical working1 they might easily become capitalists1 and operate upon a large scale4 ,as society is now constituted1 every man is not only justified but bound in duty as a citizen1 to accumulate his earnings by all fair and honourable methods1 with the view of securing a position of ultimate competence and independence4 ,we do not say that men should save and hoard their gains for the mere sake of saving and hoarding2 this would be parsimony and avarice4 ,but we do say that all men ought to aim at accumulating a sufficiency--enough to maintain them in comfort during the helpless years that are to come--to maintain them in times of sickness and of sorrow1 and in old age1 which1 if it does come1 ought to find them with a little store of capital in hand1 sufficient to secure them from dependence upon the charity of others4 ,workmen are for the most part disposed to associate2 but the association is not always of a healthy kind4 ,it sometimes takes the form of ,unions against masters2 and displays itself in the ,strikes that are so common1 and usually so unfortunate4 ,workmen also strike against men of their own class1 for the purpose of excluding them from their special calling4 ,one of the principal objects of trades-unions is to keep up wages at the expense of the lower paid and unassociated working people4 ,they endeavour to prevent poorer men learning their trade1 and thus keep the supply of labour below the demand4#a ,this system may last for a time1 but it becomes ruinous in the end4 ,footnote #a3 ,on the #cast ,january1 #ahge1 a labourer in the employment of ,messrs4 ,vickers1 ,sheffield1 who had not served an apprenticeship1 was put on to turn one of the lathes4 ,this being contrary to the rules of the union1 the men in the shop struck work4 ,it is a usual course for men of the union to strike in this manner against persons of their own condition1 and to exercise a force not resting in law or natural right1 but merely on the will of a majority1 and directly subversive of the freedom of the individual4 ,it is not the want of money that prevents skilled workmen from becoming capitalists1 and opening the door for the employment of labouring men who are poorer and less skilled than themselves4 ,the work-people threw away half a million sterling during the ,preston strike1 after which they went back to work at the old terms4 ,the ,london building trades threw away over three hundred thousand pounds during their strike2 and even had they obtained the terms for which they struck1 it would have taken six years to recoup them for their loss4 ,the colliers in the ,forest of ,dean went back to work at the old terms after eleven weeks' play1 at the loss of fifty thousand pounds4 ,the iron-workers of ,northumberland and ,durham1 after spending a third of the year in idleness1 and losing two hundred thousand pounds in wages1 went back to work at a reduction of ten per cent4 ,the colliers and iron-workers of ,south ,wales1 during the recent strike or lock-out1 were idle for four months1 and1 according to ,lord ,aberdare1 lost1 in wages alone1 not less than three millions sterling6 ,here1 then1 is abundance of money within the power of working-men1--money which they might utilize1 but do not4 ,think only of a solitary million1 out of the three millions sterling which they threw away during the coal strike1 being devoted to the starting of collieries1 or iron-mills1 or manufactories1 to be worked by co-operative production for the benefit of the operatives themselves4 ,with frugal habits1 says ,mr4 ,greg1 the well-conditioned workman might in ten years easily have five hundred pounds in the bank2 and1 combining his savings with twenty other men similarly disposed1 they might have ten thousand pounds for the purpose of starting any manufacture in which they are adepts4#a ,footnote #a3 ,the annual expenditure of the working classes alone1 on drink and tobacco1 is not less than #fj1jjj1jjj4 ,every year1 therefore1 the working classes have it in their power to become capitalists 7simply by saving wasteful and pernicious expenditure7 to an extent which would enable them to start at least #ejj cotton mills1 or coal mines1 or iron works1 on their own account1 or to purchase at least #ejj1jjj acres1 and so set up #ej1jjj families each with a nice little estate of their own of ten acres1 on fee simple4 ,no one can dispute the facts4 ,no one can deny the inference4--,quarterly ,review1 ,no4 #bfc4 ,that this is not an impracticable scheme1 is capable of being easily proved4 ,the practice of co-operation has long been adopted by workpeople throughout ,england4 ,a large proportion of the fishery industry has been conducted on that principle for hundreds of years4 ,fishermen join in building1 rigging1 and manning a boat2 the proceeds of the fish they catch at sea is divided amongst them--so much to the boat1 so much to the fishermen4 ,the company of oyster-dredgers of ,whitstable has existed time out of mind1#b though it was only in #agic that they were incorporated by ,act of ,parliament4 ,the tin-miners of ,cornwall have also acted on the same principle4 ,they have mined1 washed1 and sold the tin1 dividing the proceeds among themselves in certain proportions1--most probably from the time that the ,phoenicians carried away the produce to their ports in the ,mediterranean4 ,footnote #b3 ,reports on the ,paris ,universal ,exhibition1 #ahfg1 vol4 vi41 p4 #beb4 ,in our own time1 co-operation has been practised to a considerable extent4 ,in #agie1 the ,hull ,anti-,mill ,industrial ,society was founded4 ,the reasons for its association are explained in the petition addressed to the ,mayor and ,aldermen of ,hull by the first members of the society4 ,the petition begins thus3 ,we1 the poor inhabitants of the said town1 have lately experienced much trouble and sorrow in ourselves and families1 on the occasion of the exorbitant price of flour2 and though the price is much reduced at present1 yet we judge it needful to take every precaution to preserve ourselves from the invasions of covetous and merciless men in future4 ,they accordingly entered into a subscription to build a mill1 in order to supply themselves with flour4 ,the corporation granted their petition1 and supported them by liberal donations4 ,the mill was built1 and exists to this day4 ,it now consists of more than four thousand members1 each holding a share of twenty-five shillings4 ,the members belong principally to the labouring classes4 ,the millers endeavoured by action at law to put down the society1 but the attempt was successfully resisted4 ,the society manufactures flour1 and sells it to the members at market price1 dividing the profits annually amongst the shareholders1 according to the quantity consumed in each member's family4 ,the society has proved eminently remunerative4 ,many years passed before the example of the poor inhabitants of ,hull was followed4 ,it was only in #ahdg that the co-operators of ,leeds purchased a flour-mill1 and in #ahej that those of ,rochdale did the same2 since which time they have manufactured flour for the benefit of their members4 ,the corn-millers of ,leeds attempted to undersell the ,leeds ,industrial ,society4 ,they soon failed1 and the price of flour was permanently reduced4 ,the ,leeds mill does business amounting to more than a hundred thousand pounds yearly2 its capital amounts to twenty-two thousand pounds2 and it paid more than eight thousand pounds of profits and bonuses to its three thousand six hundred members in #ahff1 besides supplying them with flour of the best quality4 ,the ,rochdale ,district ,co-operative ,corn-mill ,society has also been eminently successful4 ,it supplies flour to consumers residing within a radius of about fifteen miles round ,rochdale#a4 ,it also supplies flour to sixty-two co-operative societies1 numbering over twelve thousand members4 ,its business in #ahff amounted to two hundred and twenty-four thousand pounds1 and its profits to over eighteen thousand pounds4 ,footnote #a3 ,its history is given in the ,reports above referred to1 p4 #bfi4 ,the ,rochdale ,corn-mill grew out of the ,rochdale ,equitable ,pioneers ,society1 which formed an epoch in the history of industrial co-operative institutions4 ,the ,equitable ,pioneers ,society was established in the year #ahdd1 at a time when trade was in a very bad condition1 and working people generally were heartless and hopeless as to their future state4 ,some twenty-eight or thirty men1 mostly flannel weavers1 met and formed themselves into a society for the purpose of economizing their hard-won earnings4 ,it is pretty well known that working-men generally pay at least ten per cent4 more for the articles they consume1 than they need to do under a sounder system4 ,professor ,fawcett estimates their loss at nearer twenty per cent4 than ten per cent4 ,at all events1 these working-men wished to save this amount of profit1 which before went into the pockets of the distributers of the necessaries1--in other words1 into the pockets of the shopkeepers4 ,the weekly subscription was twopence each2 and when about fifty-two calls of twopence each had been made1 they found that they were able to buy a sack of oatmeal1 which they distributed at cost-price amongst the members of the society4 ,the number of members grew1 and the subscriptions so increased1 that the society was enabled to buy tea1 sugar1 and other articles1 and distribute them amongst the members at cost-price4 ,they superseded the shopkeepers1 and became their own tradesmen4 ,they insisted from the first on payments in cash4 ,no credit was given4 ,the society grew4 ,it established a store for the sale of food1 firing1 clothes1 and other necessaries4 ,in a few years the members set on foot the ,co-operative ,corn-mill4 ,they increased the capital by the issue of one-pound shares1 and began to make and sell clothes and shoes4 ,they also sold drapery4 ,but the principal trade consisted in the purchase and sale of provisions--butchers' meat1 groceries1 flour1 and such-like4 ,notwithstanding the great distress during the period of the cotton famine1 the society continued to prosper4 ,from the first1 it set apart a portion of its funds for educational purposes1 and established a news-room1 and a library1 which now contains over six thousand volumes4 ,the society continued to increase until it possessed eleven branches for the sale of goods and stores in or near ,rochdale1 besides the original office in ,toad ,lane4 ,at the end of #ahff1 it had #f1bdf members1 and a capital of #ii1ijh4 ,its income for goods sold and cash received during the year was #bdi1abb2 and the gross profit #ca1ica4 ,but this was not all4 ,two and a half per cent4 was appropriated from the net profits to support the news-rooms and library2 and there are now eleven news and reading rooms at different places in or near the town where the society carries on its business2 the sum devoted to this object amounting to over seven hundred pounds per annum4 ,the members play at chess and draughts1 and use the stereoscopic views1 microscopes1 and telescopes placed in the libraries4 ,no special arrangements have been made to promote temperance2 but the news-rooms and library exercise a powerful and beneficial influence in promoting sobriety4 ,it has been said that the society has done more to remove drunkenness from ,rochdale than all that the advocates of temperance have been able to effect4 ,the example of the ,rochdale ,pioneers has exercised a powerful influence on working-men throughout the northern counties of ,england4 ,there is scarcely a town or village but has a co-operative institution of one kind or another4 ,these societies have promoted habits of saving1 of thrift1 and of temperance4 ,they have given the people an interest in money matters1 and enabled them to lay out their earnings to the best advantage4 ,they have also given the working people some knowledge of business2 for the whole of their concerns are managed by committees selected at the general meetings of the members4 ,one of the most flourishing co-operative societies is that established at ,over ,darwen4 ,the society has erected a row of handsome buildings in the centre of the town4 ,the shops for the sale of provisions1 groceries1 clothing1 and other necessaries1 occupy the lower story4 ,over the shops are the library1 reading rooms1 and class rooms1 which are open to the members and their families4 ,the third story consists of a large public hall1 which is used for lectures1 concerts1 and dances4 ,there are six branches of the society established in different parts of the town4 ,a large amount of business is done1 and the profits are very considerable4 ,these are divided amongst the members1 in proportion to the purchases made by them4 ,the profits are for the most part re-invested in joint-stock paper-mills1 cotton-mills1 and collieries1 in the neighbourhood of ,darwen4 ,one of the most praiseworthy features of the society is the provision made for the free education of the members and their families4 ,two and a half per cent4 of the profits are appropriated for the purpose4 ,while inspecting the institution a few months ago1 we were informed that the ,science classes were so efficiently conducted1 that one of the pupils had just obtained a ,government ,scholarship of fifty pounds a year1 for three years1 including free instruction at the ,school of ,mines1 ,jermyn ,street1 ,london1 with a free use of the laboratories during that period4 ,there are also two other co-operative institutions in the same place2 and we were informed that the working people of ,darwen are1 for the most part1 hard-working1 sober1 and thrifty4 ,the example has also spread into ,scotland and the south of ,england4 ,at ,northampton1 a co-operative society exists for the purpose of buying and selling leather1 and also for the manufacture of boots and shoes4 ,at ,padiham and other places in ,lancashire1 co-operative cotton-mills have been established4 ,the ,manchester and ,salford ,equitable ,co-operative ,society combine the securities and facilities of a bank with the profits of a trade4 ,but the business by which they mostly thrive1 is by the purchase and sale of food1 provisions1 groceries1 draperies1 and other articles1 with the exception of intoxicating liquors4 ,the sole secret of their success consists in ready money4 ,they give no credit4 ,everything is done for cash2 the profit of the trade being divided amongst the members4 ,every business man knows that cash payment is the soundest method of conducting business4 ,the ,rochdale ,pioneers having discovered the secret1 have spread it amongst their class4 ,in their advice to members of this and other societies1 they say3 ,look well after money matters4 ,buy your goods as much as possible in the first markets2 or if you have the produce of your industry to sell1 contrive1 if possible1 to sell it in the last4 ,never depart from the principle of buying and selling for ready money4 ,beware of long reckonings4 ,in short1 the co-operative societies became tradesmen on a large scale2 and1 besides the pureness of the food sold1 their profit consisted in the discount for cash payments1 which was divided amongst the members4 ,land and ,building ,societies constitute another form of co-operation4 ,these are chiefly supported by the minor middle-class men1 but also to a considerable extent by the skilled and thrifty working-class men4 ,by their means portions of land are bought1 and dwelling-houses are built4 ,by means of a building society1 a person who desires to possess a house enters the society as a member1 and instead of paying his rent to the landlord1 pays his subscriptions and interest to a committee of his friends2 and in course of time1 when his subscriptions are paid up1 the house is purchased1 and conveyed to him by the society4 ,the building-society is thus a savings bank1 where money accumulates for a certain purpose4 ,but even those who do not purchase a house1 receive a dividend and bonus on their shares1 which sometimes amounts to a considerable sum4 ,the accumulation of property has the effect which it always has upon thrifty men2 it makes them steady1 sober1 and diligent4 ,it weans them from revolutionary notions1 and makes them conservative4 ,when workmen1 by their industry and frugality1 have secured their own independence1 they will cease to regard the sight of others' well-being as a wrong inflicted on themselves2 and it will no longer be possible to make political capital out of their imaginary woes4 ,it has been said that ,freehold ,land ,societies1 which were established for political objects1 had the effect of weaning men from political reform4 ,they were first started in ,birmingham1 for the purpose of enabling men to buy land1 and divide it into forty-shilling freeholds1 so that the owners might become electors and vote against the corn-laws4 ,the corn-laws have been done away with2 but the holders of freehold land still exist1 though many of them have ceased to be politicians4 ,mr4 ,arthur ,ryland informs me1 said ,mr4 ,holyoake1 in a recent paper on ,building ,societies1 that in ,birmingham1 numbers of persons under the influence of these societies have forsaken patriotism for profits4 ,and ,i know both co-operators and ,chartists who were loud-mouthed for social and political reform1 who now care no more for it than a ,whig government2 and decline to attend a public meeting on a fine night1 while they would crawl like the serpent in ,eden1 through a gutter in a storm1 after a good security4 ,they have tasted land1 and the gravel has got into their souls4 ,yet to many others1 he adds1 these societies have taught a healthy frugality they never else would have known2 and enabled many an industrious son to take to his home his poor old father--who expected and dreaded to die in the workhouse--and set him down to smoke his pipe in the sunshine in the garden1 of which the land and the house belonged to his child4#a ,footnote #a3 ,paper read at ,york ,meeting of the ,national ,society for ,promoting ,social ,science1 #bfth ,sept4 #ahfd4 ,the ,leeds ,permanent ,building ,society1 which has furnished healthy tenements for about two hundred families1 sets forth the following recommendations of the influence which it has exercised amongst the working classes of that town3 ,it is truly cheering to hear the members themselves1 at occasional meetings tell how1 from small savings hitherto deemed too little for active application1 they began to invest in the society3 then to build or buy2 then to advance in life1 and come to competence1 from extending their savings in this manner4444 ,the provident habits and knowledge thus induced are most beneficial to the members4 ,and the result is1 that the careless become thoughtful1 and1 on saving1 become orderly1 respectable1 propertied1 and in every way better citizens1 neighbours1 and more worthy and comfortable4 ,the employment of money in this useful direction encourages trade1 advances prices and wages1 comforts the working classes1 and at the same time provides the means of home enjoyments1 without which such advances would be comparatively useless1 and certainly uncertain4#a ,footnote #a3 ,letter of ,mr4 ,john ,holmes1 in ,reports of ,paris ,universal ,exhibition1 #ahfg vol4 vi41 p4 #bdj4 ,there are also exceptional towns and villages in ,lancashire where large sums of money have been saved by the operatives for buying or building comfortable cottage dwellings4 ,last year ,padiham saved about fifteen thousand pounds for this purpose1 although its population is only about #h1jjj4 ,burnley has also been very successful4 ,the ,building ,society there has #f1fjj investors1 who saved last year #afj1jjj or an average of twenty-four pounds for each investor4 ,the members consist principally of mill operatives1 miners1 mechanics1 engineers1 carpenters1 stonemasons1 and labourers4 ,they also include women1 both married and unmarried4 ,our informant states that great numbers of the working classes have purchased houses in which to live4 ,they have likewise bought houses as a means of investment4 ,the building society has assisted in hundreds of these cases1 by advancing money on mortgage1--such mortgages being repaid by easy instalments4 ,building ,societies are1 on the whole1 among the most excellent methods of illustrating the advantages of ,thrift4 ,they induce men to save money for the purpose of buying their own homes2 in which1 so long as they live1 they possess the best of all securities4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,economy ,,in ,,life ,,assurance4 ,do not1 for one repulse1 forego the purpose ,that you resolved to effect4--,shakespeare4 ,we are helpers1 fellow-creatures1 ,of the right against the wrong4--,e4 ,barrett4 ,life was not given us to be all used up in the pursuit of what we must leave behind us when we die4--,joseph ,may4 ,le bonheur ou le malheur de la vielillesse n'est souvent que l'extrait de notre vie passe4 7,the blessedness or misery of old age is often but the extract of our past life47 ,de ,maistre4 ,two other methods of co-operative saving remain to be mentioned4 ,the first is by ,life ,assurance1 which enables widows and children to be provided for at the death of the assured2 and the second is by ,friendly ,societies1 which enable working men to provide themselves with relief in sickness1 and their widows and orphans with a small sum at their death4 ,the first method is practised by the middle and upper classes2 and the second by the working classes4 ,it might possibly take a long time to save enough money to provide for those who are dependent upon us2 and there is always the temptation to encroach upon the funds set apart for death1 which--as most people suppose--may be a far-distant event4 ,so that saving bit by bit1 from week to week1 cannot always be relied upon4 ,the person who joins an assurance society is in a different position4 ,his annual or quarterly saving becomes at once a portion of a general fund1 sufficient to realize the intention of the assured4 ,at the moment that he makes his first payment1 his object is attained4 ,though he die on the day after his premium has been paid1 his widow and children will receive the entire amount of his assurance4 ,this system1 while it secures a provision to his survivors1 at the same time incites a man to the moral obligation of exorcising foresight and prudence1 since through its means these virtues may be practised1 and their ultimate reward secured4 ,not the least of the advantages attending life assurance is the serenity of mind which attends the provident man when lying on a bed of sickness1 or when he is in prospect of death1--so unlike that painful anxiety for the future welfare of a family1 which adds poignancy to bodily suffering1 and retards or defeats the power of medicine4 ,the poet ,burns1 in writing to a friend a few days before his death1 said that he was still the victim of affliction4 ,alas6 ,clark1 ,i begin to fear the worst4 ,burns' poor widow1 and half a dozen of his dear little ones helpless orphans2--there1 ,i am weak as a woman's tear4 ,enough of this1--'tis half my disease6 ,life assurance may be described as a joint-stock plan for securing widows1 and children from want4 ,it is an arrangement by means of which a large number of persons agree to lay by certain small sums called premiums1 yearly1 to accumulate at interest1 as in a savings bank1 against the contingency of the assurer's death1--when the amount of the sum subscribed for is forthwith handed over to his survivors4 ,by this means1 persons possessed of but little capital1 though enjoying regular wages or salaries1 however small1 may at once form a fund for the benefit of their family at death4 ,we often hear of men who have been diligent and useful members of society1 dying and leaving their wives and families in absolute poverty4 ,they have lived in respectable style1 paid high rents for their houses1 dressed well1 kept up good visiting acquaintance1 were seen at most places of amusement1 and brought up their children with certain ideas of social position and respectability2 but death has stricken them down1 and what is the situation of their families8 ,has the father provided for their future8 ,from twenty to twenty-five pounds a year1 paid into an ,assurance ,society1 would have secured their widows and orphans against absolute want4 ,have they performed this duty8 ,no--they have done nothing of the kind2 it turns out that the family have been living up to their means1 if not beyond them1 and the issue is1 that they are thrown suddenly bankrupt upon the world4 ,conduct such as this is not only thoughtless and improvident1 but heartless and cruel in the last degree4 ,to bring a family into the world1 give them refined tastes1 and accustom them to comforts1 the loss of which is misery1 and then to leave the family to the workhouse1 the prison1 or the street--to the alms of relatives1 or to the charity of the public1--is nothing short of a crime done against society1 as well as against the unfortunate individuals who are the immediate sufferers4 ,it will be admitted1 that the number of men who can lay by a sufficient store of capital for the benefit of their families1 is1 in these times of intense competition1 comparatively small4 ,perhaps the claims of an increasing family absorb nearly all their gains1 and they find that the sum which they can put away in the bank is so small1 that it is not put away at all4 ,they become reckless of ever attaining so apparently hopeless an object as that of an accumulation of savings1 for the benefit of their families at death4 ,take the case of a married man with a family4 ,he has begun business1 and thinks that if his life were spared1 he might in course of years be able to lay by sufficient savings to provide for his wife and family at his death4 ,but life is most uncertain1 and he knows that at any moment he may be taken away1--leaving those he holds most dear comparatively destitute4 ,at thirty he determines to join a sound life office4 ,he insures for five hundred pounds1 payable to his survivors at his death1 and pays from twelve to thirteen pounds yearly4 ,from the moment on which he pays that amount1 the five hundred pounds are secured for his family1 although he died the very next day4 ,now1 if he had deposited this twelve or thirteen pounds yearly in a bank1 or employed it at interest1 it would have taken about twenty years before his savings would have amounted to five hundred pounds4 ,but by the simple and beautiful expedient of life assurance1 these twenty-six years of the best part of his life are1 on this account at least1 secured against anxiety and care4 ,the anticipation of future evil no longer robs him of present enjoyment4 ,by means of his annual fixed payment--which decreases according to the profits of the society--he is secure of leaving a fixed sum at his death for the benefit of his family4 ,in this way1 life assurance may be regarded in the light of a contract1 by which the inequalities of life are to a certain extent averaged and compensated1 so that those who die soon--or rather their families--become sharers in the good fortune of those who live beyond the average term of life4 ,and even should the assurer himself live beyond the period at which his savings would have accumulated to more than the sum insured1 he will not be disposed to repine1 if he takes into account his exemption from corroding solicitude during so many years of his life4 ,the reasons which induce a man to insure his house and stock of goods against the accident of fire1 ought to be still more imperative in inducing him to insure his life against the accident of disease and the contingency of sudden death4 ,what is worldly prudence in the one case1 is something more in the other2 it has superadded to it the duty of providing for the future maintenance of a possibly widowed wife1 and orphaned children2 and no man can justly stand excused who neglects so great and binding an obligation4 ,is it an obligation on the part of a husband and father to provide daily bread for his wife and children during his life8 ,then it is equally an obligation on his part to provide means for their adequate support in event of his death4 ,the duty is so obvious1 the means of performing it are so simple1 and are now so easily placed within the reach of all men1--the arrangement is so eminently practical1 rational1 benevolent1 and just1--it is1 moreover1 so calculated to increase every wise and prudent man's sense of self-respect1 and to encourage him in the performance of all proper social duties1--that we cannot conceive of any possible objection that can be urged against it2 and it is only to be regretted that the practice is not far more general and customary than it is1 amongst all classes of the community4#a ,footnote #a3 ,it may be mentioned that the total amount assured in existing ,british offices1 mostly by the middle classes1 is about three hundred and fifty millions sterling2 and that the annual premiums payable amount to not less than eleven millions sterling4 ,and yet no more than one person in twenty of the persons belonging to the classes to whom ,life ,assurance is especially applicable1 have yet availed themselves of its benefits4 ,the ,friendly or ,benefit ,societies of the working classes are also ,co-operative ,societies under another form4 ,they cultivate the habit of prudent self-reliance amongst the people1 and are consequently worthy of every encouragement4 ,it is certainly a striking fact that some four millions of working men should have organized themselves into voluntary associations for the purpose of mutual support in time of sickness and distress4 ,these societies are the outgrowth in a great measure of the ,english love of self-government and social independence1--in illustration of which it maybe stated1 that whereas in ,france only one person in seventy-six is found belonging to a benefit society1 and in ,belgium one in sixty-four1 the proportion in ,england is found to be one in nine4 ,the ,english societies are said to have in hand funds amounting to more than eleven millions sterling2 and they distribute relief amongst their members1 provided by voluntary contributions out of their weekly earnings1 amounting to above two millions yearly4 ,although the working classes of ,france and ,belgium do not belong to benefit societies to anything like the same extent1 it must be stated1 in their justification1 that they are amongst the most thrifty and prudent people in the world4 ,they invest their savings principally in land and in the public funds4 ,the ,french and ,belgians have a positive hunger for land4 ,they save everything that they can for the purpose of acquiring more4 ,and with respect to their investments in the public funds1 it may be mentioned1 as a well-known fact1 that it was the ,french peasantry who1 by investing their savings in the ,national ,defence ,loan1 liberated ,french soil from the tread of their ,german conquerors4#a ,footnote #a3 ,at the present time one individual out of every eight in the population of ,france has a share in the ,national ,debt1 the average amount held being #agj francs4 ,the participants in the debt approach closely to the number of freeholders1 or rather distinct freeholdings1 which amount to #e1eej1jjj1 according to the last return4 ,france certainly furnishes a singular exception to those countries of ,central and ,western ,europe1 where the rich are getting more rich and the poor ever more poor4 ,in ,france wealth becomes more and more distributed among the bulk of the population4 ,english benefit societies1 notwithstanding their great uses and benefits1 have numerous defects4 ,there are faults in the details of their organization and management1 whilst many of them are financially unsound4 ,like other institutions in their early stages1 they have been tentative and in a great measure empirical1--more especially as regards their rates of contribution and allowances for sick relief4 ,the rates have in many cases been fixed too low1 in proportion to the benefits allowed2 and hence the box is often declared to be closed1 after the money subscribed has been expended4 ,the society then comes to an end1 and the older members have to go without relief for the rest of their lives4 ,but life assurance societies themselves have had to undergo the same discipline of failure1 and the operation of winding up has not unfrequently thrown discredit upon these middle-class associations4 ,to quote the words of the ,registrar of ,friendly ,societies1 in a recent report3 ,though the information thus far obtained is not very encouraging as to the general system of management2 on the whole1 perhaps1 the results of the investments of the poor are not worse than those which noblemen1 members of ,parliament1 merchants1 professed financiers1 and speculators have contrived to attain in their management of railways1 joint-stock banks1 and enterprises of all kinds4 ,the workmen's societies originated for the most part in a common want1 felt by persons of small means1 unable to accumulate any considerable store of savings to provide against destitution in the event of disablement by disease or accident4 ,at the beginning of life1 persons earning their bread by daily labour are able to save money with difficulty4 ,unavoidable expenses absorb their limited means and press heavily on their income4 ,when unable to work1 any little store they may have accumulated is soon spent1 and if they have a family to maintain1 there is then no choice before them but destitution1 begging1 or recourse to the poor-rates4 ,in their desire to avoid either of these alternatives1 they have contrived the expedient of the benefit society4 ,by combining and putting a large number of small contributions together1 they have found it practicable thus to provide a fund sufficiently large to meet their ordinary requirements during sickness4 ,the means by which this is accomplished are very simple4 ,each member contributes to a common fund at the rate of from fourpence to sixpence a week1 and out of this fund the stipulated allowance is paid4 ,most benefit societies have also a ,widows' and ,orphans' ,fund1 raised in like manner1 out of which a sum is paid to the survivors of members at their death4 ,it will be obvious that such organizations1 however faulty they may be in detail1 cannot fail to exercise a beneficial influence upon society at large4 ,the fact that one of such associations1 the ,manchester ,unity of ,odd ,fellows1 numbers about half a million of members2 possesses a funded capital amounting to #c1gjf1cff2 and distributes in sick relief and payments of sums at death above #cjj1jjj a year1 illustrates in a striking light their beneficial action upon the classes for whom and by whom they have been established4 ,by their means1 working men are enabled to secure the results of economy at a comparatively small cost4 ,for1 mutual assurance is economy in its most economical form2 and merely presents another illustration of that power of co-operation which is working out such extraordinary results in all departments of society1 and is in fact but another name for ,civilization4 ,many persons object to ,friendly ,societies because they are conducted at public-houses2 because many of them are got up by the keepers of public-houses in order to obtain custom from the members2 and because1 in their fortnightly meetings to pay their subscriptions1 they acquire the pernicious habit of drinking1 and thus waste quite as much as they save4 ,the ,friendly ,societies doubtless rely very much on the social element4 ,the public-house is everybody's house4 ,the members can there meet together1 talk together1 and drink together4 ,it is extremely probable that had they trusted solely to the sense of duty--the duty of insuring against sickness--and merely required the members to pay their weekly contributions to a collector1 very few societies of the kind would have remained in existence4 ,in a large number of cases1 there is practically no choice between the society that meets at a public-house1 and none at all4 ,it so happens that the world cannot be conducted on superfine principles4 ,to most men1 and especially to the men we are speaking of1 it is a rough1 working world1 conducted on common principles1 such as will wear4 ,to some it may seem vulgar to associate beer1 tobacco1 or feasting with the pure and simple duty of effecting an insurance against disablement by sickness2 but the world we live in is vulgar1 and we must take it as we find it1 and try to make the best of it4 ,it must be admitted that the tendencies to pure good in man are very weak1 and need much helping4 ,but the expedient1 vulgar though it be1 of attracting him through his appetite for meat and drink to perform a duty to himself and neighbours1 is by no means confined to societies of working men4 ,there is scarcely a ,london charity or institution but has its annual dinner for the purpose of attracting subscribers4 ,are we to condemn the eighteenpenny annual dinner of the poor man1 but excuse the guinea one of the rich8 ,a vigorous effort was made by ,mr4 ,akroyd of ,halifax1 in #ahef1 to establish a ,provident ,sick ,society and ,penny ,savings ,bank for the working men in the ,west ,riding of ,yorkshire4 ,an organization was set on foot with these objects2 and though the ,penny ,bank proved a complete success1 the ,provident ,society proved a complete failure4 ,mr4 ,akroyd thus explains the causes of the failure3 ,we found the ground preoccupied1 he says1 by ,friendly ,societies1 especially by the ,odd ,fellows1 ,druids1 ,foresters1 etc42 and against their principles of self-government1 mutual check against fraud1 and brotherhood1 no new and independent society can compete4 ,our rates were also of necessity much higher than theirs1 and this was perhaps one of the chief causes of our failure4 ,low rates of contribution have been the principal cause of the failure of ,friendly ,societies4#a ,it was of course natural that the members1 being persons of limited means1 should endeavour to secure the objects of their organization at the lowest cost4 ,they therefore fixed their rates as low as possible2 and1 as the results proved1 they in most cases fixed them too low4 ,so long as the societies consisted1 for the most part1 of young1 healthy men1 and the average amount of sickness remained low1 the payments made seemed ample4 ,the funds accumulated1 and many flattered themselves that their societies were in a prosperous state1 when they contained the sure elements of decay4 ,for1 as the members grew older1 their average liability to sickness was regularly increasing4 ,the effects of increased age upon the solvency of benefit clubs soon becoming known1 young men avoided the older societies1 and preferred setting up organizations of their own4 ,the consequence was1 that the old men began to draw upon their reserves at the same time that the regular contributions fell off2 and when1 as was frequently the case1 a few constantly ailing members kept pressing upon the society1 the funds were at length exhausted1 the box was declared to be closed1 and the society was broken up4 ,the real injustice was done to the younger men who remained in the society4 ,after paying their contributions for many years1 they found1 when sickness at length fell upon them1 that the funds had been exhausted1 by expenditure for superannuation and other allowances1 which were not provided for by the rules of the society4 ,footnote #a3 ,the ,registrar of ,friendly ,societies1 in his report for #ahei1 states that from #agic to #aheh1 the number of societies enrolled and certified had been #bh1eej1 of which #f1hej had ceased to exist4 ,the causes of failure in most cases were reported to be1 inadequacy of the rates of contribution1 the granting of pensions as well as sick pay1 and no increase of young members4 ,the dissolution of a society1 however1 is frequently effected with a view of remodelling it1 and starting afresh under better regulations1 and with rates of premium such as increased knowledge has shown to be necessary for the risks which they have to incur4 ,even the best of the ,benefit ,societies have been slow to learn the essential importance of adequate rates of contribution1 to enable them to fulfil their obligations and ensure their continued usefulness as well as solvency4 ,the defect of most of them consists in their trying to do too much with too little means4 ,the benefits paid out are too high for the rates of contribution paid in4 ,those who come first are served1 but those who come late too often find an empty box4 ,not only have the rates of payment been generally fixed too low1 but there has been little or no discrimination in the selection of members4 ,men advanced in years and of fragile health are often admitted on the same terms as the young and the healthy1 the only difference being in the rate of entry money4 ,even young lodges1 which start with inadequate rates1 instead of growing stronger1 gradually grow weaker2 and in the event of a few constantly ailing members falling upon the funds1 they soon become exhausted1 and the lodge becomes bankrupt and is broken up4 ,such has been the history of thousands of ,friendly ,societies1 doing good and serving a useful purpose in their time1 but short-lived1 ephemeral1 and to many of their members disappointing1 and even deceptive4 ,attempts have been recently made--more especially by the officers of the ,manchester ,unity of ,odd ,fellows--to improve the financial condition of their society4 ,perhaps the best proof of the desire that exists on the part of the leading minds in the ,unity to bring the organization into a state of financial soundness1 is to be found in the fact that the ,board of ,management have authorized the publication of the best of all data for future guidance1--namely1 the actual sickness experience of the ,order4 ,an elaborate series of tables has accordingly been prepared and published for their information by ,mr4 ,ratcliffe1 the corresponding secretary1 at an expense of about #c1ejj4 ,in the preface to the last edition it is stated that this sum has not been abstracted from the funds set apart for relief during sickness1 for assurances at death1 or for providing for necessitous widows and orphans1 but from the management funds of the lodges--funds which1 being generally raised by direct levy on the members1 are not therefore readily expended without careful consideration on the part of those most interested in the character and welfare of their cherished institution4 ,we believe that time and experience will enable the leaders of ,friendly ,societies generally to improve them1 and introduce new ameliorations4 ,the best institutions are things of slow growth1 and are shaped by experience1 which includes failures as well as successes2 and finally1 they require age to strengthen them and root them in habit4 ,the rudest society established by working men for mutual help in sickness1 independent of help from private charity or the poor-rates1 is grounded on a right spirit1 and is deserving of every encouragement4 ,it furnishes a foundation on which to build up something better4 ,it teaches self-reliance1 and thus cultivates amongst the humblest classes habits of provident economy4 ,friendly ,societies began their operations before there was any science of vital statistics to guide them2 and if they have made mistakes in mutual assurance1 they have not stood alone4 ,looking at the difficulties they have had to encounter1 they are entitled to be judged charitably4 ,good advice given them in a kindly spirit will not fail to produce good results4 ,the defects which are mixed up with them are to be regarded as but the transient integument which will most probably fall away as the flower ripens and the fruit matures4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,savings ,,banks4 ,i wish ,i could write all across the sky1 in letters of gold1 the one word ,,savings ,,bank4--,rev4 ,win4 ,marsh4 ,the only true secret of assisting the poor is to make them agents in bettering their own condition4--,archbishop ,sumner4 ,qui vingt ne sait1 trente ne peut1 quarante n'a1--jamais ne saura1 ne pourra1 n'aura4--,french ,proverb4 ,go to the ant1 thou sluggard2 consider her ways1 and be wise3 which having no guide1 overseer1 or ruler1 provideth her meat in the summer1 and gathereth her food in the harvest4--,proverbs vi4 #f4 ,it is said that there is a skeleton in every household4 ,the skeleton is locked up--put away in a cupboard--- and rarely seen4 ,only the people inside the house know of its existence4 ,but the skeleton1 nevertheless1 cannot long be concealed4 ,it comes to light in some way or another4 ,the most common skeleton is ,poverty4 ,poverty1 says ,douglas ,jerrold1 is the great secret1 kept at any pains by one-half the world from the other half4 ,when there is nothing laid by--nothing saved to relieve sickness when it comes--nothing to alleviate the wants of old age1--this is the skeleton hid away in many a cupboard4 ,in a country such as this1 where business is often brought to a standstill by over-trading and over-speculation1 many masters1 clerks1 and workpeople are thrown out of employment4 ,they must wait until better times come round4 ,but in the meantime1 how are they to live8 ,if they have accumulated no savings1 and have nothing laid by1 they are comparatively destitute4 ,even the ,co-operative ,cotton-mills1 or ,co-operative ,banks1 which are nothing more than ,joint-stock ,companies1 ,limited1#a may become bankrupt4 ,they may not be able1 as was the case during the cotton famine1 to compete with large capitalists in the purchase of cotton1 or in the production of cotton twist4 ,co-operative companies established for the purpose of manufacturing1 are probably of too speculative a character to afford much lasting benefit to the working classes2 and it seems that by far the safer course for them to pursue1 in times such as the present1 is by means of simple1 direct saving4 ,there may be less chance of gain1 but there is less risk of loss4 ,what is laid by is not locked up and contingent for its productiveness upon times and trade1 but is steadily accumulating1 and is always ready at hand for use when the pinch of adversity occurs4 ,footnote #a3 ,the new cotton factories which have been called co-operative1 and which1 under that name1 have brought together large numbers of shareholders of the wage classes1 are all now in reality common joint-stock companies1 with limited liability4 ,the so-called co-operative shareholders in the leading establishments decided1 as ,i am informed1 by large majorities1 that the workers should only be paid wages in the ordinary manner1 and should not divide profits4 ,the wages being for piecework1 it was held that the payment was in accordance with communistic principle1 'each according to his capacity1 each according to his work4' ,the common spinner had had no share in the work of the general direction1 nor had he evinced any of the capacity of thrift or foresight of the capitalist1 and why should he share profits as if he had8 ,the wage class1 in their capacity of shareholders1 decided that it was an unjust claim upon their profits1 and kept them undivided to themselves4--,edwin ,chadwick1 ,c4,b4 ,mr4 ,bright stated in the ,house of ,commons1 in #ahfj1b that the income of the working classes was understated at three hundred and twelve millions a year4 ,looking at the increase of wages which has taken place during the last fifteen years1 their income must now amount to at least four hundred millions4 ,footnote #b3 ,speech on the ,representation of the ,people ,bill4 ,surely1 out of this large fund of earnings1 the working classes might easily save from thirty to forty millions yearly4 ,at all events1 they might save such an amount as1 if properly used and duly economized1 could not fail to establish large numbers of them in circumstances of comfort and even of comparative wealth4 ,the instances which we have already cited of persons in the humbler ranks of life having by prudential forethought accumulated a considerable store of savings for the benefit of their families1 and as a stay for their old age1 need not by any means be the comparatively exceptional cases that they are now4 ,what one well-regulated person is able to do1 others1 influenced by similar self-reliant motives1 and practising like sobriety and frugality1 might with equal ease and in one way or another accomplish4 ,a man who has more money about him than he requires for current purposes1 is tempted to spend it4 ,to use the common phrase1 it is apt to burn a hole in his pocket4 ,he may be easily entrapped into company2 and where his home provides but small comfort1 the public-house1 with its bright fire1 is always ready to welcome him4 ,it often happens that workmen lose their employment in bad times4 ,mercantile concerns become bankrupt1 clerks are paid off1 and servants are dismissed when their masters can no longer employ them4 ,if the disemployed people have been in the habit of regularly consuming all their salaries and wages1 without laying anything by1 their case is about the most pitiable that can be imagined4 ,but if they have saved something1 at home or in the savings bank1 they will be enabled to break their fall4 ,they will obtain some breathing-time1 before they again fall into employment4 ,suppose they have as much as ten pounds saved4 ,it may seem a very little sum1 yet in distress it amounts to much4 ,it may even prove a man's passport to future independence4 ,with ten pounds a workman might remove from one district to another where employment is more abundant4 ,with ten pounds1 he might emigrate to ,canada or the ,united ,states1 where his labour might be in request4 ,without this little store of savings1 he might be rooted to his native spot1 like a limpet to the rock4 ,if a married man with a family1 his ten pounds would save his home from wreckage1 and his household from destitution4 ,his ten pounds would keep the wolf from the door until better times came round4 ,ten pounds would keep many a servant-girl from ruin1 give her time to recruit her health1 perhaps wasted by hard work1 and enable her to look about for a suitable place1 instead of rushing into the first that offered4 ,we do not value money for its own sake1 and we should be the last to encourage a miserly desire to hoard amongst any class2 but we cannot help recognizing in money the means of life1 the means of comfort1 the means of maintaining an honest independence4 ,we would therefore recommend every young man and every young woman to begin life by learning to save2 to lay up for the future a certain portion of every week's earnings1 be it little or much2 to avoid consuming every week or every year the earnings of that week or year2 and we counsel them to do this1 as they would avoid the horrors of dependence1 destitution1 or beggary4 ,we would have men and women of every class able to help themselves--relying upon their own resources--upon their own savings2 for it is a true saying that a penny in the purse is better than a friend at court4 ,the first penny saved is a step in the world4 ,the fact of its being saved and laid by1 indicates self-denial1 forethought1 prudence1 wisdom4 ,it may be the germ of future happiness4 ,it may be the beginning of independence4 ,cobbett was accustomed to scoff at the bubble of ,savings ,banks1 alleging that it was an insult to people to tell them that they had anything to save4 ,yet the extent to which savings banks have been used1 even by the humblest classes1 proves that he was as much mistaken in this as he was in many of the views which he maintained4 ,there are thousands of persons who would probably never have thought of laying by a penny1 but for the facility of the savings bank3 it would have seemed so useless to try4 ,the small hoard in the cupboard was too ready at hand1 and would have become dissipated before it accumulated to any amount2 but no sooner was a place of deposit provided1 where sums as small as a shilling could be put away1 than people hastened to take advantage of it4 ,the first savings bank was started by ,miss ,priscilla ,wakefield1 in the parish of ,tottenham1 ,middlesex1 towards the close of last century1--her object being mainly to stimulate the frugality of poor children4 ,the experiment proved so successful that in #agii the ,rev4 ,joseph ,smith1 of ,wendon1 commenced a plan of receiving small sums from his parishioners during summer1 and returning them at ,christmas1 with the addition of one-third as a stimulus to prudence and forethought4 ,miss ,wakefield1 in her turn1 followed ,mr4 ,smith's example1 and in #ahjd extended the plan of her charitable bank1 so as to include adult labourers1 female servants1 and others4 ,a similar institution was formed at ,bath1 in #ahjh1 by several ladies of that city2 and about the same time ,mr4 ,whitbread proposed to ,parliament the formation of a national institution1 in the nature of a bank1 for the use and advantage of the labouring classes alone2 but nothing came of his proposal4 ,it was not until the ,rev4 ,henry ,duncan1 the minister of ,ruthwell1 a poor parish in ,dumfriesshire1 took up the subject1 that the savings-bank system may be said to have become fairly inaugurated4 ,the inhabitants of that parish were mostly poor cottagers1 whose average wages did not amount to more than eight shillings a week4 ,there were no manufactures in the district1 nor any means of subsistence for the population1 except what was derived from the land under cultivation2 and the landowners were for the most part non-resident4 ,it seemed a very unlikely place in which to establish a bank for savings1 where the poor people were already obliged to strain every nerve to earn a bare living1 to provide the means of educating their children 7for1 however small his income1 the ,scottish peasant almost invariably contrives to save something wherewith to send his children to school71 and to pay their little contributions to the friendly society of the parish4 ,nevertheless1 the minister resolved1 as a help to his spiritual instructions1 to try the experiment4 ,not many labouring men may apprehend the deep arguments of the religious teacher1 but the least intelligent can appreciate a bit of practical advice that tells on the well-being of his household as well as on the labourer's own daily comfort and self-respect4 ,dr4 ,duncan knew that1 even in the poorest family1 there were odds and ends of income apt to be frittered away in unnecessary expenditure4 ,he saw some thrifty cottagers using the expedient of a cow1 or a pig1 or a bit of garden-ground1 as a savings bank1--finding their return of interest in the shape of butter and milk1 winter's bacon1 or garden produce2 and it occurred to him that there were other villagers1 single men and young women1 for whom some analogous mode of storing away their summer's savings might be provided1 and a fair rate of interest returned upon their little investments4 ,hence originated the parish savings bank of ,ruthwell1 the first self-supporting institution of the kind established in this country4 ,that the minister was not wrong in his anticipations1 was proved by the fact that1 in the course of four years1 the funds of his savings bank amounted to nearly a thousand pounds4 ,and if poor villagers out of eight shillings a week1 and female labourers and servants out of much less1 could lay aside this sum1--what might not mechanics1 artizans1 miners1 and iron-workers accomplish1 who earn from thirty to fifty shillings a week all the year round8 ,the example set by ,dr4 ,duncan was followed in many towns and districts in ,england and ,scotland4 ,in every instance the model of the ,ruthwell parish bank was followed2 and the self-sustaining principle was adopted4 ,the savings banks thus instituted1 were not eleemosynary institutions1 nor dependent upon anybody's charity or patronage2 but their success rested entirely with the depositors themselves4 ,they encouraged the industrious classes to rely upon their own resources1 to exercise forethought and economy in the conduct of life1 to cherish self-respect and self-dependence1 and to provide for their comfort and maintenance in old age1 by the careful use of the products of their industry1 instead of having to rely for aid upon the thankless dole of a begrudged poor-rate4 ,the establishment of savings banks with these objects1 at length began to be recognized as a matter of national concern2 and in #ahag an ,act was passed which served to increase their number and extend their usefulness4 ,various measures have since been adopted with the object of increasing their efficiency and security4 ,but notwithstanding the great good which these institutions have accomplished1 it is still obvious that the better-paid classes of workpeople avail themselves of them to only a very limited extent4 ,a very small portion of the four hundred millions estimated to be annually earned by the working classes finds its way to the savings bank1 while at least twenty times the amount is spent annually at the beershop and the public-house4 ,it is not the highly-paid class of working men and women who invest money in the savings banks2 but those who earn comparatively moderate incomes4 ,thus the most numerous class of depositors in the ,manchester and ,salford ,savings ,bank is that of domestic servants4 ,after them rank clerks1 shopmen1 porters1 and miners4 ,only about a third part of the deposits belong to the operatives1 artizans1 and mechanics4 ,it is the same in manufacturing districts generally4 ,a few years since1 it was found that of the numerous female depositors at ,dundee1 only one was a factory worker3 the rest were for the most part servants4 ,there is another fact that is remarkable4 ,the habit of saving does not so much prevail in those counties where wages are the highest1 as in those counties where wages are the lowest4 ,previous to the era of ,post ,office ,savings ,banks1 the inhabitants of ,wilts and ,dorset--where wages are about the lowest in ,england--deposited more money in the savings banks1 per head of the population1 than they did in ,lancashire and ,yorkshire1 where wages are about the highest in ,england4 ,taking ,yorkshire itself1 and dividing it into manufacturing and agricultural1--the manufacturing inhabitants of the ,west ,riding of ,york invested about twenty-five shillings per head of the population in the savings banks2 whilst the agricultural population of the ,east ,riding invested about three times that amount4 ,private soldiers are paid much less wages per week than the lowest-paid workmen1 and yet they put more money in the savings banks than workmen who are paid from thirty to forty shillings a week4 ,soldiers are generally supposed to be a particularly thoughtless class4 ,indeed1 they are sometimes held up to odium as reckless and dissolute2 but the ,military ,savings ,bank ,returns refute the vilification1 and prove that the ,british soldier is as sober1 well-disciplined1 and frugal1 as we already know him to be brave4 ,most people forget that the soldier must be obedient1 sober1 and honest4 ,if he is a drunkard1 he is punished2 if he is dishonest1 he is drummed out of the regiment4 ,wonderful is the magic of ,drill6 ,drill means discipline1 training1 education4 ,the first drill of every people is military4 ,it has been the first education of nations4 ,the duty of obedience is thus taught on a large scale1--submission to authority2 united action under a common head4 ,these soldiers1--who are ready to march steadily against vollied fire1 against belching cannon1 up fortress heights1 or to beat their heads against bristling bayonets1 as they did at ,badajos1--were once tailors1 shoemakers1 mechanics1 delvers1 weavers1 and ploughmen2 with mouths gaping1 shoulders stooping1 feet straggling1 arms and hands like great fins hanging by their sides2 but now their gait is firm and martial1 their figures are erect1 and they march along1 to the sound of music1 with a tread that makes the earth shake4 ,such is the wonderful power of drill4 ,nations1 as they become civilized1 adopt other methods of discipline4 ,the drill becomes industrial4 ,conquest and destruction give place to production in many forms4 ,and what trophies ,industry has won1 what skill has it exercised1 what labours has it performed6 ,every industrial process is performed by drilled bands of artizans4 ,go into ,yorkshire and ,lancashire1 and you will find armies of drilled labourers at work1 where the discipline is perfect1 and the results1 as regards the amount of manufactured productions turned out of hand1 are prodigious4 ,on efficient drilling and discipline1 men's success as individuals1 and as societies entirely depends4 ,the most self-dependent man is under discipline1--and the more perfect the discipline1 the more complete his condition4 ,a man must drill his desires1 and keep them under subjection1--he must obey the word of command1 otherwise he is the sport of passion and impulse4 ,the religions man's life is full of discipline and self-restraint4 ,the man of business is entirely subject to system and rule4 ,the happiest home is that where the discipline is the most perfect1 and yet where it is the least felt4 ,we at length become subject to it as to a law of ,nature1 and while it binds us firmly1 yet we feel it not4 ,the force of ,habit is but the force of ,drill4 ,one dare scarcely hint1 in these days1 at the necessity for compulsory conscription2 and yet1 were the people at large compelled to pass through the discipline of the army1 the country would be stronger1 the people would be soberer1 and thrift would become much more habitual than it is at present4 ,military savings banks were first suggested by ,paymaster ,fairfowl in #ahaf2 and about ten years later the question was again raised by ,colonel ,oglander1 of the #bfth ,foot 7,cameronians74 ,the subject was brought under the notice of the late ,duke of ,wellington1 and negatived2 the ,duke making the following memorandum on the subject3 ,there is nothing that ,i know of to prevent a soldier1 equally with others of ,his ,majesty's subjects1 from investing his money in savings banks4 ,if there be any impediment1 it should be taken away2 but ,i doubt the expediency of going further4 ,the idea1 however1 seems to have occurred to the ,duke1 that the proposal to facilitate the saving of money by private soldiers might be turned to account in the way of a reduction in the army expenditure1 and he characteristically added3 ,has a soldier more pay than he requires8 ,if he has1 it should be lowered1 not to those now in the service1 but to those enlisted hereafter4 ,no one1 however1 could allege that the pay of the private soldier was excessive1 and it was not likely that any proposal to lower it would be entertained4 ,the subject of savings banks for the army was allowed to rest for a time1 but by the assistance of ,sir ,james ,mc,gregor and ,lord ,howick a scheme was at length approved and finally established in #ahdb4 ,the result has proved satisfactory in an eminent degree1 and speaks well for the character of the ,british soldier4 ,it appears from a paper presented to the ,house of ,commons some years ago1--giving the details of the savings effected by the respective corps1--that the men of the ,royal ,artillery had saved over twenty-three thousand pounds1 or an average of sixteen pounds to each depositor4 ,these savings were made out of a daily pay of one and threepence and a penny for beer-money1 or equal to about nine and sixpence a week1 subject to sundry deductions for extra clothing4 ,again1 the men of the ,royal ,engineers--mostly drawn from the skilled mechanical class--had saved nearly twelve thousand pounds1 or an average of about twenty pounds for each depositor4 ,the ,twenty-sixth regiment of the line 7,cameronians71 whose pay was a shilling a day and a penny for beer1 saved over four thousand pounds4 ,two hundred and fifty men of the first battalion1 or one-third of the corps1 were depositors in the savings bank1 and their savings amounted to about seventeen pounds per man4 ,but this is not all4 ,private soldiers1 out of their small earnings1 are accustomed to remit considerable sums through the post office1 to their poor relations at home4 ,in one year1 twenty-two thousand pounds were thus sent from ,aldershot1--the average amount of each money order being twenty-one shillings and fourpence4 ,and if men with seven shillings and seven-pence a week can do so much1 what might not skilled workmen do1 whose earnings amount to from two to three pounds a week8 ,soldiers serving abroad during arduous campaigns have proved themselves to be equally thoughtful and provident4 ,during the war in the ,crimea1 the soldiers and seamen sent home through the money order office seventy-one thousand pounds1 and the army works corps thirty-five thousand pounds4 ,more than a year before the money order system was introduced at ,scutari1 ,miss ,nightingale took charge of the soldiers' savings4 ,she found them most willing to abridge their own comforts or indulgences1 for the sake of others dear to them1 as well as for their own future well-being2 and she devoted an afternoon in every week to receiving and forwarding their savings to ,england4 ,she remitted many thousand pounds in this manner1 and it was distributed by a friend in ,london1--much of it to the remotest corners of ,scotland and ,ireland4 ,and it afforded some evidence that the seed fell in good places 7as well as of the punctuality of the post office71 that of the whole number of remittances1 all but one were duly acknowledged4 ,again1 there is not a regiment returning from ,india but brings home with it a store of savings4 ,in the year #ahfj1 after the ,indian mutiny1 more than twenty thousand pounds were remitted on account of invalided men sent back to ,england2 besides which there were eight regiments which brought home balances to their credits in the regimental banks amounting to #dj4dii4a ,the highest was the ,eighty-fourth1 whose savings amounted to #i1gah4 ,the ,seventy-,eighth 7,ross-shire ,buffs71 the heroes who followed ,havelock in his march on ,lucknow1 saved #f1dhj2 and the gallant ,thirty-second1 who held ,lucknow under ,inglis1 saved #e1bfc4 ,the ,eighty-sixth1 the first battalion of the ,tenth1 and the ,ninth ,dragoons1 all brought home an amount of savings indicative of providence and forethought1 which reflected the highest honour upon them as men as well as soldiers4#b ,footnote #a3 ,the sum sent home by soldiers serving in ,india for the benefit of friends and relatives are not included in these amounts1 the remittances being made direct by the paymasters of regiments1 and not through the savings banks4 ,footnote #b3 ,the amount of the ,fund for ,military ,savings ,banks on the #eth of ,january1 #ahgf1 was #cch1cej4 ,and yet the private soldiers do not deposit all their savings in the military savings banks1--especially when they can obtain access to an ordinary savings bank4 ,we are informed that many of the household troops stationed in ,london deposit their spare money in the savings banks rather than in the regimental banks2 and when the question was on a recent occasion asked as to the cause1 the answer given was1 ,i would not have my sergeant know that ,i was saving money4 ,but in addition to this1 the private soldier would rather that his comrades did not know that he was saving money2 for the thriftless soldier1 like the thriftless workman1 when he has spent everything of his own1 is very apt to set up a kind of right to borrow from the fund of his more thrifty comrade4 ,the same feeling of suspicion frequently prevents workmen depositing money in the ordinary savings bank4 ,they do not like it to be known to their employers that they are saving money1 being under the impression that it might lead to attempts to lower their wages4 ,a working man in a town in ,yorkshire1 who had determined to make a deposit in the savings bank1 of which his master was a director1 went repeatedly to watch at the door of the bank before he could ascertain that his master was absent2 and he only paid in his money1 after several weeks' waiting1 when ne had assured himself of this fact4 ,the miners at ,bilston1 at least such of them as put money in the savings bank1 were accustomed to deposit it in other names than their own4 ,nor were they without reason4 ,for some of their employers were actually opposed to the institution of savings banks1--fearing lest the workmen might apply their savings to their maintenance during a turn-out2 not reflecting that they have the best guarantee of the steadiness of this class of men1 in their deposits at the savings bank4 ,mr4 ,baker1 ,inspector of ,factories1 has said that the supreme folly of a strike is shown by the fact that there is seldom or never a rich workman at the head of it4 ,a magistrate at ,bilston1 not connected with the employment of workmen1 has mentioned the following case4 ,i prevailed1 he says1 upon a workman to begin a deposit in the savings bank4 ,he came most unwillingly4 ,his deposits were small1 although ,i knew his gains to be great4 ,i encouraged him by expressing satisfaction at the course he was taking4 ,his deposits became greater2 and at the end of five years he drew out the fund he had accumulated1 bought a piece of land1 and has built a house upon it4 ,i think if ,i had not spoken to him1 the whole amount would have been spent in feasting or clubs1 or contributions to the trades unions4 ,that man's eyes are now open--his social position is raised--he sees and feels as we do1 and will influence others to follow his example4 ,from what we have said1 it will be obvious that there can be no doubt as to the ability of a large proportion of the better-paid classes of working men to lay by a store of savings4 ,when they set their minds upon any object1 they have no difficulty in finding the requisite money4 ,a single town in ,lancashire contributed thirty thousand pounds to support their fellow-workmen when on strike in an adjoining town4 ,at a time when there are no strikes1 why should they not save as much money on their own account1 for their own permanent comfort8 ,many workmen already save with this object2 and what they do1 all might do4 ,we know of one large mechanical establishment1--situated in an agricultural district1 where the temptations to useless expenditure are few1--in which nearly all the men are habitual economists1 and have saved sums varying from two hundred to five hundred pounds each4 ,many factory operatives1 with their families1 might easily lay by from five to ten shillings a week1 which in a few years would amount to considerable sums4 ,at ,darwen1 only a short time ago1 an operative drew his savings out of the bank to purchase a row of cottages1 now become his property4 ,many others1 in the same place1 and in the neighbouring towns1 are engaged in building cottages for themselves1 some by means of their contributions to building societies1 and others by means of their savings accumulated in the bank4 ,a respectably dressed working man1 when making a payment one day at the ,bradford savings bank1 which brought his account up to nearly eighty pounds1 informed the manager how it was that he had been induced to become a depositor4 ,he had been a drinker2 but one day accidentally finding his wife's savings bank deposit book1 from which he learnt that she had laid by about twenty pounds1 he said to himself1 ,well now1 if this can be done while ,i am spending1 what might we do if both were saving8 ,the man gave up his drinking1 and became one of the most respectable persons of his class4 ,i owe it all1 he said1 to my wife and the savings bank4 ,when well-paid workmen such as these are able to accumulate a sufficient store of savings1 they ought gradually to give up hard work1 and remove from the field of competition as old age comes upon them4 ,they ought also to give place to younger men2 and prevent themselves being beaten down into the lower-paid ranks of labour4 ,after sixty a man's physical powers fail him2 and by that time he ought to have made provision for his independent maintenance4 ,nor are the instances by any means uncommon1 of workmen laying by money with this object1 and thereby proving what the whole class might1 to a greater or less extent1 accomplish in the same direction4 ,the extent to which ,penny ,banks have been used by the very poorest classes1 wherever started1 affords a striking illustration how much may be done by merely providing increased opportunities for the practice of thrift4 ,the first ,penny ,bank was started in ,greenock1 about thirty years since1 as an auxiliary to the savings bank4 ,the object of the projector 7,mr4 ,j4,m4 ,scott7 was to enable poor persons1 whose savings amounted to less than a shilling 7the savings bank minimum7 to deposit them in a safe place4 ,in one year about five thousand depositors placed #a1ehj with the ,greenock institution4 ,the estimable ,mr4 ,queckett1 a curate in the east end of ,london1 next opened a ,penny ,bank1 and the results were very remarkable4 ,in one year as many as #ad1eac deposits were made in the bank4 ,the number of depositors was limited to #b1jjj2 and the demand for admission was so great that there were usually many waiting until vacancies occurred4 ,some save for their rent1 said ,mr4 ,queckett1 others for clothes and apprenticing their children2 and various are the little objects to which the savings are to be applied4 ,every repayment passes through my own hands1 which gives an opportunity of hearing of sickness1 or sorrow1 or any other cause which compels the withdrawal of the little fund4 ,it is1 besides1 a feeder to the larger savings banks1 to which many are turned over when the weekly payments tendered exceed the usual sum4 ,many of those who could at first scarcely advance beyond a penny a week1 can now deposit a silver coin of some kind4 ,never was the moral influence of the parish clergyman more wisely employed than in this case4 ,not many of those whom ,mr4 ,queckett thus laboured to serve were amongst the church-going class2 but by helping them to be frugal1 and improving their physical condition1 he was enabled gradually to elevate their social tastes1 and to awaken in them a religious life to which the greater number of them had before been strangers4 ,a powerful influence was next given to the movement by ,mr4 ,charles ,w4 ,sikes1 cashier of the ,huddersfield ,banking ,company1 who advocated their establishment in connection with the extensive organization of mechanics' institutes4 ,it appeared to him that to train working people when young in habits of economy1 was of more practical value to themselves1 and of greater importance to society1 than to fill their minds with the contents of many books4 ,he pointed to the perverted use of money by the working class as one of the greatest practical evils of the time4 ,in many cases1 he said1 the higher the workmen's wages1 the poorer are their families2 and these are they who really form the discontented and the dangerous classes4 ,how can such persons take any interest in pure and elevating knowledge8 ,to show the thriftlessness of the people1 ,mr4 ,sikes mentioned the following instance4 ,an eminent employer in the ,west ,riding1 he said1 whose mills for a quarter of a century have scarcely run short time for a single week1 has within a few days examined the rate of wages now paid to his men1 and compared it with that of a few years ago4 ,he had the pleasure of finding that improvements in machinery had led to improvement in wages4 ,his spinners and weavers are making about twenty-seven shillings a week4 ,in many instances some of their children work at the same mill1 and in a few instances their wives1 and often the family income reaches from a hundred to a hundred and fifty pounds per annum4 ,visiting the homes of some of these men1 he has seen with feelings of disappointment the air of utter discomfort and squalor with which many are pervaded4 ,increase of income has led only to increase of improvidence4 ,the savings bank and the building society are equally neglected1 although at the same mill there are some with no higher wages1 whose homes have every comfort1 and who have quite a little competency laid by4 ,in ,bradford1 ,i believe1 a munificent employer on one occasion opened seven hundred accounts with the savings bank for his operatives1 paying in a small deposit for each4 ,the result was not encouraging4 ,rapidly was a small portion of the sums drawn out1 and very few remained as the nucleus of further deposits4#a ,footnote #a3 ,from ,mr4 ,sikes's excellent little handbook entitled ,good ,times1 or the ,savings ,bank and the ,fireside4 ,mr4 ,sikes suggested that each mechanics' institute should appoint a preliminary savings bank committee1 to attend once a week for the purpose of receiving deposits from the members and others4 ,if a committee at each institution1 he said1 were to adopt this course1 taking an interest in their humble circumstances1 and in a sympathizing and kindly spirit1 to suggest1 invite1 nay win them over1 not only by reading the lesson1 but forming the habit of true economy and self-reliance 7the noblest lessons for which classes could be formed71 how cheering would be the results6 ,once established in better habits1 their feet firmly set in the path of self-reliance1 how generally would young men grow up with the practical conviction that to their own advancing intelligence and virtues must they mainly look to work out their own social welfare6 ,this admirable advice was not lost4 ,one institution after another embraced the plan1 and preliminary savings banks were1 shortly established in connection with the principal mechanics' institutes throughout ,yorkshire4 ,those established at ,huddersfield1 ,halifax1 ,bradford1 ,leeds1 and ,york1 were exceedingly successful4 ,the ,penny ,banks established at ,halifax consisted of a central bank and seven subordinate branches4 ,the number of members1 and the average amount of the sums deposited with them1 continued to increase from year to year4 ,fourteen ,penny ,banks were established at ,bradford2 and after the depositors had formed the habit of saving in the smaller banks1 they transferred them in bulk to the ordinary ,savings ,bank4 ,thirty-six ,penny ,banks were established in and around ,glasgow4 ,the committee1 in their ,report1 stated they were calculated to check that reckless expenditure of little sums which so often leads to a confirmed habit of wastefulness and improvidence2 and they urged the support of the ,penny ,banks as the best means of extending the usefulness of the savings banks4 ,the ,penny ,bank established at the small country town of ,farnham is estimated to have contributed within a few years a hundred and fifty regular depositors to the savings bank of the same place4 ,the fact that as large a proportion as two-thirds of the whole amount deposited is drawn out within the year1 shows that ,penny ,banks are principally used as places of safe deposit for very small sums of money1 until they are wanted for some special object1 such as rent1 clothes1 furniture1 the doctor's bill1 and such-like purposes4 ,thus the ,penny ,bank is emphatically the poor man's purse4 ,the great mass of the deposits are paid in sums not exceeding sixpence1 and the average of the whole does not exceed a shilling4 ,the depositors consist of the very humblest members of the working class1 and by far the greatest number of them have never before been accustomed to lay by any portion of their earnings4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,clarke1 of ,derby1 who took an active interest in the extension of these useful institutions1 has stated that one-tenth of the whole amount received by the ,derby ,penny ,bank was deposited in copper money1 and a large portion of the remainder in threepenny and fourpenny pieces4 ,it is clear1 therefore1 that the ,penny ,bank reaches a class of persons of very small means1 whose ability to save is much less than that of the highly-paid workman1 and who1 if the money were left in their pockets1 would in most cases spend it in the nearest public-house4 ,hence1 when a ,penny ,bank was established at ,putney1 and the deposits were added up at the end of the first year1 a brewer1 who was on the committee1 made the remark1 ,well1 that represents thirty thousand pints of beer not drunk4 ,at one of the ,penny ,banks in ,yorkshire1 an old man in receipt of parish outdoor relief was found using the ,penny ,bank as a place of deposit for his pennies until he had accumulated enough to buy a coat4 ,others save1 to buy an eight-day clock1 or a musical instrument1 or for a railway trip4 ,but the principal supporters of the ,penny ,banks are boys1 and this is their most hopeful feature2 for it is out of boys that men are made4 ,at ,huddersfield many of the lads go in bands from the mills to the ,penny ,banks2 emulation as well as example urging them on4 ,they save for various purposes--one to buy a chest of tools1 another a watch1 a third a grammar or a dictionary4 ,one evening a boy presented himself to draw l #aj4 ,according to the rules of the ,penny ,bank a week's notice must be given before any sum exceeding #bjs4 can be withdrawn1 and the cashier demurred to making the payment4 ,well1 said the boy1 the reason's this--mother can't pay her rent2 ,i'm goin' to pay it1 for1 as long as ,i have owt1 she shall hev' it4 ,in another case1 a youth drew #bj to buy off his brother who had enlisted4 ,mother frets so1 said the lad1 that1 she'll break her heart if he isn't bought off1 and ,i cannot bear that4 ,thus these institutions give help and strength in many ways1 and1 besides enabling young people to keep out of debt and honestly to pay their way1 furnish them with the means of performing kindly and generous acts in times of family trial and emergency4 ,it is an admirable feature of the ,ragged ,schools that almost every one of them has a ,penny ,bank connected with it for the purpose of training the scholars in good habits1 which they most need2 and it is a remarkable fact that in one year not less than #h1hhj were deposited1 in #be1fcg sums1 by the scholars connected with the ,ragged ,school ,union4 ,and when1 this can be done by the poor boys of the ragged schools1 what might not be accomplished by the highly-paid operatives and mechanics of ,england8 ,but another capital feature in the working of ,penny ,banks1 as regards the cultivation of prudent habits among the people1 is the circumstance that the example of boys and girls depositing their spare weekly pennies1 has often the effect of drawing their parents after them4 ,a boy goes on for weeks paying his pence1 and taking home his pass-book4 ,the book shows that he has a leger folio at the bank expressly devoted to him--that his pennies are all duly entered1 together with the respective dates of their deposits--that these savings are not lying idle1 but bear interest at #b-a_/b per cent4 per annum--and that he can have them restored to him at any time1--if under #bjs41 without notice2 and it above #bjs41 then after a week's notice has been given4 ,the book is a little history in itself1 and cannot fail to be interesting to the boy's brothers and sisters1 as well as to his parents4 ,they call him good lad1 and they see he is a well-conducted lad4 ,the father1 if he be a sensible man1 naturally bethinks him that1 if his boy can do so creditable a thing1 worthy of praise1 so might he himself4 ,accordingly1 on the next ,saturday night1 when the boy goes to deposit his threepence at the ,penny ,bank1 the father often sends his shilling4 ,thus a good beginning is often made1 and a habit initiated1 which1 if persevered in1 very shortly exercises a most salutary influence on the entire domestic condition of the family4 ,the observant mother is quick to observe the effects of this new practice upon the happiness of the home1 and in course of time1 as the younger children grow up and earn money1 she encourages them to follow the elder boy's example4 ,she herself takes them by the hand1 leads them to the ,penny ,bank1 and accustoms them to invest their savings there4 ,women have even more influence in such matters than men1 and where they do exercise it1 the beneficial effects are much more lasting4 ,one evening a strong1 muscular mechanic appeared at the ,bradford savings bank in his working dress1 bringing with him three children1 one of them in his arms4 ,he placed on the counter their deposit books1 which his wife had previously been accustomed to present1 together with ten shillings1 to be equally apportioned amongst the three4 ,pressing to his bosom the child in his arms1 the man said1 ,poor things6 they have lost their mother since they were here last2 but ,i must do the best ,i can for them4 ,and he continued the good lesson to his children which his wife had begun1 bringing them with him each time to see their little deposits made4 ,there is an old ,english proverb which says1 ,he that would thrive must first ask his wife2 but the wife must not only let her husband thrive1 but help him1 otherwise she is not the help meet which is as needful for the domestic comfort and satisfaction of the working man1 as of every other man who undertakes the responsibility of a family4 ,women form the moral atmosphere in which we grow when children1 and they have a great deal to do with the life we lead when we become men4 ,it is true that the men may hold the reins2 but it is generally the women who tell them which way to drive4 ,what ,rousseau said is very near the truth--,men will always be what women make them4 ,not long ago1 ,mr4 ,sikes encountered1 in a second-class carriage1 a well-dressed workman travelling from ,sheffield to ,glasgow1 during holiday times1 to see his mother4 ,i am glad1 said ,mr4 ,sikes1 to find a workman travelling so great a distance1 for a purpose like that4 ,yes1 said the man1 and ,i am glad to say that ,i can afford to do it4 ,and do many of the workmen employed in your workshop save money8 asked ,mr4 ,sikes4 ,no1 said the other1 not more than about two in the hundred4 ,the spare earnings of the others go1 not to the savings banks1 but to the drink-shops4 ,and when did you begin to save8 ,when ,i was no bigger than that1 indicating the height of a little boy3 the first money ,i saved was in a ,penny ,bank1 and ,i have gone on saving ever since4 ,such being the influence of early practice and example1 we are glad to find that ,economy is now being taught at public schools4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,crallan1 of the ,sussex ,county ,asylum1 has long taught lessons of thrift to poor boys and girls4 ,he urges the establishment of ,penny ,banks in connection with ,savings ,banks1 in all elementary schools4 ,he wisely contends that simple lessons on money1 its nature1 its value1 and its uses1 together with the various duties of giving1 spending1 and saving1 would have a vast influence on the rising generation4 ,the practice of teaching children provident habits has been adopted for about eight years in the ,national ,schools of ,belgium4 ,the ,school ,board of ,ghent is convinced of the favourable influence that saving has upon the moral and material well-being of the working classes1 and believes that the best means of causing the spirit of economy to penetrate their habits is to teach it to the children under tuition1 and to make them practise it4 ,it is always very difficult to teach anything new to adults1--and especially lessons of thrift to men who are thriftless4 ,their method of living is fixed4 ,traditional and inveterate habits of expenditure exist among them4 ,with men1 it is the drinking-shop2 with women1 it is dress4 ,they spend what they earn1 and think nothing of to-morrow4 ,when reduced to a state of distress1 they feel no shame in begging2 for the feeling of human dignity has not yet been sufficiently developed in them4 ,with children it is very different4 ,they have no inveterate habits to get rid of4 ,they will1 for the most part1 do as they are taught4 ,and they can be taught economy1 just as they can be taught arithmetic4 ,they can1 at all events1 be inspired by a clever teacher with habits of economy and thrift4 ,every child has a few pence at times4 ,the master may induce them to save these for some worthy purpose4 ,at ,ghent1 a savings bank has been introduced in every school1 and the children deposit their pennies there4 ,it is introduced into the paying schools as well as the free schools2 for habits of thrift are as useful to men and women of the richer as of the poorer classes4 ,the results of the lessons on ,economy have been highly satisfactory4#a ,the children belonging to the schools of ,ghent have accumulated eighteen thousand pounds1 which is deposited in the ,state ,savings ,bank at three per cent4 interest4 ,this system is spreading into ,holland1 ,france1 and ,italy4 ,it has also1 to a certain extent1 been adopted in this country4 ,thus ,glasgow1 ,liverpool1 ,birmingham1 ,great ,ilford1 and the ,london ,orphan ,asylum1 all show specimens of ,school ,banks2 and we trust that1 before long1 they will be established in every school throughout the kingdom4 ,footnote #a3 ,a pamphlet published at ,ghent says of the paying schools3 ,the spirit of economy is introduced there under the form of charity4 ,the young girls buy with their pocket money1 firstly materials1 say cotton or linen1 of which they afterwards make articles of dress during the hours set aside for manual work3 afterwards the shirts1 stockings1 dresses1 handkerchiefs1 or aprons1 are distributed to the poorer children of the free schools4 ,the distribution ,becomes the object of a little holiday3 we know of nothing that can be more touching4 ,the poor children are assembled in the ,collier school2 our young ladies go were also2 one of them says a few words feelingly to her sisters in the poorer classes2 one of the girls of the free schools replies4 ,then the pretty and useful things which have been made during the last year are distributed4 ,it is the donors themselves who present the fruits of their labour to the poorest among the poor4 ,the distribution is intermingled with singing4 ,need we reiterate the blessings of this blessed economy8 ,it will be obvious1 from what has been said1 that the practice of economy depends very much upon the facilities provided for the laying by of small sums of money4 ,let a convenient savings bank be provided1 and deposits gradually flow into it4 ,let a military savings bank be established1 and private soldiers contrive to save something out of their small pay4 ,let penny banks be opened1 and crowds of depositors immediately present themselves2 even the boys of the ragged schools being able to put into them considerable sums of money4 ,it is the same with school banks1 as we have seen from the example of the school-children of ,ghent4 ,now1 fifteen years ago1 this country was very insufficiently provided with savings banks for the people4 ,there were then many large towns and villages altogether unprovided with them4 ,lancashire had only thirty savings banks for upwards of two millions of people4 ,the ,east ,riding of ,yorkshire had only four savings banks4 ,there were fifteen counties in the ,united ,kingdom which had not a single savings bank4 ,there were only about six hundred savings banks for about thirty millions of people4 ,these were open only for two or three hours in the week2 some were open for only four hours in the month4 ,the workman who had money to save1 had to carry his spare shillings in his pocket for some time before he could lay them by2 and in the meantime he might be exposed to constant temptations to spend them4 ,to keep his shillings safe1 he must have acquired the habit of saving1 which it was the object of savings banks to train and establish4 ,dr4 ,guthrie1 in his book on ,ragged ,schools1 published in #ahfj1 said3 ,how are our manufacturing and handicraft youth situated8 ,by public-houses and spirit-shops they are surrounded with innumerable temptations2 while to many of them savings banks are hardly known by name4 ,dissipation has her nets drawn across every street4 ,in many of our towns1 sobriety has to run the gauntlet of half-a-dozen spirit-shops in the space of a bow-shot4 ,these are near at hand--open by day1 and blazing by night1 both on ,sabbath and ,saturday4 ,drunkenness finds immediate gratification2 while economy has to travel a mile1 it may be1 for her savings bank2 and that opens its door to thrift but once or twice a week4#a ,footnote #a3 ,seed-,time and ,harvest of ,ragged ,schools1 or a ,third ,plea1 with new editions of the ,first and ,second ,plea1 p4 #ii4 ,many suggestions had been made by friends of the poorer classes1 whether it might not be possible to establish a more extended system of savings banks throughout the country4 ,as long ago as #ahjg1 ,mr4 ,whitbread introduced a ,bill into ,parliament for the purpose of enabling small deposits to be made at an office to be established in ,london2 the money to be remitted by the postmasters of the districts in which the deposits were made4 ,the ,bill further contemplated the establishment of a ,national ,assurance ,society1 by means of which working people were to be enabled to effect assurances to an extent not exceeding two hundred pounds1 and to secure annuities to an amount not exceeding twenty pounds4 ,mr4 ,whitbread's bill was rejected1 and nothing came of his suggestions4 ,the exertions of ,sir ,rowland ,hill having given great vitality to the ,post ,office system1 and extended its usefulness as a public institution in all directions1 it was next suggested that the money-order offices 7which were established in #ahch7 might be applied for the purpose of depositing as well as for transmitting money4 ,professor ,hancock published a pamphlet on the subject in #aheb4 ,in ,november1 #ahef1 ,mr4 ,john ,bullar1 the eminent counsel--whose attention had been directed to the subject by the working of the ,putney ,penny ,bank--suggested to the ,post ,office authorities the employment of money-order offices as a means of extending the savings-bank system2 but his suggestion did not meet with approval at the time1 and nothing came of it4 ,similar suggestions were made by other gentlemen--by ,mr4 ,hume1 by ,mr4 ,m',corquodale1 by ,captain ,strong1 by ,mr4 ,ray ,smee1 and others4 ,but it was not until ,mr4 ,sikes1 of ,huddersfield1 took up the question1 that these various suggestions became embodied in facts4 ,suggestions are always useful4 ,they arouse thinking4 ,the most valuable are never lost1 but at length work themselves into facts4 ,most inventions are the result of original suggestions4 ,some one attempts to apply the idea4 ,failures occur at first2 but with greater knowledge1 greater experience1 and greater determination1 the suggestion at last succeeds4 ,post ,office ,savings ,banks owe their success1 in the first place1 to the numerous suggestions made by ,mr4 ,whitbread and others2 next to ,sir ,rowland ,hill who by establishing the ,branch ,post ,offices for the transmission of money1 made the suggestions practicable2 next to ,mr4 ,sikes1 who took up the question in #ahej1 pushed it1 persevered with it1 and brought it under the notice of successive ,chancellors of the ,exchequer2 and lastly to ,mr4 ,gladstone1 who1 having clearly foreseen the immense benefits of ,post ,office ,savings ,banks1 brought in a ,bill and carried it through ,parliament in #ahfa4 ,the money-order department of the ,post ,office had suggested to ,mr4 ,sikes1 as it had already done to other observers1 that the organization already existed for making ,post ,office ,savings ,banks practicable throughout the kingdom4 ,wherever the local inspector found that as many as five money-orders were required in a week1 the practice was to make that branch of the ,post ,office a money-order office4 ,it was estimated that such an office was established on an average within three miles of every working man's door in the kingdom4 ,the offices were open daily4 ,they received money from all comers1 and gave vouchers for the amounts transmitted through them4 ,they held the money until it was drawn1 and paid it out on a proper voucher being presented4 ,the ,post ,office was1 in fact1 a bank for the transmission of money1 holding it for periods of from twenty-four hours to weeks and months4 ,by enabling it to receive more money from more depositors1 and by increasing the time of holding it1 allowing the usual interest1 it became to all intents and purposes a ,national bank of deposit4 ,the results of the ,post ,office ,savings ,banks ,act have proved entirely satisfactory4 ,the money-order offices have been largely extended4 ,they are now about four thousand in number2 consequently the facilities for saving have been nearly doubled since the banks were established4 ,the number in the ,london district is now about four hundred and sixty1 so that from any point in the thickly populated parts of the metropolis1 a ,savings ,bank may be found within a distance of a few hundred yards4 ,the number of the depositors at the end of #ahgc amounted to more than a million and a half2 while the amount of deposits reached over twenty-one millions sterling4#a ,at the same time the amount deposited with the original ,savings ,banks remained about the same4 ,footnote #a3 ,the amount reached #bc1aeg1dfi at the end of #ahgd4 ,post ,office ,savings ,banks possess several great advantages which ought to be generally known4 ,the banks are very widely diffused1 and are open from nine in the morning until six in the evening1 and on ,saturdays until nine at night4 ,persons may make a deposit of a shilling1 or of any number of shillings1 provided more than thirty pounds is not deposited in any one year4 ,the ,post ,office officers furnish the book in which the several deposits are entered4 ,the book also contains the regulations of the ,post ,office ,savings ,banks4 ,interest is allowed at the rate of two pounds ten shillings per cent1 per annum4 ,another most important point is1 the ,security4 ,government is responsible for the full amount paid in2 so that the money deposited with the ,post ,office ,savings ,bank is as safe as if it were in the ,bank of ,england4 ,the money saved may also be transferred from place to place1 without expense1 and may be easily paid to the depositor when required1 no matter where it was originally deposited4 ,all that is done1 is done in perfect secrecy between the depositor and the postmaster1 who is forbidden to disclose the names of the depositors4 ,we have frequently alluded to ,mr4 ,charles ,william ,sikes in connection with ,penny ,banks and ,post ,office ,savings ,banks4 ,his name must always hold a distinguished place in connection with those valuable institutions4 ,he is the son of a private banker in ,huddersfield4 ,when at school he was presented1 as a prize1 with a copy of ,dr4 ,franklin's ,essays and ,letters4 ,he perused the book with avidity4 ,it implanted in his mind the germs of many useful thoughts1 and exercised a powerful influence in giving a practical character to his life4 ,huddersfield is a busy manufacturing town4 ,although workmen were well paid for their labour1 there were many ups and downs in their business4 ,when trade became slack1 and they had spent all that they had earned1 numbers of them were accustomed to apply for charity in the streets or by the wayside4 ,young ,sikes often wondered whether these people had ever heard of ,dr4 ,franklin1 and of his method of avoiding beggary or bad times by saving their money when trade was brisk and they were well off4 ,early in #ahcc1 ,mr4 ,sikes entered the service of the ,huddersfield ,banking ,company4 ,it was the second joint stock bank that had been established in ,england4 ,the prudence and success with which the ,scotch banking companies had been conducted induced the directors to select a ,scotch manager4 ,one of the first resolutions the directors adopted1 was to give deposit receipts for sums of ten pounds and upwards1 for the purpose of encouraging the working classes in habits of providence and thrift4 ,mr4 ,sikes1 being somewhat of a favourite with the manager1 often heard from his lips most interesting accounts of the provident habits of the ,scotch peasantry1 and was informed by him of the fact that one of the banks at ,perth paid not less than twenty thousand pounds a year as interest on deposits varying from ten to two hundred pounds each4 ,in #ahcg1 ,mr4 ,sikes became one of the cashiers of the company4 ,this brought him into direct contact and intercourse with the very class which1 from the direction his mind was taking1 he so much wished to understand1--namely1 the thrifty portion of the industrious classes4 ,a considerable number of them had sums lying at interest4 ,as years rolled on1 ,mr4 ,sikes often witnessed the depositor commencing with ten or twenty pounds1 then make permanent additions to his little store1 until at length the amount would reach one1 two1 or1 in a few instances1 even three hundred pounds4 ,mr4 ,sikes would often imagine the marvellous improvement that would be effected on the condition of the working classes1 if every one of them became influenced by the same frugality and forethought1 which induced these exceptional operatives to deposit their savings at his bank4 ,about that time1 trade was in a wretched condition4 ,the handloom weavers were almost entirely without employment4 ,privation and suffering prevailed on every side1 and these were often borne with silent and noble heroism4 ,various remedies were proposed for the existing evils4 ,socialism1 chartism1 and free trade1 were the favourites4 ,theories of the wildest and most impracticable character abounded1 and yet even in those dark days there were instances of men who had to some degree made the future predominate over the present1 who could fall back upon their reserve in the ,joint ,stock or ,savings ,bank to tide them over into better times4 ,believing in the beneficent results of free trade1 ,mr4 ,sikes was equally convinced that national prosperity1 as well as national adversity1 might be attended with great evils1 unless the masses were endowed with habits of providence and thrift1 and prepared by previous education for the good time coming so eloquently predicted by the orators of the ,league4 ,many discussions with working men1 in his homeward evening walks1 convinced ,mr4 ,sikes that there were social problems with which legislation would be almost powerless to grapple1 and of these the thriftlessness of the masses of the people was one4 ,an employer of five hundred handloom weavers had told ,mr4 ,sikes that in a previous period of prosperity1 when work was abundant and wages were very high1 he could not1 had he begged on bended knee1 have induced his men to save a single penny1 or to lay by anything for a rainy day4 ,the fancy waistcoating trade had uniformly had its cycles of alternate briskness and depression2 but experience1 however stern its teachings1 could not teach unwilling learners4 ,it was at this period that ,mr4 ,sikes was reading the late ,archbishop ,sumner's ,records of ,creation1 and met with the following passage3 ,the only true secret of assisting the poor1 is to make them agents in bettering their own condition4 ,simple as are the words1 they shed light into ,mr4 ,sikes's mind1 and became the keynote and the test to which he brought the various views and theories which he had previously met with4 ,doles and charities1 though founded frequently on the most benevolent motives1 were too often deteriorating to their recipients4 ,on the other hand1 if self-reliance and self-help--the columns of true majesty in man--could only be made characteristics of the working classes generally1 nothing could retard their onward and upward progress4 ,mr4 ,sikes observed that until the working classes had more of the money power in their hands1 they would still be periodically in poverty and distress4 ,he saw that if provident habits could only he generally pursued by them1 the face of society would immediately be transformed2 and he resolved1 in so far as lay in his power1 to give every aid to this good work4 ,in #ahej1 ,savings ,banks were only open a very few hours in each week4 ,in ,huddersfield1 where more than #djj1jjj a year was paid in wages1 the savings bank1 after having been established over thirty years1 had only accumulated #gd1ccb4 ,in #ahej1 ,mr4 ,sikes addressed an anonymous letter to the editors of the ,leeds ,mercury1 to which1 by their request1 he afterwards attached his name4 ,in that letter he recommended the formation of ,penny ,savings ,banks in connection with ,mechanics' and similar institutes4 ,in simple words1 but with many telling facts1 he showed how the young men and the young women of the working classes were growing up deprived of almost every opportunity of forming habits of thrift1 and of becoming depositors in savings hanks4 ,the letter was received with general approbation4 ,the committee of the ,yorkshire ,union of ,mechanics' ,institutes gave their cordial sanction to it2 and ,penny ,banks were established in connection with nearly every ,mechanics' ,institute in ,yorkshire4 ,mr4 ,sikes personally conducted one at ,huddersfield2 and down to the present time1 it has received and repaid about thirty thousand pounds4 ,in fact1 the working people of ,huddersfield1 doubtless owing in a great measure to the practical example of ,mr4 ,sikes1--have become most provident and thrifty1--the deposits in their savings bank having increased from seventy-four thousand pounds in #ahej1 to three hundred and thirty thousand pounds in #ahgd4 ,in #ahed1 ,mr4 ,sikes published his excellent pamphlet on ,good ,times1 or the ,savings ,bank and the ,fireside1 to which we have already referred4 ,the success which it met with induced him to give his attention to the subject of savings banks generally4 ,he was surprised to find that they were so utterly inadequate to meet the requirements of the country4 ,he sought an interview with ,sir ,cornewall ,lewis1 then ,chancellor of the ,exchequer1 and brought the subject under his consideration4 ,the ,chancellor requested ,mr4 ,sikes to embody his views in a letter1 and in the course of a few months there appeared a pamphlet addressed to ,sir ,cornewall ,lewis1 entitled ,savings ,banks ,reforms4 ,mr4 ,sikes insisted on the ,government guarantee being given for deposits made in ,savings ,banks2 but this was refused4 ,mr4 ,sikes next proceeded to ventilate the question of ,post ,office ,savings ,banks4 ,he was disappointed that no measure for the improvement of ,savings ,banks had been adopted by ,parliament4 ,the day appeared very distant when his cherished wish would be realized1--that the ,savings ,bank should really become the ,bank of the ,people4 ,but the darkest hour precedes the dawn4 ,when he had almost given up the notion of improving the existing ,savings ,banks1 the idea suddenly struck him that in the money-order office there was the very organization which might be made the basis of a popular ,savings ,bank4 ,he communicated his plan in a letter to his friend ,mr4 ,baines1 then member for ,leeds4 ,the plan was submitted to ,sir ,rowland ,hill1 who approved of the suggestions1 and considered the scheme practicable so far as the ,post ,office was concerned4 ,the plan was then brought under the notice of ,mr4 ,gladstone1 who afterwards carried the ,bill through ,parliament for the establishment of ,post ,office ,savings ,banks throughout the country4 ,to use the words of ,mr4 ,sikes himself1--when predicting at the ,social ,science ,association the success of the ,post ,office ,savings ,banks1--,should the plan be carried out1 it will soon be doing a glorious work4 ,wherever a ,bank is opened and deposits received1 self-reliance will to some extent be aroused1 and1 with many1 a nobler life will be begun4 ,they will gradually discern how ruthless an enemy is improvidence to working men2 and how truly his friends are economy and forethought4 ,under their guidance1 household purchases could be made on the most favourable terms--for cash2 any wished-for house taken at the lowest rent for punctual payment2 and the home enriched with comforts until it is enjoyed and prized by all4 ,from such firesides go forth those inheriting the right spirit1--loving industry1 loving thrift1 and loving home4 ,emulous of a good example1 they in their day and generation would nobly endeavour to lay by a portion of their income4 ,many a hard winter and many a slack time would be comfortably got over by drawing on the little fund1 to be again replenished in better days4 ,and if the plan were adopted1 remembering that it would virtually bring the ,savings ,bank within less than an hour's walk of the fireside of every working man in the ,united ,kingdom1 ,i trust that it is not taking too sanguine a view to anticipate that it would render aid in ultimately winning over the rank and file of the industrial classes of the kingdom to those habits of forethought and self-denial which bring enduring reward to the individual1 and materially add to the safety of the ,state4 ,the working classes have not yet1 however1 taken full advantage of the facilities for saving afforded them by the ,post ,office ,savings ,banks4 ,take ,birmingham for instance1 where the artizans are among the best-paid workmen of the town4 ,in the list of depositors in the ,post ,office ,savings ,banks1 we find that the artizans rank after the domestic servants1 after the married and unmarried women1 and after the miners4 ,they only constitute about one-tenth of the entire depositors1 though it is possible that they may deposit their savings in some other investments4 ,then take the returns for the entire ,united ,kingdom4 ,out of every ten thousand depositors in the ,post ,office ,savings ,banks1 we find that the domestic servants are again the first2 next1 the women1 married and single2 next1 persons of no occupation and occupations not given2 next1 the artizans1 and after them1 the labourers1 miners1 tradesmen1 soldiers and sailors1 clerks1 milliners and dressmakers1 professional men1 and public officials1 in the order stated4 ,we must1 however1 regard the institution as still too young to have fully taken root4 ,we believe that the living generation must pass away before the full fruits of the ,post ,office ,savings ,banks can be gathered in4 ,the inhabitants of ,preston have exhibited a strong disposition to save their earnings during the last few years1--more especially since the conclusion of the last great strike4 ,there is no town in ,england1 excepting perhaps ,huddersfield1 where the people have proved themselves so provident and so thrifty4 ,fifty years ago1 only one person in thirty of the population of ,preston deposited money in the ,savings ,bank2 twenty years ago1 the depositors increased to one in eleven2 and last year they had increased to one in five4 ,in #ahcd1 the sum of a hundred and sixty-five thousand pounds had been accumulated in the ,savings ,bank by #e1idb depositors2 and in #ahgd1 four hundred and seventy-two thousand pounds had been accumulated by #ad1gib depositors1 out of a total population of #he1dbh4 ,is there any other town or city that can show a more satisfactory result of the teaching1 the experience1 and the prosperity of the last twenty years8 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,little ,,things4 ,the sober comfort1 all the peace which springs ,from the large aggregate of little things2 ,on these small cares of daughter1 wife1 or friend1 ,the almost sacred joys of ,home depend4--,hannah ,more4 ,know when to spend and when to spare1 ,and when to buy1 and thou shalt ne'er be bare4 ,he that despiseth little things1 shall perish by little and little4--,ecclesiasticus4 ,neglect of small things is the rock on which the great majority of the human race have split4 ,human life consists of a succession of small events1 each of which is comparatively unimportant1 and yet the happiness and success of every man depends upon the manner in which these small events are dealt with4 ,character is built up on little things1--little things well and honourably transacted4 ,the success of a man in business depends on his attention to little things4 ,the comfort of a household is the result of small things well arranged and duly provided for4 ,good government can only be accomplished in the same way1--by well-regulated provisions for the doing of little things4 ,accumulations of knowledge and experience of the most valuable kind are the result of little bits of knowledge and experience carefully treasured up4 ,those who learn nothing or accumulate nothing in life1 are set down as failures1--because they have neglected little things4 ,they may themselves consider that the world has gone against them2 but in fact they have been their own enemies4 ,there has long been a popular belief in good luck2 but1 like many other popular notions1 it is gradually giving way4 ,the conviction is extending that diligence is the mother of good luck2 in other words1 that a man's success in life will be proportionate to his efforts1 to his industry1 to his attention to small things4 ,your negligent1 shiftless1 loose fellows never meet with luck2 because the results of industry are denied to those who will not use the proper efforts to secure them4 ,it is not luck1 but labour1 that makes men4 ,luck1 says an ,american writer1 is ever waiting for something to turn up2 ,labour1 with keen eye and strong will1 always turns up something4 ,luck lies in bed and wishes the postman would bring him news of a legacy2 ,labour turns out at six1 and with busy pen or ringing hammer lays the foundation of a competence4 ,luck whines2 ,labour whistles4 ,luck relies on chance2 ,labour on character4 ,luck slips downwards to self-indulgence2 ,labour strides upward1 and aspires to independence4 ,there are many little things in the household1 attention to which is indispensable to health and happiness4 ,cleanliness consists in attention to a number of apparent trifles--the scrubbing of a floor1 the dusting of a chair1 the cleansing of a teacup1--but the general result of the whole is an atmosphere of moral and physical well-being1--a condition favourable to the highest growth of human character4 ,the kind of air which circulates in a house may seem a small matter1--for we cannot see the air1 and few people know anything about it4 ,yet if we do not provide a regular supply of pure air within our houses1 we shall inevitably suffer for our neglect4 ,a few specks of dirt may seem neither here nor there1 and a closed door or window would appear to make little difference2 but it may make the difference of a life destroyed by fever2 and therefore the little dirt and the little bad air are really very serious matters4 ,the whole of the household regulations are1 taken by themselves1 trifles--but trifles tending to an important result4 ,a pin is a very little thing in an article of dress1 but the way in which it is put into the dress often reveals to you the character of the wearer4 ,a shrewd fellow was once looking out for a wife1 and was on a visit to a family of daughters with this object4 ,the fair one1 of whom he was partially enamoured1 one day entered the room in which he was seated with her dress partially unpinned1 and her hair untidy3 he never went back4 ,you may say1 such a fellow was not worth a pin2 but he was really a shrewd fellow1 and afterwards made a good husband4 ,he judged of women as of men--by little things2 and he was right4 ,a druggist advertised for an assistant1 and he had applications from a score of young man4 ,he invited them all to come to his shop at the same time1 and set them each to make up a pennyworth of salts into a packet4 ,he selected the one that did this little thing in the neatest and most expert manner4 ,he inferred their general practical ability from their performance of this smallest bit of business4 ,neglect of little things has ruined many fortunes and marred the best of enterprises4 ,the ship which bore home the merchant's treasure was lost because it was allowed to leave the port from which it sailed with a very little hole in the bottom4 ,for want of a nail the shoe of the aide-de-camp's horse was lost2 for want of the shoe1 the horse was lost2 for want of the horse1 the aide-de-camp himself was lost1 for the enemy took him and killed him2 and for want of the aide-de camp's intelligence1 the army of his general was lost3 and all because a little nail had not been properly fixed in a horse's shoe6 ,it will do6 is the common phrase of those who neglect little things4 ,it will do6 has blighted many a character1 blasted many a fortune1 sunk many a ship1 burnt down many a house1 and irretrievably ruined thousands of hopeful projects of human good4 ,it always means stopping short of the right thing4 ,it is a makeshift4 ,it is a failure and defeat4 ,not what will do1 but what is the best possible thing to do1--is the point to be aimed at6 ,let a man once adopt the maxim of ,it will do1 and he is given over to the enemy1--he is on the side of incompetency and defeat1--and we give him up as a hopeless subject6 ,m4 ,say1 the ,french political economist1 has related the following illustration of the neglect of little things4 ,once1 at a farm in the country1 there was a gate enclosing the cattle and poultry1 which was constantly swinging open for want of a proper latch4 ,the expenditure of a penny or two1 and a few minutes' time1 would have made all right4 ,it was on the swing every time a person went out1 and not being in a state to shut readily1 many of the poultry were from time to time lost4 ,one day a fine young porker made his escape1 and the whole family1 with the gardener1 cook1 and milkmaid1 turned out in quest of the fugitive4 ,the gardener was the first to discover the pig1 and in leaping a ditch to cut off his escape1 got a sprain that kept him to his bed for a fortnight4 ,the cook1 on her return to the farm-house1 found the linen burnt that she had hung up before the fire to dry2 and the milkmaid1 having forgotten in her haste to tie up the cattle in the cow-house1 one of the loose cows had broken the leg of a colt that happened to be kept in the same shed4 ,the linen burnt and the gardener's work lost were worth full five pounds1 and the colt worth nearly double that money3 so that here was a loss in a few minutes of a large sum1 purely for want of a little latch which might have been supplied for a few halfpence4 ,life is full of illustrations of a similar kind4 ,when small things are habitually neglected1 ruin is not far off4 ,it is the hand of the diligent that maketh rich2 and the diligent man or woman is attentive to small things as well as great4 ,the things may appear very little and insignificant1 yet attention to them is as necessary as to matters of greater moment4 ,take1 for instance1 the humblest of coins--a penny4 ,what is the use of that little piece of copper--a solitary penny8 ,what can it buy8 ,of what use is it8 ,it is half the price of a glass of beer4 ,it is the price of a box of matches4 ,it is only fit for giving to a beggar4 ,and yet how much of human happiness depends upon the spending of the penny well4 ,a man may work hard1 and earn high wages2 but if he allows the pennies1 which are the result of hard work1 to slip out of his fingers--some going to the beershop1 some this way1 and some that1--he will find that his life of hard work is little raised above a life of animal drudgery4 ,on the other hand1 if he take care of the pennies--putting some weekly into a benefit society or an insurance fund1 others into a savings bank1 and confides the rest to his wife to be carefully laid out1 with a view to the comfortable maintenance and culture of his family1--he will soon find that his attention to small matters will abundantly repay him1 in increasing means1 in comfort at home1 and in a mind comparatively free from fears as to the future4 ,all savings are made up of little things4 ,many a little makes a mickle4 ,many a penny makes a pound4 ,a penny saved is the seed of pounds saved4 ,and pounds saved mean comfort1 plenty1 wealth1 and independence4 ,but the penny must be earned honestly4 ,it is said that a penny earned honestly is better than a shilling given4 ,a ,scotch proverb says1 ,the gear that is gifted is never sae sweet as the gear that is won4 ,what though the penny be black8 ,the smith and his penny are both black4 ,but the penny earned by the smith is an honest one4 ,if a man does not know how to save his pennies or his pounds1 his nose will always be kept to the grindstone4 ,want may come upon him any day1 like an armed man4 ,careful saving acts like magic3 once begun1 it grows into habit4 ,it gives a man a feeling of satisfaction1 of strength1 of security4 ,the pennies he has put aside in his savings box1 or in the savings bank1 give him an assurance of comfort in sickness1 or of rest in old age4 ,the man who saves has something to weather-fend him against want2 while the man who saves not has nothing between him and bitter1 biting poverty4 ,a man may be disposed to save money1 and lay it by for sickness or for other purposes2 but he cannot do this unless his wife lets him1 or helps him4 ,a prudent1 frugal1 thrifty woman is a crown of glory to her husband4 ,she helps him in all his good resolutions2 she may1 by quiet and gentle encouragement1 bring out his better qualities2 and by her example she may implant in him noble principles1 which are the seeds of the highest practical virtues4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,owen1 formerly of ,bilston1--a good friend and adviser of working people1--used to tell a story of a man who was not an economist1 but was enabled to become so by the example of his wife4 ,the man was a calico-printer at ,manchester1 and he was persuaded by his wife1 on their wedding-day1 to allow her two half-pints of ale a day1 as her share4 ,he rather winced at the bargain1 for1 though a drinker himself1 he would have preferred a perfectly sober wife4 ,they both worked hard2 and he1 poor man1 was seldom out of the public-house as soon as the factory was closed4 ,she had her daily pint1 and he1 perhaps1 had his two or three quarts1 and neither interfered with the other8 except that1 at odd times1 she succeeded1 by dint of one little gentle artifice or another1 to win him home an hour or two earlier at night2 and now and then to spend an entire evening in his own house4 ,they had been married a year1 and on the morning of their wedding anniversary1 the husband looked askance at her neat and comely person1 with some shade of remorse1 as he said1 ,mary1 we've had no holiday since we were wed2 and1 only that ,i have not a penny in the world1 we'd take a jaunt down to the village1 to see thee mother4 ,would'st like to go1 ,john8 said she1 softly1between a smile and a tear1 so glad to hear him speak so kindly1--so like old times4 ,if thee'd like to go1 ,john1 ,i'll stand treat4 ,thou stand treat6 said he1 with half a sneer3 ,has't got a fortun'1 wench8 ,nay1 said she1 but ,i've gotten the pint o' ale4 ,gotten what8 said he4 ,the pint o' ale6 said she4 ,john still didn't understand her1 till the faithful creature reached down an old stocking from under a loose brick up the chimney1 and counted out her daily pint of ale in the shape of three hundred and sixty-five threepences1 i4e41 #d #aas4 #c;d41 and put them into his hand1 exclaiming1 ,thou shalt have thee holiday1 ,john6 ,john was ashamed1 astonished1 conscience-stricken1 charmed1 and wouldn't touch it4 ,hasn't thee had thy share8 ,then ,i'll ha' no more6 he said4 ,he kept his word4 ,they kept their wedding-day with mother1--and the wife's little capital was the nucleus of a series of frugal investments1 that ultimately swelled out into a shop1 a factory1 warehouses1 a country seat1 carriage1 and1 perhaps1 a ,liverpool ,mayor4 ,in the same way1 a workman of even the humblest sort1 whose prosperity and regularity of conduct show to his fellow-workmen what industry1 temperance1 manly tenderness1 and superiority to low and sensual temptation can effect1 in endearing a home which is bright even amidst the gloom of poverty--such a man does good as well as the most eloquent writer that ever wrote4 ,if there were a few patriarchs of the people such as this1 their beneficial influence would soon be sensibly felt by society at large4 ,a life well spent is worth any number of speeches4 ,for example is a language far more eloquent than words3 it is instruction in action--wisdom at work4 ,a man's daily life is the best test of his moral and social state4 ,take two men1 for instance1 both working at the same trade and earning the same money2 yet how different they may be as respects their actual condition4 ,the one looks a free man2 the other a slave4 ,the one lives in a snug cottage2 the other in a mud hovel4 ,the one has always a decent coat to his back2 the other is in rags4 ,the children of the one are clean1 well dressed1 and at school2 the children of the other are dirty1 filthy1 and often in the gutter4 ,the one possesses the ordinary comforts of life1 as well as many of its pleasures and conveniences--perhaps a well-chosen library2 the other has few of the comforts of life1 certainly no pleasures1 enjoyments1 nor books4 ,and yet these two men earn the same wages4 ,what is the cause of the difference between them8 ,it is in this4 ,the one man is intelligent and prudent2 the other is the reverse4 ,the one denies himself for the benefit of his wife1 his family1 and his home2 the other denies himself nothing1 but lives under the tyranny of evil habits4 ,the one is a sober man1 and takes pleasure in making his home attractive and his family comfortable2 the other cares nothing for his home and family1 but spends the greater part of his earnings in the gin-shop or the public-house4 ,the one man looks up2 the other looks down4 ,the standard of enjoyment of the one is high2 and of the other low4 ,the one man likes books1 which instruct and elevate his mind2 the other likes drink1 which tends to lower and brutalize him4 ,the one saves his money2 the other wastes it4 ,i say1 mate1 said one workman to another1 as they went home one evening from their work1 will you tell me how it is that you contrive to get on8 how it is that you manage to feed and clothe your family as you do1 and put money in the ,penny ,bank besides2 whilst ,i1 who have as good wages as you1 and fewer children1 can barely make the ends meet8 ,well1 ,i will tell you2 it only consists in this--in taking care of the pennies6 ,what6 ,is that all1 ,ransom8 ,yes1 and a good 'all' too4 ,not one in fifty knows the secret4 ,for instance1 ,jack1 you don't4 ,how6 ,i8 ,let's see how you make that out4 ,now you have asked my secret1 ,i'll tell you all about it4 ,but you must not be offended if ,i speak plain4 ,first1 ,i pay nothing for my drink4 ,nothing8 ,then you don't pay your shot1 but sponge upon your neighbours4 ,never6 ,i drink water1 which costs nothing4 ,drunken days have all their to-morrows1 as the old proverb says4 ,i spare myself sore heads and shaky hands1 and save my pennies4 ,drinking water neither makes a man sick nor in debt1 nor his wife a widow4 ,and that1 let me tell you1 makes a considerable difference in our out-go4 ,it may amount to about half-a-crown a week1 or seven pounds a year4 ,that seven pounds will clothe myself and children1 while you are out at elbows and your children go barefoot4 ,come1 come1 that's going too far4 ,i don't drink at that rate4 ,i may take an odd half-pint now and then2 but half-a-crown a week6 ,pooh6 pooh6 ,well1 then1 how much did you spend on drink last ,saturday night8 ,out with it4 ,let me see3 ,i had a pint with ,jones2 ,i think ,i had another with ,davis1 who is just going to ,australia2 and then ,i went to the lodge4 ,well1 how many glasses had you there8 ,how can ,i tell8 ,i forget4 ,but it's all stuff and nonsense1 ,bill6 ,oh1 you can't tell3 you don't know what you spent8 ,i believe you4 ,but that's the way your pennies go1 my lad4 ,and that's all your secret8 ,yes2 take care of the penny--that's all4 ,because ,i save1 ,i have1 when you want4 ,it's very simple1 isn't it8 ,simple1 oh yes2 but there's nothing in it4 ,yes6 there's this in it1--that it has made you ask me the question1 how ,i manage to keep my family so comfortably1 and put money in the ,penny ,bank1 while you1 with the same wages1 can barely make the ends meet4 ,money is independence1 and money is made by putting pennies together4 ,besides1 ,i work so hard for mine1--and so do you1--that ,i can't find it in my heart to waste a penny on drink1 when ,i can put it beside a few other hard-earned pennies in the bank4 ,it's something for a sore foot or a rainy day4 ,there's that in it1 ,jack2 and there's comfort also in the thought that1 whatever may happen to me1 ,i needn't beg nor go to the workhouse4 ,the saving of the penny makes me feel a free man4 ,the man always in debt1 or without a penny beforehand1 is little better than a slave4 ,but if we had our rights1 the poor would not be so hardly dealt with as they now are4 ,why1 ,jack1 if you had your rights to-morrow1 would they put your money back into your pocket after you had spent it8--would your rights give your children shoes and stockings when you had chosen to waste on beer what would have bought them8 ,would your rights make you or your wife1 thriftier1 or your hearthstone cleaner8 ,would rights wash your children's faces1 and mend the holes in your clothes8 ,no1 no1 friend6 ,give us our rights by all means1 but rights are not habits1 and it's habits we want--good habits4 ,with these we can be free men and independent men now1 if we but determine to be so4 ,good night1 ,jack1 and mind my secret1--it's nothing but taking care of the pennies1 and the pounds will take care of themselves4 ,good-night6 ,and ,jack turned off at the lane-end towards his humble and dirty cottage in ,main's ,court4 ,i might introduce you to his home1--but home it could scarcely be called4 ,it was full of squalor and untidiness1 confusion and dirty children1 where a slattern-looking woman was scolding4 ,ransom's cottage1 ,on the contrary1 was a home4 ,it was snug1 trig1 and neat2 the hearthstone was fresh sanded2 the wife1 though her hands were full of work1 was clean and tidy2 and her husband1 his day's work over1 could sit down with his children about him1 in peace and comfort4 ,the chief secret was now revealed4 ,ransom's secret1 about the penny1 was a very good one1 so far as it went4 ,but he had not really told the whole truth4 ,he could not venture to tell his less fortunate comrade that the root of all domestic prosperity1 the mainstay of all domestic comfort1 is the wife2 and ,ransom's wife was all that a working man could desire4 ,there can be no thrift1 nor economy1 nor comfort at home1 unless the wife helps2--and a working man's wife1 more than any other man's2 for she is wife1 ,housekeeper1 nurse1 and servant1 all in one4 ,if she be thriftless1 putting money into her hands is like pouring water through a sieve4 ,let her be frugal1 and she will make her home a place of comfort1 and she will also make her husband's life happy1--if she do not lay the foundation of his prosperity and fortune4 ,one would scarcely expect that for a penny a day it would be possible to obtain anything valuable4 ,and yet it may be easily shown how much a penny a day1 carefully expended1 might do towards securing a man's independence1 and providing his wife and family against the future pressure of poverty and want4 ,take up a prospectus and tables of a ,provident ,society1 intended for the use of those classes who have a penny a day to spend1--that is1 nearly all the working classes of the country4 ,it is not necessary to specify any particular society1 because the best all proceed upon the same data1--the results of extensive observations and experience of health and sickness2--and their tables of rates1 certified by public actuaries1 are very nearly the same4 ,now1 looking at the tables of these ,life and ,sickness ,assurance ,societies1 let us see what a penny a day can do4 #a4 ,for a penny a day1 a man or woman of twenty-six years of age may secure the sum of ten shillings a week payable during the time of sickness1 for the whole of life4 #b4 ,for a penny a day 7payments ceasing at sixty years of age71 a man or woman of thirty-one years of age may secure the sum of #ej payable at death1 whenever that event may happen1 even though it should be during the week or the month after the assurance has been effected4 #c4 ,for a penny a day1 a young man or woman of fifteen may secure a sum of #ajj1 the payment of the penny a day continuing during the whole of life1 but the #ajj being payable whenever death may occur4 #d4 ,for a penny a day1 a young man or woman of twenty may secure an annuity of #bf per annum1 or of #ajs4 per week for the whole of life1 after reaching the age of sixty-five4 #e4 ,for a penny a day1--the payment commencing from the birth of any child1--a parent may secure the sum of #bj1 payable on such child reaching the age of fourteen years4 #f4 ,for a penny a day1 continued until the child readies the age of twenty-one years1 the sum of #de may be secured1 to enable him or her to begin business1 or start housekeeping4 #g4 ,for a penny a day1 a young man or woman of twenty-four may secure the sum of #ajj1 payable on reaching the age of sixty1 with the right of withdrawing four-fifths of the amount paid in1 at any time2 the whole of the payments being paid back in event of death occurring before the age of sixty4 ,such is the power of a penny a day6 ,who would have thought it8 ,yet it is true1 as any one can prove by looking at the tables of the best assurance offices4 ,put the penny a day in the bank1 and it accumulates slowly4 ,even there1 however1 it is very useful4 ,but with the assurance office it immediately assumes a vast power4 ,a penny a day paid in by the man of thirty-one1 is worth #fj to his wife and family1 in the event of his dying next month or next year6 ,it is the combining of small savings for purposes of mutual assurance1 by a large number of persons1 that gives to the penny its enormous power4 ,the effecting of a life assurance by a working man1 for the benefit of his wife and children1 is an eminently unselfish act4 ,it is a moral as well as a religious transaction4 ,it is providing for those of his own household4 ,it is taking the right step towards securing the independence of his family1 after he1 the bread-winner1 has been called away4 ,this right investment of the pennies is the best proof of practical virtue1 and of the honest forethought and integrity of a true man4 ,the late ,joseph ,baxendale was the constant friend of the working people who co-operated with him in the labours of his life4 ,he was a man of strong common sense1 and might have been styled the ,franklin of ,business4 ,he was full of proverbial wisdom1 and also full of practical help4 ,he was constantly urging his servants to lay by something for a rainy day1 or for their support in old age4 ,he also used to pension off his old servants after they had ceased to be able to work4 ,he posted up ,texts along his warehouses1 so that those who ran might read4 ,never despair1 ,nothing without labour1 ,he who spends all he gets1 is on the way to beggary1 ,time lost cannot be regained1 ,let industry1 temperance1 and economy be the habits of your lives4 ,these texts were printed in large type1 so that every passer-by might read them2 while many were able to lay them to heart1 and to practise the advices which they enjoined4 ,on other occasions ,mr4 ,baxendale would distribute amongst his workpeople1 or desire to be set up in his warehouses and places of business1 longer and more general maxims4 ,he would desire these printed documents to be put up in the offices of the clerks1 or in places where men are disposed to linger1 or to take their meals1 or to assemble preparatory to work4 ,they were always full of valuable advice4 ,we copy one of them1 on the ,importance of ,punctuality3-- ,method is the hinge of business2 and there is no method without ,punctuality4 ,punctuality is important1 because it subserves the ,peace and ,good ,temper of a family4 ,the want of it not only infringes on necessary ,duty1 but sometimes excludes this duty4 ,the calmness of mind which it produces is another advantage of ,punctuality4 ,a disorderly man is always in a hurry4 ,he has no time to speak to you1 because he is going elsewhere2 and when he gets there1 he is too late for his business1 or he must hurry away to another before he can finish it4 ,punctuality gives weight to character4 ',such a man has made an appointment2 then ,i know he will keep it4' ,and this generates ,punctuality in you2 for1 like other virtues1 it propagates itself4 ,servants and children must be punctual1 when their ,leader is so4 ,appointments1 indeed1 become debts4 ,i owe you ,punctuality1 if ,i have made an appointment with you1 and have no right to throw away your time1 if ,i do my own4 ,some may inquire1 ,who was ,joseph ,baxendale8 ,he was1 in fact1 ,pickford and ,co41 the name of a firm known all over ,england1 as well as throughout the ,continent4 ,mr4 ,baxendale was the son of a physician at ,lancaster4 ,he received a good education1 went into the cotton trade1 and came up to ,london to represent the firm with which he was connected4 ,a period of commercial pressure having occurred1 he desired to leave the cotton trade and to enter upon some other business4 ,mr4 ,pickford had already begun the business of a ,carrier1 but he was hampered by want of money4 ,mr4 ,baxendale helped him with capital1 and for a time remained a sleeping partner2 but finding that the business made no progress1 principally for want of management1 he eventually determined to take the active part in working and managing the concern4 ,he threw his whole energies into the firm of ,pickford and ,co4 ,he reorganized the agencies1 and extended them throughout the kingdom4 ,he put flying vans upon the road1 equal to our express trains2 and slow vans1 equal to our goods trains4 ,he utilized the canals to a large extent1 putting on flying boats between all the larger towns4 ,indeed the roads of the country were then so bad1 that in certain seasons it was almost impossible to convey merchandize from one part of the country to another4 ,the carrying on of such an important and extensive business required much capital1 great energy1 and first-rate business management4 ,the horses necessary to carry on the traffic were increased from about fifty1 which they were in the time of ,pickford1 to more than a thousand2 for relays of horses were necessary at all the stopping-places on the line of traffic1 between ,london and ,manchester1 between ,london and ,exeter1 and between ,london and ,edinburgh4 ,a ship-building yard was established1 where all the boats1 flying and slow1 required to carry on the business1 were constructed at ,mr4 ,baxendale's expense4 ,the carrying business required a great deal of personal supervision4 ,only a man of determined spirit and indomitable energy could have done it4 ,he had a flying boat in which he rapidly passed along the canals1 seeing that the men were at their posts1 that the agents were at work1 and the traffic duly provided for4 ,he did this by night as well as by day4 ,at other times1 he would fly along the roads in his special travelling carriage1--always paying the highest prices to the innkeepers1 in order that he might secure the best horses1 and avoid delay and loss of time4 ,he would overtake his vans1 and see that his men were sober1 and that they were well forward at the stations along the road2 that their blunderbusses were loaded 7for highway robbery was then one of the risks of travelling by road71 that the agents were doing their duty1 and that everything was in proper order4 ,besides overtaking the vans1 he would sometimes travel by a by-road--for he knew nearly every road in the country--push on1 and then double back upon his drivers1 who never knew whether he was before or behind them2 and thus general vigilance became the rule of all4 ,by these and various other means the business of the concern was admirably done1 and the carrying trade of the country was brought to as high a state of perfection as was compatible with the then state of the roads and canals4 ,when all this had been accomplished1 the disturbing influence of railways began4 ,i see mischief in these confounded iron roads1 said the ,duke of ,bridgewater4 ,but the time for railways had arrived1 and they could not be postponed4 ,the first railroads were used for the conveyance of coals from the pits to the seaside1 where they were shipped for ,london4 ,then it was proposed that they should be laid for the conveyance of goods from town to town2 and the largest traffic being in ,lancashire1 one of the first railways was constructed between ,liverpool and ,manchester1 from which towns they were afterwards constructed in all directions throughout the country4 ,had ,mr4 ,baxendale resisted the new means of conveyance1 he would1 before long1 have been driven off the road4 ,but he clearly foresaw the ultimate triumph of the railway system2 and he went with it1 instead of against it4 ,he relieved the ,liverpool and ,manchester ,company of a great deal of trouble1 by undertaking to manage their goods' traffic and by collecting and delivering it at both towns4 ,then1 when the railways from ,warrington to ,birmingham and from ,birmingham to ,london were projected1 he gave evidence before the committees of ,parliament1 in proof of the estimated traffic4 ,and when the lines were made1 he transferred the goods from his carrying vans to the railway4 ,he thus became a great railway carrier1 collecting and delivering goods in all the cities and towns served by the railways which had by that time become established4 ,he also became a large shareholder in railways4 ,his status in the ,south-,eastern line was so great1 that he was invited to become chairman of the company4 ,he was instrumental1 in conjunction with the late ,sir ,william ,cubitt1 in pushing on the line to ,dover4 ,but the ,dover ,harbour ,board being found too stingy in giving accommodation to the traffic1 and too grasping in their charges for harbour dues1 ,mr4 ,baxendale at once proceeded1 on his own responsibility1 to purchase ,folkestone ,harbour as the port of the ,south-,eastern ,company4 ,he next proceeded to get up the ,boulogne and ,amiens ,railway1 which was for the most part constructed with ,english capital2 and the direct line from ,london to ,paris was thus completed4 ,his arduous labours in connection with his own business1 as well as with railway extension1 having thrown him into ill-health1 he went abroad for repose4 ,while absent1 a faction was got up in ,liverpool for the purpose of appointing another chairman in his stead2 and though he was unseated by a trick1 he himself accepted his dismissal with pleasure4 ,his sons were now able to help him in the conduct of his business1 though he continued to the close of his life to take an interest in everything that was going on4 ,he was never weary of well-doing2 he never rested in giving his good advice1 the results of his large experience1 to the assistants1 clerks1 and working men employed in his various offices4 ,we conclude our brief notice of his life by giving another of his ,run-and-,read ,sermons1 which he distributed plentifully among his employs1 and had affixed in various portions of his warehouses4 ,it was entitled ,good ,maxims and ,advice4 ,an old servant of the concern observed1 a short time ago1 that he began life in the employ of ,pickford1 upon low wages1 and that by frugality and industry he had gained a competency4 ,his maxim was1 never to spend more than ninepence out of every shilling4 ,although this may appear a trifle1 recollect that it is five shillings in twenty1 ten pounds in forty4 ,suppose a young man to pursue this system3 ,let him obtain the first twenty pounds1 add each year ten pounds1 he will at the end of six years be possessed of upwards of one hundred pounds4 ,if in early life the opportunity is suffered to pass1 it rarely happens that one can save money when more advanced in years4 ,the concern in which we are engaged has been defrauded by those who have for thirty years received salaries1 the savings from which1 had they followed the plan that is recommended1 would have placed them in situations of comparative affluence2 and we should now have seen them respectable members of society4 ,upon industry and frugality our well-doing depends4 ,it is not great talents1 but steady application1 that is required4 ,there are none of us that may not obtain stations of respectability4 ',god helps them that help themselves4' ',he that follows pleasure instead of business will shortly have no business to follow4' ,i frequently complain of what may be called trifles1 but from these arising frequently1 we are at length lost4 ,let each attend to his respective duties2 keep the appointed hours2 and never defer till to-morrow what may be done to-day4 ,if business is more pressing than usual1 give additional time1 that your own accounts may not fall into confusion1 and that you may not be the means of causing delay and trouble to others4 ,it often happens that the negligence of individuals throws additional labour upon those who are anxious for regularity4 ,hiding or screening the faults or errors of others1 is a system that has prevailed and caused much loss and injury1--frequently to the offending party1 always to the employer4 ,late occurrences lead me to draw your attention to this subject3 it is important in every sense1 both as regards your public and private stations4 ,there is nothing more worthy of a man than truth3 nothing makes him feel himself so despicable as a lie4 ,recollect that men act lies without speaking them1 and that all false appearances are lies4 ,he1 therefore1 who1 seeing his employer injured1 neglects to make it known1 is equally guilty--with this addition1 that he is practising a lie4 ,want of punctuality is a lie4 ,speak and act openly on all occasions4 ,errors will be fewer1 and labour will be decreased4 ,it seldom happens that we can do any important services1 but small services are always in use4 ,take1 therefore1 every opportunity of assisting each other1--you are then most effectually serving your employers1 as well as keeping up a spirit of cordiality and goodwill amongst yourselves4 ,a good ,christian must be a good servant4 ,whatever your lot in life may be above all things remember that ',the fear of ,god is the beginning of wisdom4' ,,chapter ,x4 ,,masters ,,and ,,men4 ,the sweat of industry would dry1 and die1 ,but for the end it workrt to4 ,shakspeare4 ,man is a shop of rules1 a well-trussed pack1 ,whose every parcel underwrites a law1--,george ,herbert4 ,care preserves what ,industry gains4 ,he who attends to his business diligently but not carefully1 throws away with one hand what he gathers with the other4--,colton4 ,the acquisition of property1 the accumulation of capital1 is already in the power of the better-paid working class2 and legislation has but few further facilities to give1 or obstacles to remove4 ,their savings are now so large that only soberer habits and rounder sense are needed to make them independent capitalists in less than half a lifetime4--,w4,r4 ,greg4 ,employers can do a great deal towards promoting habits of thrift1 prudence1 and sobriety amongst their workpeople4 ,though the working man does not like to be patronized1 he has no objections to be helped4 ,we have already seen that individuals can do much2 they can cultivate habits of economy1 and lay by a certain portion of their earnings for help in time of need4 ,but they want encouragement and assistance4 ,they want sympathy2 they want help4 ,if masters fully understood the immense amount of influence which they possess1 they would extend their sympathy and confidence to their workmen1--which ,would cost them so very little1 and profit them so very much4 ,we know of no instance where an employer has displayed a concern for the social well-being and improvement of his workmen1 in which he has not been repaid by their increased respect and zeal on his behalf4 ,he may1 for instance1 arrange that wages shall not be paid so as to drive them into the market late on ,saturday nights1 when they are often under the necessity of making their weekly purchases at a great disadvantage4 ,of course1 workmen who possess a little store of savings1 might make their purchases at greater advantage at any other time4 ,the employer might also avoid paying wages in public-houses1 and thus keep his workmen out of the way of incurring an expenditure upon drink1 that might prove so hurtful4 ,but masters can do more than this4 ,they can actively aid their workmen in the formation of prudent habits1 by establishing savings banks for men and women1 and penny banks for boys and girls2 by encouraging the formation of provident clubs and building societies1 of provision and clothing clubs1 and in many other ways4 ,they might also distribute among them1 without any officious interference1 good counsel as to the manner in which they might make the best use of their wages4 ,many large employers have already accomplished much practical good1 by encouraging the formation of provident institutions1--in which they have never failed to secure the respect1 and generally the co-operation1 of their workmen4 ,at the same time there is much want of sympathy between masters and men4 ,in fact1 want of sympathy pervades all classes--the poorer1 the working1 the middle1 and the upper classes4 ,there are many social gaps between them1 which cannot yet be crossed1 which cannot yet be united4 ,if ,i were to be asked1 said ,judge ,talfourd1 on whom ,death was at the moment laying his hand1 what is the great want of ,english society--to mingle class with class--,i would say1 in one word1 the want is the want of sympathy4 ,a great truth1 but not yet appreciated4 ,it is the old truth1 on which ,christianity is based1 of ,love one another--simple saying1 but containing within it a gospel sufficient to renovate the world4 ,but where men are so split and divided into classes1 and are so far removed that they can scarcely be said to know one another1 they cannot have a due social regard and consideration1 much less a genuine sympathy and affection1 for each other8 ,charity cannot remedy the evil4 ,giving money1 blankets1 coals1 and such-like1 to the poor--where the spirit of sympathy is wanting1--does not amount to much4 ,the charity of most of the ,lord and ,lady ,bountifuls begins with money1 and ends there4 ,the fellow-feeling is absent4 ,the poor are not dealt with as if they belonged to the same common family of man1 or as if the same human heart beat in their breasts4 ,masters and servants live in the same unsympathetic state4 ,each for himself is their motto4 ,i don't care who sinks1 so that ,i swim4 ,a man at an inn was roused from his slumber2 ,there is a fire at the bottom of the street1 said the waiter4 ,don't disturb me said the traveller1 until the next house is burning4 ,an employer said to his hands1 ,you try to get all you can out of me2 and ,i try to get all ,i can out of you4 ,but this will never do4 ,the man who has any sympathy in him cannot allow such considerations to overrule his better nature4 ,he must see the brighter side of humanity ever turned towards him4 ,always to think the worst1 said ,lord ,bolingbroke1 ,i have ever found the mark of a mean spirit and a base soul4 ,on the other hand1 the operative class consider their interests to be quite distinct from those of the master class4 ,they want to get as much for their labour as possible4 ,they want labour to be dear that they may secure high wages4 ,thus1 there being no mutual sympathy nor friendly feeling between the two classes1--but only money considerations1--collisions are frequent1 and strikes occur4 ,both classes--backed by their fellows determined to fight it out1 and hence we have such destructive strikes as those of ,preston1 ,newcastle1 ,london1 and ,south ,wales4 ,the great end of both is gain1 worldly gain1 which sometimes involves a terrible final loss4 ,a general suspicion of each other spreads1 and society becomes cankered to the core4 ,the remedy is only to be found in the cherishment of a larger ,christian sympathy and more genuine benevolence4 ,thus only can the breath of society be sweetened and purified4 ,money gifts avail nothing1 as between rich and poor4 ,unless there is a soul of goodness1 and a real human fellowship between them1 the mischief and the curse which the excellent ,judge ,talfourd lamented with his dying breath will never be overcome4 ,some allege that this want of sympathy arises1 for the most part1 from the evils of ,competition4 ,it is heartless1 selfish1 mischievous1 ruinous1 and so on4 ,it is said to produce misery and poverty to the million4 ,it is charged with lowering prices1 or almost in the same breath with raising them4 ,competition has a broad back1 and can bear any amount of burdens4 ,and yet there is something to be said for competition1 as well as against it4 ,it is a struggle1--that must be admitted4 ,all life is a struggle4 ,amongst workmen1 competition is a struggle to advance towards higher wages4 ,amongst masters1 to make the highest profits4 ,amongst writers1 preachers1 and politicians1 it is a straggle to succeed1--to gain glory1 reputation1 or income4 ,like everything human1 it has a mixture of evil in it4 ,if one man prospers more than others1 or if some classes of men prosper more than others1 they leave other classes of men behind them4 ,not that they leave those others worse1 but that they themselves advance4 ,put a stop to competition1 and you merely check the progress of individuals and of classes4 ,you preserve a dead uniform level4 ,you stereotype society1 and its several orders and conditions4 ,the motive for emulation is taken away1 and ,caste1 with all its mischiefs1 is perpetuated4 ,stop competition1 and you stop the struggle of individualism4 ,you also stop the advancement of individualism1 and through that of society at large4 ,under competition1 the lazy man is put under the necessity of exerting himself2 and if he will not exert himself1 he must fall behind4 ,if he do not work1 neither shall he eat4 ,my lazy friend1 you must not look to me to do my share of the world's work1 and yours too6 ,you must do your own fair share of work1 save your own money1 and not look to me and to others to keep you out of the poor-house4 ,there is enough for all2 but do your own share of work you must4 ,success grows out of struggles to overcome difficulties4 ,if there were no difficulties1 there would be no success4 ,if there were nothing to struggle or compete for1 there would be nothing achieved4 ,it is well1 therefore1 that men should be under the necessity of exerting themselves4 ,in this necessity for exertion1 we find the chief source of human advancement--the advancement of individuals as of nations4 ,it has led to most of the splendid mechanical inventions and improvements of the age4 ,it has stimulated the shipbuilder1 the merchant1 the manufacturer1 the machinist1 the tradesman1 the skilled workman4 ,in all departments of productive industry1 it has been the moving power4 ,is has developed the resources of this and of other countries1--the resources of the soil1 and the character and qualities of the men who dwell upon it4 ,it seems to be absolutely necessary for the purpose of stimulating the growth and culture of every individual4 ,it is deeply rooted in man1 leading him ever to seek after1 and endeavour to realize1 something better and higher than he has yet attained4 ,of course1 man is much more than a competing being4 ,that is only one of his characteristics1 and not the highest or noblest4 ,he has sensibilities1 sympathies1 and aspirations1 which should induce him to unite and cooperate with others in works for the common good4 ,with unfettered individualism1 there may1 and there ought to be1 beneficent cooperation for the general happiness4 ,men may unite to labour1 to produce1 and to share with each other the fruits of their corporate industry4 ,but under any circumstances1 there will be the instinct of competition1 the opportunities for competition1 and1 though mixed with necessary evil1 there will be the ultimate advantages of competition4 ,one of the results of industry and thrift is the accumulation of ,capital4 ,capital represents the self-denial1 the providence1 and the enterprise of the past4 ,the most successful accumulators of capital have in all times risen from the ranks of labour itself2 they are working men who have shot ahead of their fellows1 and who now give employment instead of receiving it4 ,these persons1--who are not the less working men because they have ceased to be manual labourers1--by creating and extending the sphere of productive industry1 must be regarded as amongst the most effective benefactors of the people1 as they unquestionably are among the principal sources of the power and wealth of any nation4 ,without the capital accumulated by their thrift during many generations1 the lot of the artizan would be most precarious4 ,there is not a mechanic but has the use of the money of the master who employs him4 ,when the unskilled labourer lays down his spade1 he leaves idle a capital worth eighteen-pence2 but when a skilled artizan or mechanic leaves his mill or his workshop1 he leaves idle a capital of from a hundred to two hundred pounds per man4 ,nor does the skilled workman run any risk whatever as regards the sums invested1 though he virtually shares the profits in the shape of the wages paid for his labour4 ,the profit which remains is the master's return for his management and his risks4 ,it is well known1 however1 that the risks are not always covered1 as the ,gazette in bad times abundantly demonstrates4 ,the workman in good employment is not liable to losses by bad debts2 he has no obsolete machinery from time to time left useless on his hands2 and he has no anxiety about finding a market for his goods1 nor fears respecting fluctuations in the price of the raw material4 ,these are important advantages in his favour1 which he does not usually take into account4 ,it is true he suffers if trade is bad1 but he earns high wages if it be good3 he can then save money if he chooses to do so4 ,he may be said to participate in the adversity or prosperity of his firm1 but without incurring any of the liabilities of partnership4 ,mr4 ,carlyle has given a curious account of the great ,english manufacturer4 ,plugson1 of ,st4 ,dolly ,undershot1 buccaneer-like1 says to his men1 ',noble spinners1 this is the hundred thousand we have gained1 wherein ,i mean to dwell and plant my vineyards4 ,the hundred thousand is mine1 the three-and-sixpence daily was yours4 ,adieu1 noble spinners6 drink my health with this groat each1 which ,i give you over and above6' ,this account of the manufacturing buccaneer is a picture drawn by a man of genius from his imagination4 ,there are probably many readers who believe the picture to be drawn from fact4 ,there may1 of course1 be masters who are buccaneers2 but there are also masters who are not buccaneers4 ,there are dishonest manufacturers1 as there are dishonest literary men1 dishonest publicans1 dishonest tradesmen4 ,but we must believe that in all occupations honesty is the rule1 and dishonesty the exception4 ,at all events1 it is better that we should know what the manufacturers really are1--from fact rather than from fiction4 ,let us first take a large manufacturing firm1 or rather series of firms1 well known in ,south ,lancashire4 ,we mean the cotton-spinning mills of the ,messrs4 ,ashworth at ,egerton and ,new ,eagley4 ,they have been in existence for more than seventy years4 ,they have been repeatedly enlarged1 and increasing numbers of workpeople have been employed at the uniform wages paid throughout the district4 ,workmen earn from seventeen shillings to two pounds a week4 ,women-weavers can earn as much as twenty-one shillings a week4 ,where the parents have children1 the united earnings of families amount to as much as from #aej to #bjj a year4 ,then1 as to what the ,ashworths have done for the benefit of their workpeople4 ,schooling1 by means of mutual instruction classes1 was in operation from the first2 but about the year #ahbe1 when the works were greatly enlarged1 and the population was considerably increased1 a day school was opened for children1 which was used as an evening school for young men1 as well as for a ,sunday-school4 ,the continued extension of the works led to an enlargement of the school accommodation2 and while this was being provided1 arrangements were made for a news-room1 library1 and for the performance of divine worship on ,sundays4 ,a cricket-ground was also provided for the use of young people4 ,misgivings were not unfrequently expressed that the zeal and expenditure incurred by the ,messrs4 ,ashworth might one day be turned against them1 to their annoyance and pecuniary loss4 ,the prediction was realized in only a single instance4 ,a young man of considerable talent1 who when a child had been removed to the factory from a neighbouring workhouse1 made very rapid progress at school1 especially in arithmetic2 and when a strike of the workpeople occurred in #ahcj1 one of the great strike years1 he became very officious as a leader4 ,the strike was defeated by the employment of new hands1 and it was attributed to the influence of this young man that the employed were brutally assailed by an infuriated mob1 and that the windows of the schoolroom were smashed1 and other works of destruction committed4 ,the employers1 nevertheless1 pursued their original design4 ,they repaired the school-house1 and endeavoured to increase the efficacy of the teaching4 ,they believed that nothing was better calculated to remove ignorant infatuation than increased schooling4 ,in a great many instances1 the heads of the families had previously been engaged as hand-loom weavers1 or in some pastoral pursuit2 and it became evident that in course of time the exercise of their minds in the details of a new pursuit awakened their intelligence1 and their general demeanour indicated marks of a higher cultivation4 ,the ,new ,eagley ,mills being situated in a narrow valley1 several miles from ,bolton1 and the property being in the possession of the owners1 they forbade the opening of any tavern or beerhouse on the estate2 so that the district became distinguished for the order and sobriety of the inhabitants4 ,a man of intemperate habits has little chance of remaining in the ,ashworth villages4 ,he is expelled1 not by the employers1 but by the men themselves4 ,he must conform to the sober habits of the place1 or decamp to some larger town1 where his vices may be hidden in the crowd4 ,many of the parents have expressed how much gratification they have felt1 that by reason of the isolated situation they enjoyed as a community1 they had become so completely separated from the corrupt influences of music saloons and drink-shops4 ,the masters have added to their other obligations to the workpeople1 the erection of comfortable cottages for their accommodation4 ,they are built of stone1 and are two-storied2 some have two upper bedrooms1 and others have three4 ,on the ground floor there is a sitting-room1 a living-room1 and a scullery1 with a walled courtyard enclosing the whole premises4 ,the proprietor pays the poor-rates and other local charges1 and the rentals of the houses vary from #bs4 #d;d4 to #ds4 #c;d4 a week4 ,the regularity of their employment1 accompanied with the payment of wages on ,friday night1 doubtless promoted their local attachment to the place4 ,many of the descendants of the first comers remain on the spot2 their social relations have been promoted2 intermarriages have been frequent2 and during the whole period there has not been a single prosecution for theft4 ,the working people have also thriven as well as their masters4 ,great numbers of them are known to possess reserved funds in savings banks and other depositories for savings2 and there are others of them who have invested their money in cottage buildings1 and in various other ways4 ,but have not the men risen above their lot of labouring spinners8 ,they have4 ,such of them as possessed skill1 ability1 and the faculty of organization1 have been promoted from the ranks of labourers1 and have become mill managers4 ,about thirty of these1 says ,mr4 ,henry ,ashworth1 have been reckoned on the spur of the moment1 and ten of them have become business partners or proprietors of mills4444 ,many manufacturers1 adds ,mr4 ,ashworth1 are to be found who have done a great deal to ameliorate the condition of those they have employed2 and no one will doubt that they have been prompted1 not by hopes of gain1 but by emotions of goodwill4#a ,footnote #a3 ,the greater part of the above information is contained in the statement by ,mr4 ,henry ,ashworth1 in the ,reports on the ,paris ,universal ,exhibition1 #ahfg1 vol4 vi41 pp4 #afa-afc4 ,manufacturers such as these do not1 like ,plugson of ,st4 ,dolly ,undershot1 gather up their fortunes and run away1 leaving a groat each to their workpeople to drink their healths4 ,they remain with them from generation to generation4 ,the best and the noblest amongst them--the ,ashworths of ,turton1 the ,strutts of ,derby1 the ,marshalls of ,leeds1 the ,akroyds of ,halifax1 the ,brooks of ,huddersfield1 and many others1--have continued to superintend their works for several generations4 ,the ,strutts were the partners of ,arkwright1 who was almost the beginner of ,english manufacture4 ,in fact1 it is only since ,arkwright took out his patent for the spinning machine1 and ,watt took out his patent for the steam engine1 that ,england has become a manufacturing country4 ,where would ,england have been now1 but for the energy1 enterprise1 and public spirit of our manufacturers8 ,could agriculture have supported the continuous increase of population8 ,is it not more probable that this country would have become overrun by beggars1--or that property would have been assailed and the constitution upset1 as was the case in ,france1--but for the extensive and remunerative employment afforded to the labouring classes in the manufacturing districts8 ,the steam engine has indeed proved the safety-valve of ,england4 ,it enabled the kingdom to hold its ground firmly during the continental wars2 and but for it1 and the industries which it has established1 ,england would probably by this time have sunk to the condition of a third or fourth-rate power4 ,it is true1 the great manufacturers have become wealthy4 ,but it would certainly have been singular if1 with their industry1 energy1 and powers of organization1 they had become poor6 ,men of the stamp of the ,strutts1 ,ashworths1 ,marshalls1 and others1 do not work for wealth merely1 though wealth comes to them4 ,they have not become great because they were rich1 but they have become rich because they were great4 ,accumulations of wealth are the result of exceptional industry1 organization1 and thrift1 rather than of exceptional gain4 ,adam ,smith has said3 ,it seldom happens that great fortunes are made by any one regularly-established and well-known branch of business1 but in consequence of a long life of industry1 frugality1 and attention4 ,but it is not always so4 ,for instance1 ,mr4 ,lister1 of ,bradford1 after inventing the combing machine1--or at least combining the inventions of others into a complete combing machine of his own1--proceeded to invent a machine for using up silk waste 7then cast away as useless71 spinning it into silk of the finest kind1 and by means of the power-loom to weave it into velvet of the best quality4 ,the attempt had never before been made by any inventor2 and it seemed to be of insuperable difficulty4 ,mr4 ,lister had already made a fortune by the success of his combing machine1 such as to enable him to retire from business1 and live in comfort for the rest of his life4 ,but1 urged by the irrepressible spirit of the inventor1 he went onward with his silk machine4 ,as he himself said1 at a recent meeting at ,bradford1#a--,they might judge how hard he had worked to conquer the difficulties which beset him1 when he told them that for twenty years he had never been in bed at half-past five in the morning2 in fact1 he did not think there was a man in ,england who had worked harder than he had4 ,the most remarkable thing was1 that he threw away an immense fortune before there was any probability of his succeeding4 ,he had almost brought himself to ruin1 for he was #cfj1jjj out of pocket before he even made a shilling by his machine2 indeed1 he wrote off a quarter of a million as entirely lost1 before he began to make up his books again4 ,since then1 his patent for the manufacture of silk had turned out one of the most successful of the day4 ,footnote #a3 ,the meeting was held to receive the transfer of ,mr4 ,lister's fine ,park at ,manningham1 which he had presented to the ,corporation of ,bradford1 to be a ,people's ,park for ever4 ,in the ,park presented by ,mr4 ,lister to the people of ,bradford1 a statue was recently erected by public subscription4 ,it was unveiled by the ,right ,hon4 ,w4,e4 ,forster1 who1 in closing his speech1 observed3 ,i doubt1 after all1 whether we are come here to do honour to ,mr4 ,lister1 so much as to do honour to ourselves4 ,we wish to do honour to those working faculties which have made our country of ,england a practical1 and therefore a great and prosperous1 and a powerful country4 ,it is this untiring1 unresting industry which ,mr4 ,lister possesses1 this practical understanding1 this determination to carry out any object which he is convinced ought to be carried out1 and his determination to fear no opposition and to care for no obstacle--it is these practical faculties that have made ,england what she is4 ,what is it especially that we are honouring8 ,it is the pluck which this man has shown2 it is the feeling that1 having to do with the worsted trade1 he said to himself1 ',here is something which ought to be done2 ,i will not rest until ,i have found out how it can be done2 and having found out how it can be done1 where is the man who shall stop my doing it8' ,now it was upon that principle that he fought his long struggle2 and so when we read the story of his struggles1 ever since #ahdb1 in those two great inventions1 we raise this statue to the man who has successfully fought the battle1 and hope that our sons and the sons of all1 rich and poor together1 will come in after-days to admire it1 not merely because it gives them the form and features of a rich and successful man1 but because it gives them the form and features of a man who was endowed with industry1 with intellect1 with energy1 with courage1 with perseverance1--who spared himself no pains in first ascertaining the conditions of the problems he had to solve1--and then whose heart never fainted1 whose will never relaxed1 in determining to carry out those conditions4 ,great men are wise savers and wise spenders4 ,montesquieu has said of ,alexander3 ,he found the first means of his prosperity and power in the greatness of his genius2 the second1 in his frugality and private economy2 and the third1 in his immense liberality to accomplish great objects4 ,he spent but little on himself2 but for public purposes his hand was always open4 ,it was also said of the first ,napoleon1 that he was economical like ,charlemagne1 because he was great like ,charlemagne4 ,napoleon was by no means a spendthrift1 except in war2 but he spent largely in accomplishing great public undertakings4 ,in cases such as these1 economy and generosity are well combined4 ,and so it is in the cases of all men possessed of energy1 industry1 and great powers of organization4 ,it may seem out of keeping to compare great producers with great commanders4 ,yet the manufacturer often requires as much courage1 as much genius1 as much organizing power1 as the warrior4 ,the one considers how he shall keep his operatives in working order2 the other how he shall keep his soldiers in fighting order4 ,both must be men of enterprize1 of boldness1 of keen observation1 and close attention to details4 ,and the manufacturer1 from his position1 needs to be the most benevolent man of the two4 ,viewed in this light1 we regard ,sir ,titus ,salt not only as a ,captain of ,industry1 but as a ,field-,marshal of ,industry4 ,he has been called the ,prince of ,manufacturers4 ,titus ,salt is a son of a ,yorkshire wool-stapler4 ,in the early part of his life he was a farmer near ,bradford1 and his inclination for agricultural pursuits was such1 that it was thought he would continue to pursue this vocation4 ,being1 however1 a partner with his father in the wool business1 and observing that manufactures were rapidly extending in the neighbourhood1 he withdrew from the partnership1 and commenced business at ,bradford as a wool-spinner4 ,he was one of the first to observe the uses of ,alpaca wool4 ,large quantities of that material were stored at ,liverpool1--imported from the ,brazils4 ,but the wool found no purchasers1 until at length ,mr4 ,salt bought a quantity1 and spun it into an entirely new fabric4 ,he then proceeded to buy up all the ,alpaca that was to be found at ,liverpool2 made arrangements for purchasing all that came into the market2 went on spinning ,alpaca2 and eventually established the manufacture4 ,this was the foundation of ,mr4 ,salt's fortune4 ,at length1 after about twenty years' labour as a manufacturer1 ,mr4 ,salt thought of retiring from business1 and again betaking himself to his favourite agricultural pursuits4 ,he intended to retire on his fiftieth birthday1 but before that time had arrived 7having five sons to provide for7 he reversed his decision1 and resolved to continue in business a little longer1 and to remain at the head of the firm4 ,having come to this determination1 he made up his mind to leave ,bradford4 ,the borough was already overcrowded1 and he did not like to be a party to increasing the population4 ,he looked about for a site suitable for a manufacturing establishment1 and at length fixed upon a large piece of ground in the beautiful valley of the ,aire4 ,an extension of the ,leeds and ,bradford ,railway was in front1 and the ,leeds and ,liverpool ,canal behind it1 so that there was every convenience for bringing up the raw materials1 and of sending away the manufactured goods4 ,on that spot ,saltaire was erected--a noble monument of private enterprise1 liberality1 and wisdom4 ,it is not necessary to describe ,saltaire4 ,the buildings connected with the new works cover six and a half acres4 ,the principal room is five hundred and fifty feet long4 ,the weaving shed covers two acres4 ,the combing shed occupies one acre4 ,everything is large1 roomy1 and substantial4 ,the cost of constructing the factory1 and the dwellings for the workpeople1 amounted to more than a hundred and forty thousand pounds4 ,on the opening day1 ,mr4 ,salt dined three thousand five hundred persons in the combing shed4 ,at the dinner1 he said3 ,i cannot look around me1 and see this vast assemblage of friends and workpeople1 without being moved4 ,i feel greatly honoured by the presence of the nobleman at my side4 ,i am especially delighted at the presence of my workpeople4444 ,i hope to draw around me a population that will enjoy the beauties of this neighbourhood1--a population of well-paid1 contented1 happy operatives4 ,i have given instructions to my architects that nothing is to be spared to render the dwellings of the operatives a pattern to the country2 and if my life is spared by ,divine ,providence1 ,i hope to see satisfaction1 contentment1 and happiness around me4 ,this promise has been amply fulfilled4 ,mr4 ,salt has been influenced throughout by his sense of duty and responsibility4 ,when he was applied to by the ,french ,government for information as to his factory1 he replied3 ,what has been attempted at ,saltaire arose from my own private feeling and judgment1 without the most remote idea that it would be made the subject of public interest and inquiry4 ,with respect to the factory itself1 little need be said4 ,the object of its construction is to save time in the process of production4 ,not a minute is lost in pushing the material from one department to another4 ,every horse-power of steam is made to do its utmost1 every moment of time is economized1 and the productive capabilities of the factory are thus greatly increased4 ,we prefer to speak of the immense improvement which ,mr4 ,salt1 or rather ,sir ,titus ,salt1 has effected in the physical and moral condition of his workpeople4 ,the plan of the works shows that ,saltaire has been provided with a church1 a ,wesleyan chapel1 and a ,literary and ,philosophical ,institution4 ,large schools have been provided for boys1 girls1 and infants1 with abundance of play-ground4 ,for young men as well as old1 there is a cricket-ground1 bowling-green1 and croquet-lawn1 surrounded by pleasure-grounds4 ,there is also a large dining-hall1 baths and washhouses1 a dispensary1 and almshouses for pensioners4 ,about three thousand persons are employed in the works2 and seven hundred and fifty-six houses have been erected for their accommodation4 ,the rents run from two and fourpence to seven and sixpence a week1 according to the accommodation4 ,some of the houses are used as boarding-houses4 ,the rents include rates and water supply1 and gas is sold at a low price4 ,the cottages are built of stone1 lined with brickwork4 ,they contain a parlour or long room1 a kitchen or scullery1 a pantry and cellar1 and three bedrooms4 ,each house has a separate yard1 with the usual offices4 ,the workpeople are well able to pay the rents4 ,single workmen earn from twenty-four to thirty-five shillings a week4 ,a family1 consisting of a father and six children1 earn four pounds four shillings a week1 or equal to a united income of over two hundred and twenty pounds a year4 ,the comfortable houses provided for the workpeople have awakened in them that home feeling which has led them to decorate their dwellings neatly and tastefully1--a sure sign of social happiness4 ,every visitor among the poor knows how such things combine to prevent vice and disease1 to elevate the moral tone of working people1 and to develope their intellectual powers4 ,a man in a dirty house1 says ,mr4 ,rhind1 the medical attendant at ,saltaire1 is like a beggar in miserable clothing4 ,he soon ceases to have self-respect1 and when that is gone there is but little hope4 ,great attention is paid in ,saltaire to education1 even of the higher sort4 ,there are day schools1 night schools1 mutual improvement classes1 lectures1 and discussions4 ,music--one of the most humanizing of pleasures--is one of the most favourite studies4 ,in almost every house in the town some form of musical instrument is found2 and indeed1 the choral and glee societies1 together with the bands1 have become household names4 ,there is one full brass band for men1 and another drum-and-fife band for boys2 and concerts1 vocal and instrumental1 are regularly given by the workpeople in the dining-hall4 ,the bands have instructors provided by the firm4 ,besides taking part in the musical performances1 a large number of the skilled workmen devote their leisure hours to various scientific amusements1--such as natural history1 taxidermy1 the making of philosophical instruments1 such as air-pumps1 models of working machinery1 steam-engines1 and articles of domestic comfort1--while some have even manufactured organs and other musical instruments4 ,there is no drinking-house in ,saltaire1 so that the vices and diseases associated with drunkenness are excluded from the locality4 ,the diseases peculiar to poverty are also unknown in ,saltaire4 ,everything is attended to--drainage1 cleansing1 and ventilation4 ,there are baths of all kinds--plunge baths1 warm baths1 ,turkish baths1 and douche baths2 and the wash-house1 to enable the women to wash their clothes away from their cottages1 is a great accommodation1--inasmuch as indoor washing is most pernicious1 and a fruitful source of disease1 especially to the young4 ,the workpeople are also thrifty4 ,they invest their savings in the ,penny ,bank and ,saving's ,bank2 whilst others invest in various building societies1 gas companies1 and other lucrative undertakings4 ,in fact1 they seem to be among the most favoured of human beings4 ,with every convenience and necessity1 as well as every proper pleasure provided for them1--with comfortable homes1 and every inducement to stay at home1--with fishing clubs1 boating clubs1 and cricket clubs1--with schoolrooms1 literary institutions1 lecture-hall1 museum1 and class-rooms1 established in their midst2 and to crown all1 with a beautiful temple for the worship of ,god1--there is no wonder that ,saltaire has obtained a name1 and that ,sir ,titus ,salt has established a reputation among his fellow-men4 ,there are large numbers of employers who treat their workpeople quite as generously1 though not in such a princely manner1 as ,sir ,titus ,salt4 ,they pay the uniform rate of wages2 help and encourage the employed to economize their surplus earnings2 establish ,savings ,banks and ,penny ,banks for their use2 assist them in the formation of co-operative associations for the purchase of pure food at a cheaper rate2 build healthy cottages for their accommodation2 erect schools for the education of their children2 and assist them in every method that is calculated to promote their moral and1 social improvement4 ,mr4 ,edward ,akroyd1 formerly ,m4,p4 for ,halifax1 is another manufacturer who has exercised great influence throughout ,yorkshire1 by his encouragement of habits of thrift amongst working people4 ,in his own district1 at ,copley and ,haley ,hill1 near ,halifax1 he has built numerous excellent cottages for his workmen1 and encouraged them to build their own houses by investing their spare earnings in building clubs4 ,he has established co-operative clubs1 to enable the men to purchase food and clothing at cost price4 ,he has built excellent schools at his own expense1 and provided them with a paid staff of teachers4 ,he has built and endowed the very fine church of ,all ,souls 7,sir ,gilbert ,scott1 architect71 to which a large district1 inclusive of the works1 has been assigned4 ,he has provided for his workpeople1 both at ,haley ,hill and ,copley1 a ,literary and ,scientific ,society1 a ,mutual ,improvement ,society1 a ,working ,men's ,library 7to which he has presented more than five thousand books71 a ,working ,men's ,club and ,newsroom1 a ,choral ,society1 supplied with an excellent library of music2 a ,recreation ,club1 provided with a bowling green2 and a cricket ground1 with quoits1 and gymnastic apparatus1 ,mr4 ,akroyd has also allotted a large field to his workmen1 dividing it into small gardens varying from a hundred to two hundred and forty square yards each4 ,the small rent charged for each plot is distributed in prizes given at an annual flower-show held in his grounds1 for the best growers of flowers1 plants1 and vegetables4 ,hence the ,haley ,hill ,horticultural and ,floral ,society1 one of the most thriving institutions of the kind in the neighbourhood4 ,in short1 ,mr4 ,akroyd has done everything that a wise and conscientious master could have done1 for the purpose of promoting the moral and spiritual welfare of the four thousand persons employed in his manufactories1 who have been virtually committed to his charge4 ,but although ,mr4 ,akroyd has done so much as a master for the men and women employed by him1 he has perhaps done still more as a public benefactor by establishing the ,yorkshire ,penny ,bank for ,savings4 ,as early as the year #aheb1 ,mr4 ,akroyd instituted a ,savings ,bank to enable his workpeople to deposit sums of from one penny upwards4 ,the system was found to work so well1 and to have such a beneficial effect in making people provident1 that he conceived the idea of extending its operations throughout the ,west ,riding of ,yorkshire4 ,having obtained the co-operation of several influential gentlemen1 the scheme was started in #ahef1 and an ,act of ,parliament was obtained for constituting the ,yorkshire ,penny ,savings ,bank as it now exists4 ,mr4 ,akroyd has recently furnished an ,introduction to the narrative of the ,yorkshire ,penny ,bank1 from which we extract the following passage3-- ,the way by which thoughts1 or chance suggestions1 enter into the minds of men1 is sometimes passing strange6 ,they may be the offspring of wayward fancy2 or they may be the whisperings from a higher source4 ,to the latter cause ,i am willing to attribute the idea which flashed across my mind during the present year to give to the public something beyond the bare outline of the scheme1 in which1 for years1 many of them have taken a warm personal interest4 ,it occurred in this wise4 ,when in town1 ,i occasionally attended1 during ,lent1 the services at ,whitehall ,chapel1 for the sake of hearing a ,lenten sermon preached by one of ,her ,majesty's chaplains4 ,one remarkable sermon of the series was delivered by the ,rev4 ,charles ,kingsley1 on the #abth of ,march1 on behalf of the ,supplemental ,ladies' ,association of the ,london ,society of ,parochial ,mission ,women4 ,in the sketch which the preacher gave of this excellent institution1 he referred to a book entitled ',east and ,west1' in which the benefits derived by the ,london poor from the association are clearly set forth2 but he dwelt chiefly on the wide separation which divides rich from poor1 class from class1 in ,london2 and on the dangers which threaten ,society from this cause1 as was recently exemplified in ,france4 ,such was the impression made upon me by the sermon1 that1 before many days had elapsed1 ,i had purchased ',east and ,west1' and given the book a careful perusal4 ,from previous observation ,i had been struck with the sad contrast between the luxurious lives of those who reside at the ,west ,end of ,london1 and the struggle for a hard1 wretched existence which the crowded poor at the ,east1 or in close purlieus elsewhere1 are obliged to maintain until death closes the scene4 ,how to bridge over the wide chasm intervening between the extremes of high and low in society1 without injury to self-respect on either side1 was the puzzling question1 the problem to be solved4 ,yet1 from the admirable introduction to this most useful little work1 by the ,countess ,spencer1 it appeared that a lady of high rank1 and her noble-minded associates1 had in some measure solved the problem1 and bridged over the chasm4 ,hence ,i was led to reflect how much easier it is to discharge our duty to our neighbours1 and to fulfil the leading object of the ,parochial ,mission ,women ,association1 to 'help the poor to help themselves1' in provincial towns and in the country1 where we are personally acquainted with each other1 than in ,london1 where we do not know our next-door neighbour4 ,to help the poor to help themselves is the cardinal principle of the ,yorkshire ,penny ,bank4#a ,footnote #a e ,yorkshire ,penny ,bank1 a ,narrative2 with an ,introduction by ,edward ,akroyd1 ,m4,p4 ,the business of the bank commenced on the #ast of ,may1 #ahei4 ,at the end of the year1 when the bank had been in operation seven months1 twenty-four branches had been opened4 ,it went on increasing in the number of branches and depositors1 and in the amounts deposited4 ,in #ahgd1 about two hundred and fifty branches had been established1 and the amount of investments in the names of trustees had reached nearly four hundred thousand pounds4 ,the ,yorkshire ,penny ,bank does not interfere with the ,post ,office ,savings ,bank4 ,it has a special function1 that of teaching the young of either sex the habit of saving4 ,it is also convenient to the adult worker as a convenient receptacle for his savings4 ,many have been induced to save1 in consequence of the banks having been brought almost to their very doors4 ,one of the most remarkable facts connected with the history of ,penny ,banks is the sympathetic influence of juvenile thrift upon paternal recklessness and intemperance4 ,the fact is well worthy the consideration of ,temperance advocates1 who would probably effect much greater practical good by enabling working people to save their money in the ,penny ,banks1 than by any speech-making agency4 ,take1 for instance1 the following illustrations from ,mr4 ,akroyd's narrative3-- ,an actuary says3 ,all the juvenile depositors seem inclined to take care of their pence by depositing them in the bank2 and the grown-up people have become of the same turn of mind1--rather than carry their loose money to the public-house1 or spend it foolishly4 ,some factory operatives have saved sufficient to buy stock and commence farming4 ,another actuary says3 ,a drunken father being shamed out of his drunkenness by the deposits of his children1 now deposits half-a-crown a week in the bank4 ,a notoriously bad man1 a collier1 became a regular depositor himself1 as well as depositing money in the name of his child2 all his spare money having previously been spent in drink4 ,from the date of his beginning to save1 a perceptible improvement took place in his conduct and character4 ,in another case1 two boys prevailed upon their father1 also a collier1 to allow them to deposit a shilling a week1 until they had saved sufficient to buy themselves each a suit of new clothes4 ,before then1 all their father's earnings1 as well as their own1 had been spent in drink4 ,an actuary of another branch says he has seen fathers and mothers1 who have been drunkards1 send their children with money to the bank1 ,he says3 ,my heart was made to rejoice when ,i saw a boy1 who never had a suit of new clothes in his life1 draw out his money1 and in less than two hours return well clad1 to take his place in the school to practise singing for ,good ,friday4 ,at the meeting of the ,band of ,hope on ,good ,friday1 he asked the parents and children to signify by holding up their hands whether or not the bank had been beneficial to them2 when many hands were instantly raised1--one poor mother exclaiming1 ',i will put up both my hands for my two bairns6' ,a miner1 the father of a family1 reclaimed from drunkenness1 saved his money in the bank until1 with the aid of a loan from a building society1 he built two houses at a cost of four hundred pounds4 ,the bank has been to many people what the hive is to the bee--a kind of repository2 and when the wintry days of sickness or adversity befall them1 they have then the bank to flee to for succour4 ,a missionary says3 ,i met a man and his wife about two years ago--both drunk4 ,i got them to sign the pledge1 and since then to invest their money in our bank4 ,the pawnbroker had got the greater part of their goods2 but ,i am happy to say that they have got all the articles out of pawn1 and can bring a little money almost every week to the bank2 and when putting in the money1 the man says that it is better than taking it to the public-house4 ,their home is now a very comfortable one4 ,a drunkard one night came to the bank1 and flinging down a shilling for a start1 said1 ,there6 that is the price of six pints of beer2 but ,i promise the landlords that they shan't have as much of my money as they have had4 ,this man has become sober2 and continues a regular depositor4 ,in another bank1 a man who had been a reckless and desperate fellow was induced by his wife to deposit a few coppers in the bank4 ,he did so1 and his weekly deposits increased2 while at the same time his visits to the public-house decreased4 ,in the course of a short time he had a respectable balance to his credit2 and this induced him to take a share in a building society1 and then a second share4 ,after continuing to pay upon these shares for some time1 he purchased a piece of land1 upon which he built two houses4 ,one of these he occupies himself1 and the other he lets4 ,besides this1 he is now a respectable tradesman1 having two or three journeymen and an apprentice working for him4 ,he is sober and steady1 and much respected by his friends and neighbours4 ,many other cases of the same kind might be mentioned4 ,in one case a boy saved sufficient money to buy a suit of clothes for his father1 who had spent all his earnings in drink1 and reduced himself and his family to poverty2 in other cases1 sons and daughters maintain their infirm parents without resorting to the parochial ,board for assistance4 ,some save for one thing2 some for another4 ,some save to emigrate2 some to buy clothes2 some to buy a watch2 but in all cases frugality is trained1 until saving becomes habitual4 ,one of the ,yorkshire actuaries of the ,penny ,bank tells the following anecdote as conveying a lesson of perseverance and encouragement to branch managers4 ,mr4 ,smith was one of our first managers1 but after attending two or three times he left us1 saying it was 'childish work4' ,my answer was1 ',it is with children we have to do4' ,a short time after1 ,i met him1 and in the course of conversation ,i observed that ,i sometimes got down in the mouth1 and did not know whether we were doing any good1 and felt disposed to give up the bank2 on which he warmly replied1 ',for ,god's sake1 you must not let such an idea get into your head2 you little know the good you are doing2 we have not a man about our place but either himself or some members of his family are depositors4' ,the actuary adds1 ,if ,colonel ,akroyd ever despairs1 ,i give him the above answer4 ,savings banks have thus been the means of doing an immense amount of good4 ,they have brought peace1 happiness1 and comfort into many thousands of families4 ,the example of ,mr4 ,akroyd should be largely imitated1 and there ought not to be a county in the kingdom without its organized system of ,penny ,banks4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,the ,,crossleys--,,masters ,,and ,,men 7,,continued74 ,the sense to enjoy riches1 with the art ,t' enjoy them1 and the virtue to impart4--,pope4 ,my ventures are not in one bottom trusted1 ,nor to one place2 nor is my whole estate ,upon the fortune o' this present year4--,shakespeare4 ,the roughest road often leads to the smoothest fortune4--,franklin4 ,who can find a virtuous woman8 for her price is far above rubies4 ,the heart of her husband doth safely trust in her1 so that he shall have no need of spoil4444 ,she seeketh wool and flax1 and worketh willingly with her hands4444 ,she layeth her hands to the spindle1 and her hands hold the distaff4 ,she stretcheth out her hand to the poor2 yea1 she reacheth forth her hands to the needy4444 ,strength and honour are her clothing2 and she shall rejoice in time to come4444 ,her children arise up1 and call her blessed2 her husband also1 and he praiseth her4--,proverbs of ,solomon4 ,there are several large employers who have endeavoured to combine the principle of co-operation with the business of manufacturing2 and to furnish to the men who have contributed to their past prosperity the opportunity of sharing in their future profits4 ,the object of these masters has been to obviate the antagonism between capital and labour1 and to spread the spirit of contentment among the operatives4 ,workmen who have saved their earnings1 and stored them in savings banks1 are in this manner enabled to become partners in the concerns in which they have formerly employed their labour4 ,the two principal manufacturing concerns of ,halifax1 those of ,james ,akroyd and ,son1 and ,john ,crossley and ,sons1 have thus become converted into joint stock companies4 ,they have been so converted with the primary design of receiving the co-operation of the managers1 workmen1 and others associated with them2 and with that view the directors have in all cases given them the priority in the allotment of the shares4 ,we have already referred to the philanthropic work accomplished by ,edward ,akroyd in the county of ,york4 ,we have now to refer to the ,crossley firm1 whose carpets are known throughout the world4 ,we refer to them with the greater pleasure1 as their history contains a story which may possibly add to the interest of this book1--which1 however useful1 some readers may consider to be rather dull to read4 ,the founder of this firm was ,john ,crossley4 ,he belonged to an old ,yorkshire family4 ,his grandfather1 who lived at ,king's ,cross1 near ,halifax1 was born of respectable parents1 and had a good education1 yet he was by no means fond of business4 ,in fact1 he spent the greater part of his time in hunting and shooting4 ,his wife was1 however1 of a very different character4 ,she was industrious1 energetic1 and an excellent household manager4 ,she not only maintained herself1 but her husband and her family4 ,she did this by means of a boarding school which she kept1--one of the best in the neighbourhood of ,halifax4 ,one of her sons1 the father of ,john ,crossley1 was brought up to carpet-weaving4 ,he learnt his business with ,mr4 ,webster1 of ,clay-pits1 one of whose daughters he afterwards married4 ,john ,crossley himself also became a carpet-weaver with his uncle2 and when his apprenticeship was finished1 he went to weave for ,mr4 ,currer1 a large carpet manufacturer at ,luddenden ,foot4 ,while working at this factory1 his master built a large fine house to live in4 ,he thought he had money enough saved for the purpose1 but circumstances proved that he had not4 ,mr4 ,currer told his foreman that he had kept an account of its cost until he had spent #d1jjj1 and then he became so disgusted that he burnt the memorandum book1 although the house was not nearly finished4 ,he said he had done all that to please a woman1--meaning his wife4 ,although ,mr4 ,currer was an excellent man of business1 his wife was too fond of show1 and the large fine house in which she was to live proved her husband's ruin4 ,he died shortly after it was finished1 and then the whole of his establishment was broken up4 ,after leaving ,mr4 ,currer1 ,john ,crossley removed to ,halifax to take the management of ,mr4 ,job ,lees' carpet manufactory in ,lower ,george ,yard1 ,halifax4 ,he began to look out for a wife1 and the history of his courtship is curious as well as interesting4 ,the ,crossleys seem to have had the good fortune to fall in with excellent wives2 and the prosperity of the family is quite as much due to the ,crossley women as to the ,crossley men4 ,martha ,crossley1 the future wife of ,john ,crossley1 was born at ,folly ,hall1 near the ,ambler ,thorn ,bar4 ,her great-grandfather1 ,thomas ,turner1 was a farmer4 ,he lived at the ,upper ,scout ,hall1 ,shibden1 and the farm-house which he occupied1 at the head of the ,shibden ,valley1 is still in existence4 ,the eldest son was brought up to his father's business4 ,the youngest son1 ,abraham1 was brought up to farming1 weaving1 and combing4 ,he married1 and had three children--,abraham1 ,thomas1 and ,martha4 ,abraham1 the eldest1 was father of ,mrs4 ,john ,crossley1 ne ,turner4 ,abraham was also brought up to farming and manufacturing2 but it must be remembered that manufacturing was in those days conducted on a very much smaller scale than it is now4 ,he afterwards went into partnership with his brother ,thomas1 to make worsted goods1 but after his marriage the partnership was dissolved4 ,he then became the proprietor of the ,scout ,farm1 and there brought up his family4 ,although ,abraham ,turner was a landed proprietor1 he did not think it beneath him to allow his daughter ,martha to go out to service4 ,when about fifteen years old she went as a servant to ,miss ,oldfield at ,warley4 ,in that service1 in her own person1 she did the work of kitchenmaid1 housemaid1 and cook1 and in addition to that1 she milked four or five cows night and morning4 ,she remained about ten years with ,miss ,oldfield4 ,her wages were at first fifteen-pence a week2 after two years1 they were increased to eighteen-pence2 and after nine years' service1 they were increased to six guineas a year4 ,yet during that time ,martha ,turner saved thirty pounds by sheer thrift4 ,john ,crossley1 the founder of the ,crossley firm1 and the husband of ,martha ,turner1 was originally a carpet-weaver4 ,one night1 when working at the loom1 he was taking his drinking1 and on laying down his black bottle it fell and broke4 ,in trying to catch the bottle1 he cut his arm so severely that it was thought he would have bled to death4 ,he could not work at the loom any longer1 and he was going about with his arm in a sling1 when his employer1 ,mr4 ,currer1 said to him1 ,john1 do you think you could tie up a loom1 as you cannot now weave8 ,john replied that he thought he could4 ,he tried1 and proved so expert that his master would not allow him to go back to the loom4 ,john ,crossley used to regard the accident to his arm as the turning-point in his life4 ,in the meantime he was going on with the business of courtship1 though it was very much against the wish of the proud farmer--the father of ,martha ,turner4 ,he declared that he would never allow his daughter to marry a weaver1 or even a foreman of weavers4 ,perhaps the story of their courtship is best told in ,martha's own words4 ,when ,i went to the gate one evening1 there was a young man standing there1 who asked me if ,i wanted a sweetheart4 ,i answered1 ',not ,i1 marry6 ,i want no sweethearts4' ,i then went into the house1 and left him4 ,i saw the same young man frequently about1 but did not speak to him for years after4 ,his name was ,john ,crossley4 ,when my mistress ascertained his object1 she did all she could to set me against him4 ,she told me that when she was a girl1 she had gone to a boarding-school kept by a ,mrs4 ,crossley1--that her husband's name was ,tom ,crossley1 the grandfather of this very man that was courting me1--and that a wilder1 idler scapegrace she never knew4 ,she always said1 when she saw him coming1 ',there's young ,crossley come again4' ,one day ,i received a love-letter from him1 which ,i could now repeat word for word4 ,i had several other suitors1 but none were so persevering as ,john ,crossley4 ,he pressed me very much to have him4 ,at last he sent me a letter to say that a house was vacant in ,lower ,george ,yard1 close to the works he was managing1 and that it was a great chance to meet with one so convenient4 ,i told him that ,i was going home to spend the #eth of ,november1 and would pass that way and look at the house1 which ,i did4 ,when ,i got home ,i asked my parents for their consent4 ,they did not object much to it at the time2 but ,i had not been at ,miss ,oldfield's more than a day or two1 before they sent over my sister ,grace to say that they would not give their consent to the match1 and that if ,i insisted on being married to ,john ,crossley1 they would never look me in the face again4 ,so soon as my sister was gone1 ,i retired in a most distressed state of feeling to my bedroom1 and opened my book that was the preparation for the sacrament1 and the first place at which ,i opened ,i read these words3 ',when thy father and thy mother forsake thee1 then the ,lord will take thee up4' ,this comforted me very much4 ,i felt that the ,lord was with me in this matter1 and ,i could no longer doubt which was the path of duty4444 ,i decided to accept ,john ,crossley's offer1 and we were married on the #bhth day of ,january1 #ahjj4 ,mr4 ,crossley never did a better day's work than in marrying his excellent and noble wife4 ,from that day forward she was his helper1 his co-worker1 his consoler4 ,she assisted her husband in all his struggles1 and in a certain sense she was the backbone of the ,crossley family4 ,after the death of ,mr4 ,job ,lees1 whose carpet manufactory he had managed1 ,mr4 ,crossley entered into partnership with two other persons1 to take the plant and carry on the business4 ,some difference having occurred with the partners1 he left the firm1 and took a lease of ,dean ,clough ,mill1 where he entered into another partnership with his brother ,thomas1 and ,james ,travers4 ,there they carried on the business of worsted spinning4 ,at the same time1 ,john ,crossley continued to spin and dye the yarns and to manage the looms of the firm which he had left4 ,in fact1 the dyeing and spinning for the old firm formed a considerable part of the business of the new one4 ,then came a crisis4 ,the old firm took away their work3 they sent the wool to be spun and the yarn to be dyed elsewhere4 ,this was a great blow2 but eventually it was got over by extra diligence1 energy1 and thrift1--,mrs4 ,crossley herself taking a full share in the labours and responsibility of her husband4 ,in addition to the carpet making1 she says in the ,manuscript ,memoir of her life1 we carried on the manufacture of shalloons and plainbacks1 the whole of which ,i managed myself1 so far as putting out the warps and weft1 and taking in from the weavers4 ,we had at one time as many as a hundred and sixty hand weavers on these goods4 ,we sold the principal part of them in ,london4 ,we had also about four looms making brace webs and body belts4 ,the produce of these looms ,i sold principally to the ,irish1 who made them up into braces and hawked them about the country4 ,i also made and stitched1 with assistance1 all the carpets that we sold retail4 ,i used to get up to work by four o'clock in the morning1 and being very diligent1 ,i have usually earned two shillings before breakfast1 by the time that my neighbours were coming downstairs4 ,the partnership of ,crossley1 ,travers1 and ,crossley1 lasted for twenty years4 ,when the term had expired1 the partners shared their savings2 they amounted to #d1bjj1 or fourteen hundred pounds to each4 ,this was not a very large sum to make during twenty years' hard work2 but ,dean ,clough ,mill was then but a small concern1 and each partner did his own share of handiwork in spinning1 dyeing1 and weaving4 ,mrs4 ,crossley says that the fourteen hundred pounds came in very useful4 ,in fact1 it was only a beginning4 ,john ,crossley eventually bought the ,dean ,clough ,mills out and out4 ,he had a family of eight children to provide for2 and he put his sons for the most part into his business4 ,they followed the example of their parents1 and became thrifty1 useful1 and honourable men4 ,john ,crossley1 the founder of the firm1 has observed1 that in the course of his life he was a keen observer of men and things4 ,he says he noticed many of the failures of his neighbours in bringing up their children4 ,some fathers were so strict with their children1 keeping them so constantly at home1 and letting them see so little of the world in which they lived1 that when the fathers died and the children were removed from all restraint1 they came forth into the world like calves1 and found everything entirely different from what they expected4 ,such unguided young persons1 ,mr4 ,crossley found1 soon became wild1 lost1 and ruined4 ,then he observed the opposite extreme1--where the fathers indulged their children so much1 that they became quite unfitted to endure the hardships of the world1--and1 like a vessel that is sent to sea without a helm1 they soon became stranded on the shores of life4 ,hence ,mr4 ,crossley endeavoured to steer clear of both extremes1 and to give to his sons as much knowledge and experience of life as possible4 ,when at home1 he always had one of his sons near him2 or when he went from home1 he always took one of them with him4 ,thus they gained a great deal of practical knowledge of life1 and knew something of the good and evil in the world2 and as they grew older1 they were all the better able to turn their own lives to the best account4 ,it is not necessary to follow the history of the ,crossley family further4 ,john ,crossley died in #ahcg1 after which the firm was conducted by ,john1 ,joseph1 and ,sir ,francis ,crossley1 ,bart4 ,the latter represented the ,west ,riding of the county of ,york at the time of his death1 a few years ago4 ,in #aheg he purchased a splendid piece of ground1 which he presented to the ,corporation of ,halifax1 to be used as a ,people's ,park for ever4 ,in the speech which he made on the occasion of presenting it1 he said1 amongst other things1 that he had often discussed with his friend the ,mayor the philosophy of money4 ,i recollect very well1 he said1 once entering into the question with him1 when ,i was twenty years younger than ,i am now1 and saying that ,i saw a great deal of emptiness about this money-getting2 that many were striving for that which they thought would make them happy1 but that it was like a bubble upon the water--no sooner caught than burst4444 ,had ,i1 he afterwards said1 been of noble birth1 or traced my origin 7like some in this room7 to those who came in with ,william the ,conqueror1 however true it might be1 it would not have been good1 it would even be boastful to have done so4#a ,but since ,i am of humble birth1 perhaps it will be allowed me to say a little of those who ought to share the honour which is heaped upon me4 ,my mother was the daughter of a farmer who lived upon his own estate1 and although it was not large1 it had been in the family for many generations4 ,her father made the same mistake that ,jacob made1--,jacob made too much of ,joseph1 and her father made too much of ,mary4 ,my mother was seventeen1 and quick in disposition4 ,she said that right was not done to her at home1 and she was determined to make her own way in the world1 whatever the consequences might be4 ,she went out to service1 contrary to the wish of her father4 ,i am honoured to-day with the presence of one who has descended from the family who engaged her as servant3 ,i mean ,mr4 ,oldfield1 of ,stock ,lane1 vice-chairman of the ,halifax ,board of ,guardians4 ,in that service1 in her own person1 she did the work of kitchenmaid1 of housemaid1 and of cook2 and in addition to that she regularly milked six cows every night and morning4 ,besides which1 she kept the house1 which was as clean as a little palace4 ,but this was not enough to employ her willing hands4 ,her mistress took in wool or tops to spin1 and she could do what scarcely any in ,warley could have done1--she spun that wool to thirty-six hanks in the pound1 and thus earned many a guinea for her mistress1 besides doing all her other work4#b ,footnote #a3 ,those who came in with ,william the ,conqueror are not the oldest but the youngest of ,british families4 ,they are the most recent occupiers of ,british soil4 ,the ,angles and ,saxons1 whose lands the ,normans divided amongst themselves1 occupied ,britain many hundred years before the arrival of the ,conqueror4 ,in the remote dales of ,yorkshire and ,lancashire1 the ancient race still exists4 ,and thus the ,crossley family may have a much longer pedigree1 could they but trace it1 than any of those who came in with ,william the ,conqueror4 ,the latter are able to trace their origin because their numbers are so small1 their possessions so large1 and their introduction as ,english proprietors comparatively so recent4 ,footnote #b3 ,in these snobbish days1 when rich people are so often ashamed of their fathers and grandfathers1 and vainly endeavour to make out their ancient 'nobility1' it was honest and manly on the part of ,sir ,francis ,crossley thus publicly to relate these facts2 and to share with his mother the honour of conferring his splendid present of the ,people's ,park on the townsmen of ,halifax4 ,sir ,francis went on to relate the history of his father 7as given above from his own manuscript71 until the time when he took the ,dean ,clough ,mill4 ,my mother1 he says1 went thither with her usual energy4 ,as she was going down the yard at four o'clock in the morning1 she made this vow3 ',if the ,lord does bless us at this place1 the poor shall taste of it4' ,it is to this vow1 given with so much faithfulness1 and kept with so much fidelity1 that ,i attribute the great success which my father had in business4 ,my mother was always looking how she could best keep this vow4 ,in the days that are gone by1 when it was a dreary thing to give employment to a large number of people1 the advice that she gave to her sons was1 ',do not sell your goods for less than they cost1 for it would ruin you without permanently benefiting any one2 but if you can go on giving employment during the winter1 do so1 for it is a bad thing for a working man to go home and hear his children cry for bread1 when he has none to give them4' ,and now with respect to the manner in which ,sir ,francis ,crossley fulfilled the vow of his mother4 ,on the #ajth of ,september1 #ahee1 he said1 ,i left ,quebec early in the morning1 for the ,white ,mountains in the ,united ,states4 ,i remember passing through some of the most glorious scenery ,i had ever seen4 ,on reaching the hotel at the ,white ,mountains1 ,i went out alone for an evening walk4 ,it was a beautiful spot4 ,the sun was just declining behind ,mount ,washington1 amidst all the glorious drapery of an ,american sunset4 ,i felt as if ,i was walking with ,god4 ',what1' said ,i1 'shall ,i render for all ,his benefits to me8 ,lord1 what wilt ,thou have me to do8' ,the answer came immediately4 ,it was this3 ',it is true thou canst not bring the many thousands thou has left behind thee in thy native country1 to see this beautiful scenery1 but thou canst take such scenery to them4 ,it is possible so to arrange art and nature that they shall be within the reach of every working man in ,halifax2 that he shall go and take his evening walk there1 after his day's toil has been done4' ,well1 that seemed to me a glorious thought6 ,i walked home1 and my prayer that night was1 that in the morning ,i might feel that my thought was justified1 and that ,i might be spared to put it in execution4 ,i slept soundly that night1 and when ,i awoke my impression was confirmed4 ,on the #ajth of ,september1 when ,i left ,quebec for the ,white ,mountains1 ,i had no more idea of making a park than any one here has of building a city4 ,on the day ,i reached home1 ,i felt as convinced that ,i should carry out my thought1 as ,i was of my own existence4 ,and from that day to this ,i have never flinched from the undertaking1 whatever difficulties might arise4 ,it is a happy day for me that ,i have been permitted to see the result1 in the ,people's ,park that has been opened to-day4 ,the ,park was opened in ,august1 #aheg4a ,three years later1 a fine statue of ,sir ,francis ,crossley 7by ,mr4 ,joseph ,durham7 was placed in the ,park1 so that all comers1 while beholding the princely gift1 might also see the form and features of the giver4 ,the cost of the statue was defrayed by public subscription1 in which persons of all political parties joined4 ,the preparation of the statue was delayed by the revolution in ,italy1 which placed ,victor ,emanuel on the ,italian throne4 ,while the quarrymen at ,carrara were digging out the block of marble of which the figure was to be sculptured1 they were roused by shouts of ,liberty1 coupled with the name of ,garibaldi1 and they left their work to join the banner of that victorious leader4 ,in front of the statue is the following inscription3 ,this statue of ,frank ,crossley1 ,esq41 ,m4,p4 for the ,west ,riding of the county of ,york1 donor of the ,people's ,park1 was erected ,august #ad1 #ahfj1 by the inhabitants of ,halifax1 his native town1 as a tribute of gratitude and respect to one whose public benefactions and private virtues deserve to be remembered4 ,footnote #a3 ,the ,park is situated in the centre of the borough of ,halifax1 and covers twelve acres and a half of ground4 ,it cost ,sir ,francis ,crossley #ce1jjj1 who also gave to the ,corporation #f1cjj to be invested for its maintenance4 ,but the vow of ,martha ,crossley was not yet entirely fulfilled3 ,if the ,lord does bless us at this place1 the poor shall taste of it4 ,that was what she promised on her husband's entering into possession of ,dean ,clough ,mills2 and her sons have nobly fulfilled her promise4 ,in #ahfd1 the extensive business of ,john ,crossley and ,sons1 with all its mills1 machinery1 plant1 warehouses and stock-in-trade--at ,halifax1 ,kidderminster1 ,manchester1 and ,london1--was converted into a joint-stock company4 ,the company was formed with the primary design of receiving the co-operation of all parties associated with the business1 and with the object of securing a spirit of harmony and the material well-being and profit of the workpeople1 clerks1 managers1 and others interested in the concern4 ,in order to enable the workpeople to join in the business1 a large sum of money was lent to them for the purpose of taking up returned shares in the company2 and the workpeople took them up to a large extent4 ,a preference was always given to the managers and operatives2 and the amount of shares applied for by them was invariably allotted in full4 ,the results of this system have proved entirely satisfactory2 the directors reporting that the active energies of all parties necessary to ensure success have been fully enlisted4 ,they claim originality1 in their method of securing the direct interest of the employs1 and they rejoice in being able to report that the system has more than realized their highest expectations4#a ,at the present time1 the employs hold shares in the company1 of the value of about thirty thousand pounds2 and the deposit bank1 founded for the use of the workpeople exclusively1 contains money-savings amounting to more than sixteen thousand pounds6 ,and thus the vow of ,martha ,crossley1 that the poor should taste of the prosperity of ,john ,crossley and ,sons1 has been amply and nobly fulfilled6 ,footnote #a3 ,reports of the ,paris ,universal ,exhibition1 #ahfg1 vol4 vi41 pp4 #aai--ada4 ,one of the most promising of co-operative undertakings established by employers for the benefit of their workpeople1 was that of the ,messrs4 ,briggs and ,son1 of ,whitwood collieries1 near ,wakefield4 ,the collieries were converted into a limited company in #ahfe4 ,the working colliers were made partners in the prosperity of the concern to this extent1--that whenever the divisible profits accruing from the business in any year1 after making allowance for depreciation1 exceeded ten per cent1 on the capital embarked1 all those employed by the company were to receive one-half of such excess profit as a bonus1 to be distributed amongst them in proportion to their respective earnings during the year4 ,the object of the owners was to put an end to strikes1 which had sometimes placed them in peril of their lives1 and also to enable them to live on better terms with their workpeople4 ,the colliers were invited to become shareholders1 and thus to take a personal interest in the prosperity of the concern4 ,the project was received with great favour by the friends of co-operation4 ,mr4 ,john ,stuart ,mill1 in his ,principles of ,political ,economy1 announced that the ,messrs4 ,briggs had taken the first step2 and that it was highly honourable on the part of those employers of labour to have initiated a system so full of benefit both to the operatives employed and to the general interests of social improvement4 ,mr4 ,hughes1 ,m4,p41 after visiting the collieries1 expressed his surprise at the great success achieved in the first year of working the collieries as a partnership of industry4 ,i believe1 he said to the owners1 that in taking this step you have done a great work for ,england1 and one which will be gratefully recognized before long by the country4 ,the promoters also claimed a reward from the ,paris ,universal ,exhibition1 for having been the first large employers in ,england who have allowed all their workpeople1 whether co-shareholders with them or not1 to participate in all divisible profits beyond a fixed percentage on the paid-up capital of the company4 ,only a few years have passed1 and already this promising partnership of industry has come to an end4 ,it has not been brought to an end by the masters1 but by the men4 ,the masters were satisfied with the profits made during the recent high prices of coal2 but the men were not satisfied with the wages4 ,had they been as free as the ,welsh colliers1 they would have insisted on being paid as highly2 but it would have been1 as it was in ,wales1 ruinous to the masters4 ,the system of industrial partnership had at length to be abandoned1 and the men now work for wages instead of for part-profits4 ,the truth is1 the colliers were not sufficiently educated to appreciate the advantages of the industrial scheme4 ,though some of the ,whitwood workmen have been stimulated by thrift1 to build and furnish houses of their own1 the greater number of them1 during the recent flush of prosperity1 squandered their wages on frivolity1 extravagance1 and intemperance4 ,the attempt was also made by several firms engaged in the iron trade1 to embody the principle of co-operation in their respective concerns4 ,amongst these were the firms of ,greening and ,co41 ,manchester1 and ,fox1 ,head1 and ,co41 ,middlesborough4 ,the experiments were to a certain extent brought to an end by the greed or laziness of the colliers1 who have for a time destroyed the prosperity of the iron trade4 ,messrs4 ,greening and ,co4 started with great enthusiasm2 and the results were very successful as regards the workpeople4 ,nothing could have been better than the spirit of goodwill1 and even devotion1 which was displayed by many of them4 ,but1 unhappily1 contracts were taken by the management1 which resulted in a series of losses2 and the scheme ended in liquidation4 ,mr4 ,greening states that the ,distribution ,societies have as yet been much more successful than the ,production ,societies2 but he hopes to see the latter crown the edifice by making workers everywhere no longer servants1 but co-partners with capital4 ,the firm of ,fox1 ,head1 and ,co4 also admitted their workmen to a partnership of profits4 ,they had for some time been much annoyed by strikes4 ,their works had stood idle for about a fourth of the whole time that had elapsed since their commencement4 ,the system of co-operation was adopted in #ahff1 at the close of a long strike4 ,one of the conditions of the scheme was that ,fox1 ,head1 and ,co4 should not be members of any association of employers1 and that the workmen should not be members of any trades union4 ,the original intention was to pay the workmen a bonus according to profits4 ,they eventually adopted the practice of the ,messrs4 ,briggs and ,co41 which was1 to divide the profits over ten per cent4 into two parts3 the one to belong to the capitalists as their profit1 and the other to be divided amongst all those who had received wages or salaries during the year1 in proportion to the amount received by them4 ,an opportunity was also afforded to the workmen of depositing their savings with the firm2 but as there was only one instance1 during three years1 of a workman applying to invest his savings1 this clause was withdrawn4 ,in consequence of the depressed state of the iron trade1 there were no profits to be divided during the first two years4 ,the men were1 however1 paid the current rate of wages1 and were saved the expenses of ,union levies4 ,the co-operative store1 which had been founded by the workmen1 was in a very prosperous condition4 ,in the third year of the co-operative scheme1 a bonus of two and a half per cent1 was divided between the employers and the employed4 ,the workmen also received an advance of five per cent4 in wages4 ,in the fourth year the wages of the workmen were further increased ten per cent41 and this took the cream off the bowl4 ,however1 a bonus of four per cent4 was paid on the wages and salaries received by the employs during that year4 ,at the meeting held to communicate the result of the year's business1 ,mr4 ,head said3-- ,there may be some who think the tendency of our policy has been too sentimental4 ,i don't believe in doing business on sentimental principles4 ,but ,i contend that mere money-making is not the sole end of existence4 ,we have been associated with many of you for several years1 and we cannot help feeling a considerable interest in you4 ,after all1 life is not so very long4 ,another twenty or thirty years will see us all under ground1 and there will be other employers and other workmen carrying on business at ,newport ,rolling ,mills4 ,it would indeed be strange if we did not take some interest in those with whom we are so much associated4 ,and so1 without in the least relaxing discipline1 or sacrificing any true principle of business1 we hold it to be our duty as employers1 as well as your duties as employs1 to consider each other's interests1 and to do all that each of us can in the way of true and hearty co-operation4 ,the coal famine began to tell upon the iron-workers4 ,the furnaces were often laid off for want of coal4 ,the principal causes of the bad supply of coal arose from shorter hours of labour1 and higher wages for less work4 ,yet a bonus of three and a quarter per cent1 was allowed on the wages and salaries received by the employs during the year #ahga4 ,the co-operative stores continued to be very productive1 and many of the members saved considerable sums of money4 ,in the next year1 a bonus of three and a half per cent1 was divided4 ,but difficulties were in store4 ,the coal famine continued4 ,the employers of labour held meetings to resist the successive advances of wages1 and to counteract the operations of the trades unions4 ,mr4 ,head strongly urged the men to hold together3 ,cease to be deluded1 he said1 by these trades unions4 ,save all you can1 and with your savings provide against the day of sickness--a day which is sure to come sooner or later4 ,provide for old age2 read good books1--you have every chance now1 with a free library in the town4 ,give credit to others for wishing to be straightforward and honest as well as yourselves2 and in every way ,i would ask you to act as reasonable1 straightforward1 sensible ,english workmen ought to do4 ,show that you can appreciate being well used1 that you can appreciate those who put themselves to trouble that they may do you good2 and beware lest1 by want of sympathy1 you drive the best of the employers out of the business1 and retain those alone who are despotic and tyrannical4 ,cease to follow those who are actuated by self-interest1 or by blind impulse2 who do not care a bit if they get you into trouble1 provided only they serve their own selfish ends4 ,such men are but blind leaders of the blind1 and if you follow them you will eventually find yourselves deserted1 and lying hopelessly and helplessly in the last ditch4 ,it was of no use4 ,the men's wages went up twenty per cent42 and there was an end of the bonuses4 ,the coal famine continued4 ,the masters1 instead of making profits1 made immense losses4 ,the price of iron went down4 ,the mills stood idle for two months4 ,the result was1 that when the masters next met the workmen in public meeting1 ,mr4 ,waterhouse1 the auditor1 reported that while the gross earnings of the year have exceeded the expenditure on materials1 wages1 and trade charges1 they have been insufficient to cover the full amounts to be provided under the co-operative scheme for interest on capital1 depreciation1 and the reserve for bad debts2 and that consequently it was his duty to declare that no amount was at present payable as bonus either to employers or employed4 ,no further report was issued in #ahge1 excepting an announcement that there was no dividend1 and that the firm did not intend to continue the co-operative scheme any longer4 ,during the time that it lasted1 the employs had received about eight thousand pounds in bonuses4 ,since then1 ,sir ,joseph ,whitworth has announced his intention of giving his workmen a bonus upon his profits2 but the principle of the division has not yet been announced4 ,on hearing of his intention1 ,mr4 ,carlyle wrote the following letter to ,sir ,joseph3-- ,would to heaven that all the captains of industry in ,england had a soul in them such as yours4 ,the look of ,england is to me at this moment abundantly ominous1 the question of capital and labour growing ever more anarchic1 insoluble altogether by the notions hitherto applied to it--pretty sure to issue in petroleum one day1 unless some other gospel than that of the ',dismal ,science' come to illuminate it4 ,two things are pretty sure to me4 ,the first is that capital and labour never can or will agree together till they both first of all decide on doing their work faithfully throughout1 and like men of conscience and honour1 whose highest aim is to behave like faithful citizens of this universe1 and obey the eternal commandments of ,almighty ,god1 who made them4 ,the second thing is1 that a sadder object than even that of the coal strike1 or any other conceivable strike1 is the fact that--loosely speaking--we may say all ,england has decided that the profitablest way is to do its work ill1 slurily1 swiftly1 and mendaciously4 ,what a contrast between now and say only a hundred years ago6 ,at the latter date all ,england awoke to its work--to an invocation to the ,eternal ,maker to bless them in their day's labour1 and help them to do it well4 ,now1 all ,england--shopkeepers1 workmen1 all manner of competing labourers--awaken as with an unspoken but heartfelt prayer to ,beelzebub1--',oh1 help us1 thou great ,lord of ,shoddy1 ,adulteration1 and ,malfeasance1 to do our work with the maximum of sluriness1 swiftness1 profit1 and mendacity1 for the devil's sake4 ,amen4' ,fortunately1 there is not a great deal of truth in this letter1 nor in the heartfelt prayer to ,shoddy4 ,the ,right ,hon4 ,mr4 ,forster ought to know something of labour and capital1 and at a recent meeting of the ,cobden ,club he stated that they were often told that they had a war within their borders between labour and capital2 but as an employer of labour ever since he came to manhood1 he would only say that he never knew a time in which employer and employed were on better terms4 ,the late ,sir ,francis ,crossley observed that there was a good deal of unreasonable feeling abroad4 ,it was held by some that it was wrong for working men to sell their labour at the best price2 but it must be remembered that their labour was the only thing they had to sell2 and the best thing to do was to leave those matters to take their natural course4 ,it was a great mistake1 on the part of employers1 to suppose that the lowest-priced labour was always the cheapest4 ,if there was not so much desire to run down the price of labour1 and the masters showed a more conciliatory spirit1 there would be fewer strikes and outrages4 ,what a contrast between now and say only a hundred years ago6 ,certainly there is a very great contrast4 ,england was not a manufacturing country a hundred years ago4 ,we imported nearly everything1 except corn1 wool1 and flax4 ,we imported the greatest part of our iron from ,spain1 ,sweden1 ,germany1 and ,russia4 ,we imported our pottery from ,holland1 our hats from ,flanders1 our silk from ,france1 our cloth and carpets from ,belgium4 ,our cotton manufactures1 our woollen and flax manufactures1 our machine manufactures1 could scarcely be said to exist4 ,coal could scarcely be had1 for the coal-pits could not be kept clear of water4 ,a hundred years ago1 we could not build a steam-engine2 we could scarcely build a bridge4 ,look at the churches built a hundred years ago1 and behold the condition of our architecture4 ,a hundred years ago1 we had fallen to almost the lowest condition as a nation4 ,we had not a harbour2 we had not a dock4 ,the most extensive system of robbery prevailed on the ,river ,thames4 ,the roads1 such as they were1 swarmed with highwaymen2 and black-mail was levied by the ,highlanders upon the ,lowland farmers1 down to the middle of last century4 ,a hundred years ago1 our ships were rotten2 they were manned by prisoners taken from the hulks1 or by working men pressed in the streets in open day4 ,when ,james ,watt was learning his trade of an instrument maker in ,london1 a hundred years ago1 he durst scarcely walk abroad lest he should be seized and sent to ,india or the ,american plantations4 ,less than a hundred years ago1 the colliers and salters of ,scotland were slaves4 ,it is not forty years since women and children worked in coalpits4 ,surely we are not to go down upon our knees and pray for a restoration of the horrible things that existed a hundred years ago4 ,a hundred years ago1 ,ireland was treated like a conquered country2 and hangings and shootings of rebels were frequent4 ,the fleet at the ,nore mutinied2 and the mutiny was put down by bloodshed and executions4 ,towns and cities swarmed with ruffians2 and brutal sports and brutal language existed to a frightful degree4 ,criminals were hanged1 five or six together1 at ,tyburn4 ,gibbets existed at all the cross-roads throughout the country4 ,the people were grossly ignorant1 and altogether neglected4 ,scepticism and irreligion prevailed1 until ,wesley and ,whitfield sprang up to protest against formalism and atheism4 ,they were pelted with rotten eggs1 sticks1 and stones4 ,a ,methodist preacher was whipped out of ,gloucester4 ,a hundred years ago1 literature was at a very low ebb4 ,the press was in a miserable state4 ,william ,whitehead was ,poet ,laureate6 ,who knows of him now8 ,gibbon had not written his ,decline and ,fall4 ,junius was the popular writer4 ,political corruption was scarified in his letters4 ,the upper classes were coarse1 drunken1 and ill-mannered4 ,bribery and corruption on the grossest scale were the principal means for getting into ,parliament4 ,mr4 ,dowdeswell1 ,m4,p4 for ,worcestershire1 said to the ,commons1 ,you have turned out a member for impiety and obscenity4 ,what halfdozen members of this ,house ever meet over a convivial bottle1 that their discourse is entirely free from obscenity1 impiety1 or abuse of ,government8 ,though drunkenness is bad enough now1 it was infinitely worse a hundred years ago4 ,the publican's signboards announced1 ,you may here get drunk for a penny1 dead-drunk for twopence1 and have clean straw for nothing4 ,drunkenness was considered a manly vice4 ,to drink deep was the fashion of the day4 ,six-bottle men were common4 ,even drunken clergymen were not unknown4 ,what were the popular amusements of the people a hundred years ago8 ,they consisted principally of man-fighting1 dog-fighting1 cock-fighting1 bull baiting1 badger-drawing1 the pillory1 public whipping1 and public executions4 ,mr4 ,wyndham vindicated the ruffianism of the ,ring in his place in ,parliament1 and held it up as a school in which ,englishmen learnt pluck and the manly art of self-defence4 ,bull-baiting was perhaps more brutal than prize-fighting1 though ,wyndham defended it as calculated to stimulate the noble courage of ,englishmen4 ,the bull was secured to a stake in the market-place or the bull-ring 7the name still survives in many towns71 and there the animal was baited by the rabble dogs of the neighbourhood4 ,one can scarcely imagine the savageness of the sport--the animal mutilations1 the imprecations of ruffians worse than brutes1 the ferociousness and drunkenness1 the blasphemy and unspeakable horrors of the exhibition4 ,the public mind of this day absolutely revolts at such brutality4 ,yet1 less than a hundred years ago--on the #bdth of ,may1 #ahjb1--;a ,bill for the abolition of bull-baiting was lost in the ,house of ,commons by sixty-four to fifty-one1--,mr4 ,wyndham contending that horse-racing and hunting were more cruel than bull-baiting or prize-fighting6 ,the pillory was one of our time-honoured institutions fifty years ago1 and men and women used to be placed there for offences1 such as a wise legislature would have endeavoured to conceal from public consideration4 ,the horrid scenes which then took place1 when men1 women1 and children collected in crowds to pelt the offenders with missiles1 were so disgusting1 that they cannot be described4 ,not more seemly were the public whippings then administered to women in common with the coarsest male offenders4 ,the public abominations and obscenities of the good old times would almost have disgraced the days of ,nero4 ,but bull-baiting1 cock-fighting1 and other ferocious amusements1 have now departed4 ,even the village stocks have rotted out4 ,drunkenness has become disreputable4 ,the good old times have departed1 we hope never to return4 ,the labourer has now other resources beside the public-house4 ,there are exhibitions and people's parks1 steamboats and railways1 reading-rooms and coffee-rooms1 museums1 gardens1 and cheap concerts4 ,in place of the disgusting old amusements1 there has come a healthier1 sounder life1 greater enlightenment1 more general sobriety1 and a humaner spirit4 ,we have in a hundred years outgrown many of our savage tendencies4 ,we are not less brave as a people1 though less brutal4 ,we are quite as manly1 though much less gross4 ,manners are more refined1 yet as a people we have not lost our pluck1 energy1 and endurance4 ,we respect ourselves more1 and as a nation we have become more respected4 ,we now think with shame of the manners of a hundred years ago4 ,the achievements of which ,england has most reason to be proud1 have been accomplished during the last hundred years4 ,english slaves have been emancipated1 both at home and abroad4 ,impressment has been done away with4 ,parliamentary representation has been conferred upon all classes of the people4 ,the ,corn ,laws have been abolished4 ,free trade has been established4 ,our ports are now open to the whole world4 ,and then1 see what our inventors have accomplished6 ,james ,watt invented the steam-engine1 which in a few years created a large number of new industries1 and gave employment to immense numbers of people4 ,henry ,cort invented the puddling-process1 and enabled ,england to rely upon its own stores of iron1 instead of depending upon foreign and perhaps hostile countries4 ,all the docks and harbours round the ,english coast have been formed during the present century4 ,the steamboat1 the railway1 and the telegraph have only been invented and applied during the last fifty years4 ,with respect to the charge made against the ,english workman as to the sluriness1 swiftness1 and mendacity of his work1 it is simply impossible that this should be so4 ,our ports are free and open to the world2 and if ,frenchmen1 ,germans1 ,belgians1 or ,americans could execute better work than ,englishmen1 we should not only cease to export1 but also lose our home trade4 ,the foreigner is now free to undersell us1 if he can1 in our own markets4 ,it was in the perfect confidence that ,englishmen were the best and most honest workers in the world1 that free trade was established4 ,should we ever become a shoddy manufacturing people1 free trade will probably be abolished2 and we shall then impose prohibitory duties upon foreign manufactures4 ,but is it not the fact that every year sees an increase in the exports of ,english goods1--that ,english workmanship is not considered the worst1 but the best1 in the general markets of the world1--and that numerous foreign makers place an ,english mark upon their productions in order to ensure their sale8 ,it is by means of ,english workmen and ,english tools and machines that continental manufactories themselves have been established2 and yet1 notwithstanding their cheaper labour1 we should command the foreign market1 but for the prohibitory duties which foreigners impose upon ,english manufactures4 ,mr4 ,brassey1 in his book on ,work and ,wages1 says1 ,it may be affirmed that as practical mechanics the ,english are unsurpassed4 ,the presence of the ,english engineer1 the solitary representative1 among a crew of foreigners1 of the mechanical genius of his country1 is a familiar recollection to all who have travelled much in the steamers of the ,mediterranean4 ,consul ,lever says that in the vast establishment of the ,austrian ,lloyds at ,trieste1 a number of ,english mechanical engineers are employed1 not only in the workshops1 but as navigating engineers in the company's fleet4 ,although there is no difficulty in substituting for these men ,germans or ,swiss1 at lower rates of payment1 the uniform accuracy of the ,english1 their intelligence1 their consummate mastery of all the details of their art1 and their resources in every case of difficulty1 have entirely established their superiority4#a ,footnote #a3 ,work and ,wages1 p4 #aad4 ,the ,english are also the best miners1 the best tool-makers1 the best instrument-makers1 the best navvies1 the best ship-builders1 the best spinners and weavers4 ,mr4 ,brassey says that during the construction of the ,paris and ,rouen ,railway1 the ,frenchman1 ,irishman1 and ,englishman were employed side by side4 ,in the same quarry at ,bouniers1 the ,frenchman received three francs1 the ,irishman four1 and the ,englishman six2 and the last was found to be the most advantageous workman of the three4 ,the superiority of the ,english workman over persons of other nations was equally remarkable whenever there was an opportunity of employing him side by side with them4 ,there is no doubt about the swiftness of ,english ,workmanship4 ,but this is one of the merits of ,english mechanism4 ,m4 ,jules ,simon observes that heretofore the manual labourer has been an intelligent force1 but by means of machinery he is converted into an intelligent director of force4 ,it is by the speed of the ,english machinery1 and the intelligent quickness of the workmen1 that his master makes a profit1 and himself such high wages as compared with continental workmen4 ,in ,france1 one person is employed to mind fourteen spindles2 in ,russia1 one to twenty-eight2 in ,prussia1 one to thirty-seven2 and in ,great ,britain1 one to seventy-four spindles4 ,it is by means of the swiftness of our machinery that we are enabled to bring cotton from ,india1 manufacture it in ,manchester1 return the manufactured article to the place from which it was taken1 and sell it at a lower price than the native-made calico4 ,mr4 ,chadwick mentions the following case4 ,a lady1 the wife of an eminent cotton manufacturer1 went to him one day rejoicing1 with a fine piece of muslin1 as the produce of ,india1 which she had bought in ,london1 and showing it to him1 said1 if he produced a fabric like that1 he would really be doing something meritorious in textile art4 ,he examined it1 and found that it was the produce of his own looms1 near ,manchester1 made for the ,indian market exclusively1 bought there1 and re-sold in ,england as rare ,indian manufacture6#a ,footnote #a3 ,address on ,economy and ,free ,trade4 ,by ,edwin ,chadwick1 ,c4,b41 at the ,association for the ,promotion of ,social ,science at ,york1 #ahfa4 ,an annual report is furnished to the ,government1 by our foreign consuls1 with reference to the character and condition of the working classes in most parts of the civilized world4 ,mr4 ,walter1 ,m4,p41 in a recent address to an assembly of workmen1 referred to one of these reports4 ,he said1 ,there is one remark1 in particular1 that occurs with lamentable frequency throughout the report1--that1 with few exceptions1 the foreign workman does not appear 'to take pride in his work1' nor 7to use a significant expression7 to 'put his character into it4' ,a remarkable instance of this is mentioned of a country which generally constitutes an honourable exception to this unhappy rule4 ,switzerland is a country famous for its education and its watches2 yet the following passage from the report will show that neither knowledge nor skill will suffice without the exercise of that higher quality on which ,i have been dwelling4 ',as a rule1' it says1 ',swiss workmen are competent in their several trades1 and take an interest in their work2 for1 thanks to their superior education1 they fully appreciate the pecuniary advantages to their masters1 and indirectly to themselves1 of adhering strictly to this course4 ,a striking instance of the impolicy of acting otherwise has lately happened at ,st4 ,imier1 in the ,bernese ,jura1 and produced a deep impression4 ,in this district1 for some years past1 a great falling off in the quality of the watches manufactured has taken place1 owing to the inhabitants finding it much more profitable to increase the production at the cost of the workmanship than to abide by the old rules of the trade4 ,they prospered beyond all expectation for a considerable time1 but finally their watches got such a bad name that they became unsaleable1 and the result is a general bankruptcy of nearly all the watchmakers of this particular district4 ,one thing1 however1 remains to be said of foreign workmen generally4 ,although they do not work so hard as the ,english1 they take much better care of their earnings4 ,they are exceedingly frugal and economical4 ,frenchmen are much soberer than ,englishmen1 and much better mannered4 ,they are1 on the whole1 greatly more provident than ,english workmen4 ,mr4 ,brassey states that when the ,paris and ,rouen ,railway works were commenced1 the contractors endeavoured to introduce a system by which the workmen were to be paid once a fortnight2 but very soon after the operations had begun1 the ,frenchmen requested that the pay might take place only once a month4 ,mr4 ,reid1 managing director of the line1 told the ,house of ,commons ,committee on ,railway ,labourers1 that a ,french labourer is a much more independent person than an ,englishman1 and much more respectable4 ,he stated1 in support of his opinion1 this remarkable circumstance1 that whereas a ,french labourer desired to be paid only once a month1 the ,english labourer desired to be paid every ,saturday night1--and by the following ,wednesday he wanted something on account of the week's work4 ,nothing could be a greater test1 said ,mr4 ,reid1 of the respectability of a working man than being able to go without his pay for a month4#a ,footnote #a3 ,thomas ,brassey1 ,m4,p41 ,on ,work and ,wages4 ,although the ,french workman has nothing like the same facilities for saving as the ,english1 the ,journal des ,dbats alleges that he saves ten times as much as his rival4 ,there are only about a thousand savings banks and branches established in ,france1 and yet two millions of persons belonging to the lower ranks last year had invested in them about twenty-eight millions sterling4 ,but the ,frenchman of the city prefers investing in ,government ,rentes2 and the ,frenchman of the country prefers investing in land4 ,all1 however1 are thrifty1 saving1 and frugal2 because they are educated in economy from their earliest years4 ,,chapter ,,xii ,,living ,,beyond ,,the ,,means4 ,by no means run in debt3 take thine own measure4 ,who cannot live on twenty pounds a year1 ,cannot on forty3 he's a man of pleasure1 ,a kind of thing that's for itself too dear4--,george ,herbert4 ,but what will ,mrs4 ,grundy say8--,old ,play4 ,,yes and ,no are1 for good or evil1 the ,giants of ,life4--,jerrold4 ,a hundred years of vexation will not pay a farthing of debt4--,from the ,french4 ,respectability is all very well for folks who can have it for ready money3 but to be obliged to run into debt for it--it's enough to break the heart of an angel4--,jerrold4 ,extravagance is the pervading sin of modern society4 ,it is not confined to the rich and moneyed classes1 but extends also to the middle and working classes4 ,there never was such a burning desire to be rich1 or to seem to be rich4 ,people are no longer satisfied with the earnings of honest industry2 but they must aim at becoming suddenly rich1--by speculation1 gambling1 betting1 swindling1 or cheating4 ,general extravagance is to be seen everywhere4 ,it is especially the characteristic of town life4 ,you see it in the streets1 in the parks1 in the churches4 ,the extravagance of dress is only one of its signs4 ,there is a general prodigality in social display4 ,people live in a style beyond their means2 and the results are observed in commercial failures1 in lists of bankrupts1 and in criminal courts1 where business men are so often convicted of dishonesty and fraud4 ,appearances must be kept up4 ,men must seem to be rich4 ,hypocrites can easily impose upon those who are willing to be convinced4 ,people must now live in a certain style1 inhabit handsome houses1 give good dinners1 drink fine wines1 and have a handsome equipage4 ,perhaps they are only able to accomplish this by overreaching or by dishonesty4 ,everybody wondered at the generosity and style of ,redpath and ,robson2 but there are hundreds1 if not thousands1 of ,redpaths and ,robsons now4 ,there is another class of people1 not fraudulent1 but extravagant2 though perhaps on the brink of becoming fraudulent4 ,they live up to their means1 and often beyond them4 ,they desire to be considered respectable people4 ,they live according to the pernicious adage1 ,one must do as others do4 ,they do not consider whether they can afford to live up to or beyond their means2 but they think it necessary to secure the respect of others4 ,in doing so1 they usually sacrifice their own self-respect4 ,they regard their dress1 their establishments1 their manner of living1 and their observance of fashion1 as the sole tests of respectability and rank4 ,they make an appearance in the eyes of the world2 though it may be entirely hypocritical and false4 ,but they must not seem poor6 ,they must hide their poverty by every effort4 ,they spend their money before it is earned1--run into debt at the grocer's1 the baker's1 the milliner's1 and the butcher's4 ,they must entertain their fashionable friends1 at the expense of the shopkeepers4 ,and yet1 when misfortunes overtake them1 and when their debts have become overwhelming1 what becomes of the friends8 ,they fly away1 and shun the man who is up to his ears in debt6 ,yet poverty is more than half disarmed by those who have the moral courage to say4 ,i can't afford it4 ,fair-weather friends are of no use whatever1 except as an indication of the depth of snobbery to which human beings can descend4 ,what is a visiting connection8 ,it is not at all calculated to elevate one in social1 or even in business life4 ,success mainly depends upon character1 and the general esteem in which a person is held4 ,and if the attempt is made to snatch the reward of success before it is earned1 the half-formed footing may at once give way1 and the aspirant will fall1 unlamented1 into the open-mouthed dragon of debt4 ,mrs4 ,grundy1 in the play1 is but an impersonation of the conventionalism of the world4 ,custom1 habit1 fashion1 use and wont1 are all represented in her4 ,she may be a very vulgar and commonplace person1 but her power is nevertheless prodigious4 ,we copy and imitate her in all things4 ,we are pinned to her apron-string4 ,we are obedient at her bidding4 ,we are indolent and complaisant1 and fear to provoke her ill-word4 ,what will ,mrs4 ,grundy say8 quells many a noble impulse1 hinders many a self-denying act4 ,there seems to be a general1 though unconscious conspiracy existing1 against each other's individuality and manhood4 ,we discourage self-reliance1 and demand conformity4 ,each must see with others' eyes1 and think through others' minds4 ,we are idolaters of customs and observances1 looking behind1 not forwards and upwards4 ,pinned down and held back by ignorance and weakness1 we are afraid of standing alone1 or of thinking and acting for ourselves4 ,conventionalism rules all4 ,we fear stepping out into the free air of independent thought and action4 ,we refuse to plant ourselves upon our instincts1 and to vindicate our spiritual freedom4 ,we are content to bear others' fruit1 not our own4 ,in private affairs1 the same spirit is alike deleterious4 ,we live as society directs1 each according to the standard of our class4 ,we have a superstitious reverence for custom4 ,we dress1 and eat1 and live1 in conformity with the ,grundy law4 ,so long as we do this1 we are respectable1 according to class notions4 ,thus many rush open-eyed upon misery1 for no better excuse than a foolish fear of the world4 ,they are afraid of what others will say of them2 and1 in nine cases out of ten1 those who might probably raise the voice of censure1 are not the wise or the far-seeing1 but much oftener the foolish1 the vain1 and the short-sighted4 ,sir ,william ,temple has said1 that a restlessness in men's minds to be something that they are not1 and to have something that they have not1 is the root of all immorality4 ,the statement is strictly correct4 ,it has been attested by universal experience4 ,keeping up appearances is one of the greatest social evils of the age4 ,there is a general effort1 more particularly amongst the middle and upper classes1 at seeming to be something that they are not4 ,they put on appearances1 live a life of sham1 and endeavour to look something superior to what they really are4 ,respectability is one of the chief aims4 ,respectability1 regarded in its true sense1 is a desirable thing4 ,to be respected1 on right grounds1 is an object which every man and woman is justified in obtaining4 ,but modern respectability consists of external appearances4 ,it means wearing fine clothes1 dwelling in fine houses1 and living in fine style4 ,it looks to the outside1--to sound1 show1 externals4 ,it listens to the chink of gold in the pocket4 ,moral worth or goodness forms no part of modern respectability4 ,a man in these days may be perfectly respectable1 and yet altogether despicable4 ,this false and demoralizing habit arises from the overweening estimate which is formed of two things1 well enough in their place1--rank and wealth4 ,everybody struggles to rise into some superior class4 ,the spirit of caste is found as keenly at work among the humblest as among the highest ranks4 ,at ,birmingham1 there was a club of workmen with tails to their coats1 and another without tails3 the one looked down upon the other4 ,cobbett1 so felicitous in his nicknames1 called his political opponent1 ,mr4 ,sadler1 a linendraper4 ,but the linendraper also has plenty of people beneath him4 ,the linendraper looks down on the huckster1 the huckster on the mechanic1 and the mechanic on the day labourer4 ,the flunkey who exhibits his calves behind a baron1 holds his head considerably higher than the flunkey who serves a brewer4 ,it matters not at what class you begin1 or however low in the social scale1 you will find that every man has somebody beneath him4 ,among the middling ranks1 this sort of exclusiveness is very marked4 ,each circle would think it a degradation to mix on familiar terms with the members of the circle beneath it4 ,in small towns and villages1 you will find distinct coteries holding aloof from each other1 perhaps despising each other1 and very often pelting each other with hard words4 ,the cathedral towns1 generally1 have at least six of such distinct classes1 ranking one beneath the other4 ,and while each has his or her own exclusive circle1 which all of supposed inferior rank are precluded from entering1 they are at the same time struggling to pass over the line of social demarcation which has been drawn by those above them4 ,they are eager to overleap it1 and thus gain admission into a circle still more exclusive than their own4 ,there is also a desperate scramble for front places1 and many are the mean shifts employed to gain them4 ,we must possess the homage of society6 ,and for this purpose we must be rich1 or at least seem to be so4 ,hence the struggles after style--the efforts made to put on the appearances of wealth--the dash1 the glitter1 and the show of middle and upper class life2--and hence1 too1 the motley train of palled and vitiated tastes--of shrunken hearts and stunted intellects--of folly1 frivolity1 and madness4 ,one of the most demoralizing practices of modern refinement is the large party system4 ,people cram their houses with respectable mobs2 thus conforming to a ridiculous custom4 ,rousseau1 with all his aberrations of mind1 said1 ,i had rather have my house too small for a day1 than too large for a twelvemonth4 ,fashion exactly reverses the maxim2 and domestic mischief is often begun with a large dwelling and suitable accommodations4 ,the misfortune consists in this1--that we never look below our level for an example1 but always above it4 ,it is not so much1 however1 in the mere appearances kept up1 as in the means taken to keep them up1 that the fruitful cause of immorality is to be found4 ,a man having assumed a class status1 runs all risks to keep it up4 ,it is thought to be a descent in the world1 to abridge oneself of a superfluity4 ,the seeming-rich man1 who drives his close carriage and drinks champagne1 will not tolerate a descent to a gig and plain beer2 and the respectable man1 who keeps his gig1 would think it a degradation to have to travel afoot or in a 'bus1 between his country house and his town office4 ,they will descend to immorality rather than descend in apparent rank2 they will yield to dishonesty rather than yield up the mock applause and hollow respect of that big fool1 the world4 ,everybody can call to mind hundreds of cases of men--respectable men--who1 from one extravagance have gone on to another--wantonly squandering wealth which was not theirs--in order to keep up a worldly reputation1 and cut a figure before their admiring fellows2--all ending in a sudden smash1 a frightful downfall1 an utter bankruptcy--to the ruin1 perhaps1 of thousands4 ,they have finished up with paying a respectable dividend of sixpence in the pound6 ,indeed it is not too much to say1 that five-sixths of the fraud and swindling that disgrace commercial transactions1 have had their origin in the diseased morality of keeping up appearances4 ,to be respectable1 in the false sense of the word1--what is not sacrificed8 ,peace1 honesty1 truth1 virtue1--all to keep up appearances4 ,we must cheat1 and scrub1 and deceive1 and defraud1 that the world may not see behind our mask6 ,we must torment and enslave ourselves1 because we must extort the world's applause1 or at least obtain the world's good opinion6 ,how often is suicide traceable to this false sentiment6 ,vain men will give up their lives1 rather than their class notions of respectability4 ,they will cut the thread of existence1 rather than cut fashionable life4 ,very few suicides are committed from real want4 ,we never hear1 says ,joel ,barlow1 of a man committing suicide for want of a loaf of bread1 but it is often done for want of a coach4 ,of this mean and miserable spirit of class and caste1 women are the especial victims4 ,they are generally brought up with false notions of life1 and are taught to estimate men and things rather by their external appearances than by their intrinsic worth4 ,their education is conducted mainly with the view of pleasing and attracting the admiration of others1 rather than of improving and developing their qualities of mind and heart4 ,they are imbued with notions of exclusiveness1 fashion1 and gentility4 ,a respectable position in society is held up to them as the mark to be aimed at4 ,to be criminal or vicious is virtually represented to them as far less horrible than to be vulgar4 ,immured within the bastile of exclusivism1 woman is held captive to all the paltry shifts and expediencies of convention1 fashion1 gentility1 and so forth4 ,the genuine benevolence of her nature is perverted2 her heart becomes contracted2 and the very highest sources of happiness--those which consist in a kindly sympathy with humanity in all ranks of life--are as a well shut up and a fountain sealed4 ,is it not a fact1 that in what is called fashionable society1 a fine outside appearance is regarded almost in the light of a virtue8--that to be rich1 or to have the appearance of riches1 is esteemed as a merit of a high order2--whereas1 to be poor1 or to seem so1 ranks as something like an unpardonable offence8 ,nay1 such is the heartlessness of this class spirit1 that a young woman1 belonging to the better class1 who1 by misfortune or family reverses1 has been thrown upon her own resources1 and who endeavours1 by her own honest hands1 to earn her honest bread1 immediately loses caste1 and is virtually expelled from respectable society4 ,the resolution to be independent--the most invigorating resolution which can take possession of the human mind--is scouted in such circles as a degrading thing2 and those who have been brought up within the influence of fashion1 will submit to the most severe privations1 rather than submit to the loss of their class and caste respectability6 ,thus brought up1 it is no wonder that woman has been the co-partner with man in upholding the general extravagance of the age4 ,there never was such a rage for dress and finery amongst ,english women as there is now4 ,it rivals the corrupt and debauched age of ,louis ,,xv4 of ,france4 ,a delirium of fashion exists4 ,women are ranked by what they wear1 not by what they are4 ,extravagance of dress1 and almost indecency of dress1 has taken the place of simple womanly beauty4 ,wordsworth once described the perfect woman nobly planned4 ,where will you find the perfect woman now8 ,not in the parti-coloured1 over-dressed creature--the thing of shreds and patches--with false hair1 false colour1 false eyebrows1 false everything4 ,some of nature's journeymen have made them1 and not made them well1 they imitate humanity so abominably4 ,the evil does not stop with the moneyed classes4 ,it descends to those who have nothing but their salary to live upon4 ,it descends to the wives of clerks and shopmen4 ,they1 too1 dress for respectability4 ,they live beyond their means4 ,they must live in gimcrack suburban villas1 and give parties4 ,they must see what is going on at the theatres4 ,every farthing is spent so soon as earned1--sometimes before4 ,the husband does not insure his life1 and the wife runs into debt4 ,if the man died to-morrow1 he would leave his wife and children paupers4 ,the money he ought to have saved during his life of toil1 is spent on respectability2 and if he leaves a few pounds behind him1 they are usually spent in giving the thriftless husband a respectable funeral4 ,is that dress paid for8 asked a husband4 ,no4 ,then you are allowing yourself to be clothed at another man's expense6 ,no woman is justified in running into debt for a dress1 without her husband's knowledge and consent4 ,if she do so1 she is clothing herself at the expense of the draper4 ,this is one of the things that worry a man who is trying to keep his head above water2 and it is often sufficient to turn his heart against his wife and her extravagances4 ,it is in this way that incomes are muddled away1 and that life is rendered the scene of bitterness and discontent4 ,this is especially the case when both husband and wife are alike spendthrifts4 ,by running into debt yourself1 or by your allowing your wife to run into debt1 you give another person power over your liberty4 ,you cannot venture to look your creditor in the face4 ,a double knock at the door frightens you3 the postman may be delivering a lawyer's letter demanding the amount you owe4 ,you are unable to pay it1 and make a sneaking excuse4 ,you invent some pretence for not paying4 ,at length you are driven to downright lying4 ,for lying rides on debt's back4 ,what madness it is to run in debt for superfluities6 ,we buy fine articles--finer than we can pay for4 ,we are offered six months'--twelve months' credit6 ,it is the shopkeeper's temptation2 and we fall before it4 ,we are too spiritless to live upon our own earnings2 but must meanwhile live upon others'4 ,the ,romans regarded their servants as their enemies4 ,one might almost regard modern shopkeepers in the same light4 ,by giving credit1 by pressing women to buy fine clothes1 they place the strongest temptation before them4 ,they inveigle the wives of men who are disposed to be honest into debt1 and afterwards send in untruthful bills4 ,they charge heavier prices1 and their customers pay them1--sometimes doubly pay them2 for it is impossible to keep a proper check upon long-due accounts4 ,professor ,newman's advice is worthy of being followed4 ,heartily do ,i wish1 he says1 that shop debts were pronounced after a certain day irrecoverable at law4 ,the effect would be that no one would be able to ask credit at a shop except where he was well known1 and for trifling sums4 ,all prices would sink to the scale of cash prices4 ,the dishonourable system of fashionable debtors1 who always pay too late1 if at all1 and cast their deficiencies on other customers in the form of increased charges1 would be at once annihilated4 ,shopkeepers would be rid of a great deal of care1 which ruins the happiness of thousands4#a ,footnote #a3 ,lectures on ,political ,economy1 p4 #bee4 ,a perfect knowledge of human nature is in the prayer1 ,lead us not into temptation4 ,no man and no woman ever resists temptation after it has begun to be temptation4 ,it is in the outworks of the habits that the defence must lie4 ,the woman who hesitates to incur a debt which she ought not to incur1 is lost4 ,the clerk or apprentice who gloats over his master's gold1 sooner or later appropriates it4 ,he does so when he has got over the habitual feeling which made any approach to it an impossibility4 ,thus the habits which insinuate themselves into the thousand inconsiderable acts of life1 constitute a very large part of man's moral conduct4 ,this running into debt is a great cause of dishonesty4 ,it does not matter what the debt is1 whether it be for bets unsettled1 for losses by cards1 for milliners' or drapers' bills unpaid4 ,men who have been well educated1 well trained1 and put in the way of earning money honestly1 are often run away with by extravagances1 by keeping up appearances1 by betting1 by speculation and gambling1 and by the society of the dissolute of both sexes4 ,the writer of this book has had considerable experience of the manner in which young men have been led from the way of well-doing into that of vice and criminality4 ,on one occasion his name was forged by a clerk1 to enable him to obtain a sum of money to pay the debts incurred by him at a public-house4 ,the criminal was originally a young man of good education1 of reasonable ability1 well-connected1 and married to a respectable young lady4 ,but all his relatives and friends were forgotten--wife and child and all--in his love for drink and card-playing4 ,he was condemned1 and sentenced to several years' imprisonment4 ,in another case the defaulter was the son of a dissenting minister4 ,he stole some valuable documents1 which he converted into money4 ,he escaped1 and was tracked4 ,he had given out that he was going to ,australia1 by ,southampton4 ,the ,peninsular and ,oriental steamer was searched1 but no person answering to his description was discovered4 ,some time passed1 when one of the ,bank of ,england notes which he had carried away with him1 was returned to the ,bank from ,dublin4 ,a detective was put upon his track2 he was found in the lowest company1 brought back to ,london1 tried1 and sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment4 ,in another case1 the criminal occupied a high position in a railway company1--so high that he was promoted from it to be ,manager of the ,royal ,swedish ,railway4 ,he was one of the too numerous persons who are engaged in keeping up appearances1 irrespective of honesty1 morality1 or virtue4 ,he got deeply into debt1 as most of such people do2 and then he became dishonest4 ,he became the associate of professional thieves4 ,he abstracted a key from the office of which he was in charge1 and handed it to a well-known thief4 ,this was the key of the strong box in which gold and silver were conveyed by railway from ,london to ,paris4 ,a cast of the key was taken in wax1 and it was copied in iron4 ,it was by means of this key that ,the ,great ,gold ,robbery was effected4 ,after some time the thieves were apprehended1 and the person who had stolen the key--the keeper-up of appearances1 then ,manager of the ,royal ,swedish ,railway--was apprehended1 convicted1 and sentenced by ,baron ,martin to ,transportation for ,life4 ,the ,rev4 ,john ,davis1 the late ,chaplain of ,newgate1 published the following among other accounts of the causes of crime among the convicted young men who came under his notice3-- ,i knew a youth1 the child of an officer in the navy1 who had served his country with distinction1 but whose premature death rendered his widow thankful ,to receive an official appointment for her delicate boy in a ,government office4 ,his income from the office was given faithfully to his mother2 and it was a pleasure and a pride to him to gladden her heart by the thought that he was helping her4 ,she had other children--two little girls1 just rising from the cradle to womanhood4 ,her scanty pension and his salary made every one happy4 ,but over this youth came a love of dress4 ,he had not strength of mind to see how much more truly beautiful a pure mind is1 than a finely decorated exterior4 ,he took pleasure in helping his mother and sisters1 but did not take greater pleasure in thinking that to do this kindness to them he must be contented for a time to dress a little worse than his fellow-clerks2 his clothes might appear a little worn1 but they were like the spot on the dress of a soldier arising from the discharge of duty2 they were no marks of undue carelessness2 necessity had wrought them2 and while they indicated necessity1 they marked also the path of honour1 and without such spots duty must have been neglected4 ,but this youth did not think of such great thoughts as these4 ,he felt ashamed at his threadbare but clean coat4 ,the smart1 new-shining dress of other clerks mortified him4444 ,he wanted to appear finer4 ,in an evil hour he ordered a suit of clothes from a fashionable tailor4 ,his situation and connections procured him a short credit4 ,but tradesmen must be paid1 and he was again and again importuned to defray his debt4 ,to relieve himself of his creditor he stole a letter containing a #aj note4 ,his tailor was paid1 but the injured party knew the number of the note4 ,it was traced to the tailor1 by him to the thief1 with the means and opportunity of stealing it1 and in a few days he was transported4 ,his handsome dress was exchanged for the dress of a convict4 ,better by far would it have been for him to have worn his poorer garb1 with the marks of honest labour upon it4 ,he formed only another example of the intense folly of love of dress1 which1 exists quite as much amongst foolish young men as amongst foolish young women4 ,when ,sir ,charles ,napier left ,india1 he issued an order to the ,army1 in which he reproved the officers for contracting debts without the prospect of paying them4 ,the ,commander-in-,chief found that he was subject to constant complaints against officers for non-payment of debts2 and in some cases he found that the ruin of deserving and industrious tradesmen had been consequent on that cause4 ,this growing vice he severely reprimanded1 as being derogatory to the character of the gentleman1 as a degrading thing1 as entitling those who practised it to group with the infamous1 with those who are cheats1 and whose society is contamination4 ,he strongly urged them to stick to their duties1 to reprobate extravagance and expense of all sorts1 and to practise rigid economy2 for to drink unpaid-for champagne and unpaid-for beer1 and to ride unpaid-for horses1 is to be a cheat and not a gentleman4 ,the extravagance of these young gentlemen in ,india is1 in too many respects1 but a counterpart of the extravagance of our young gentlemen at home4 ,the revelations of extravagances at ,oxford and ,cambridge point to the school in which they have learnt their manners4 ,many worthy parents have been ruined by the sons whom they had sent thither to be made scholars of2 but who have learnt only to be gentlemen in the popular acceptation of the word4 ,to be a gentleman nowadays1 is to be a gambler1 a horse-racer1 a card-player1 a dancer1 a hunter1 a rou1--or all combined4 ,the gentleman lives fast1 spends fast1 drinks fast1 dies fast4 ,the old style of gentleman has degenerated into a gent and a fast man4 ,gentleman has become disreputable2 and when it is now employed1 it oftener signifies an idle spendthrift1 than an accomplished1 virtuous1 laborious man4 ,young men are growing quite shameless about being in debt2 and the immorality extends throughout society4 ,tastes are becoming more extravagant and luxurious1 without the corresponding increase of means to enable them to be gratified4 ,but they are gratified1 nevertheless2 and debts are incurred1 which afterwards weigh like a millstone round the neck4 ,extravagant habits1 once formed and fostered1 are very difficult to give up4 ,the existing recklessness of running into debt without the prospect1 often without even the intention1 of paying the debt1 saps the public morals1 and spreads misery throughout the middle and upper classes of society4 ,the tone of morality has sunk1 and it will be long before it is fairly recovered again4 ,in the mean time1 those who can1 ought to set their faces against all expenditure where there are not sufficient means to justify it4 ,the safest plan is1 to run up no bills1 and never to get into debt2 and the next is1 if one does get into debt1 to get out of it again as quickly as possible4 ,a man in debt is not his own master3 he is at the mercy of the tradesmen he employs4 ,he is the butt of lawyers1 the byword of creditors1 the scandal of neighbours2 he is a slave in his own house2 his moral character becomes degraded and defiled2 and even his own household and family regard him with pity akin to contempt4 ,montaigne said1 ,i always feel a pleasure in paying my debts1 because ,i discharge my shoulders of a wearisome load and of an image of slavery4 ,johnson might well call ,economy the mother of ,liberty4 ,no man can be free who is in debt4 ,the inevitable effect of debt is not only to injure personal independence1 but1 in the long run1 to inflict moral degradation4 ,the debtor is exposed to constant humiliations4 ,men of honourable principles must be disgusted by borrowing money from persons to whom they cannot pay it back2--disgusted with drinking wine1 wearing clothes1 and keeping up appearances1 with other people's money4 ,the ,earl of ,dorset1 like many other young nobles1 became involved in debt1 and borrowed money upon his property4 ,he was cured of his prodigality by the impertinence of a city alderman1 who haunted his antechamber for the purpose of dunning him for his debt4 ,from that day the ,earl determined to economize1 to keep entirely out of everybody's debt1--and he kept his word4 ,let every man have the fortitude to look his affairs in the face1--to keep an account of his items of income and debts1 no matter how long or black the list may be4 ,he must know how he stands from day to day1 to be able to look the world fairly in the face4 ,let him also inform his wife1 if he has one1 how he stands with the world4 ,if his wife be a prudent woman1 she will help him to economize his expenditure1 and enable him to live honourably and honestly4 ,no good wife will ever consent to wear clothes and give dinners that belong not to her1 but to her shopkeeper4 ,the knowledge of arithmetic is absolutely necessary to those who would live within their means4 ,women are especially ignorant of arithmetic2 they are scarcely taught the simplest elements1 for female teachers think the information useless4 ,they prefer to teach languages1 music1 deportment1 the use of the globes4 ,all these may be important1 but the first four rules of arithmetic are better than all4 ,how can they compare their expenditure with their receipts1 without the knowledge of addition and subtraction8 ,how can they know precisely what to spend in rent1 or clothing1 or food1 or for service1 unless they know the value of figures8 ,how can they check the accounts of their tradesmen or their servants8 ,this want of knowledge of arithmetic is the cause1 not only of great waste1 but of great misery4 ,many a family of good position has fallen into destitution merely because of their ignorance of this branch of knowledge4 ,young people often rush into marriage without reflection4 ,a young man meets a pretty face in a ball-room1 likes it1 dances with it1 flirts with it1 and goes home to dream about it4 ,at length he falls in love with it1 courts it1 marries it1 and then he takes the pretty face home1 and begins to know something more about it4 ,all has as yet been very jolly4 ,the face has hitherto been charming1 graceful1 artless1 and beautiful4 ,it has now to enter upon another sphere of life4 ,it has to be seen much closer2 it has to be seen daily2 and it has to begin housekeeping4 ,most newly married people require some time to settle quietly down together4 ,even those whose married life has been the happiest1 arrive at peace and repose through a period of little struggles and bewilderments4 ,the husband does not all at once find his place1 nor the wife hers4 ,one of the very happiest women we know has told us1 that the first year of her married life was the most uncomfortable of all4 ,she had so much to learn--was so fearful of doing wrong--and had not yet found her proper position4 ,but1 feeling their way1 kind and loving natures will have no difficulty in at last settling down comfortably and peacefully together4 ,it was not so with the supposed young man and his pretty face4 ,both entered upon their new life without thinking2 or perhaps with exaggerated expectations of its unalloyed happiness4 ,they could not make allowances for lovers subsiding into husband and wife2 nor were they prepared for the little ruffles and frettings of individual temper2 and both felt disappointed4 ,there was a relaxation of the little attentions which are so novel and charming to lovers4 ,then the pretty face1 when neglected1 found relief in tears4 ,there is nothing of which men tire sooner1 especially when the tears are about trifles4 ,tears do not in such cases cause sympathy1 but breed repulsion4 ,they occasion sourness1 both on the one side and the other4 ,tears are dangerous weapons to play with4 ,were women to try kindness and cheerfulness instead1 how infinitely happier would they be4 ,many are the lives that are made miserable by an indulgence in fretting and carking1 until the character is indelibly stamped1 and the rational enjoyment of life becomes next to a moral impossibility4 ,mental qualities are certainly admirable gifts in domestic life4 ,but though they may dazzle and delight1 they will not excite love and affection to anything like the same extent as a warm and happy heart4 ,they do not wear half so well1 and do not please half so much4 ,and yet how little pains are taken to cultivate the beautiful quality of good temper and happy disposition6 ,and how often is life1 which otherwise might have been blessed1 embittered and soured by the encouragement of peevish and fretful habits1 so totally destructive of everything like social and domestic comfort6 ,how often have we seen both men and women set themselves round about as if with bristles1 so that no one dared to approach them without the fear of being pricked4 ,for want of a little occasional command over one's temper1 an amount of misery is occasioned in society which is positively frightful4 ,thus is enjoyment turned into bitterness1 and life becomes like a journey barefooted1 amongst prickles1 and thorns1 and briars4 ,in the instance we have cited1 the pretty face soon became forgotten4 ,but as the young man had merely bargained for the face--as it was that to which he had paid his attentions--that which he had vowed to love1 honour1 and protect4--when it ceased to be pretty1 he began to find out that he had made a mistake4 ,and if the home be not made attractive1--if the newly married man finds that it is only an indifferent boarding-house1--he will gradually absent himself from it4 ,he will stay out in the evenings1 and console himself with cigars1 cards1 politics1 the theatre1 the drinking club2 and the poor pretty face will then become more and more disconsolate1 hopeless1 and miserable4 ,perhaps children grow up2 but neither husband nor wife know much about training them1 or keeping them healthy4 ,they are regarded as toys when babies1 dolls when boys and girls1 drudges when young men and women4 ,there is scarcely a quiet1 happy1 hearty hour spent during the life of such a luckless couple4 ,where there is no comfort at home1 there is only a succession of petty miseries to endure4 ,where there is no cheerfulness1--no disposition to accommodate1 to oblige1 to sympathize with one another1--affection gradually subsides on both sides4 ,it is said1 that ,when poverty comes in at the door1 loves flies out at the window4 ,but it is not from poor men's houses only that love flies4 ,it flies quite as often from the homes of the rich1 where there is a want of loving and cheerful hearts4 ,this little home might have been snug enough2 with no appearance of want about it2 rooms well furnished2 cleanliness pervading it2 the table well supplied2 the fire burning bright2 and yet without cheerfulness4 ,there wanted the happy faces1 radiant with contentment and good humour4 ,physical comfort1 after all1 forms but a small part of the blessings of a happy home4 ,as in all other concerns of life1 it is the moral state which determines the weal or woe of the human condition4 ,most young men think very little of what has to follow courtship and marriage4 ,they think little of the seriousness of the step4 ,they forget that when the pledge has once been given1 there is no turning back1 ,the knot cannot be untied4 ,if a thoughtless mistake has been made1 the inevitable results will nevertheless follow4 ,the maxim is current1 that marriage is a lottery4 ,it may be so if we abjure the teachings of prudence--if we refuse to examine1 inquire1 and think--if we are content to choose a husband or a wife1 with less reflection than we bestow upon the hiring of a servant1 whom we can discharge any day--if we merely regard attractions of face1 of form1 or of purse1 and give way to temporary impulse or to greedy avarice--then1 in such cases1 marriage does resemble a lottery1 in which you may draw a prize1 though there are a hundred chances to one that you will only draw a blank4 ,but we deny that marriage has any necessary resemblance to a lottery4 ,when girls are taught wisely how to love1 and what qualities to esteem in a companion for life1 instead of being left to gather their stock of information on the subject from the fictitious and generally false personations given to them in novels2 and when young men accustom themselves to think of the virtues1 graces1 and solid acquirements requisite in a wife1 with whom they are to spend their days1 and on whose temper and good sense the whole happiness of their home is to depend1 then it will be found that there is very little of the lottery in marriage2 and that1 like any concern of business or of life1 the man or woman who judges and acts wisely1 with proper foresight and discrimination1 will reap the almost certain consequences in a happy and prosperous future4 ,true1 mistakes may be made1 and will be made1 as in all things human2 but nothing like the grievous mistake of those who stake their happiness in the venture of a lottery4 ,another great point is1 to be able to say ,no on proper occasions4 ,when enticements allure1 or temptations assail1 say ,no at once1 resolutely and determinedly4 ,no2 ,i can't afford it4 ,many have not the moral courage to adopt this course4 ,they consider only their selfish gratification4 ,they are unable to practise self-denial4 ,they yield1 give way1 and enjoy themselves4 ,the end is often defalcation1 fraud1 and ruin4 ,what is the verdict of society in such cases8 ,the man has been living beyond his means4 ,of those who may have been entertained by him1 not one of them will thank him1 not one of them will pity him1 not one of them will help him4 ,every one has heard of the man who couldn't say ,no4 ,he was everybody's friend but his own4 ,his worst enemy was himself4 ,he ran rapidly through his means1 and then called upon his friends for bonds1 bails1 and promises to pay4 ,after spending his last guinea1 he died in the odour of harmless stupidity and folly4 ,his course in life seemed to be directed by the maxim of doing for everybody what everybody asked him to do4 ,whether it was that his heart beat responsive to every other heart1 or that he did not like to give offence1 could never be ascertained2 but certain it is1 that he was rarely asked to sign a requisition1 to promise a vote1 to lend money1 or to endorse a bill1 that he did not comply4 ,he couldn't say ,no2 and there were many who knew him well1 who said he had not the moral courage to do so4 ,his father left him a snug little fortune1 and he was at once beset by persons wanting a share of it4 ,now was the time to say ,no1 if he could2 but he couldn't4 ,his habit of yielding had been formed2 he did not like to be bored2 could not bear to refuse2 could not stand importunity2 and almost invariably yielded to the demands made upon his purse4 ,while his money lasted1 he had no end of friends4 ,he was a universal referee--everybody's bondsman4 ,just sign me this little bit of paper1 was a request often made to him by particular friends1 ,what is it8 he would mildly ask2 for1 with all his simplicity1 he prided himself upon his caution6 ,yet he never refused4 ,three months after1 a bill for a rather heavy amount would fall due1 and who should be called upon to make it good but everybody's friend--the man who couldn't say ,no4 ,at last a maltster1 for whom he was bondsman--a person with whom he had only a nodding acquaintance--suddenly came to a stand in his business1 ruined by heavy speculations in funds and shares2 when the man who couldn't say ,no was called upon to make good the heavy duties due to the ,crown4 ,it was a heavy stroke1 and made him a poor man4 ,but he never grew wise4 ,he was a post against which every needy fellow came and rubbed himself2 a tap1 from which every thirsty soul could drink2 a flitch1 at which every hungry dog had a pull2 an ass1 on which every needy rogue must have his ride2 a mill1 that ground everybody's corn but his own2 in short1 a good-hearted fellow1 who couldn't for the life of him say ,no4 ,it is of great importance to a man's peace and well-being that he should be able to say ,no at the right time4 ,many are ruined because they cannot or will not say it4 ,vice often gains a footing within us1 because we will not summon up the courage to say ,no4 ,we offer ourselves too often as willing sacrifices to the fashion of the world1 because we have not the honesty to pronounce the little word4 ,the duellist dares not say ,no1 for he would be cut4 ,the beauty hesitates to say it1 when a rich blockhead offers her his hand1 because she has set her ambition on an establishment4 ,the courtier will not say it1 for he must smile and promise to all4 ,when pleasure tempts with its seductions1 have the courage to say ,no at once4 ,the little monitor within will approve the decision2 and virtue will become stronger by the act4 ,when dissipation invites1 and offers its secret pleasures1 boldly say ,no4 ,if you do not1 if you acquiesce and succumb1 virtue will have gone from you1 and your self-reliance will have received a fatal shock4 ,the first time may require an effort2 but strength will grow with use4 ,it is the only way of meeting temptations to idleness1 to self-indulgence1 to folly1 to bad custom1 to meet it at once with an indignant ,no4 ,there is1 indeed1 great virtue in a ,no1 when pronounced at the right time4 ,a man may live beyond his means until he has nothing left4 ,he may die in debt1 and yet society does not quit its hold of him until he is laid in his grave4 ,he must be buried as society is buried4 ,he must have a fashionable funeral4 ,he must1 to the last1 bear witness to the power of ,mrs4 ,grundy4 ,it is to please her1 that the funeral cloaks1 hatbands1 scarves1 mourning coaches1 gilded hearses1 and processions of mutes are hired4 ,and yet1 how worthless and extravagant is the mummery of the undertaker's grief2 and the feigned woe of the mutes1 saulies1 and plume bearers1 who are paid for their day's parade6 ,it is not so much among the wealthy upper classes that the mischiefs of this useless and expensive mummery are felt1 as amongst the middle and working classes4 ,an expensive funeral is held to be respectable4 ,middle-class people1 who are struggling for front places in society1 make an effort to rise into the region of mutes and nodding plumes2 and1 like their betters1 they are victimised by the undertakers4 ,these fix the fashion for the rest2 we must do as ,others do2 and most people submit to pay the tax4 ,they array themselves1 friends1 and servants1 in mourning2 and a respectable funeral is thus purchased4 ,the expenditure falls heavily upon a family1 at a time when they are the least able to bear it4 ,the bread-winner has been taken away1 and everything is left to the undertaker4 ,how is a wretched widow in the midst of her agony1 or how are orphan children1 deprived of the protecting hand of a parent1 to higgle with a tradesman about the cheapening of mourning suits1 black gloves1 weepers1 and the other miserable trappings of woe8 ,it is at such a moment1 when in thousands of cases every pound and every shilling is of consequence to the survivors1 that the little ready money they can scrape together is lavished1 without question1 upon a vulgar and extravagant piece of pageantry4 ,would not the means which have been thus foolishly expended in paying an empty honour to the dead1 be much better applied in being used for the comfort and maintenance of the living8 ,the same evil propagates itself downwards in society4 ,the working classes suffer equally with the middle classes1 in proportion to their means4 ,the average cost of a tradesman's funeral in ,england is about fifty pounds2 of a mechanic1 or labourer1 it ranges from five pounds to ten pounds4 ,in ,scotland funeral expenses are considerably lower4 ,the desire to secure respectable interment for departed relatives1 is a strong and widely-diffused feeling among the labouring population2 and it does them honour4 ,they will subscribe for this purpose1 when they will for no other4 ,the largest of the working-men's clubs are burial clubs4 ,ten pounds are usually allowed for the funeral of a husband1 and five pounds for the funeral of a wife4 ,as much as fifteen1 twenty1 thirty1 and even forty pounds1 are occasionally expended on a mechanic's funeral1 in cases where the deceased has been a member of several clubs1 on which occasions the undertakers meet and settle between them their several shares in the performance of the funeral4 ,it is not unusual to insure a child's life in four or five of these burial clubs2 and we have heard of a case where one man had insured payments in no fewer than nineteen different burial clubs in ,manchester6 ,when the working-man1 in whose family a death has occurred1 does not happen to be a member of a burial club1 he is still governed by their example1 and has to tax himself seriously to comply with the usages of society1 and give to his wife or child a respectable funeral4 ,where it is the father of the family himself who has died1 the case is still harder4 ,perhaps all the savings of his life are spent in providing mourning for his wife and children at his death4 ,such an expense1 at such a time1 is ruinous1 and altogether unjustifiable4 ,does putting on garments of a certain colour constitute true mourning8 ,is it not the heart and the affections that mourn1 rather than the outside raiment8 ,bingham1 in speaking of the primitive ,christians1 says that they did not condemn the notion of going into a mourning habit for the dead1 nor yet much approve of it1 but left it to all men's liberty as an indifferent thing1 rather commending those that either omitted it wholly1 or in short laid it aside again1 as acting more according to the bravery and philosophy of a ,christian4 ,john ,wesley directed1 in his will1 that six poor men should have twenty shillings each for carrying his body to the grave1--,for1 said he1 ,i particularly desire that there may be no hearse1 no coach1 no escutcheon1 no pomp1 except the tears of those that loved me1 and are following me to ,abraham's bosom4 ,i solemnly adjure my executors1 in the name of ,god1 punctually to observe this4 ,it will be very difficult to alter the mourning customs of our time4 ,we may anxiously desire to do so1 but the usual question will occur--,what will people say8 ,what will the world say8 ,we involuntarily shrink back1 and play the coward like our neighbours4 ,still1 common sense1 repeatedly expressed1 will have its influence2 and1 in course of time1 it cannot fail to modify the fashions of society ,the last act of ,queen ,adelaide1 by which she dispensed with the hired mummery of undertakers' grief1--and the equally characteristic request of ,sir ,robert ,peel on his deathbed1 that no ceremony1 nor pomp1 should attend his last obsequies1--cannot fail to have their due effect upon the fashionable world2 and through them1 the middle classes1 who are so disposed to imitate them in all things1 will in course of time benefit by their example4 ,there is also1 we believe1 a growing disposition on the part of the people at large to avoid the unmeaning displays we refer to2 and it only needs the repeated and decided expression of public opinion1 to secure a large measure of beneficial reform in this direction4 ,societies have already been established in the ,united ,states1 the members of which undertake to disuse mourning themselves1 and to discountenance the use of it by others4 ,it is only1 perhaps1 by association and the power of numbers that this reform is to be accomplished2 for individuals here and there could scarcely be expected to make way against the deeply-rooted prejudices of the community at large4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,great ,,debtors4 ,what would life be without arithmetic1 but a scene of horrors8 ,you are going to ,boulogne1 the city of debts1 peopled by men who never understood arithmetic4--,sydney ,smith4 ,quand on doit et qu'on ne paye pas1 c'est comme si on ne devait pas4--,araene ,houssaye4 ,of what a hideous progeny is debt the father6 ,what lies1 what meanness1 what invasions on self-respect1 what cares1 what double-dealing6 ,how in due season it will carve the frank1 open face into wrinkles3 how like a knife1 it will stab the houeat heart4--,douglas ,jerrold4 ,the human species1 according to the best theory ,i can form of it1 is composed of two distinct races1 the men who borrow and the men who lend4 ,to these two original diversities may be reduced all those impertinent classifications of ,gothic and ,celtic tribes1 white men1 black men1 red men1 and such-like4--,charles ,lamb4 ,people do not know what troubles they are brewing for themselves when they run into debt4 ,it does not matter for what the debt is incurred4 ,it hangs like a millstone round a man's neck until he is relieved of it4 ,it presses like a nightmare upon him4 ,it hinders the well-being of his family4 ,it destroys the happiness of his household4 ,even those who are in the regular receipt of large incomes1 feel crippled1 often for years1 by the incubus of debt4 ,weighed down by this1 what can a man do to save--to economise with a view to the future of his wife and children8 ,a man in debt is disabled from insuring his life1 from insuring his house and goods1 from putting money in the bank1 from buying a house or a freehold4 ,all his surplus gains must go towards the payment of his debt4 ,even men of enormous property1 great lords with vast landed estates1 often feel themselves oppressed and made miserable by loads of debt4 ,they or their forefathers having contracted extravagant habits--a taste for gambling1 horseracing1 or expensive living1--borrow money on their estates1 and the burden of debt remains4 ,not1 perhaps1 in the case of strictly entailed estates--for the aristocracy have contrived so that their debts shall be wiped out at their death1 and they can thus gratify their spendthrift tastes at the expense of the public--the estates going comparatively unburdened to the entailed heir4 ,but comparatively few are in the position of the privileged classes4 ,in the case of the majority1 the debts are inherited with the estates1 and often the debts are more than the estates are worth4 ,thus it happens that a large part of the lands of ,england are at this moment the property of mortgagees and money-lenders4 ,the greatest men have been in debt4 ,it has even been alleged that greatness and debt have a certain relation to each other4 ,great men have great debts2 they are trusted4 ,so have great nations2 they are respectable1 and have credit4 ,spiritless men have no debts1 neither have spiritless nations2 nobody will trust them4 ,men as well as nations in debt secure a widely extended interest4 ,their names are written in many books2 and many are the conjectures formed as to whether they will pay--or not4 ,the man who has no debts slips through the world comparatively unnoticed2 while he who is in everybody's books has all eyes fixed upon him4 ,his health is enquired after with interest2 and if he goes into foreign countries1 his return is anxiously looked for4 ,the creditor is usually depicted as a severe man1 with a hard visage2 while the debtor is an open-handed generous man1 ready to help and entertain everybody4 ,he is the object of general sympathy4 ,when ,goldsmith was dunned for his milk-score and arrested for the rent of his apartments1 who would think of pitying the milk-woman or the landlady8 ,it is the man in debt who is the prominent feature of the piece1 and all our sympathy is reserved for him4 ,what were you1 asked ,pantagruel of ,panurge1 without your debts8 ,god preserve me from ever being without them6 ,do you think there is anything divine in lending or in crediting others8 ,no6 ,to owe is the true heroic virtue6 ,yet1 whatever may be said in praise of ,debt1 it has unquestionably a very seedy side4 ,the man in debt is driven to resort to many sorry expedients to live4 ,he is the victim of duns and sheriff's officers4 ,few can treat them with the indifference that ,sheridan did1 who put them into livery to wait upon his guests4 ,the debtor starts and grows pale at every knock at his door4 ,his friends grow cool1 and his relatives shun him4 ,he is ashamed to go abroad1 and has no comfort at home4 ,he becomes crabbed1 morose1 and querulous1 losing all pleasure in life4 ,he wants the passport to enjoyment and respect--money2 he has only his debts1 and these make him suspected1 despised1 and snubbed4 ,he lives in the slough of despond4 ,he feels degraded in others' eyes as well as in his own4 ,he must submit to impertinent demands1 which he can only put off by sham excuses4 ,he has ceased to be his own master1 and has lost the independent bearing of a man4 ,he seeks to excite pity1 and pleads for time4 ,a sharp attorney pounces on him1 and suddenly he feels himself in the vulture's gripe4 ,he tries a friend or a relative1 but all that he obtains is a civil leer1 and a cool repulse4 ,he tries a money-lender2 and1 if he succeeds1 he is only out of the frying-pan into the fire4 ,it is easy to see what the end will be1--a life of mean shifts and expedients1 perhaps ending in the gaol or the workhouse4 ,can a man keep out of debt8 ,is there a possibility of avoiding the moral degradation which accompanies it8 ,could not debt be dispensed with altogether1 and man's independence preserved secure8 ,there is only one way of doing this2 by living within the means4 ,unhappily1 this is too little the practice in modern times4 ,we incur debt1 trusting to the future for the opportunity of defraying it4 ,we cannot resist the temptation to spend money4 ,one will have fine furniture and live in a high-rented house2 another will have wines and a box at the opera2 a third must give dinners and music-parties3--all good things in their way1 but not to be indulged in if they cannot be paid for4 ,is it not a shabby thing to pretend to give dinners1 if the real parties who provide them are the butcher1 the poulterer1 and the wine-merchant1 whom you are in debt to1 and cannot pay8 ,a man has no business to live in a style which his income cannot support1 or to mortgage his earnings of next week or of next year1 in order to live luxuriously to-day4 ,the whole system of ,debt1 by means of which we forestall and anticipate the future1 is wrong4 ,they are almost as much to blame who give credit1 and encourage customers to take credit1 as those are who incur debts4 ,a man knows what his actual position is1 if he pays his way as he goes4 ,he can keep within his means1 and so apportion his expenditure as to reserve a fund of savings against a time of need4 ,he is always balanced up2 and if he buys nothing but what he pays for in cash1 he cannot fail to be on the credit side of his household accounts at the year's end4 ,but once let him commence the practice of running up bills--one at the tailor's1 another at the dressmaker's and milliner's1 another at the butcher's1 another at the grocer's1 and so on1--and he never knows how he stands4 ,he is deceived into debt2 the road is made smooth and pleasant for him2 things flow into the house1 for which he does not seem to pay4 ,but they are all set down against him2 and at the year's end1 when the bills come in1 he is ready to lift up his hands in dismay4 ,then he finds that the sweet of the honey will not repay for the smart of the sting4 ,it is the same as respects the poorer classes4 ,not many years since1 ,parliament passed a law facilitating the establishment of ,small ,loan ,societies1 for the purpose of helping small tradesmen and poor people generally to raise money on an emergency4 ,the law was at once pounced upon by the numerous race of ,graballs1 as a means of putting money in their purse4 ,they gave the working classes facilities for running into debt1 and for mortgaging their future industry4 ,a few men1 desirous of making money1 would form themselves into a ,loan ,club1 and offer sums of money ostensibly at five per cent1 interest1 repayable in weekly instalments4 ,the labouring people eagerly availed themselves of the facility for getting into debt4 ,one wanted money for a spree1 another wanted money for a suit of clothes1 a third for an eight-day clock1 and so on2 and instead of saving the money beforehand1 they preferred getting the money from the ,club1 keeping themselves in difficulties and poverty until the debt was paid off4 ,such a practice is worse than living from hand to mouth3 it is living upon one's own vitals4 ,it is easy to understand how the partners in the ,loan ,club made money4 ,suppose that they advanced ten pounds for three months at five per cent4 ,it is repayable in weekly instalments at ten shillings a week1--the repayments commencing the very first week after the advance has been made4 ,but though ten shillings are repaid weekly until the debt is wiped off1 interest at five per cent1 is charged upon the whole amount until the last instalment is paid off4 ,so that1 though the nominal interest is five per cent41 it goes on increasing until1 during the last week1 it reaches the enormous rate of one hundred per cent46 ,this is what is called eating the calf in the cow's belly4 ,men of genius are equally facile in running into debt4 ,genius has no necessary connection with prudence or self-restraint1 nor does it exercise any influence over the common rules of arithmetic1 which are rigid and inflexible4 ,men of genius are often superior to what ,bacon calls the wisdom of business4 ,yet ,bacon himself did not follow his own advice1 but was ruined by his improvidence4 ,he was in straits and difficulties when a youth1 and in still greater straits and difficulties when a man4 ,his life was splendid2 but his excessive expenditure involved him in debts which created a perpetual craving for money4 ,one day1 in passing out to his antechambers1 where his followers waited for his appearance1 he said1 ,be seated1 my masters2 your rise has been my fall4 ,to supply his wants1 ,bacon took bribes1 and was thereupon beset by his enemies1 convicted1 degraded1 and ruined4 ,even men with a special genius for finance on a grand scale1 may completely break down in the management of their own private affairs4 ,pitt managed the national finances during a period of unexampled difficulty1 yet was himself always plunged in debt4 ,lord ,carrington1 the ex-banker1 once or twice1 at ,mr4 ,pitt's request1 examined his household accounts1 and found the quantity of butcher's meat charged in the bills was one hundredweight a week4 ,the charge for servants' wages1 board wages1 living1 and household bills1 exceeded #b1cjj a year4 ,at ,pitt's death1 the nation voted #dj1jjj to satisfy the demands of his creditors2 yet his income had never been less than #f1jjj a year2 and at one time1 with the ,wardenship of the ,cinque ,ports1 it was nearly #d1jjj a year more4 ,macaulay truly says that the character of ,pitt would have stood higher if1 with the disinterestedness of ,pericles and ,de ,witt1 he had united their dignified frugality4 ,but ,pitt by no means stood alone4 ,lord ,melville was as unthrifty in the management of his own affairs1 as he was of the money of the public4 ,fox was an enormous ower1 his financial maxim being that a man need never want money if he was willing to pay enough for it4 ,fox called the outer room at ,almack's1 where he borrowed on occasions from ,jew lenders at exorbitant premiums1 his ,jerusalem ,chamber4 ,passion for play was his great vice1 and at a very early age it involved him in debt to an enormous amount4 ,it is stated by ,gibbon that on one occasion ,fox sat playing at hazard for twenty hours in succession1 losing #aa1jjj4 ,but deep play was the vice of high life in those days1 and cheating was not unknown4 ,selwyn1 alluding to ,fox's losses at play1 called him ,charles the ,martyr4 ,sheridan was the hero of debt4 ,he lived on it4 ,though he received large sums of money in one way or another1 no one knew what became of it1 for he paid nobody4 ,it seemed to melt away in his hands like snow in summer4 ,he spent his first wife's fortune of #a1fjj in a six weeks' jaunt to ,bath4 ,necessity drove him to literature1 and perhaps to the stimulus of poverty we owe ,the ,rivals1 and the dramas which succeeded it4 ,with his second wife he obtained a fortune of #e1jjj1 and with #ae1jjj which he realized by the sale of ,drury ,lane shares1 he bought an estate in ,surrey1 from which he was driven by debt and duns4 ,the remainder of his life was a series of shifts1 sometimes brilliant1 but oftener degrading1 to raise money and evade creditors4 ,taylor1 of the ,opera-house1 used to say that if he took off his hat to ,sheridan in the street1 it would cost him fifty pounds2 but if he stopped to speak to him1 it would cost a hundred4 ,one of ,sheridan's creditors came for his money on horseback4 ,that is a nice mare1 said ,sheridan4 ,do you think so8 ,yes1 indeed2--how does she trot8 ,the creditor1 flattered1 told him he should see1 and immediately put the mare at full trotting pace1 on which ,sheridan took the opportunity of trotting round the nearest corner4 ,his duns would come in numbers each morning1 to catch him before he went out4 ,they were shown into the rooms on each side of the entrance hall4 ,when ,sheridan had breakfasted1 he would come down1 and ask1 ,are those doors all shut1 ,john8 and on being assured that they were1 he marched out deliberately between them4 ,he was in debt all round--to his milkman1 his grocer1 his baker1 and his butcher4 ,sometimes ,mrs4 ,sheridan would be kept waiting for an hour or more while the servants were beating up the neighbourhood for coffee1 butter1 eggs1 and rolls4 ,while ,sheridan was ,paymaster of the ,navy1 a butcher one day brought a leg of mutton to the kitchen4 ,the cook took it and clapped it in the pot to boil1 and went upstairs for the money2 but not returning1 the butcher coolly removed the pot lid1 took out the mutton1 and walked away with it in his tray4#a ,yet1 while living in these straits1 ,sheridan1 when invited with his son into the country1 usually went in two chaises and four--he in one1 and his son ,tom following in the other4 ,footnote #a3 ,haydon--,autobiography1 vol4 ii41 p4 #ajd4 ,the end of all was very sad4 ,for some weeks before his death he was nearly destitute of the means of subsistence4 ,his noble and royal friends had entirely deserted him4 ,executions for debt were in his house1 and he passed his last days in the custody of sheriffs' officers1 who abstained from conveying him to prison merely because they were assured that to remove him would cause his immediate death4#b ,footnote #b3 ,memoirs of the ,life of ,sir ,s4 ,romilly1 vol4 iii41 p4 #bfb4 ,the ,cardinal de ,retz sold off everything to pay his debts1 but he did not recover his liberty4 ,he described the perpetual anguish of the debtor4 ,he even preferred confinement in the ,castle of ,vincennes1 to being exposed to the annoyances of his creditors4 ,mirabeau's life was one of perpetual debt2 for he was a dreadful spendthrift4 ,the only mode by which his father could keep him out of scrapes1 was by obtaining a lettre de cachet1 and having him-safely imprisoned4 ,though ,mirabeau wielded the powers of the ,state1 when he died he was so poor1 or had been so extravagant1 that he was still indebted to the tailor for his wedding suit4 ,lamartine ran through half-a-dozen fortunes1 and at the end of his life was sending round the hat4 ,lamartine boldly proclaimed that he hated arithmetic1 that negative of every noble thought4 ,he was accordingly driven to very shabby shifts to live4 ,the ,cours de ,litterature alone brought him in #bjj1jjj francs a year1 yet 'the money ran through his hands like quicksilver4 ,his debts are said to have amounted to three millions of francs2 yet his style of living remained unchanged4 ,one of his enthusiastic admirers1 having stinted himself in subscribing towards the repurchase of the ,lamartine estates1 went into a fishmonger's one day to purchase a piece of turbot4 ,it was too dear for his means4 ,a distinguished-looking personage entered1 paused for a moment before the turbot1 and without questioning the price1 ordered the fish to be sent to his house4 ,it was ,m4 de ,lamartine4 ,webster1 the ,american statesman1 was afflicted with impecuniosity1 arising from his carelessness about money matters1 as well as from his extravagance4 ,if we are to believe ,theodore ,parker1 ,webster1 like ,bacon1 took bribes4 ,he contracted debts and did not settle1 borrowed and yielded not again4 ,private money sometimes clove to his hands4444 ,a senator of the ,united ,states1 he was pensioned by the manufacturers of ,boston4 ,his later speeches smell of bribes4 ,monroe and ,jefferson were always in want of money1 and often in debt2 though they were both honest men4 ,the life which public men lead nowadays1 is often an incentive to excessive expenditure4 ,they may be men of moderate means2 they may even be poor2 but not many of them moving in general society have the moral courage to seem to be so4 ,to maintain their social position1 they think it necessary to live as others do4 ,they are thus drawn into the vortex of debt1 and into all the troubles1 annoyances1 shabby shifts1 and dishonesties1 which debt involves4 ,men of science are for the most part exempt from the necessity of shining in society2 and hence they furnish but a small number of instances of illustrious debtors4 ,many of them have been poor1 but they have usually lived within their means4 ,kepler's life was indeed a struggle with poverty and debt2 arising principally from the circumstance of his salary1 as principal mathematician to the ,emperor of ,germany1 having been always in arrear4 ,this drove him to casting nativities in order to earn a living4 ,i pass my time1 he once wrote1 in begging at the doors of crown treasurers4 ,at his death he left only twenty-two crowns1 the dress he wore1 two shirts1 a few books1 and many manuscripts4 ,leibnitz left behind him a large amount of debt2 but this may have been caused by the fact that he was a politician as well as a philosopher1 and had frequent occasion to visit foreign courts1 and to mix on equal terms with the society of the great4 ,spinoza was poor in means2 yet inasmuch as what he earned by polishing glasses for the opticians was enough to supply his wants1 he incurred no debts4 ,he refused a professorship1 and refused a pension1 preferring to live and die independent4 ,dalton had a philosophical disregard for money4 ,when his fellow-townsmen at ,manchester once proposed to provide him with an independence1 that he might devote the rest of his life to scientific investigation1 he declined the offer1 saying that teaching was a kind of recreation to him1 and that if richer he would probably not spend more time in his investigations than he was accustomed to do4 ,faraday's was another instance of moderate means and noble independence4 ,lagrange was accustomed to attribute his fame and happiness to the poverty of his father1 the astronomer royal of ,turin4 ,had ,i been rich1 he said1 probably ,i should not have become a mathematician4 ,the greatest debtor connected with science was ,john ,hunter1 who expended all his available means--and they were wholly earned by himself--in accumulating the splendid collection now known as the ,hunterian ,museum4 ,all that he could collect in fees went to purchase new objects for preparation and dissection1 or upon carpenters' and bricklayers' work for the erection of his gallery4 ,though his family were left in straitened circumstances at his death1 the sale of the collection to the nation for #ae1jjj enabled all his debts to be paid1 and at the same time left an enduring monument to his fame4 ,great artists have nearly all struggled into celebrity through poverty1 and some have never entirely emerged from it4 ,this1 however1 has been mainly because of their improvidence4 ,jan ,steen was always in distress1 arising principally from the habit he had acquired of drinking his own beer2 for he was first a brewer1 and afterwards a tavern-keeper4 ,he drank and painted alternately1 sometimes transferring the drinking scenes of which he had been a witness to the canvas1 even while himself in a state of intoxication4 ,he died in debt1 after which his pictures rose in value1 until now they are worth their weight in gold4 ,notwithstanding the large income of ,vandyck1 his style of living was so splendid and costly as to involve him in heavy debt4 ,to repair his fortunes1 he studied alchemy for a time1 in the hope of discovering the philosopher's stone4 ,but towards the end of his life he was enabled to retrieve his position1 and to leave a comfortable competency to his widow4 ,rembrandt1 on the other hand1 involved himself in debt through his love of art4 ,he was an insatiable collector of drawings1 armour1 and articles of vertu1 and thus became involved in such difficulties that he was declared a bankrupt4 ,his property remained under legal control for thirteen years1 until his death4 ,the great ,italian artists were for the most part temperate and moderate men1 and lived within their means4 ,haydon1 in his ,autobiography1 says1 ,rafaelle1 ,michael ,angelo1 ,zeuxis1 ,apelles1 ,rubens1 ,reynolds1 ,titian1 were rich and happy4 ,why8 ,because with their genius they combined practical prudence4 ,haydon himself was an instance of the contrary practice4 ,his life was a prolonged struggle with difficulty and debt4 ,he was no sooner free from one obligation1 than he was involved in another4 ,his ,mock ,election was painted in the ,king's ,bench prison1 while he lay there for debt4 ,there is a strange entry in his ,journal3 ,i borrowed #aj to-day of my butterman1 ,webb1 an old pupil of mine1 recommended to me by ,sir ,george ,beaumont twenty-four years ago1 but who wisely1 after drawing hands1 set up a butter shop1 and was enabled to send his old master #aj in his necessity4 ,haydon's ,autobiography is full of his contests with lawyers and sheriffs' officers4 ,creditors dogged and dunned him at every step4 ,lazarus's head1 he writes1 was painted just after an arrest2 ,eucles was finished from a man in possession2 the beautiful face in ,xenophon in the afternoon1 after a morning spent in begging mercy of lawyers2 and ,cassandra's head was finished in agony not to be described1 and her hand completed after a broker's man in possession1 in an execution put in for taxes4#a ,footnote #a3 ,haydon--,autobiography1 vol4 ii41 p4 #djj4 ,cowper used to say that he never knew a poet who was not thriftless2 and he included himself4 ,notwithstanding his quiet1 retired life1 he was constantly outrunning the constable4 ,by the help of good management1 he once wrote1 and a clear notion of economical matters1 ,i contrived in three months to spend the income of a twelvemonth4 ,but though the number of thriftless poets may be great1 it must not be forgotten that ,shakespeare1 who stands at the head of the list1 was a prudent man4 ,he economized his means1 and left his family in comfort4 ,his contemporaries were1 however1 for the most part indebted men4 ,ben ,jonson was often embarrassed1 and always poor1 borrowing twenty shillings at a time from ,henslowe2 though he rarely denied himself another jolly night at the ,mermaid4 ,massinger was often so reduced in circumstances as not to be able to pay his score at the same tavern4 ,greene1 ,peele1 and ,marlowe lived lives of dissipation1 and died in poverty4 ,marlowe was killed in a drunken brawl4 ,when ,greene was on his deathbed1 dying of the disease which his excesses had caused1 he was haunted by the debt of ten pounds which he owed to the shoemaker who had lodged him4 ,he then warned his friend ,peele to amend his ways2 but ,peele1 like him1 died in distress and debt1 one of the last letters he wrote being an imploring letter to ,burleigh asking for relief1--,long sickness1 said he1 having so enfeebled me as maketh bashfulness almost impudency4 ,spenser died forsaken1 and in want4 ,ben ,jonson says of him that he died for lack of bread in ,king ,street1 and refused twenty broad pieces sent to him by my lord of ,essex1 adding1 he was sorrie he had no time to spend them4 ,of later poets and literary men1 ,milton died in obscurity1 though not in debt4 ,lovelace died in a cellar4 ,butler1 the author of ,hudibras1 died of starvation in ,rose ,alley1 the same place in which ,dryden was beaten by hired ruffians4 ,otway was hunted by bailiffs to his last hiding-place on ,tower ,hill4 ,his last act was to beg a shilling of a gentleman1 who gave him a guinea2 and buying a loaf to appease his hunger1 he choked at the first mouthful4 ,wycherley lay seven years in gaol for debt1 but lived to die in his bed at nearly eighty4 ,fielding's extravagance and dissipation in early life involved him in difficulties which he never entirely shook off1 and his death was embittered by the poverty in which he left his widow and child in a foreign land4 ,savage had a pension of fifty pounds a year1 which he usually spent in a few days4 ,it was then fashionable to wear scarlet cloaks trimmed with gold lace2 and ,johnson one day met him1 just after he had got his pension1 with one of these cloaks upon his back1 while1 at the same time1 his naked toes were sticking through his shoes4 ,after living a life of recklessness and dissipation1 he died in prison1 where he had lain six months for debt4 ,in concluding his ,life of ,savage1 ,johnson says3 ,this relation will not be wholly without its use1 if those who1 in confidence of superior capacities or attainments1 disregard the common maxims of life1 shall be reminded that nothing will supply the want of prudence1 and that negligence and irregularity1 long continued1 will make knowledge useless1 wit ridiculous1 and genius contemptible4 ,sterne died poor1 if he did not die insolvent4 ,at his death1 a subscription was got up for the support of his wife and daughter4 ,churchill was imprisoned for debt1 occasioned by his dissoluteness and extravagance1--,cowper characterizing him as spendthrift alike of money and of wit4 ,chatterton1 reduced to a state of starvation and despair1 poisoned himself in his eighteenth year4 ,sir ,richard ,steele was rarely out of debt4 ,in many respects he resembled ,sheridan in temperament and character4 ,he was full of speculation1 and was always on the point of some grand stroke of luck1 which was to make his fortune4 ,he was perpetually haunted by duns and bailiffs2 yet he did not stint himself of luxuries so long as he obtained credit4 ,when appointed to the office of ,commissioner of ,stamps1 with a moderate income1 he set up a carriage with two and sometimes four horses2 and he maintained two houses1 one in ,london1 the other at ,hampton4 ,his means being altogether inadequate to this style of living1 he soon became drowned in greater debt than before4 ,he was repeatedly impounded by lawyers1 and locked up in sponging-houses4 ,executions were put into his houses2 his furniture was sold off2 his wife wanted the commonest necessaries of life2 and still the pleasure-loving ,steele maintained his equanimity and good temper4 ,something great was always on the point of turning up in his favour4 ,one of his grandest schemes was that for bringing fish alive to the ,london market2 and then1 said he to his wife1 you will be better provided for than any lady in ,england4 ,but the good turn never came to ,sir ,richard2 and he died out at elbows on his wife's little property in ,wales4 ,goldsmith was another of the happy-go-lucky debtors4 ,he swam in debt4 ,he was no sooner out of it1 than he was plunged into it again1 deeper than before4 ,the first money he earned as a tutor--it was all the money he had--was spent in buying a horse4 ,his relations raised #ej1 and sent him to the ,temple to study law1 but he got no farther than ,dublin1 where he spent or gambled away all the money4 ,then he went to ,edinburgh to study medicine1 and was forced to fly from it1 having become surety for a friend4 ,he started on the tour of ,europe without any money in his pocket--with nothing but his flute2 and he begged and played1 until he came back to ,england1 as poor as he went4 ,he himself used afterwards to say that there was hardly a kingdom in ,europe in which he was not a debtor4#a ,footnote #a3 ,,forster--,life of ,goldsmith1 ed4 #ahfc1 p4 #da4 ,even when ,goldsmith began to earn money freely1 he was still in debt4 ,he gave away with one hand what he earned with the other4 ,he was dunned for his milk-score1 arrested for rent1 threatened by lawyers1 but never learnt the wisdom of economy4 ,in the same month in which the second edition of his ,vicar of ,wakefield was published1 his bill of fifteen guineas1 drawn on ,newbery1 was returned dishonoured4 ,when he was figuring at ,boswell's dinner in ,old ,bond ,street in the ratteen suit lined with satin1 and bloom-coloured silk breeches1 the clothes belonged to his tailor1 and remained unpaid till his death4 ,prosperity increased his difficulties rather than diminished them2 the more money he had1 the more thoughtless and lavish was his expenditure4 ,he could refuse no indulgence1 either to himself or others4 ,he would borrow a guinea and give it to a beggar4 ,he would give the clothes off his back1 and the blankets off his bed4 ,he could refuse nobody4 ,to meet his thoughtless expenditure1 he raised money by promising to write books which he never began4 ,he was perpetually discounting to-morrow1 and mortgaging an estate already overburthened4 ,thus he died1 as he had begun1 poor1 embarrassed1 and in debt4 ,at his death he owed over two thousand pounds3 ,was ever poet1 says ,johnson1 so trusted before8 ,the case of ,goldsmith and others has been cited as instances of the harsh treatment of genius by the world1 and in proof of the social disabilities of literary men and artists4 ,it has been held that society should be more indulgent to its men of genius1 and that ,government should do something more for them than it now does4 ,but nothing that society or ,government could do for men of genius would be likely to prove of any service to them1 unless they will do what other and less gifted men do1--exhibit self-respect and practise ordinary economy4 ,we may pity poor ,goldsmith1 but we cannot fail to see that he was throughout his own enemy4 ,his gains were large1 amounting to about #h1jjj in fourteen years2 representing a much larger sum of money at the present day4 ,for his ,history of the ,earth and ,animated ,nature he received #hej1--;and the book was1 at best1 but a clever compilation4 ,johnson said of him that if he can tell a horse from a cow1 that is the extent of his knowledge of zoology4 ,the representation of his ,good-natured ,man produced him #ejj4 ,and so on with his other works4 ,he was as successful as ,johnson was2 but then he had not ,johnson's sobriety1 self-restraint1 and self-respect4 ,yet ,goldsmith1 in his thoughtful moments1 knew the right path1 though he had not the courage to pursue it4 ,in a letter to his brother ,henry respecting the career of his son1 ,goldsmith wrote3 ,teach1 my dear sir1 to your son1 thrift and economy4 ,let his poor wandering uncle's example be placed before his eyes4 ,i had learned from books to be disinterested and generous before ,i was taught from experience the necessity of being prudent4 ,i had contracted the habits and notions of a philosopher1 while ,i was exposing myself to the insidious approaches of cunning2 and often by being1 even with my narrow finances1 charitable to excess1 ,i forgot the rules of justice1 and placed myself in the very situation of the wretch who thanked me for my bounty4 ,byron had scarcely reached manhood when he became involved in debt4 ,writing to ,mr4 ,becher1 in his twentieth year1 he said1 ,entre nous1 ,i am cursedly dipped2 my debts1 everything inclusive1 will be nine or ten thousand before ,i am twenty-one4 ,on his coming of age1 the festivities at ,newstead were celebrated by means supplied by money-lenders at enormously usurious rates of interest4 ,his difficulties did not diminish1 but only increased with time4 ,it is said that his mother's death was occasioned by a fit of rage1 brought on by reading the upholsterer's bills4#a ,when the first canto of ,childe ,harold was published1 ,byron presented the copyright to ,mr4 ,dallas1 declaring that he would never receive money for his writings1--a resolution which he afterwards wisely abandoned4 ,but his earnings by literature at that time could not have lightened the heavy load of debt under which he staggered4 ,newstead was sold1 and still the load accumulated4 ,then he married1 probably in the expectation that his wife's fortune would release him2 but her money was locked up1 and the step1 instead of relieving him1 brought only an accession of misery4 ,every one knows the sad result of the union2 which was aggravated by the increasing assaults of duns and sheriffs' officers4 ,footnote #a3 ,,moore--,life of ,byron1 ed4 #ahfj4 p4 #abg4 ,byron was almost driven to sell the copyright of his books1 but he was prevented from doing so by his publisher1 who pressed upon him a sum of money to meet his temporary wants4 ,during the first year of his marriage1 his house was nine times in the possession of bailiffs1 his door was almost daily beset by duns1 and he was only saved from gaol by the privileges of his rank4 ,all this1 to a sensitive nature such as his1 must have been gall and bitterness2 while his wife's separation from him1 which shortly followed1 could not fail to push him almost to the point of frenzy4 ,although he had declined to receive money for his first poems1 ,byron altered his views1 and even learnt to drive a pretty hard bargain with his publisher4#a ,but ,moore does not1 in his biography of the poet1 inform us whether he ever got rid1 except by death1 of his grievous turmoil of debt4 ,footnote #a3 ,you offer #a1ejj guineas for the new ,canto the fourth of ',childe ,harold'3 ,i won't take it4 ,i ask two thousand five hundred guineas for it1 which you will either give or not as you think proper4444 ,if ,mr4 ,eustace was to have two thousand for a poem on ,education2 if ,mr4 ,moore is to have three thousand for ,lalla2 if ,mr4 ,campbell is to have three thousand for his prose or poetry4--,i don't mean to disparage these gentlemen or their labours4--but ,i ask the aforesaid price for mine4--,lord ,byron to ,mr4 ,murray1 ,sept4 #dth1 #ahag4 ,there is the greatest difference in the manner in which men bear the burden of debt4 ,some feel it to be no burden at all2 others bear it very lightly2 whilst others look upon creditors in the light of persecutors1 and themselves in the light of martyrs4 ,but where the moral sense is a little more keen1--where men use the goods of others1 without rendering the due equivalent of money--where they wear unpaid clothes1 eat unpaid meat1 drink unpaid wines1 and entertain guests at the expense of the butcher1 grocer1 wine-merchant1 and greengrocer1--they must necessarily feel that their conduct is of the essence1 not only of shabbiness1 but of dishonesty1 and the burden must then bear very heavily indeed4 ,of light-hearted debtors1 the proportion is considerable4 ,thus ,theophilus ,cibber1 when drowned in debt1 begged the loan of a guinea1 and spent it on a dish of ortolans4 ,thus ,foote when his mother wrote to him--,dear ,sam1 ,i am in prison for debt--come and help your loving mother1--replied1 ,dear ,mother1 so am ,i1 which prevents his duty being paid to his loving mother by her affectionate son4 ,steele and ,sheridan both bore the load lightly4 ,when entertaining company1 they put the bailiffs who were in possession in livery1 and made them wait at table1 passing them off as servants4 ,nothing disturbed ,steele's equanimity2 and when driven from ,london by debt1 he carried his generosity into the country1 giving prizes to the lads and lasses assembled at rural games and country dances4 ,sheridan also made very light of his debts1 and had many a good joke over them4 ,some one asked him how it was that the ,o' was not prefixed to his name1 when he replied that he was sure no family had a better right to it1 for in truth1 we owe everybody4 ,and when a creditor once apologized for the soiled and tattered state of a bill1 which had been much worn by being so often presented1 ,sheridan advised him as a friend1 to take it home and write it upon parchment4 ,very different was it in the case of poor ,burns1 who was almost driven distracted because he owed a debt of #g #ds4 for a volunteer's uniform1 which he could not pay4 ,he sent to his friend ,thomson1 the publisher of his songs1 imploring the loan of #e1 promising full value in song-genius4#a ,his last poem was a love song1 in part payment of the loan1 which he composed only a few days before his death4 ,footnote #a3 ,after all my boasted independence1 he said1 curst necessity compels me to implore you for five pounds4 ,a cruel scoundrel of a haberdasher1 to whom ,i owe an account1 taking it into his head that ,i am dying1 has commenced a process1 and will infallibly put me in jail4 ,do1 for ,god's sake1 send me that sum1 and by return of post4 ,forgive me this earnestness2 but the horrors of a jail have made me half distracted4 ,i do not ask all this gratuitously3 for upon returning health ,i promise and engage to furnish you with five pounds' worth of the neatest song-genius you have seen4--,burns to ,thomson4 #abth ,july1 #agif4 ,burns died on the #bast of the same month4 ,sydney ,smith had a severe struggle with poverty in the early part of his life4 ,he had a poor living1 a wide parish1 and a large family4 ,his daughter says that his debts occasioned him many sleepless nights1 and that she has seen him in an evening1 when bill after bill has poured in 7carefully examining them1 and gradually paying them off71 quite overcome by the feeling of the debt hanging over him1 cover his face with his hands1 and exclaim1 ,ah6 ,i see ,i shall end my old age in a gaol4#a ,but he bore up bravely under the burden1 labouring onward with a cheerful heart1 eking out his slender means by writing articles for the ,edinburgh1 until at length promotion reached him1 and he reaped the reward of his perseverance1 his industry1 and his independence4 ,footnote #a3 ,,lady ,,holland--,memoir of the ,rev4 ,sydney ,smith1 vol4 i1 p4 #bjf4 ,de ,foe's life was a long battle with difficulty and debt4 ,he was constantly involved in broils1 mostly of his own stirring up4 ,he was a fierce pamphleteer from his youth up2 and was never for a moment at rest1 ,he was by turns a soldier with the ,duke of ,monmouth1 a pantile maker1 a projector1 a poet1 a political agent1 a novelist1 an essayist1 a historian4 ,he was familiar with the pillory1 and spent much of his time in gaol4 ,when reproached by one of his adversaries with mercenariness1 he piteously declared how he had1 in the pursuit of peace1 brought himself into innumerable broils2 how he had been sued for other men's debts1 and stripped naked by public opinion1 of what should have enabled him to pay his own2 how1 with a numerous family1 and with no helps but his own industry1 he had forced his way1 with undiscouraged diligence1 through a sea of debt and misfortune1 and in gaols1 in retreats1 and in all manner of extremities1 supported himself without the assistance of friends and relations4 ,surely1 there never was such a life of struggle and of difficulty as that of the indefatigable ,de ,foe4 ,yet all his literary labours1 and they were enormous1 did not suffice to keep him clear of debt1 for it is believed that he died insolvent4#b ,footnote #b3 ,george ,chalmers--,life of ,de ,foe1 p4 #ib4 ,southey was1 in his own line1 almost as laborious a writer as ,de ,foe2 though his was the closet life of the student1 and not the aggressive life of the polemic4 ,though he knew debt1 it never became his master2 and from an early period in his career1 he determined not to contract a debt that he was not able to discharge4 ,he was not only enabled to do this1 but to help his friends liberally--maintaining for a time the families of his brothers-in-law1 ,coleridge and ,lovell--by simply not allowing himself any indulgences beyond his actual means1 though these were often very straitened4 ,the burthen he carried would have borne down a man less brave and resolute2 but he worked1 and studied1 and wrote1 and earned money enough for all his own wants1 as well as the wants of those who had become dependent upon him4 ,he held on his noble way without a murmur or complaint4 ,he not only liberally helped his relatives1 but his old schoolfellows1 in distress4 ,he took ,coleridge's wife and family to live with him1 at a time when ,coleridge had abandoned himself to opium-drinking4 ,to meet the numerous claims upon him1 ,southey merely imposed upon himself so much extra labour4 ,he was always ready with good advice to young men who sought his help4 ,thus he encouraged ,kirke ,white1 ,herbert ,knowles1 and ,dusantoy1 all of whom died young and full of promise4 ,he not only helped them with advice and encouragement1 but with money2 and his timely assistance rescued the sister of ,chatterton from absolute want4 ,and thus he worked on nobly and unselfishly to the last--finding happiness and joy in the pursuit of letters--not so learned as poor1 not so poor as proud1 not so proud as happy4 ,these were his own words4 ,the most touching story in ,sir ,walter ,scott's life1 is the manner in which he conducted himself after the failure of the publishing house of ,constable and ,co41 with which he had become deeply involved4 ,he had built ,abbotsford1 become a laird1 was sheriff of his county1 and thought himself a rich man2 when suddenly the ,constable firm broke down1 and he found himself indebted to the world more than a hundred thousand pounds4 ,it is very hard1 he said1 when the untoward news reached him1 thus to lose all the labour of a lifetime1 and to be made a poor man at last4 ,but if ,god grant me health and strength for a few years longer1 ,i have no doubt that ,i shall redeem it all4 ,everybody thought him a ruined man1 and he almost felt himself to be so4 ,but his courage never gave way4 ,when his creditors proposed to him a composition1 his sense of honour forbade his listening to them4 ,no1 gentlemen1 he replied2 ,time and ,i against any two4 ,though the debts had been contracted by others1 he had made himself legally responsible for them2 and1 strong in his principle of integrity1 he determined1 if he could1 to pay them off to the last farthing4 ,and he set himself to do it3 but it cost him his life4 ,he parted with his town house and furniture1 delivered over his personal effects to be held in trust for his creditors1 and bound himself to discharge a certain amount of his liabilities annually4 ,this he did by undertaking new literary works1 some of them of great magnitude1 the execution of which1 though they enabled him to discharge a large portion of his debt1 added but little to his reputation4 ,one of his first tasks was his ,life of ,napoleon ,buonaparte1 in nine volumes1 which he wrote1 in the midst of pain1 sorrow1 and ruin1 in about thirteen months1--receiving for it about fourteen thousand pounds4 ,even though struck by paralysis1 he went on writing until in about four years he had discharged about two-thirds of the debt for which he was responsible1--an achievement probably unparalleled in the history of letters4 ,the sacrifices and efforts which he made during the last few years of his life1 even while paralyzed and scarcely able to hold his pen1 exhibit ,scott in a truly heroic light4 ,he bore up with unconquerable spirit to the last4 ,when his doctor expostulated with him against his excessive brain-work1 he replied1 ,if ,i were to be idle1 ,i should go mad3 in comparison to this1 death is no risk to shrink from4 ,shortly before his last fatal attack1 when sitting dozing in his chair on the grass in front of the house at ,abbotsford1 he suddenly roused himself1 threw off the plaids which covered him1 and exclaimed1 ,this is sad idleness4 ,take me to my own room1 and fetch the keys of my desk4 ,they wheeled him into his study1 and put pens and paper before him4 ,but he could not grasp the pen2 he could not write2 and the tears rolled down his cheeks4 ,his spirit was not conquered1 but his bodily powers were exhausted and shattered2 and when at length he died1 he fell asleep--like a child4 ,scott felt1 what every sensitive nature must feel1 that poverty is a much lighter burden to bear than debt4 ,there is nothing ignominious about poverty4 ,it may even serve as a healthy stimulus to great spirits4 ,under gold mountains and thrones1 said ,jean ,paul1 lie buried many spiritual giants4 ,richter even held that poverty was to be welcomed1 so that it came not too late in life4 ,and doubtless ,scott's burden was all the heavier to bear1 because it came upon him in his declining years4 ,shakespeare was originally a poor man3 ,it is a question1 says ,carlyle1 whether1 had not want1 discomfort1 and distress warrants been busy at ,stratford-on-,avon1 ,shakespeare had not lived killing calves or combing wool6 ,to ,milton's and ,dryden's narrow means we probably owe the best part of their works4 ,johnson was a very poor man1 and a very brave one4 ,he never knew what wealth was4 ,his mind was always greater than his fortune2 and it is the mind that makes the man rich or poor1 happy or miserable4 ,johnson's gruff and bluff exterior covered a manly and noble nature4 ,he had early known poverty and debt1 and wished himself clear of both4 ,when at college1 his feet appeared through his shoes1 but he was too poor to buy new ones4 ,his head was full of learning1 but his pockets were empty4 ,how he struggled through distress and difficulty during his first years in ,london the reader can learn from his ,life4 ,he bedded and boarded for fourpence-halfpenny a day1 and when too poor to pay for a bed1 he wandered with ,savage whole nights in the streets4#a ,he struggled on manfully1 never whining at his lot1 but trying to make the best of it4 ,footnote #a3 ,he said a man might live in a garret at eighteen-pence a week2 few people would inquire where he lodged2 and if they did1 it was easy to say1 ',sir1 ,i am to be found at such a place4' ,by spending threepence in a coffee house1 he might be for some hours every day in very good company2 he might dine for sixpence1 breakfast on bread and milk for a penny1 and do without supper4 ,on clean-shirt day he went abroad and paid visits4 ,,boswell--,life of ,johnson4 ,these early sorrows and struggles of ,johnson left their scars upon his nature2 but they also enlarged and enriched his experience1 as well as widened his range of human sympathy4 ,even when in his greatest distress he had room in his heart for others whose necessities were greater than his own2 and he was never wanting in his help to those who needed it1 or were poorer than himself4 ,from his sad experience1 no one could speak with greater authority on the subject of debt than ,johnson4 ,do not accustom yourself1 he wrote to ,boswell1 to consider debt only an inconvenience2 you will find it a calamity4 ,let it be your first care not to be in any man's debt4 ,whatever you have1 spend less4 ,frugality is not only the basis of quiet1 but of beneficence4 ,to ,simpson1 the barrister1 he wrote1 ,small debts are like small shot2 they are rattling on every side1 and can scarcely be escaped without a wound3 great debts are like cannon1 of loud noise1 but little danger4 ,you must therefore be enabled to discharge petty debts1 that you may have leisure1 with security to struggle with the rest4 ,sir1 said he to the patient and receptive ,boswell1 get as much peace of mind as you can1 and keep within your income1 and you won't go far wrong4 ,men who live by their wits1 their talents1 or their genius1 have1 somehow or other1 acquired the character of being improvident4 ,charles ,nodier1 writing about a distinguished genius1 said of him--,in the life of intelligence and art1 he was an angel2 in the common practical life of every day1 he was a child4 ,the same might be said of many great writers and artists4 ,the greatest of them have been so devoted--heart and soul--to their special work1 that they have not cared to think how the efforts of their genius might be converted into pounds1 shillings1 and pence4 ,had they placed the money consideration first1 probably the world would not have inherited the products of their genius4 ,milton would not have laboured for so many years at his ,paradise ,lost1 merely for the sake of the five pounds for which he sold the first edition to the publisher4 ,nor would ,schiller have gone on toiling for twenty years up to the topmost pinnacles of thought1 merely for the sake of the bare means of living which he earned by his work4 ,at the same time1 men of genius should not disregard the common rules of arithmetic4 ,if they spend more than they earn1 they will run into debt4 ,nor will complaining of the harshness of the world keep them out of it4 ,they have to stand or fall on their merits as men1 and if they are not provident they will suffer the same consequences as others4 ,thackeray1 in painting the character of ,captain ,shandon1 in his ,pendennis1 gave considerable offence to the literary profession2 yet he only spoke the truth4 ,if a lawyer1 said he1 or a soldier1 or a parson1 outruns his income1 and does not pay his bills1 he must go to gaol2 and an author must go too4 ,literary men are not neglected because they are literary men4 ,but they have no right to expect that society will overlook their social offences because they are literary men4 ,it is necessary for the world's sake1 as well as for their own sake1 that literary men and artists should take care to provide against the evil day like other people4 ,imagination and art1 says ,madame de ,stal1 have need to look after their own comfort and happiness in this world4 ,the world ought to help them generously2 all good men ought to help them2 but what is better than all1 they ought to help themselves4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,riches ,,and ,,charity4 ,who--who--who's here ,i1 ,robert of ,doncaster4 ,that ,i spent1 that ,i had2 ,that ,i gave1 that ,i have2 ,that ,i left1 that ,i lost4 ,epitaph1 ,a4,d4 #aegi4 ,if thou art rich1 thou art poor2 ,for1 like an ass1 whose back with ingots bows ,thou bear'st thy heavy riches but a journey ,and death unloads thee4--,shakespeare4 ,,ii est bon d'tre charitable1 ,mais envers qui8 ,c'est l le point4--,la ,fontaine4 ,there are many idlers to whom a penny begged is sweeter than a shilling earned4--,douglas ,jerrold4 ,he stole a pig1 and in ,god's name gave the trotters to the poor4--,from the ,spanish4 ,man must be thrifty in order to be generous4 ,thrift does not end with itself1 but extends its benefits to others4 ,it founds hospitals1 endows charities1 establishes colleges1 and extends educational influences4 ,benevolence springs from the best qualities of the mind and heart4 ,its divine spirit elevates the benefactors of the world--the ,howards1 ,clarksons1 and ,naviers--to the highest pedestals of moral genius and of national worship4 ,the same feeling pervades our common humanity4 ,the poorest man1 the daily worker1 the obscurest individual1 shares the gift and the blessing of doing good--a blessing that imparts no less delight to him who gives than to him who receives4 ,man is dear to man2 the poorest poor ,long for some moments1 in a weary life1 ,when they can know and feel that they have been ,themselves the fathers and the dealers-out ,of some small blessings2 have been kind to such ,as needed kindness1 for this single cause1 ,that we have all of us one human heart4 ,the duty of helping the helpless is one that speaks trumpet-tongued2 but especially to those who profess love to ,god and goodwill to men4 ,it is a duty that belongs to men as individuals1 and as members of the social body4 ,as individuals1 because we are enjoined to help the widow and the fatherless in their affliction2 and as members of the social body1 because society claims of every man that he shall be a helper in the cause of progress and of social well-being4 ,it is not necessary that men should be rich1 to be helpful to others4 ,john ,pounds was not a rich man2 yet by his influence ,ragged ,schools were established4 ,he was temperate1 and saved enough from his earnings to buy food for his pupils4 ,he attracted them by his kindness1 sometimes by a hot potato2 he taught them1 and sent them out into the world1 fortified by his good example1 to work in it1 and do their duty towards it4 ,nor was ,robert ,raikes1 the founder of ,sunday and other schools1 a rich man2 neither was ,thomas ,wright1 the prison philanthropist4 ,nor were ,st4 ,vincent de ,paul and ,father ,mathew--the promoters of education and temperance4 ,nor were the great men of science--,newton1 ,watt1 and ,faraday2 nor the great missionaries--,xavier1 ,martyn1 ,carey1 and ,livingstone4 ,a fine instance of gentleness and generosity is recorded in ,walton's memoir of ,dr4 ,donne4 ,when the latter1 long straitened in his means1 had entered upon the ,deanery of ,st4 ,paul's1 and was thereby provided with an income more than sufficient for all his wants1 he felt that those means had been entrusted to him1 for good uses1 and to employ for human help and to the glory of the ,giver thereof4 ,at the foot of a private account1 to which ,god and ,his angels only were witnesses with him1 ,dr4 ,donne computed first his revenue1 then what was given to the poor and other pious uses1 and lastly1 what rested for him and his2 and having done that1 he then blessed each year's poor remainder with a thankful prayer4 ,dr4 ,donne did most of his good in secret1 letting not his right hand know what his left hand did4 ,he redeemed many poor from prison2 helped many a poor scholar2 and employed a trusty servant or a discreet friend to distribute his bounty where it was most needed4 ,a friend whom he had known in days of affluence1 having by a too liberal heart and carelessness become decayed in his estate and reduced to poverty1 ,donne sent him a hundred pounds4 ,but the decayed gentleman returned it with thanks1 saying that he wanted it not2--for1 says ,walton1 in narrating the event1 as there be some spirits so generous as to labour to conceal and endure a sad poverty1 rather than expose themselves to those blushes that attend the confession of it1 so there be others to whom nature and grace have afforded such sweet and compassionate souls as to pity and prevent the distresses of mankind2 which ,i have mentioned because of ,dr4 ,donne's reply1 whose answer was1 ',i know you want not what will sustain nature1 for a little will do that2 but my desire is that you1 who in the days of your plenty have cheered and raised the hearts of so many of your dejected friends1 would now receive this from me1 and use it as a cordial for the cheering of your own2'--and upon these terms it was received4 ,the truth is1 that we very much exaggerate the power of riches4 ,immense subscriptions are got up for the purpose of reforming men from their sinful courses1 and turning them from evil to good4 ,and yet subscriptions will not do it4 ,it is character that can do the work2 money never can4 ,great changes in society can never be effected through riches4 ,to turn men from intemperance1 improvidence1 and irreligion1 and to induce them to seek their happiness in the pursuit of proper and noble objects1 requires earnest purpose1 honest self-devotion1 and hard work4 ,money may help in many respects2 but money by itself can do nothing4 ,the apostle ,paul planted the knowledge of the ,christian religion over half the ,roman empire2 yet he supported himself by tent-making1 and not by collecting subscriptions4 ,men of anxious1 earnest1 honest hearts1 are far more wanted than rich men--willing to give money in charity4 ,nothing is so much over-estimated as the power of money4 ,all the people who are looking out for front seats in society1 think it the one thing needful4 ,they may be purse-liberal1 but they are also purse-proud4 ,the hypocritical professions of some people1 with a view to elicit the good opinion of others1 in the teeth of their daily life and practice1 is nothing short of disgusting4 ,oh1 ,geordie1 jingling ,geordie1 said ,king ,james1 in the novel1 it was grand to hear ,baby ,charles laying down the guilt of dissimulation1 and ,steenie lecturing on the turpitude of incontinence6 ,some people have an idolatrous worship of money4 ,the ,israelites had their golden ,calf2 the ,greeks had their golden ,jupiter4 ,old ,bounderby valued the man who was worth a hundred thousand pounds4 ,others do the same4 ,the lowest human nature loves money1 possessions1 value4 ,what is he worth8 ,what is his income8 are the usual questions4 ,if you say1 ,there is a thoroughly good1 benevolent1 virtuous man6 nobody will notice him4 ,but if you say1 ,there is a man worth a million of money1 he will be stared at till out of sight4 ,a crowd of people used to collect at ,hyde ,park ,corner to see a rich man pass4 ,here comes old ,crockie6 and the crowd would separate to allow him to pass1 amidst whispers of admiration4 ,it was old ,crockford1 who made a large fortune by keeping a gambling-house4 ,the very sound of millions1 says ,mrs4 ,gore1#a tickles the ear of an ,englishman6 ,he loves it so much1 indeed1 that it all but reconciles him to the ,national ,debt2 and when applied to private proprietorship1 it secures deference for lowness of mind1 birth1 habits1 and pursuits4444 ,ambition and money-love1 if they tend to ennoble a country1 reduce to insignificance the human particles of which the nation is composed4 ,in their pursuit of riches1 the ,english are gradually losing sight of higher characteristics2 444 our pursuit of railway bubbles and every other frantic speculation of the hour1 affords sufficient evidence of the craving after capital superseding every better aspiration1 whether for this world or the next4 ,footnote #a3 ,introduction to ,men of ,capital4 ,the love of gold threatens to drive everything before it4 ,the pursuit of money has become the settled custom of the country4 ,many are so absorbed by it1 that every other kind of well-being is either lost sight of1 or altogether undervalued4 ,and then the lovers of money think to recover their moral tone by bestowing charity6 ,mountains of gold weigh heavily upon the heart and soul4 ,the man who can withstand the weight of riches1 and still be diligent1 industrious1 and strong in mind and heart1 must be made of strong stuff4 ,for1 people who are rich1 are almost invariably disposed to be idle1 luxurious1 and self-indulgent4 ,if money1 said the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,griffiths1 ,rector of ,merthyr1 did not make men forget men1 one-half of the evil that is in the world would never occur4 ,if masters drew nearer to the men1 and men were permitted to draw nearer their masters1 we should not be passing through this fiery ordeal4 ,let them do something to win the men out of the public-houses2 let them spare more of their enormous gains to build places of amusement and recreation for the people2 let them provide better houses to live in1 better conveniences for decency1 better streets2 and if all these things are done we shall have neither lock-outs nor strikes4 ,we hear with pomp and triumph of the millions and millions that have been dug out of this old ,welsh land of ours1 but we hear nothing--and we see1 indeed1 less--of the public buildings1 the people's parks1 the public libraries and public institutions1 and other civilizing agencies4 ,fifteen months ago1 when we were in the highest tide of prosperity1 ,i said all this1 and no notice was taken of it4 ,why should any notice be taken of a preaching parson or a ,christian minister of any kind1 when sovereigns fly about like snowflakes in winter1 or may be gathered like blackberries in summer8#a ,footnote #a3 ,sermon preached at ,merthyr during the ,south ,wales strike4 ,men go on toiling and moiling1 eager to be richer2 desperately struggling1 as if against poverty1 at the same time that they are surrounded with abundance4 ,they scrape and scrape1 add shilling to shilling1 and sometimes do shabby things in order to make a little more profit2 though they may have accumulated far more than they can actually enjoy4 ,and still they go on1 worrying themselves incessantly in the endeavour to grasp at an additional increase of superfluity4 ,perhaps such men have not enjoyed the advantages of education in early life4 ,they have no literary pleasures to fall back upon2 they have no taste for books2 sometimes they can scarcely write their own names4 ,they have nothing to think of but money1--and of what will make money4 ,they have no faith1 but in riches6 ,they keep their children under restriction and bring them up with a servile education4 ,at length1 an accumulation of money comes into the children's hands4 ,they have before been restricted in their expenditure2 now they become lavish4 ,they have been educated in no better tastes4 ,they spend extravagantly4 ,they will not be drudges in business as their father was4 ,they will be gentlemen1 and spend their money like gentlemen4 ,and very soon the money takes wings and flies away4 ,many are the instances in which families have been raised to wealth in the first generation1 launched into ruinous expense in the second1 and disappeared in the third1--being again reduced to poverty4 ,hence the ,lancashire proverb1 ,twice clogs1 once boots4 ,the first man wore clogs1 and accumulated a a power o' money2 his rich son spent it2 and the third generation took up the clogs again4 ,a candidate for parliamentary honours1 when speaking from the hustings1 was asked if he had plenty brass4 ,plenty brass8 said he2 ay1 ,i've lots o' brass6--,i stink o' brass6 ,the same social transformations are known in ,scotland4 ,the proverb there is1 ,the grandsire digs1 the father bigs1 the son thigs1#a--that is1 the grandfather worked hard and made a fortune1 the father built a fine house1 and the son1 an unthrifty son of ,linne1 when land and goods were gone and spent1 took to thieving4 ,merchants are sometimes princes to-day and beggars to-morrow2 and so long as the genius for speculation is exercised by a mercantile family1 the talent which gave them landed property may eventually deprive them of it4 ,footnote #a3 ,dublin ,university ,magazine4 ,to be happy in old age--at a time when men should leave for ever the toil1 anxiety1 and worry of money-making--they must1 during youth and middle life1 have kept their minds healthily active4 ,they must familiarize themselves with knowledge1 and take an interest in all that has been done1 and is doing1 to make the world wiser and better from age to age4 ,there is enough leisure in most men's lives to enable them to interest themselves in biography and history4 ,they may also acquire considerable knowledge of science1 or of some ennobling pursuit different from that by which money is made4 ,mere amusement will not do4 ,no man can grow happy upon amusement4 ,the mere man of pleasure is a miserable creature1--especially in old age4 ,the mere drudge in business is little better4 ,whereas the study of literature1 philosophy1 and science is full of tranquil pleasure1 down to the end of life4 ,if the rich old man has no enjoyment apart from money-making1 his old age becomes miserable4 ,he goes on grinding and grinding in the same rut1 perhaps growing richer and richer4 ,what matters it8 ,he cannot eat his gold4 ,he cannot spend it4 ,his money1 instead of being beneficial to him1 becomes a curse4 ,he is the slave of avarice1 the meanest of sins4 ,he is spoken of as a despicable creature4 ,he becomes base1 even in his own estimation4 ,what a miserable end was that of the rich man who1 when dying1 found no comfort save in plunging his hands into a pile of new sovereigns1 which had been brought to him from the bank4 ,as the world faded from him1 he still clutched them2 handled and fondled them one by one1--and then he passed away1--his last effort being to finger his gold6 ,elwes the miser died shrieking1 ,i will keep my money6--nobody shall deprive me of my property6 ,a ghastly and humiliating spectacle6 ,rich men are more punished for their excess of economy1 than poor men are for their want of it4 ,they become miserly1 think themselves daily growing poorer1 and die the deaths of beggars4 ,we have known several instances4 ,one of the richest merchants in ,london1 after living for some time in penury1 went down into the country1 to the parish where he was born1 and applied to the overseers for poor's relief4 ,though possessing millions1 he was horror-struck by the fear of becoming poor4 ,relief was granted him1 and he positively died the death of a pauper4 ,one of the richest merchants in the ,north died in the receipt of poor's relief4 ,of course1 all that the parish authorities had doled out to these poor-rich men was duly repaid by their executors4 ,and what did these rich persons leave behind them8 ,only the reputation that they had died rich men4 ,but riches do not constitute any claim to distinction4 ,it is only the vulgar who admire riches as riches4 ,money is a drug in the market4 ,some of the most wealthy men living are mere nobodies4 ,many of them are comparatively ignorant4 ,they are of no moral or social account4 ,a short time since1 a list was published of two hundred and twenty-four ,english millionaires4 ,some were known as screws2 some were smart men in regard to speculations2 some were large navvies1 coal-miners1 and manufacturers2 some were almost unknown beyond their own local circle2 some were very poor creatures2 very few were men of distinction4 ,all that one could say of them was1 that they died rich men4 ,all the rich and all the covetous men in the world1 said ,jeremy ,taylor1 will perceive1 and all the world will perceive for them1 that it is but an ill recompense for all their cares1 that by this time all that shall be left will be this1 that the neighbours shall say1 ,he died a rich man3 and yet his wealth will not profit him in the grave1 but hugely swell the sad accounts of his doomsday4 ,one of the chief causes1 says ,mrs4 ,gore1 which render the pursuit of wealth a bitterer as well as more pardonable struggle in ,england than on the ,continent1 is the unequal and capricious distribution of family property4444 ,country gentlemen and professional men1--nay1 men without the pretension of being gentlemen1--are scarcely less smitten with the mania of creating 'an eldest son' to the exclusion and degradation of their younger children2 and by the individuals thus defrauded by their nearest and dearest1 is the idolatry of ,mammon pursued without the least regard to self-respect1 or the rights of their fellow-creatures4 ,injured1 they injure in their turn4 ,their days are devoted to a campaign for the recovery of their birthright4 ,interested marriages1 shabby bargains1 and political jobbery1 may be traced to the vile system of things which converts the elder son into a ,dives1 and makes a ,lazarus of his brother4 ,but democrats have quite as great a love for riches as aristocrats2 and many austere republicans are eager to be millionaires4 ,forms of government do not influence the desire for wealth4 ,the elder ,cato was a usurer4 ,one of his means of making money was by buying young half-fed slaves at a low price2 then1 by fattening them up1 and training them to work1 he sold them at an enhanced price4 ,brutus1 when in the ,isle of ,cyprus1 lent his money at forty-eight per cent4 interest1#a and no one thought the worse of him for his ,usury4 ,washington1 the hero of ,american freedom1 bequeathed his slaves to his wife4 ,it did not occur to him to give them their liberty4 ,municipal jobbery is not unknown in ,new ,york2 and its influential citizens are said to be steeped to the lips in political corruption4 ,mr4 ,mills says1 that the people of the ,north-,eastern ,states have apparently got rid of all social injustices and inequalities2 that the proportion of population to capital and land is such as to ensure abundance for every able-bodied man2 that they enjoy the six points of the ,charter1 and need never complain of poverty4 ,yet all that these advantages have done for them is1 that the life of the whole of our sex is devoted to dollar-hunting2 and of the other1 to breeding dollar-hunters4 ,this1 ,mr4 ,mill adds1 is not a kind of social perfection which philanthropists to come will feel any very eager desire to assist in realizing4#b ,footnote #a3 ,cicero's ,letters ,footnote #b3 ,principles of ,political ,economy1 ,book iv41 ch4 vi4 ,saladin the ,great conquered ,syria1 ,arabia1 ,persia1 and ,mesopotamia4 ,he was the greatest warrior and conqueror of his time4 ,his power and wealth were enormous4 ,yet he was fully persuaded of the utter hollowness of riches4 ,he ordered1 by his will1 that considerable sums should be distributed to ,mussulmans1 ,jews1 and ,christians1 in order that the priests of the three religions might implore for him the mercy of ,god4 ,he commanded that the shirt or tunic which he wore at the time of his death should be carried on the end of a spear throughout the whole camp and at the head of his army1 and that the soldier who bore it should pause at intervals and say aloud1 ,behold all that remains of the ,emperor ,saladin6--of all the states he had conquered2 of all the provinces he had subdued2 of the boundless treasures he had amassed2 of the countless wealth he possessed1 he retained1 in dying1 nothing but this shroud6 ,don ,jose de ,salamanca1 the great railway contractor of ,spain1 was1 in the early part of his life1 a student at the ,university of ,granada4 ,he there wore1 as he himself says1 the oldest and most worn of cassocks4 ,he was a diligent student2 and after leaving college he became a member of the ,spanish press4 ,from thence he was translated to the ,cabinet of ,queen ,christina1 of which he became ,finance ,minister4 ,this brought out his commercial capacities1 and induced him to enter on commercial speculations4 ,he constructed railways in ,spain and ,italy1 and took the principal share in establishing several steam-shipping companies4 ,but while pursuing commerce1 he did not forget literature4 ,once a week he kept an open table1 to which the foremost men in literature and the press were invited4 ,they returned his hospitality by inviting him to a dinner on the most economic scale4 ,busts of ,shakespeare1 ,cervantes1 ,dante1 ,schiller1 and other literary men1 adorned the room4 ,in returning thanks for his health1 ,salamanca referred to his university experience1 and to his labours in connection with the press4 ,then1 he went on to say1 the love of gold took possession of my soul1 and it was at ,madrid that ,i found the object of my adoration2 but not1 alas6 without the loss of my juvenile illusions4 ,believe me1 gentlemen1 the man who can satisfy all his wishes has no more enjoyment4 ,keep to the course you have entered on1 ,i advise you4 ,rothschild's celebrity will expire on the day of his death4 ,immortality can be earned1 not bought4 ,here are before us the effigies of men who have gloriously cultivated liberal arts2 their busts ,i have met with in every part of ,europe2 but nowhere have ,i found a statue erected to the honour of a man who has devoted his life to making money4 ,riches and happiness have no necessary connection with each other4 ,in some cases it might be said that happiness is in the inverse proportion to riches4 ,the happiest part of most men's lives is while they are battling with poverty1 and gradually raising themselves above it4 ,it is then that they deny themselves for the sake of others1--that they save from their earnings to secure a future independence1--that they cultivate their minds while labouring for their daily bread1--that they endeavour to render themselves wiser and better--happier in their homes and more useful to society at large4 ,william ,chambers1 the ,edinburgh publisher1 speaking of the labours of his early years1 says1 ,i look back to those times with great pleasure1 and ,i am almost sorry that ,i have not to go through the same experience again2 for ,i reaped more pleasure when ,i had not a sixpence in my pocket1 studying in a garret in ,edinburgh1 than ,i now find when sitting amidst all the elegancies and comforts of a parlour4 ,there are compensations in every condition of life4 ,the difference in the lot of the rich and the poor is not so great as is generally imagined4 ,the rich man has often to pay a heavy price for his privileges4 ,he is anxious about his possessions4 ,he may be the victim of extortion4 ,he is apt to be cheated4 ,he is the mark for every man's shaft4 ,he is surrounded by a host of clients1 till his purse bleeds at every pore4 ,as they say in ,yorkshire when people become rich1 the money soon broddles through4 ,or1 if engaged in speculation1 the rich man's wealth may fly away at any moment4 ,he may try again1 and then wear his heart out in speculating on the chances of the market4 ,insomnia is a rich man's disease4 ,the thought of his winnings and losings keeps him sleepless4 ,he is awake by day1 and awake by night4 ,riches on the brain is full of restlessness and agony4 ,the rich man over-eats or over-drinks2 and he has gout4 ,imagine a man with a vice fitted to his toe4 ,let the vice descend upon the joint1 and be firmly screwed down4 ,screw it again4 ,he is in agony4 ,then suddenly turn the screw tighter--down1 down6 ,that is gout6 ,gout--of which ,sydenham has said1 that unlike any other disease1 it kills more rich men than poor1 more wise than simple4 ,great kings1 emperors1 generals1 admirals1 and philosophers1 have died of gout4 ,hereby nature shows her impartiality1 since those whom she favours in one way1 she afflicts in another ,or1 the rich man may become satiated with food1 and lose his appetite2 while the poor man relishes and digests anything4 ,a beggar asked alms of a rich man because he was hungry4 ,hungry8 said the millionaire2 how ,i envy you6 ,abernethy's prescription to the rich man was1 ,live upon a shilling a day1 and earn it6 ,when the ,duke of ,york consulted him about his health1 ,abernethy's answer was1 ,cut off the supplies1 and the enemy will soon leave the citadel4 ,the labourer who feels little and thinks less1 has the digestion of an ostrich2 while the non-worker is never allowed to forget that he has a stomach1 and is obliged to watch every mouthful that he eats4 ,industry and indigestion are two things seldom found united4 ,many people envy the possessions of the rich1 but will not pass through the risks1 the fatigues1 or the dangers of acquiring them4 ,it is related of the ,duke of ,dantzic that an old comrade1 whom he had not seen for many years1 called upon him at his hotel in ,paris1 and seemed amazed at the luxury of his apartments1 the richness of his furniture1 and the magnificence of his gardens4 ,the ,duke1 supposing that he saw in his old comrade's face a feeling of jealousy1 said to him bluntly1 ,you may have all that you see before you1 on one condition4 ,what is that8 said his friend4 ,it is that you will place yourself twenty paces off1 and let me fire at you with a musket a hundred times4 ,i will certainly not accept your offer at that price4 ,well1 replied the ,marshal1 to gain all that you see before you1 ,i have faced more than a thousand gunshots1 fired at not move than ten paces off4 ,the ,duke of ,marlborough often faced death4 ,he became rich1 and left a million and a half to his descendants to squander4 ,the ,duke was a penurious man4 ,he is said to have scolded his servant for lighting four candles in his tent1 when ,prince ,eugene called upon him to hold a conference before the battle of ,blenheim4 ,swift said of the ,duke1 ,i dare hold a wager that in all his compaigns he was never known to lose his baggage4 ,but this merely showed his consummate generalship4 ,when ill and feeble at ,bath1 he is said to have walked home from the rooms to his lodgings1 to save sixpence4 ,and yet this may be excused1 for he may have walked home for exercise4 ,he is certainly known to have given a thousand pounds to a young and deserving soldier who wished to purchase a commission4 ,when ,bolingbroke was reminded of one of the weaknesses of ,marlborough1 he observed1 ,he was so great a man1 that ,i forgot that he had that defect4 ,it is no disgrace to be poor4 ,the praise of honest poverty has often been sung4 ,when a man will not stoop to do wrong1 when he will not sell himself for money1 when he will not do a dishonest act1 then his poverty is most honourable4 ,but the man is not poor who can pay his way1 and save something besides4 ,he who pays cash for all that he purchases1 is not poor but well off4 ,he is in a happier condition than the idle gentleman who runs into debt1 and is clothed1 shod1 and fed at the expense of his tailor1 shoemaker1 and butcher4 ,montesquieu says1 that a man is not poor because he has nothing1 but he is poor when he will not or cannot work4 ,the man who is able and willing to work1 is better off than the man who possesses a thousand crowns without the necessity for working4 ,nothing sharpens a man's wits like poverty4 ,hence many of the greatest men have originally been poor men4 ,poverty often purifies and braces a man's morals4 ,to spirited people1 difficult tasks are usually the most delightful ones4 ,if we may rely upon the testimony of history1 men are brave1 truthful1 and magnanimous1 not in proportion to their wealth1 but in proportion to their smallness of means4 ,and the best are often the poorest1--always supposing that they have sufficient to meet their temporal wants4 ,a divine has said that ,god has created poverty1 but ,he has not created misery4 ,and there is certainly a great difference between the two4 ,while honest poverty is honourable1 misery is humiliating2 inasmuch as the latter is for the most part the result of misconduct1 and often of idleness and drunkenness4 ,poverty is no disgrace to him who can put up with it2 but he who finds the beggar's staff once get warm in his hand1 never does any good1 but a great amount of evil4 ,the poor are often the happiest of people--far more so than the rich2 but though they may be envied1 no one will be found willing to take their place4 ,moore has told the story of the over-fed1 over-satisfied eastern despot1 who sent a messenger to travel through the world1 in order to find out the happiest man4 ,when discovered1 the messenger was immediately to seize him1 take his shirt off his back1 and bring it to the ,caliph4 ,the messenger found the happiest man in an ,irishman1--happy1 dancing1 and flourishing his shillelagh4 ,but when the ambassador proceeded to seize him1 and undress him1 he found that the ,irishman had got no shirt to his back6 ,the portion of ,agur is unquestionably the best3 ,remove far from me vanity and lies2 give me neither poverty nor riches2 feed me with food convenient for me4 ,the unequal distribution of the disposition to be happy1 is of far greater importance than the unequal distribution of wealth4 ,the disposition to be content and satisfied1 said ,david ,hume1 is at least equal to an income of a thousand a year4 ,montaigne has observed that ,fortune confers but little4 ,human good or ill does not depend upon it4 ,it is but the seed of good1 which the soul1 infinitely stronger than wealth1 changes and applies as it pleases1 and is thus the only cause of a happy or unhappy disposition4 ,england is celebrated for its charities4 ,m4 ,guizot declares that there is nothing in this land that so fills the mind of the stranger with amazement at our resources1 and admiration at our use of them1 as the noble free-gift monuments raised on every side for the relief of multiform suffering4 ,the home philanthropist1 who looks a little deeper than the foreign visitor1 may be disposed to take another view of the effects of money-giving4 ,that charity produces unmixed good1 is very much questioned4 ,charity1 like man1 is sometimes blind1 and frequently misguided4 ,unless money is wisely distributed1 it will frequently do more harm than good4 ,if charity could help or elevate the poor1 ,london would now be the happiest city in the world2 for about three millions of money are spent on charity1 and about one in every three of the ,london population are relieved by charitable institutions4 ,it is very easy to raise money for charity4 ,subscription lists constantly attest the fact4 ,a rich man is asked by some influential person for money4 ,it is very easy to give it4 ,it saves time to give it4 ,it is considered a religious duty to give it4 ,yet to give money unthinkingly1 to give it without considering how it is to be used1--instead of being for the good of our fellow-creatures1--may often prove the greatest injury we could inflict upon them4 ,true benevolence does not consist in giving money4 ,nor can charitable donations1 given indiscriminately to the poor1 have any other effect than to sap the foundations of self-respect1 and break down the very outworks of virtue itself4 ,there are many forms of benevolence which create the very evils they are intended to cure1 and encourage the poorer classes in the habit of dependence upon the charity of others1--to the neglect of those far healthier means of social well-being which lie within their own reach4 ,one would think that three million a year were sufficient to relieve all the actual distress that exists in ,london4 ,yet the distress1 notwithstanding all the money spent upon it1 goes on increasing4 ,may not the money spent in charity1 create the distress it relieves1--besides creating other distress which it fails to relieve8 ,uneducated and idle people will not exert themselves for a living1 when they have the hope of obtaining the living without exertion4 ,who will be frugal and provident1 when charity offers all that frugality and providence can confer8 ,does not the gift of the advantages1 comforts1 and rewards of industry1 without the necessity of labouring for them1 tend to sap the very foundations of energy and self-reliance8 ,is not the circumstance that poverty is the only requisite qualification on the part of the applicant for charity1 calculated to tempt the people to self-indulgence1 to dissipation1 and to those courses of life which keep them poor8 ,men who will not struggle and exert themselves1 are those who are helped first4 ,the worst sort of persons are made comfortable3 whilst the hard-working1 self-supporting man1 who disdains to throw himself upon charity1 is compelled to pay rates for the maintenance of the idle4 ,charity stretches forth its hand to the rottenest parts of society2 it rarely seeks out1 or helps1 the struggling and the honest4 ,as ,carlyle has said1 ,o my astonishing benevolent friends6 that never think of meddling with the material while it continues sound2 that stress and strain it with new rates and assessments1 till even it has given way and declared itself rotten2 whereupon you greedily snatch at it1 and say1 ',now let us try to do some good upon it6' ,the charity which merely consists in giving1 is an idle indulgence--often an idle vice4 ,the mere giving of money will never do the work of philanthropy4 ,as a recent writer has said1 ,the crimes of the virtuous1 the blasphemies of the pious1 and the follies of the wise1 would scarcely fill a larger volume than the cruelties of the humane4 ,in this world a large part of the occupation of the wise has been to neutralize the efforts of the good4 ,public charities1 said the late ,lord ,lytton1 are too often merely a bonus to public indolence and vice4 ,what a dark lesson of the fallacy of human wisdom does this knowledge strike into the heart6 ,what a waste of the materials of kindly sympathies6 ,what a perversion individual mistakes can cause1 even in the virtues of a nation6 ,charity is a feeling dear to the pride of the human heart--it is an aristocratic emotion6 ,mahomet testified his deep knowledge of his kind when he allowed the vice hardest to control1--sexual licentiousness2 and encouraged the virtue easiest to practise1--charity4#a ,footnote #a3 ,,lord ,,lytton--,england and the ,english1 p4 #abd4 ,there are clergymen in ,london who say that charity acts against the extension of religion amongst the people4 ,the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,stone says1 ,he is an unwelcome visitor to the poor who brings the ,bible in one hand1 without a loaf1 a blanket1 or a shilling in the other4 ,and no wonder4 ,by the prevailing system of charitable relief they have been nursed in this carnal spirit2 they have been justified in those selfish expectations4 ,instead of being allowed to learn the great and salutary lesson of providence1 that there is a necessary connection between their conduct and their condition1 they have1 by this artificial system1 been taught that indigence is of itself sufficient to constitute a claim to relief4 ,they have been thus encouraged in improvidence1 immorality1 fraud1 and hypocrisy4 ,the truest philanthropists are those who endeavour to prevent misery1 dependence1 and destitution2 and especially those who diligently help the poor to help themselves4 ,this is the great advantage of the ,parochial ,mission-,women ,association4#a ,they bring themselves into close communication with the people in the several parishes of ,london1 and endeavour to assist them in many ways4 ,but they avoid giving indiscriminate alms4 ,their objects are to help the poor to help themselves1 and to raise them by making them feel that they can help themselves4 ,there is abundant room for philanthropy amongst all classes2 and it is most gratifying to find ladies of high distinction taking part in this noble work4 ,footnote #a3 ,see ,east and ,west1 edited by the ,countess ,spencer4 ,there are numerous other societies established of late years1 which afford gratifying instances of the higher and more rational1 as well as really more ,christian1 forms of charity4 ,the societies for improving the dwellings of the industrial classes1--for building baths and washhouses1--for establishing workmen's1 seamen's1 and servants' homes1--for cultivating habits of providence and frugality amongst the working-classes1--and for extending the advantages of knowledge amongst the people1--are important agencies of this kind4 ,these1 instead of sapping the foundations of self-reliance1 are really and truly helping the people to help themselves1 and are deserving of every approbation and encouragement4 ,they tend to elevate the condition of the mass2 they are embodiments of philanthropy in its highest form2 and are calculated to bear good fruit through all time4 ,rich men1 with the prospect of death before them1 are often very much concerned about their money affairs4 ,if unmarried and without successors1 they find a considerable difficulty in knowing what to do with the pile of gold they have gathered together during their lifetime4 ,they must make a will1 and leave it to somebody4 ,in olden times1 rich people left money to pay for masses for their souls4 ,perhaps many do so still4 ,some founded almshouses2 others hospitals4 ,money was left for the purpose of distributing doles to poor persons1 or to persons of the same name and trade as the deceased4 ,these doles1 said the wife of a clergyman in the neighbourhood of ,london1 are doing an infinite deal of mischief3 they are rapidly pauperising the parish4 ,not long since1 the town of ,bedford was corrupted and demoralized by the doles and benefactions which rich men had left to the poorer classes4 ,give a man money without working for it1 and he will soon claim it as a right4 ,it practically forbids him to exercise forethought1 or to provide against the vicissitudes of trade1 or the accidents of life4 ,it not only breaks down the bulwarks of independence1 but the outposts of virtue itself4 ,large sums of money are left by rich men to found ,charities4 ,they wish to do good1 but in many cases they do much moral injury4 ,their ,charities are anything but charitable4 ,they destroy the self-respect of the working-classes1 and also of the classes above them4 ,we can get this charity for nothing4 ,we can get medical assistance for nothing4 ,we can get our children educated for nothing4 ,why should we work8 ,why should we save8 ,such is the idea which charity1 so-called1 inculcates4 ,the ,charitable ,institution becomes a genteel poor-house2 and the lesson is extensively taught that we can do better by begging than by working4 ,the bequeathment of ,stephen ,girard1 the wealthy ,american merchant1 was of a different character4 ,girard was a native of ,bordeaux4 ,an orphan at an early age1 he was put on board a ship as a cabin boy4 ,he made his first voyage to ,north ,america when about ten or twelve years old4 ,he had little education1 and only a limited acquaintance with reading and writing4 ,he worked hard4 ,he gradually improved in means so that he was able to set up a store4 ,whilst living in ,water ,street1 ,new ,york1 he fell in love with ,polly ,luna1 the daughter of a caulker4 ,the father forbade the marriage4 ,but ,girard persevered1 and at length he won and married ,polly ,lum4 ,it proved a most unfortunate marriage4 ,his wife had no sympathy with him2 and he became cross1 snappish1 morose4 ,he took to sea again2 and at forty he commanded his own sloop1 and was engaged in the coasting trade between ,new ,york1 ,philadelphia1 and ,new ,orleans4 ,then he settled in ,philadelphia1 and became a merchant4 ,he devoted his whole soul to his business2 for he had determined to become rich4 ,he practised the most rigid economy4 ,he performed any work by which money could be made4 ,he shut his heart against the blandishments of life4 ,the desire for wealth seems to have possessed his soul4 ,his life was one of unceasing labour4 ,remember1 that ,girard was unhappy at home4 ,his nature might have been softened1 had he been blessed with a happy wife4 ,he led ten miserable years with her2 and then she became insane4 ,she lay for about twenty years in the ,pennsylvania hospital1 and died there4 ,yet there was something more than hardness and harshness in ,girard4 ,there was a deep under-current of humanity in him4 ,when the yellow fever broke out in ,philadelphia1 in #agic1 his better nature showed itself4 ,the people were smitten to death by thousands4 ,nurses could not be found to attend the patients in the hospital4 ,it was regarded as certain death to nurse the sick4 ,wealth had no power to bribe1 nor beauty to charm1 the oppressor2 ,but all perished alike beneath the scourge of his anger2 ,only1 alas ,i the poor1 who had neither friends nor attendants1 ,crept away to die in the almshouse1 home of the homeless4 ,it was at this time1 when many were stricken with fever1 that ,girard abandoned his business1 and offered his services as superintendent of the public hospital4 ,he had ,peter ,helm for his associate4 ,girard's business faculty immediately displayed itself4 ,his powers of organization were immense1 and the results of his work were soon observed4 ,order began to reign where everything had before been in confusion4 ,dirt was conquered by cleanliness4 ,where there had been wastefulness1 there was now thriftiness4 ,where there had been neglect1 there was unremitting attention4 ,girard saw that every case was properly attended to4 ,he himself attended to the patients afflicted by the loathsome disease1 ministered to the dying1 and performed the last kind offices for the dead4 ,at last the plague was stayed2 and ,girard and ,helm returned to their ordinary occupations4 ,the visitors of the poor in ,philadelphia placed the following minute on their books3 ,stephen ,girard and ,peter ,helm1 members of the committee1 commiserating the calamitous state to which the sick may probably be reduced for want of suitable persons to superintend the hospital1 voluntarily offered their services for that benevolent employment1 and excited a surprise and satisfaction that can be better conceived than expressed4 ,the results of ,stephen ,girard's industry and economy may be seen in ,philadelphia--in the beautiful dwelling houses1 row after row1--but more than all1 in the magnificent marble edifice of ,girard ,college4 ,he left the greater part of his fortune for public purposes1--principally to erect and maintain a public library and a large orphanage4 ,it might have been in regard to his own desolate condition1 when cast an orphan amongst strangers and foreigners1 that he devised his splendid charity for poor1 forlorn1 and fatherless children4 ,one of the rooms in the college is singularly furnished4 ,girard had directed that a suitable room was to be set apart for the preservation of his books and papers2 but from excess of pious care1 or dread of the next-of kin1 all the plain homely man's effects were shovelled into this room4 ,here are his boxes and his bookcase1 his gig and his gaiters1 his pictures and his pottery2 and in a bookcase1 hanging with careless grace1 are his braces--old homely knitted braces1 telling their tale of simplicity and carefulness4#a ,footnote #a3 ,gentleman's ,magazine1 ,april4 #ahge4 ,george ,dawson on ,niagara and ,elsewhere4 ,one of the finest hospitals in ,london is that founded by ,thomas ,guy1 the bookseller4 ,he is said to have been a miser4 ,at all events he must have been a thrifty and saving man4 ,no foundation such as that of ,guy's can be accomplished without thrift4 ,men who accomplish such things must deny themselves for the benefit of others4 ,thomas ,guy appears early to have projected schemes of benevolence4 ,he first built and endowed almshouses at ,tamworth for fourteen poor men and women1 with pensions for each occupant2 and with a thoughtfulness becoming his vocation1 he furnished them with a library4 ,he had himself been educated at ,tamworth1 where he had doubtless seen hungry and homeless persons suffering from cleanness of teeth and the winter's rage2 and the almshouses were his contribution for their relief4 ,he was a bookseller in ,london at that time4 ,guy prospered1 not so much by bookselling1 as by buying and selling ,south ,sea ,stock4 ,when the bubble burst1 he did not hold a share3 but he had realized a profit of several hundred thousand pounds4 ,this sum he principally employed in building and endowing the hospital which bears his name4 ,the building was roofed in before his death1 in #agbd4 ,scotch benefactors for the most part leave their savings for the purpose of founding hospitals for educational purposes4 ,there was first the ,heriot's ,hospital1 founded in ,edinburgh by ,george ,heriot1 the goldsmith of ,james ,i41 for maintaining and educating a hundred and eighty boys4 ,but the property of the hospital having increased in value--the ,new ,town of ,edinburgh being for the most part built on ,george ,heriot's land--the operations of the charity have been greatly extended2 as many as four thousand boys and girls being now educated free of expense1 in different parts of the city4 ,there are also the ,george ,watson's ,hospital1 the ,john ,watson's ,hospital1 the ,orphan ,hospital1 two ,maiden ,hospitals1 the ,cauven's ,hospital1 the ,donaldson's ,hospital1 the ,stewart's ,hospital1 and the splendid ,fettes ,college 7recently opened71--all founded by ,scottish benefactors for the ordinary education of boys and girls1 and also for their higher education4 ,edinburgh may well be called the ,city of ,educational ,endowments4 ,there is also the ,madras ,college1 at ,st4 ,andrews1 founded by the late ,andrew ,bell1 ,d4,d42 the ,dollar ,institution1 founded by ,john ,macrat2 and the ,dick ,bequest1 for elevating the character and position of the parochial schools and schoolmasters1 in the counties of ,aberdeen1 ,banff1 and ,moray4 ,the effects of this last bequest have been most salutary4 ,it has raised the character of the education given in the public schools1 and the results have been frequently observed at ,cambridge1 where men from the northern counties have taken high honours in all departments of learning4 ,english benefactors have recently been following in the same direction4 ,the ,owen's ,college at ,manchester2 the ,brown ,library and ,museum at ,liverpool2 the ,whitworth ,benefaction1 by which thirty scholarships of the annual value of #ajj each have been founded for the promotion of technical instruction2 and the ,scientific ,college at ,birmingham1 founded by ,sir ,josiah ,mason1 for the purpose of educating the rising generation in sound1 extensive1 and practical scientific knowledge1--form a series of excellent institutions which will1 we hope1 be followed by many similar benefactions4 ,a man need not moulder with the green grass over his grave1 before his means are applied to noble purposes4 ,he can make his benefactions while living1 and assist at the outset in carrying out his liberal intentions4 ,among the great benefactors of ,london1 the name of ,mr4 ,peabody1 the ,american banker1 cannot be forgotten4 ,it would take a volume to discuss his merits1 though we must dismiss him in a paragraph4 ,he was one of the first to see1 or at all events to make amends for1 the houseless condition of the working classes of ,london4 ,in the formation of railways under and above ground1 in opening out and widening new streets1 in erecting new public buildings1--the dwellings of the poor were destroyed1 and their occupants swarmed away1 no one knew whither4 ,perhaps they crowded closer together1 and bred disease in many forms4 ,societies and companies were formed to remedy the evil to a certain extent4 ,sir ,sydney ,waterlow was one of the first to lead the way1 and he was followed by others4 ,but it was not until ,mr4 ,peabody had left his splendid benefaction to the poor of ,london1 that any steps could be taken to deal with the evil on a large and comprehensive scale4 ,his trustees have already erected ranges of workmen's dwellings in many parts of the metropolis1--which will from time to time be extended to other parts4 ,the ,peabody dwellings furnish an example of what working men's dwellings ought to be4 ,they are clean1 tidy1 and comfortable homes4 ,they have diminished drunkenness2 they have promoted morality4 ,mr4 ,peabody intended that his bounty should directly ameliorate the condition and augment the comforts of the poor1 and he hoped that the results would be appreciated1 not only by the present1 but by future generations of the people of ,london4 ,from all that the trustees have done1 it is clear that they are faithfully and nobly carrying out his intentions4 ,all these benefactors of the poor were originally men of moderate means4 ,some of them were at one time poor men4 ,sir ,joseph ,whitworth was a journeyman engineer with ,mr4 ,clement1 in ,southwark1 the inventor of the planing machine4 ,sir ,josiah ,mason was by turns a costermonger1 journeyman baker1 shoemaker1 carpet weaver1 jeweller1 split-steel ring maker 7here he made his first thousand pounds71 steel-pen maker1 copper-smelter1 and electro-plater1 in which last trade he made his fortune4 ,mr1 ,peabody worked his way up by small degrees1 from a clerk in ,america to a banker in ,london4 ,their benefactions have been the result of self-denial1 industry1 sobriety1 and thrift4 ,benevolence throws out blossoms which do not always ripen into fruit4 ,it is easy enough to project a benevolent undertaking1 but more difficult to carry it out4 ,the author was once induced to take an interest in a proposed ,navvy's ,home2 but cold water was thrown upon the project1 and it failed4 ,the navvy workmen1 who have made the railways and docks of ,england1 are a hard-working but a rather thriftless set4 ,they are good-hearted fellows1 but sometimes drunken4 ,in carrying out their operations1 they often run great dangers4 ,they are sometimes so seriously injured by wounds and fractures as to be disabled for life4 ,for instance1 in carrying out the works of the ,manchester1 ,sheffield1 and ,lincolnshire ,railway1 there were twenty-two cases of compound fractures seventy-four simple fractures1 besides burns from blasts1 severe contusions1 lacerations1 and dislocations4 ,one man lost both his eyes by a blast1 another had his arm broken by a blast4 ,many lost their fingers1 feet1 legs1 and arms2 which disabled them for further work4 ,knowing the perils to which railway labourers were exposed1 it occurred to a late eminent contractor to adopt some method for helping and comforting them in their declining years4 ,the subject was brought under the author's notice by his friend the late ,mr4 ,eborall1 in the following words3 ,i have just been visiting a large contractor--a man of great wealth2 and he requests your assistance in establishing a ',navvy's ,home4' ,you know that many of the contractors and engineers1 who have been engaged in the construction of railways1 are men who have accumulated immense fortunes3 the savings of some of them amount to millions4 ,well1 my friend the contractor not long since found a miserable1 worn-out old man in a ditch by the roadside4 ',what1' said he1 'is that you8' naming the man in the ditch by his name4 ',ay1' replied the man1 ''deed it is6' ',what are you doing there8' ',i have come here to die4 ,i can work no more4' ',why don't you go to the workhouse8 they will attend to your wants there4' ',no6 no workhouse for me6 ,if ,i am to die1 ,i will die in the open air4' ,the contractor recognized in the man one of his former navvies4 ,he had worked for him and for other contractors many years2 and while they had been making their fortunes1 the navvy who had worked for them had fallen so low as to be found dying in a ditch4 ,the contractor was much affected4 ,he thought of the numerous other navvies who must be wanting similar help4 ,shortly after1 he took ill1 and during his illness1 thinking of what he might do for the navvies1 the idea occurred to him of founding a ',navvy's ,home2' and he has desired me to ask you to assist him in bringing out the institution4 ,it seemed to the author an admirable project1 and he consented to do all that he could for it4 ,but when the persons who were the most likely to contribute to such an institution were applied to1 they threw such floods of cold water upon it1#a that it became evident1 in the face of their opposition1 that ,the ,navvy's ,home could not be established4 ,of course1 excuses were abundant4 ,navvies were the most extravagant workmen4 ,they threw away everything that they earned4 ,they spent their money on beer1 whisky1 tally-women1 and champagne4 ,if they died in ditches1 it was their own fault4 ,they might have established themselves in comfort1 if they wished to do so4 ,why should other people provide for them in old age1 more than for any other class of labourers8 ,there was the workhouse3 let them go there4 ,and so on4 ,it is easy to find a stick to beat a sick dog4 ,as for the original projector1 he recovered his health1 he forgot to subscribe for ,the ,navvy's ,home1 and the scheme fell to the ground4 ,the devil was sick1 the devil a saint would be3 ,the devil grew well1 the devil a saint was he4' ,footnote #a3 ,with one admirable exception4 ,a noble-hearted man1 still living volunteered a very large subscription towards the establishment of the ,navvy's ,home4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,healthy ,,homes4 ,the best security for civilization is the dwelling4 --,b4 ,disraeli4 ,cleanliness is the elegance of the poor4--,english ,proverb4 ,sanitas sanitatum1 et omnia sanitas4--,julius ,menochius4 ,virtue never dwelt long with filth and nastiness4--,count ,rumford4 ,more servants wait on ,man ,than he'll take notice of3 in every path ,he treads down that which doth befriend him ,when sickness makes him pale and wan4--,george ,herbert4 ,health is said to be wealth4 ,indeed1 all wealth is valueless without health4 ,every man who lives by labour1 whether of mind or body1 regards health as one of the most valuable of possessions4 ,without it1 life would be unenjoyable4 ,the human system has been so framed as to render enjoyment one of the principal ends of physical life4 ,the whole arrangement1 structure1 and functions of the human system are beautifully adapted for that purpose4 ,the exercise of every sense is pleasurable1--the exercise of sight1 hearing1 taste1 touch1 and muscular effort4 ,what can be more pleasurable1 for instance1 than the feeling of entire health1--health1 which is the sum-total of the functions of life1 duly performed8 ,enjoyment1 says ,dr4 ,southwood ,smith1 is not only the end of life1 but it is the only condition of life which is compatible with a protracted term of existence4 ,the happier a human being is1 the longer he lives2 the more he suffers1 the sooner he dies4 ,to add to enjoyment1 is to lengthen life2 to inflict pain1 is to shorten its duration4 ,happiness is the rule of healthy existence2 pain and misery are its exceptional conditions4 ,nor is pain altogether an evil2 it is rather a salutary warning4 ,it tells us that we have transgressed some rule1 violated some law1 disobeyed some physical obligation4 ,it is a monitor which warns us to amend our state of living4 ,it virtually says1--,return to nature1 observe her laws1 and be restored to happiness4 ,thus1 paradoxical though it may seem1 pain is one of the conditions of the physical well-being of man2 as death1 according to ,dr4 ,thomas ,brown1 is one of the conditions of the enjoyment of life4 ,to enjoy physical happiness1 therefore1 the natural laws must be complied with4 ,to discover and observe these laws1 man has been endowed with the gift of reason4 ,does he fail to exercise this gift1--does he neglect to comply with the law of his being1--then pain and disease are the necessary consequence4 ,man violates the laws of nature in his own person1 and he suffers accordingly4 ,he is idle and overfeeds himself3 he is punished by gout1 indigestion1 or apoplexy4 ,he drinks too much3 he becomes bloated1 trembling1 and weak2 his appetite falls off1 his strength declines1 his constitution decays2 and he falls a victim to the numerous diseases which haunt the steps of the drunkard4 ,society suffers in the same way4 ,it leaves districts undrained1 and streets uncleaned4 ,masses of the population are allowed to live crowded together in unwholesome dens1 half poisoned by the mephitic air of the neighbourhood4 ,then a fever breaks out1--or a cholera1 or a plague4 ,disease spreads from the miserable abodes of the poor into the comfortable homes of the rich1 carrying death and devastation before it4 ,the misery and suffering incurred in such cases1 are nothing less than wilful1 inasmuch as the knowledge necessary to avert them is within the reach of all4 ,wherever any number of persons live together1 the atmosphere becomes poisoned1 unless means be provided for its constant change and renovation4 ,if there be not sufficient ventilation1 the air becomes charged with carbonic acid1 principally the product of respiration4 ,whatever the body discharges1 becomes poison to the body if introduced again through the lungs4 ,hence the immense importance of pure air4 ,a deficiency of food may be considerably less injurious than a deficiency of pure air4 ,every person above fourteen years of age requires about six hundred cubic feet of shut-up space to breathe in during the twenty-four hours4#a ,if he sleeps in a room of smaller dimensions1 he will suffer more or less1 and gradually approach the condition of being smothered4 ,footnote #a3 ,where six hundred cubic feet of space is allowed1 the air requires to be changed1 by ventilation1 five times in the hour1 in order to keep it pure4 ,the best amount of space to be allowed for a healthy adult is about eight hundred cubic feet4 ,the air which is breathed becomes so rapidly impure1 that a constant supply of fresh air must be kept up to make the air of the shut-up space fit for breathing4 ,the following are some amounts of space per head which are met with in practice3-- ,artizan rooms #bjj cubic feet4 ,metropolitan ,lodging ,houses #bdj ,poor ,law ,board ,dormitories #cjj ,barrack ,regulation #fj ,the best ,hospitals #a1ejj to #b1jjj cubic feet4 ,shut up a mouse in a glass receiver1 and it will gradually die by rebreathing its own breath4 ,shut up a man in a confined space1 and he will die in the same way4 ,the ,english soldiers expired in the ,black ,hole of ,calcutta because they wanted pure air4 ,thus about half the children born in some manufacturing towns die1 before they are five years old1 principally because they want pure air4 ,humboldt tells of a sailor who was dying of fever in the close hold of a ship4 ,his comrades brought him out of his hold to die in the open air4 ,instead of dying1 he revived1 and eventually got well4 ,he was cured by the pure air4 ,the most common result of breathing impure air1 amongst adults1 is fever4 ,the heaviest municipal tax1 said ,dr4 ,southwood ,smith1 is the fever tax4 ,it is estimated that in ,liverpool some seven thousand persons are yearly attacked by fever1 of whom about five hundred die4 ,fever usually attacks persons of between twenty and thirty1 or those who generally have small families depending on them for support4 ,hence deaths from fever1 by causing widowhood and orphanage1 impose a very heavy tax upon the inhabitants of all the large manufacturing towns4 ,dr4 ,playfair1 after carefully considering the question1 is of opinion that the total pecuniary loss inflicted on the county of ,lancashire from preventible disease1 sickness1 and death1 amounts to not less than five millions sterling annually4 ,but this is only the physical and pecuniary loss4 ,the moral loss is infinitely greater4 ,where are now the happy humble swains and the gentle shepherds of the old ,english poets8 ,at the present time1 they are nowhere to be found4 ,the modern ,strephon and ,phyllis are a very humble pair1 living in a clay-floored cottage1 and maintaining a family on from twelve to fifteen shillings a week4 ,and so far from ,strephon spending his time in sitting by a purling stream playing roundelays upon a pipe1--poor fellow6 he can scarcely afford to smoke one1 his hours of labour are so long1 and his wages are so small4 ,as for ,daphnis1 he is a lout1 and can neither read nor write2 nor is his ,chloe any better4 ,phineas ,fletcher thus sang of ,the ,shepherd's ,home3-- ,thrice1 oh1 thrice happie shepherd's life and state6 ,when courts are happinesse1 unhappie pawns6 ,his cottage low1 and safely humble gate4 ,shuts out proud ,fortune1 with her scorns and fawns3 ,no feared treason breaks his quiet sleep3 ,singing all day1 his flocks he learns to keep3 ,himself as innocent as are his simple sheep4 ,his certain life1 that never can deceive him1 ,is full of thousand sweets and rich content3 ,the smooth-leaved beeches in the field receive him ,with coolest shades1 till noontide's rage is spent3 ,his life is neither tost in boist'rous seas ,of troublous world1 nor lost in slothful ease2 ,pleased and full blest he lives1 when he his ,god can please4' ,where1 oh where1 has this gentle shepherd gone8 ,have spinning-jennies swallowed him up8 ,alas6 as was observed of ,mrs4 ,harris1 there's no such a person4 ,did he ever exist8 ,we have a strong suspicion that he never did1 save in the imaginations of poets4 ,before the age of railroads and sanitary reformers1 the pastoral life of the ,arcadians was a beautiful myth1 ,the ,blue ,book men have exploded it for ever4 ,the agricultural labourers have not decent houses1--only miserable huts1 to live in4 ,they have but few provisions for cleanliness or decency4 ,two rooms for sleeping and living in1 are all that the largest family can afford4 ,sometimes they have only one4 ,the day-room1 in addition to the family1 contains the cooking utensils1 the washing apparatus1 agricultural implements1 and dirty clothes4 ,in the sleeping apartment1 the parents and their children1 boys and girls1 are indiscriminately mixed1 and frequently a lodger sleeps in the same and only room1 which has generally no window1--the openings in the half-thatched roof admitting light1 and exposing the family to every vicissitude of the weather4 ,the husband1 having no comfort at home1 seeks it in the beershop4 ,the children grow up without decency or self-restraint4 ,as for the half-hearted wives and daughters1 their lot is very miserable4 ,it is not often that village affairs are made the subject of discussion in newspapers1 for the power of the press has not yet reached remote country places4 ,but we do hear occasionally of whole villages being pulled down and razed1 in order to prevent them becoming nests of beggars' brats4 ,a member of ,parliament did not hesitate to confess before a ,parliamentary ,committee1 that he had pulled down between twenty-six and thirty cottages1 which1 had they been left standing1 would have been inhabited by young married couples4 ,and what becomes of the dispossessed8 ,they crowd together in the cottages which are left standing1 if their owners will allow it2 or they crowd into the workhouses2 or1 more generally1 they crowd into the towns1 where there is at least some hope of employment for themselves and their children4 ,our manufacturing towns are not at all what they ought to be2 not sufficiently pure1 wholesome1 or well-regulated4 ,but the rural labourers regard even the misery of towns as preferable to the worse misery of the rural districts2 and year by year they crowd into the seats of manufacturing industry in search of homes and employment4 ,this speaks volumes as to the actual state of our boasted peasantry1 their country's pride4 ,the intellectual condition of the country labourers seems to be on a par with their physical state4 ,those in the western counties are as little civilized as the poor people in the east of ,london4 ,a report of the ,diocesan ,board of the county of ,hereford states that a great deal of the superstition of past ages lingers in our parishes4 ,the observation of lucky and unlucky days and seasons is by no means unusual2 the phases of the moon are regarded with great respect1--in one1 medicine may be taken1 in another it is advisable to kill a pig2 over the doors of many houses may be found twigs placed crosswise1 and never suffered to lose their cruciform position2 and the horseshoe preserves its old station on many a stable-door4 ,charms are devoutly believed in2 a ring made from a shilling1 offered at the communion1 is an undoubted cure for fits2 hair plucked from the crop on an ass's shoulder1 and woven into a chain1 to be put round a child's neck1 is powerful for the same purpose2 and the hand of a corpse applied to the neck is believed to disperse a wen4 ,the 'evil eye1' so long dreaded in uneducated countries1 has its terrors among us2 and if a person of ill life be suddenly called away1 there are generally some who hear his 'tokens1' or see his ghost4 ,there exists1 besides1 the custom of communicating deaths to hives of bees1 in the belief that they invariably abandon their owners if the intelligence be withheld4 ,sydney ,smith has said1 with more truth than elegance1 that in the infancy of all nations1 even the most civilized1 men lived the life of pigs2 and if sanitary reporters had existed in times past as they do now1 we should doubtless have received an account of the actual existence and domestic accommodation of the old ,english swains and shepherds1 very different from that given by ,phineas ,fletcher4 ,even the mechanics of this day are more comfortably lodged than the great landed gentry of the ,saxon and ,norman periods3 and if the truth could be got at1 it would be found that1 bad as is the state of our agricultural labourers now1 the condition of their forefathers was no better4 ,the first method of raising a man above the life of an animal is to provide him with a healthy home4 ,the ,home is after all the best school for the world4 ,children grow up into men and women there2 they imbibe their best and their worst morality there2 and their morals and intelligence are in a great measure well or ill trained there4 ,men can only be really and truly humanized and civilized through the institution of the ,home4 ,there is domestic purity and moral life in the good home2 and individual defilement and moral death in the bad one4 ,the schoolmaster has really very little to do with the formation of the characters of children4 ,these are formed in the home1 by the father and mother1--by brothers1 sisters1 and companions4 ,it does not matter how complete may be the education given in schools4 ,it may include the whole range of knowledge3 yet if the scholar is under the necessity of daily returning to a home which is indecent1 vicious1 and miserable1 all this learning will prove of comparatively little value4 ,character and disposition are the result of home training2 and if these are1 through bad physical and moral conditions1 deteriorated and destroyed1 the intellectual culture acquired in the school may prove an instrumentality for evil rather than for good4 ,the home should not be considered merely as an eating and sleeping place2 but as a place where self-respect may be preserved1 and comfort secured1 and domestic pleasures enjoyed4 ,three-fourths of the petty vices which degrade society1 and swell into crimes which disgrace it1 would shrink before the influence of self-respect4 ,to be a place of happiness1 exercising beneficial influences upon its members1--and especially upon the children growing up within it1--the home must be pervaded by the spirit of comfort1 cleanliness1 affection1 and intelligence4 ,and in order to secure this1 the presence of a well-ordered1 industrious1 and educated woman is indispensable4 ,so much depends upon the woman1 that we might almost pronounce the happiness or unhappiness of the home to be woman's work4 ,no nation can advance except through the improvement of the nation's homes2 and these can only be improved through the instrumentality of women4 ,they must know how to make homes comfortable2 and before they can know1 they must have been taught4 ,women must1 therefore1 have sufficient training to fit them for their duties in real life4 ,their education should be conducted throughout1 with a view to their future position as wives1 mothers1 and housewives4 ,but amongst all classes1 even the highest1 the education of girls is rarely conducted with this object4 ,amongst the working people1 the girls are sent out to work2 amongst the higher classes1 they are sent out to learn a few flashy accomplishments2 and men are left to pick from them1 very often with little judgment1 the future wives and mothers of ,england4 ,men themselves attach little or no importance to the intelligence or industrial skill of women2 and they only discover their value when they find their homes stupid and cheerless4 ,men are caught by the glance of a bright eye1 by a pair of cherry cheeks1 by a handsome figure2 and when they fall in love1 as the phrase goes1 they never bethink them of whether the loved one can mend a shirt or cook a pudding4 ,and yet the most sentimental of husbands must come down from his ecstatics so soon as the knot is tied2 and then he soon enough finds out that the clever hands of a woman are worth far more than her bright glances2 and if the shirt and pudding qualifications be absent1 then woe to the unhappy man1 and woe also to the unhappy woman6 ,if the substantial element of physical comfort be absent from the home1 it soon becomes hateful2 the wife1 notwithstanding all her good looks1 is neglected2 and the public-house separates those whom the law and the ,church have joined together4 ,men are really desperately ignorant respecting the home department4 ,if they thought for a moment of its importance1 they would not be so ready to rush into premature housekeeping4 ,ignorant men select equally ignorant women for their wives2 and these introduce into the world families of children1 whom they are utterly incompetent to train as rational or domestic beings4 ,the home is no home1 but a mere lodging1 and often a very comfortless one4 ,we speak not merely of the poorest labourers1 but of the best-paid workmen in the large manufacturing towns4 ,men earning from two to three pounds a week1--or more than the average pay of curates and bankers' clerks1--though spending considerable amounts on beer1 will often grudge so small a part of their income as half-a-crown a week to provide decent homes for themselves and their children4 ,what is the consequence8 ,they degrade themselves and their families4 ,they crowd together1 in foul neighbourhoods1 into dwellings possessing no element of health or decency2 where even the small rental which they pay is in excess of the accommodation they receive4 ,the results are inevitable1--loss of self-respect1 degradation of intelligence1 failure of physical health1 and premature death4 ,even the highest-minded philosopher1 placed in such a situation1 would gradually gravitate towards brutality4 ,but the amount thus saved1 or rather not expended on house-rent1 is not economy2 it is reckless waste4 ,the sickness caused by the bad dwelling involves frequent interruptions of work1 and drains upon the ,savings ,bank or the ,benefit ,society2 and a final and rapid descent to the poor-rates4 ,though the loss to the middle and upper classes is great1 the loss is not for a moment to be compared with that which falls upon the working classes themselves1 through their neglect in providing wholesome and comfortable dwellings for their families4 ,it is1 perhaps1 not saying too much to aver1 that one-half the money expended by benefit societies in large towns1 may be set down as pecuniary loss arising from bad and unhealthy homes4 ,but there is a worse consequence still4 ,the low tone of physical health thereby produced is one of the chief causes of drunkenness4 ,mr4 ,chadwick once remonstrated with an apparently sensible workman on the expenditure of half his income on whisky4 ,his reply was1 ,do you1 sir1 come and live here1 and you will drink whisky too4 ,mr4 ,leigh says1 ,i would not be understood that habits of intoxication are wholly due to a defective sanitary condition2 but no person can have the experience ,i have had without coming to the conclusion that unhealthy and unhappy homes1--loss of vital and consequently of industrial energy1 and a consciousness of inability to control external circumstances1--induce thousands to escape from miserable depression in the temporary excitement of noxious drugs and intoxicating liquors4 ,they are like the seamen who struggle for awhile against the evils by which they are surrounded1 but at last1 seeing no hope1 stupefy themselves with drink1 and perish4 ,it may be said1 in excuse1 that working people must necessarily occupy such houses as are to be had1 and pay the rental asked for them1 bad and unwholesome though they be4 ,but there is such a thing as supply and demand2 and the dwellings now supplied are really those which are most in demand1 because of their lowness of rental4 ,were the working classes to shun unwholesome districts1 and low-priced dwellings1 and rent only such tenements as were calculated to fulfil the requirements of a wholesome and cleanly home1 the owners of property would be compelled to improve the character of their houses1 and raise them to the required standard of comfort and accommodation4 ,the real remedy must lie with the working classes themselves4 ,let them determine to raise their standard of rental1 and the reform is in a great measure accomplished4 ,we have already shown how masters have done a great deal for the better accommodation of their work-people--how the benefactors of the poor1 such as ,mr4 ,peabody and ,lady ,burdett ,coutts1 have promoted the building of healthy homes4 ,yet the result must depend upon the individual action of the working classes themselves4 ,when they have the choice of living in a dwelling situated in a healthy locality1 and of another situated in an unhealthy locality1 they ought to choose the former4 ,but very often they do not4 ,there is perhaps a difference of sixpence a week in the rental1 and1 not knowing the advantages of health1 they take the unhealthy dwelling because it is the cheapest4 ,but the money that sickly people have to pay for physic1 doctors' bills1 and loss of wages1 far more than exceeds the amount saved by cheaper rental1--not to speak of the loss of comfort1 the want of cleanliness1 and the depression of spirits1 which is inevitable where foul air is breathed4 ,to build a wholesome dwelling costs little more than to build an unwholesome one4 ,what is wanted on the part of the builder is1 a knowledge of sanitary conditions1 and a willingness to provide the proper accommodation4 ,the space of ground covered by the dwelling is the same in both cases2 the quantity of bricks and mortar need be no greater2 and pure air is of the same price as foul air4 ,light costs nothing4 ,a healthy home1 presided over by a thrifty1 cleanly woman1 may be the abode of comfort1 of virtue1 and of happiness4 ,it may be the scene of every ennobling relation in family life4 ,it may be endeared to a man by many delightful memories1 by the affectionate voices of his wife1 his children1 and his neighbours4 ,such a ,home will be regarded1 not as a mere nest of common instinct1 but as a training-ground for young immortals1 a sanctuary for the heart1 a refuge from storms1 a sweet resting-place after labour1 a consolation in sorrow1 a pride in success1 and a joy at all times4 ,much has been done to spread the doctrines of ,sanitary ,science4 ,there is no mystery attached to it1 otherwise we should have had professors teaching it in colleges 7as we have now71 and graduates practising it amongst the people4 ,it is only of recent years that it has received general recognition2 and we owe it1 not to the medical faculty1 but to a barrister1 that it has become embodied in many important ,acts of ,parliament4 ,edwin ,chadwick has not yet received ordinary justice from his contemporaries4 ,though he has been one of the most indefatigable and successful workers of the age1 and has greatly influenced the legislation of his time1 he is probably less known than many a fourth-rate parliamentary talker4 ,mr4 ,chadwick belongs to a ,lancashire family1 and was born near ,manchester4 ,he received his education chiefly in ,london4 ,having chosen the law for his profession1 he was enrolled a student of the ,inner ,temple in his twenty-sixth year4 ,there he ate his way to the ,bar2 maintaining himself by reporting and writing for the daily press4 ,he was not a man of an extraordinary amount of learning4 ,but he was a sagacious and persevering man4 ,he was ready to confront any amount of labour in prosecuting an object1 no matter how remote its attainment might at first sight appear to be4 ,at an early period in his career1 ,edwin ,chadwick became possessed by an idea4 ,it is a great thing to be thoroughly possessed by an idea1 provided its aim and end be beneficent4 ,it gives a colour and bias to the whole of a man's life4 ,the idea was not a new one2 but being taken up by an earnest1 energetic1 and hard-working man1 there was some hope for the practical working out of his idea in the actual life of humanity4 ,it was neither more nor less than the ,sanitary ,idea1--the germ of the sanitary movement4 ,we must now briefly state how he worked his way to its practical realization4 ,it appears that ,mr4 ,morgan1 the ,government actuary1 had stated before a parliamentary committee1 that though the circumstances of the middle classes had improved1 their expectation of life had not lengthened4 ,this being diametrically opposed to our student's idea1 he endeavoured to demonstrate the fallacy of the actuary's opinion4 ,he read up and sifted numerous statistical documents1--,blue ,books1 life-tables1 and population-tables4 ,he bored his way through the cumbrous pile1 and brought an accumulation of facts from the most unlooked-for quarters1 for the purpose of illustrating his idea1 and elucidating his master-thought4 ,the result was published in the ,westminster ,review for ,april1 #ahbh4 ,mr4 ,chadwick demonstrated1 by an immense array of facts and arguments1 that the circumstances which surround human beings must have an influence upon their health2 that health must improve with an improvement of these circumstances2 that many of the diseases and conditions unfavourable to human life were under man's control1 and capable of being removed2 that the practice of vaccination1 the diminution of hard drinking amongst the middle and upper classes1 the increase of habits of cleanliness1 the improvements in medical science1 and the better construction of streets and houses1 must1 according to all medical and popular experience1 have contributed1 priori1 to lengthen life2 and these he proved by a citation of facts from numerous authentic sources4 ,in short1 ,mr4 ,morgan was wrong4 ,the expectancy of life1 as is now universally admitted1 has improved and is rapidly improving amongst the better classes2 but it was never thoroughly demonstrated until ,edwin ,chadwick undertook the discussion of the question4 ,another article1 which ,mr4 ,chadwick published in the ,london ,review1 in #ahbi1 on ,preventive ,police1 was read by ,jeremy ,bentham1 then in his eighty-second year1 who so much admired it1 that he craved an introduction to the writer4 ,the consequence was the formation of a friendship that lasted without interruption until the death of the philosopher in #ahcb4 ,mr4 ,bentham wished to engage the whole of his young friend's time in assisting him with the preparation of his ,administrative ,code1 and he offered to place him in independent circumstances if he would devote himself exclusively to the advancement of his views4 ,the offer was1 however1 declined4 ,mr4 ,chadwick completed his law studies1 and was called to the bar in ,november1 #ahcj4 ,he was preparing to enter upon the practice of common law1 occasionally contributing articles to the ,westminster1 when he was1 in #ahcb1 appointed a commissioner1 in conjunction with ,dr4 ,southwood ,smith and ,mr4 ,tooke1 to investigate the question of ,factory ,labour1 which ,lord ,ashley and ,mr4 ,sadler were at that time strongly pressing upon public attention4 ,the sanitary idea again found opportunity for expression in the report of the commission1 which referred to defective drainage1 ventilation1 water supply1 and the like1 as causes of disease1--acting1 concurrently with excessive toil1 to depress the health and shorten the lives of the factory population4 ,in the same year 7#ahcb7 an important ,commission of ,inquiry was appointed by ,lord ,grey's ,government1 in reference to the operation of the ,poor ,laws in ,england and ,wales4 ,mr4 ,chadwick was appointed one of the assistant commissioners1 for the purpose of taking evidence on the subject2 and the districts of ,london and ,berkshire were allotted to him4 ,his report1 published in the following year1 was a model of what a report should be4 ,it was full of information1 admirably classified and arranged1 and was so racy1--by virtue of the facts brought to light1 and the care taken to preserve the very words of the witnesses as they were spoken1--that the report may be read with interest by the most inveterate enemy of blue-books4 ,mr4 ,chadwick showed himself so thoroughly a master of the subject1--his suggestions were so full of practical value1--that he was1 shortly after the publication of the report1 advanced from the post of assistant commissioner to that of chief commissioner3 and he largely shared1 with ,mr4 ,senior1 in the labours and honours of the commissioners' report submitted to the ,house of ,commons in #ahcd1 and also in the famous ,poor-,law ,amendment ,act passed in the same year1 in which the recommendations of the commissioners were substantially adopted and formalized4 ,one may venture to say now1 without fear of contradiction1 that that law was one of the most valuable that has been placed on the statute-book in modern times4 ,and yet no law proved more unpopular than this was1 for years after it had been enacted4 ,but ,mr4 ,chadwick never ceased to have perfect faith in the soundness of the principles on which it was based1 and he was indefatigable in defending and establishing it4 ,it has been well said1 that to become popular is an easy thing2 but to do unpopular justice1--that requires a ,man4 ,and ,edwin ,chadwick is the man who has never failed in courage to do the right thing1 even though it should prove to be the unpopular thing4 ,whilst burrowing amidst the voluminous evidence on the ,poor ,laws1 ,mr4 ,chadwick never lost sight of his sanitary idea4 ,all his reports were strongly imbued with it4 ,one-fourth of the then existing pauperism was traced by him to the preventible causes of disease4 ,his minute investigations into the condition of the labouring population and of the poorer classes generally1 gave him a thorough acquaintance with the physical evils that were preying upon the community1 carrying them off by fevers1 consumption1 and cholera2 and the sanitary idea took still firmer possession of his mind4 ,one day1 in #ahch1 while engaged in his official vocation of ,secretary to the ,poor-,law ,commission1 an officer of the ,whitechapel ,union hastily entered the ,board-room of the ,poor-,law ,commission1 and1 with a troubled countenance1 informed the secretary that a terrible fever had broken out round a stagnant pool in ,whitechapel2 that the people were dying by scores2 and that the extreme malignity of the cases gave reason to apprehend that the disease was allied to ,asiatic cholera4 ,on hearing this1 the ,board1 at ,mr4 ,chadwick's instance1 immediately appointed ,drs4 ,arnott1 ,kay1 and ,southwood ,smith to investigate the causes of this alarming mortality1 and to report generally upon the sanitary condition of ,london4 ,this inquiry at length ripened into the sanitary inquiry4 ,in the meantime1 ,mr4 ,chadwick had been engaged as a member of the ,commission1 to inquire as to the best means of establishing an efficient constabulary force in ,england and ,wales4 ,the evidence was embodied in a report1 as interesting as a novel of ,dickens1 which afforded a curious insight into the modes of living1 the customs and habits1 of the lowest classes of the population4 ,when this question had been dismissed1 ,mr4 ,chadwick proceeded to devote himself almost exclusively to the great work of his life1--the ,sanitary ,movement4 ,the ,bishop of ,london1 in #ahci1 moved in the ,lords1 that the inquiry which had been made at ,mr4 ,chadwick's instance by ,drs4 ,southwood ,smith1 ,arnott1 and ,kay1 into the sanitary state of the metropolis1 should be extended to the whole population1 city1 rural1 and manufacturing1 of ,england and ,wales4 ,some residents in ,edinburgh also petitioned that ,scotland might be included2 and accordingly1 in ,august1 #ahci1 ,lord ,john ,russell addressed a letter to the ,poor-,law ,board1 authorizing them by royal command to extend to the whole of ,great ,britain the inquiry into preventible disease1 which had already been begun with regard to the metropolis4 ,the onerous task of setting on foot and superintending the inquiry throughout1--of sifting the evidence1 and classifying and condensing it for the purposes of publication1--devolved upon ,mr4 ,chadwick4 ,the first ,report on the ,health of ,towns was ready for publication in #ahdb4 ,it ought to have appeared as the ,official ,report of the ,poor-,law ,board2 but as the commissioners 7some of whom were at variance with ,mr4 ,chadwick with respect to the ,new ,poor-,law7 refused to assume the responsibility of a document that contained much that must necessarily offend many influential public bodies1 ,mr4 ,chadwick took the responsibility upon himself1 and it was published as his report1--which indeed it was1--and accepted from him as such by the commissioners4 ,the amount of dry1 hard work encountered by ,mr4 ,chadwick in the preparation of this and his other reports can scarcely be estimated1 except by those who know anything of the labour involved in extracting from masses of evidence1 written and printed1 sent in from all parts of the empire1 only the most striking results bearing upon the question in hand1 and such as are deemed worthy of publication4 ,the mountains of paper which ,mr4 ,chadwick has thus bored through in his lifetime must have been immense2 and could they now be presented before him in one pile1 they would appal even his stout heart6 ,the sensation excited throughout the country by the publication of ,mr4 ,chadwick's ,sanitary ,report was immense4 ,such a revelation of the horrors lying concealed beneath the fair surface of our modern civilization1 had never before been published4 ,but ,mr4 ,chadwick had no idea of merely creating a sensation4 ,he had an object in view1 which he persistently pursued4 ,the report was nothing1 unless its recommendations were speedily carried into effect4 ,a sanitary party was formed2 and the ministers for the time being1 aided by members of both sides in politics1 became its influential leaders4 ,a ,sanitary ,commission was appointed in #ahdd1 to consider the whole question in its practical bearings4 ,the ,commission published two reports1 with a view to legislation1 but the ,free-,trade struggle interfered1 and little was done for several years4 ,meanwhile our sanitary reformer was occupied as a ,commissioner in inquiring into the condition of the metropolis4 ,the ,commission published three reports1 in which the defective drainage1 sewage1 and water-supply of ,london were discussed in detail2 and these have recently been followed by important acts of legislation4 ,the sanitary idea at length had its triumph in the enactment of the ,public ,health ,act of #ahdh1 and the appointment of a ,general ,board of ,health 7of which ,mr4 ,chadwick was a member7 to superintend its administration4 ,numerous supplemental measures have since been enacted1 with the view of carrying into practical effect the sanitary principles adopted by the ,board4 ,reports continued to be published1 from time to time1 full of valuable information3 for instance1 in reference to the application of ,sewage water to agricultural purposes2 on ,epidemic ,cholera2 on ,quarantine2 on ,drainage2 on ,public ,lodging-houses2 and the like4 ,the sanitary movement1 in short1 became a great fact2 and that it is so1 we have mainly to thank ,edwin ,chadwick--the missionary of the ,sanitary idea4 ,it is true he was eventually dismissed from his position of influence at the ,board of ,health1--partly through spleen1 but chiefly because of his own unaccommodating nature1--unaccommodating especially to petty local authorities and individual interests opposed to the public good4 ,but with all thinking and impartial men1 his character stands as high as it ever did4 ,at all events1 his works remain4 ,we do not know a more striking instance than that presented by this gentleman's career1 of the large amount of good which a man strongly possessed by a beneficent idea can accomplish1 provided he have only the force of purpose and perseverance to follow it up4 ,though ,mr4 ,chadwick has not been an actual legislator1 he has nevertheless been the mover of more wise measures than any legislator of our time4 ,he created a public opinion in favour of sanitary reform4 ,he has also impressed the minds of benevolent individuals with the necessity for providing improved dwellings for the people2 and has thus been the indirect means of establishing the ,peabody ,dwellings1 the ,baroness ,coutts' ,dwellings1 and the various ,societies for erecting improved dwellings for the industrial classes4 ,edwin ,chadwick has thus proved himself to be one of the most useful and practical of public benefactors4 ,he deserves to be ranked with ,clarkson or ,howard4 ,his labours have been equally salutary2 some will say that they have been much more so in their results4 ,sanitary science may be summed up in the one word--,cleanliness4 ,pure water and pure air are its essentials4 ,wherever there is impurity1 it must be washed away and got rid of4 ,thus sanitary science is one of the simplest and most intelligible of all the branches of human knowledge4 ,perhaps it is because of this1 that1 like most common things1 it has continued to receive so little attention4 ,many still think that it requires no science at all to ventilate a chamber1 to clean out a drain1 and to keep house and person free from uncleanness4 ,sanitary science may be regarded as an unsavoury subject4 ,it deals with dirt and its expulsion--from the skin1 from the house1 from the street1 from the city4 ,it is comprised in the words--wherever there is dirt1 get rid of it instantly2 and with cleanliness let there be a copious supply of pure water and of pure air for the purposes of human health4 ,take1 for instance1 an unhealthy street1 or block of streets1 in a large town4 ,there you find typhus fever constantly present4 ,cleanse and sewer the street2 supply it with pure air and pure water1 and fever is forthwith banished4 ,is not this a much more satisfactory result than the application of drugs8 ,fifty thousand persons1 says ,mr4 ,lee1 annually fall victims to typhus fever in ,great ,britain1 originated by causes which are preventible4 ,the result is the same as if these fifty thousand persons were annually taken out of their wretched dwellings1 and put to death6 ,we are shocked by the news of a murder--by the loss of a single life by physical causes6 ,and yet we hear1 almost without a shudder1 the reiterated statement of the loss of tens of thousands of lives yearly from physical causes in daily operation4 ,the annual slaughter from preventible causes of typhus fever is double the amount of what was suffered by the allied armies at the battle of ,waterloo6 ,by neglect of the ascertained conditions of healthful living1 the great mass of the people lose nearly half the natural period of their lives4 ,typhus1 says a medical officer1 is a curse which man inflicts upon himself by the neglect of sanitary arrangements4 ,mr4 ,chadwick affirmed that in the cellars of ,liverpool1 ,manchester1 and ,leeds1 he had seen amongst the operatives more vice1 misery1 and degradation than those which1 when detailed by ,howard1 had excited the sympathy of the world4 ,the ,irish poor sink into the unhealthy closes1 lanes1 and back streets of large towns2 and so frequent are the attacks of typhus among them1 that in some parts of the country the disease is known as the ,irish fever4 ,it is not merely the loss of life that is so frightful2 there is also the moral death that is still more appalling in these unhealthy localities4 ,vice and crime consort with foul living4 ,in these places1 demoralization is the normal state4 ,there is an absence of cleanliness1 of decency1 of decorum2 the language used is polluting1 and scenes of profligacy are of almost hourly occurrence1--all tending to foster idleness1 drunkenness1 and vicious abandonment4 ,imagine such a moral atmosphere for women and children6 ,the connection is close and intimate between physical and moral health1 between domestic well-being and public happiness4 ,the destructive influence of an unwholesome dwelling propagates a moral typhus worse than the plague itself4 ,where the body is enfeebled by the depressing influences of vitiated air and bodily defilement1 the mind1 almost of necessity1 takes the same low1 unhealthy tone4 ,self-respect is lost2 a stupid1 inert1 languid feeling overpowers the system2 the character becomes depraved2 and too often--eager to snatch even a momentary enjoyment1 to feel the blood bounding in the veins1--the miserable victim flies to the demon of strong drink for relief2 hence misery1 infamy1 shame1 crime1 and wretchedness4 ,this neglect of the conditions of daily health is a frightfully costly thing4 ,it costs the rich a great deal of money in the shape of poor-rates1 for the support of widows made husbandless1 and children made fatherless1 by typhus4 ,it costs them also a great deal in disease2 for the fever often spreads from the dwellings of the poor into the homes of the rich1 and carries away father1 mother1 or children4 ,it costs a great deal in subscriptions to maintain dispensaries1 infirmaries1 houses of recovery1 and asylums for the destitute4 ,it costs the poor still more2 it costs them their health1 which is their only capital4 ,in this is invested their all3 if they lose it1 their docket is struck1 and they are bankrupt4 ,how frightful is the neglect1 whether it be on the part of society or of individuals1 which robs the poor man of his health1 and makes his life a daily death6 ,why1 then1 is not sanitary science universally adopted and enforced8 ,we fear it is mainly through indifference and laziness4 ,the local authorities--municipalities and boards of guardians--are so many ,mrs4 ,maclartys in their way4 ,like that dirty matron1 they canna be fashed4 ,to remove the materials of disease requires industry1 constant attention1 and--what is far more serious--increased rates4 ,the foul interests hold their ground1 and bid defiance to the attacks made upon them4 ,things did very well1 they say1 in the good old times1--why should they not do so now8 ,when typhus or cholera breaks out1 they tell us that ,nobody is to blame4 ,that terrible ,nobody6 ,how much he has to answer for4 ,more mischief is done by ,nobody than by all the world besides4 ,nobody adulterates our food4 ,nobody poisons us with bad drink4 ,nobody supplies us with foul water4 ,nobody spreads fever in blind alleys and unswept lanes4 ,nobody leaves towns undrained4 ,nobody fills gaols1 penitentiaries1 and convict stations4 ,nobody makes poachers1 thieves1 and drunkards4 ,nobody has a theory too--a dreadful theory4 ,it is embodied in two words--,laissez faire--,let alone4 ,when people are poisoned by plaster of ,paris mixed with flour1 ,let alone is the remedy4 ,when ,cocculus indicus is used instead of hops1 and men die prematurely1 it is easy to say1 ,nobody did it4 ,let those who can1 find out when they are cheated3 ,caveat emptor4 ,when people live in foul dwellings1 let them alone4 ,let wretchedness do its work2 do not interfere with death4 ,it matters nothing to me1 said a rich man who heard of a poor woman and her sick child being driven forth from a town for begging4 ,the workhouse authorities would have nothing to do with her1 and sent her away4 ,but the poor woman went and sat down with her child at the rich man's door2 the child died there2 the contagion of typhus was wafted into the gilded saloon and the luxurious bed-chamber and the rich man's child fell a victim to the disease4 ,but ,nobody has considerably less power in society than he once had3 and our hope is1 that he may ultimately follow in the wake of ,old ,bogie1 and disappear altogether4 ,wherever there is suffering and social depression1 we may depend upon it that ,somebody is to blame4 ,the responsibility rests somewhere2 and if we allow it to remain1 it rests with us4 ,we may not be able to cope with the evil as individuals1 single-handed2 but it becomes us to unite1 and bring to bear upon the evil the joint moral power of society in the form of a law4 ,a ,law is but the expression of a combined will2 and it does that for society1 which society1 in its individual and separate action1 cannot so well or efficiently do for itself4 ,laws may do too much2 they may meddle with things which ought to be let alone2 but the abuse of a thing is no proper argument against its use1 in cases where its employment is urgently called for4 ,mere improvement of towns1 however1--as respects drainage1 sewerage1 paving1 water supply1 and abolition of cellar dwellings1--will effect comparatively little1 unless we can succeed in carrying the improvement further1--namely1 into the ,homes of the people themselves4 ,a well-devised system of sanitary measures may ensure external cleanliness1--may provide that the soil on which the streets of houses are built shall be relieved of all superfluous moisture1 and that all animal and vegetable refuse shall be promptly removed1--so that the air circulating through the streets1 and floating from them into the houses of the inhabitants1 shall not be laden with poisonous miasmata1 the source of disease1 suffering1 and untimely death4 ,cellar dwellings may be prohibited1 and certain regulations as to the buildings hereafter to be erected may also be enforced4 ,but here municipal or parochial authority stops3 it can go no further2 it cannot penetrate into the ,home1 and it is not necessary that it should do so4 ,the individual efforts of the community themselves are therefore needed2 and any legislative enactments which dispensed with these would probably be an evil4 ,the ,government does not build the houses in which the people dwell4 ,these are provided by employers and by capitalists1 small and large4 ,it is necessary1 therefore1 to enlist these interests in the cause of sanitary improvement1 in order to ensure success4 ,individual capitalists have already done much to provide wholesome houses for their working people1 and have found their account in so doing1 by their increased health1 as well as in their moral improvement in all ways4 ,capitalists imbued with a benevolent and philanthropic spirit can thus spread blessings far and wide4 ,and were a few enterprising builders in every town to take up this question practically1 and provide a class of houses for workpeople1 with suitable accommodation2 provided with arrangements for ventilation1 cleanliness1 and separation of the sexes1 such as health and comfort require2 they would really be conferring an amount of benefit on the community at large1 and1 at the same time1 we believe1 upon themselves1 which it would not be easy to overestimate4 ,but there also needs the active co-operation of the dwellers in poor men's homes themselves4 ,they1 too1 must join cordially in the sanitary movement2 otherwise comparatively little good can be effected4 ,you may provide an efficient water supply1 yet1 if the housewife will not use the water as it ought to be used1--if she be lazy and dirty1--the house will be foul and comfortless still4 ,you may provide for ventilation1 yet1 if offensive matters be not removed1 and doors and windows are kept closed1 the pure outer air will be excluded1 and the house will still smell fusty and unwholesome4 ,in any case1 there must be a cleanly woman to superintend the affairs of the house2 and she cannot be made so by ,act of ,parliament6 ,the ,sanitary ,commissioners cannot1 by any ,notification1 convert the slatternly shrew into a tidy housewife1 nor the disorderly drunkard into an industrious1 home-loving husband4 ,there must1 therefore1 be individual effort on the part of the housewife in every working man's ,home4 ,as a recent writer on ,home ,reform observes1-- ,we must begin by insisting that1 however much of the physical and moral evils of the working classes may be justly attributable to their dwellings1 it is too often the case that more ought1 in truth1 to be attributed to themselves4 ,for1 surely1 the inmate depends less on the house1 than the house on the inmate2 as mind has more power over matter than matter over mind4 ,let a dwelling be ever so poor and incommodious1 yet a family with decent and cleanly habits will contrive to make the best of it1 and will take care that there shall be nothing offensive in it which they have power to remove4 ,whereas a model house1 fitted up with every convenience and comfort which modern science can supply1 will1 if occupied by persons of intemperate and uncleanly habits1 speedily become a disgrace and a nuisance4 ,a sober1 industrious1 and cleanly couple will impart an air of decency and respectability to the poorest dwelling2 while the spendthrift1 the drunkard1 or the gambler will convert a palace into a scene of discomfort and disgust4 ,since1 therefore1 so much depends on the character and conduct of the parties themselves1 it is right that they should feel their responsibility in this matter1 and that they should know and attend to the various points connected with the improvement of their own ,homes4 ,while this important truth should be kept steadily in view1 every possible exertion ought1 at the same time1 to be made to provide a greater abundance of comfortable1 decent1 and comely dwellings for the working classes2 for it is to be lamented that1 in many districts1 they are1 as it were1 forced by the necessities of their condition to gravitate into localities1 and to inhabit dwellings where decency is rendered almost impossible1 where life becomes a slow dying1 and where the influences operating on the entire human energies1 physical and moral1 are of the most deleterious character4 ,homes are the manufactories of men1 and as the ,homes are1 so will the men be4 ,mind will be degraded by the physical influences around it1--decency will be destroyed by constant contact with impurity and defilement1--and coarseness of manners1 habits1 and tastes1 will become inevitable4 ,you cannot rear a kindly nature1 sensitive against evil1 careful of proprieties1 and desirous of moral and intellectual improvement1 amidst the darkness1 dampness1 disorder1 and discomfort which unhappily characterize so large a portion of the dwellings of the poor in our large towns2 and until we can1 by some means or other1 improve their domestic accommodation1 their low moral and social condition must be regarded as inevitable4 ,we want not only a better class of dwellings1 but we require the people to be so educated as to appreciate them4 ,an ,irish landlord took his tenantry out of their mud huts1 and removed them into comfortable dwellings which he had built for their accommodation4 ,when he returned to his estate1 he was greatly disappointed4 ,the houses were as untidy and uncomfortable as before4 ,the pig was still under the bed1 and the hens over it4 ,the concrete floor was as dirty as the mud one had been4 ,the panes of the windows were broken1 and the garden was full of weeds4 ,the landlord wrote to a friend in despair4 ,the friend replied1 ,you have begun at the wrong end4 ,you ought to have taught them the value of cleanliness1 thriftiness1 and comfort4 ,to begin at the beginning1 therefore1 we must teach the people the necessity of cleanliness1 its virtues and its wholesomeness2 for which purpose it is requisite that they should be intelligent1 capable of understanding ideas conveyed in words1 able to discern1 able to read1 able to think4 ,in short1 the people1 as children1 must first have been to school1 and properly taught there2 whereas we have allowed the majority of the working people to grow up untaught1 nearly half of them unable to read and write2 and then we expect them to display the virtues1 prudence1 judgment1 and forethought of well-educated beings6 ,it is of the first importance to teach people cleanly habits4 ,this can be done without teaching them either reading or writing4 ,cleanliness is more than wholesomeness4 ,it furnishes an atmosphere of self-respect1 and influences the moral condition of the entire household4 ,it is the best exponent of the spirit of ,thrift4 ,it is to the economy of the household1 what hygiene is to the human body4 ,it should preside at every detail of domestic service4 ,it indicates comfort and well-being4 ,it is among the distinctive attributes of civilisation1 and marks the progress of nations4 ,dr4 ,paley was accustomed to direct the particular attention of travellers in foreign countries to the condition of the people as respects cleanliness1 and the local provisions for the prevention of pollution4 ,he was of opinion that a greater insight might thus be obtained into their habits of decency1 self-respect1 and industry1 and into their moral and social condition generally1 than from facts of any other description4 ,people are cleanly in proportion as they are decent1 industrious1 and self-respecting4 ,unclean people are uncivilized4 ,the dirty classes of great towns are invariably the dangerous classes of those towns4 ,and if we would civilize the classes yet uncivilized1 we must banish dirt from amongst them4 ,yet dirt forms no part of our nature4 ,it is a parasite1 feeding upon human life1 and destroying it4 ,it is hideous and disgusting4 ,there can be no beauty where it is4 ,the prettiest woman is made repulsive by it4 ,children are made fretful1 impatient1 and bad-tempered by it4 ,men are degraded and made reckless by it4 ,there is little modesty where dirt is1--for dirty is indecency4 ,there can be little purity of mind where the person is impure2 for the body is the temple of the soul1 and must be cleansed and purified to be worthy of the shrine within4 ,dirt has an affinity with self-indulgence and drunkenness4 ,the sanitary inquirers have clearly made out that the dirty classes are the drunken classes2 and that they are prone to seek1 in the stupefaction of beer1 gin1 and opium1 a refuge from the miserable depression caused by the foul conditions in which they live4 ,we need scarcely refer to the moral as well as the physical beauty of cleanliness--cleanliness which indicates self-respect1 and is the root of many fine virtues--and especially of purity1 delicacy1 and decency4 ,we might even go farther1 and say that purity of thought and feeling result from habitual purity of body4 ,for the mind and heart of man are1 to a very great extent1 influenced by external conditions and circumstances2 and habit and custom1 as regards outward things1 stamp themselves deeply on the whole character1--alike upon the moral feelings and the intellectual powers4 ,moses was the most practical of sanitary reformers4 ,among the eastern nations generally1 cleanliness is a part of religion4 ,they esteem it not only as next to godliness1 but as a part of godliness itself4 ,they connect the idea of internal sanctity with that of external purification4 ,they feel that it would be an insult to the ,maker they worship to come into ,his presence covered with impurity4 ,hence the ,mahommedans devote almost as much care to the erection of baths1 as to that of mosques2 and alongside the place of worship is usually found the place of cleansing1 so that the faithful may have the ready means of purification previous to their act of worship4 ,what worship1 says a great writer1 is there not in mere washing6 perhaps one of the most moral things a man1 in common cases1 has it in his power to do4 ,strip thyself1 go into the bath1 or were it into the limpid pool of a running brook1 and there wash and be clean2 thou wilt step out again a purer and a better man4 ,this consciousness of perfect outer pureness--that to thy skin there now adheres no foreign speck of imperfection--how it radiates on thee1 with cunning symbolic influences to thy very soul6 thou hast an increased tendency towards all good things whatsoever4 ,the oldest eastern sages1 with joy and holy gratitude1 had felt it to be so1 and that it was the ,maker's gift and will4 ,the common well-being of men1 women1 and children depends upon attention to what at first sight may appear comparatively trivial matters4 ,and unless these small matters be attended to1 comfort in person1 mind1 and feeling is absolutely impossible4 ,the physical satisfaction of a child1 for example1 depends upon attention to its feeding1 clothing1 and washing4 ,these are the commonest of common things1 and yet they are of the most essential importance4 ,if the child is not properly fed and clothed1 it will grow up feeble and ill-conditioned4 ,and as the child is1 so will the man be4 ,grown people cannot be comfortable without regular attention to these common matters4 ,every one needs1 and ought to have1 comfort at home2 and comfort is the united product of cleanliness1 thrift1 regularity1 industry1--in short1 a continuous performance of duties1 each in itself apparently trivial4 ,the cooking of a potato1 the baking of a loaf1 the mending of a shirt1 the darning of a pair of stockings1 the making of a bed1 the scrubbing of a floor1 the washing and dressing of a baby1 are all matters of no great moment2 but a woman ought to know how to do these1 before the management of a household1 however poor1 is entrusted to her4 ,why1 asked ,lord ,ashburton in a lecture to the students of the ,wolvesey training-schools1 why was one mother of a family a better economist than another8 ,why could one live in abundance where another starved8 ,why1 in similar dwellings1 were the children of one parent healthy1 of another puny and ailing8 ,why could this labourer do with ease a task that would kill his fellow8 ,it was not luck nor chance that decided those differences2 it was the patient observation of nature that suggested to some gifted minds rules for their guidance which had escaped the heedlessness of others4 ,it is not so much1 however1 the patient observation of nature1 as good training in the home and in the school1 that enables some women to accomplish so much more than others1 in the development of human beings1 and the promotion of human comfort4 ,and to do this efficiently1 women as well as men require to be instructed as to the nature of the objects upon which they work4 ,take one branch of science as an illustration--the physiological4 ,in this science we hold that every woman should receive some instruction4 ,and why8 ,because1 if the laws of physiology were understood by women1 children would grow up into better1 healthier1 happier1 and probably wiser1 men and women4 ,children are subject to certain physiological laws1 the observance of which is necessary for their health and comfort4 ,is it not reasonable1 therefore1 to expect that women should know something of those laws1 and of their operation8 ,if they are ignorant of them they will be liable to commit all sorts of blunders1 productive of suffering1 disease1 and death4 ,to what are we to attribute the frightful mortality of children in most of our large towns--where one-half of all that are born perish before they reach their fifth year8 ,if women1 as well as men1 knew something of the laws of healthy living1 about the nature of the atmosphere1 how its free action upon the blood is necessary to health--of the laws of ventilation1 cleanliness1 and nutrition1--we cannot but think that the moral1 not less than the physical condition of the human beings committed to their charge1 would be greatly improved and promoted4 ,were anything like a proper attention given to common things1 there would not be such an amount of discomfort1 disease1 and mortality amongst the young4 ,but we accustom people to act as if there were no such provisions as natural laws4 ,if we violate them1 we do not escape the consequences because we have been ignorant of their mode of operation4 ,we have been provided with intelligence that we might know them2 and if society keep its members blind and ignorant1 the evil consequences are inevitably reaped4 ,thus tens of thousands perish for lack of knowledge of even the smallest1 and yet most necessary conditions of right living4 ,women have also need to be taught the important art of domestic economy4 ,if they do not earn the family income1 at least they have to spend the money earned2 and their instruction ought to have a view to the spending of that money wisely4 ,for this purpose1 a knowledge of arithmetic is absolutely necessary4 ,some may say1 ,what use can a woman have for arithmetic8 ,but when men marry1 they soon find this out4 ,if the woman who has a household to manage be innocent of addition and multiplication2 and if she fail to keep a record of her income or expenditure1 she will1 before long1 find herself in great trouble4 ,she will find that she cannot make the ends meet1 and then run into debt4 ,if she spend too much on dress1 she will have too little for food or education4 ,she will commit extravagances in one direction or another1 and thus subject her household to great discomfort4 ,she may also bring her husband into trouble through the debts she has contracted1 and make a beginning of his misfortunes and sometimes of his ruin4 ,much might be said in favour of household management1 and especially in favour of improved cookery4 ,ill-cooked meals is a source of discomfort in many families4 ,bad cooking is waste1--waste of money and loss of comfort4 ,whom ,god has joined in matrimony1 ill-cooked joints and ill-boiled potatoes have very often put asunder4 ,among the common things which educators should teach the rising generation1 this ought certainly not to be overlooked4 ,it is the commonest and yet most neglected of the branches of female education4 ,the greater part of human labour is occupied in the direct production of the materials for human food4 ,the farming classes and their labourers devote themselves to the planting1 rearing1 and reaping of oats and other cereals2 and the grazing farmer to the production of cattle and sheep1 for the maintenance of the population at large4 ,all these articles--corn1 beef1 mutton1 and such-like--are handed over to the female half of the human species to be converted into food1 for the sustenance of themselves1 their husbands1 and their families4 ,how do they use their power8 ,can they cook8 ,have they been taught to cook8 ,is it not a fact that1 in this country1 cooking is one of the lost or undiscovered arts8 ,thousands of artizans and labourers are deprived of half the actual nutriment of their food1 and continue half-starved1 because their wives are utterly ignorant of the art of cooking4 ,they are yet in entire darkness as to the economizing of food1 and the means of rendering it palatable and digestible4 ,even the middle classes are badly served in this respect4 ,if we could see1 says a public writer1 by the help of an ,asmodeus1 what is going on at the dinner hour of the humbler of the middle class1--what a spectacle of discomfort1 waste1 ill-temper1 and consequent ill-conduct it would be6 ,the man quarrels with his wife because there is nothing he can eat1 and he generally makes up in drink for the deficiencies in the article of food4 ,there is thus not only the direct waste of food and detriment to health1 but the further consequent waste of the use of spirits1 with its injury to the habits and the health4 ,on the other hand1 people who eat well1 drink moderately2 the satisfaction of the appetite dispensing with the necessity for resorting to stimulants4 ,good humour too1 and good health1 follow a good meal2 and by a good meal we mean anything1 however simple1 well dressed in its way4 ,a rich man may live very expensively and very ill2 and a poor man may live frugally and very well1 if it be his good fortune to have a good cook in his wife or in his servant4 ,the most worthless unit in a family is an ill-managing wife1 or an indolent woman of any sort4 ,the fair sex are sometimes very acute in what concerns themselves4 ,they keep a tight hand over their dressmakers and milliners4 ,they can tell to a thread when a flounce is too narrow or a tuck too deep4 ,but if their knowledge only extends to their own dress1 they are not help-meets1 but incumbrances4 ,if they know nothing of their kitchen1 and are at the mercy of the cook1 their table will soon become intolerable4 ,bad soup1 soft and flabby fish1 meat burnt outside and raw within4 ,the husband will soon fly from the ,barmecide feast1 and take refuge in his club1 where he will not only find food that he can digest1 but at the same time fly from the domestic discord that usually accompanies ill-cooked victuals at home4 ,mr4 ,smee says that diseases of the digestive organs greatly exceed in ,england the relative number found in other countries4 ,the reason is1 that in no other country do men eat so much ill-cooked food4 ,the least observant of travellers must have been struck with admiration at the readiness with which a dinner of eight or ten dishes of various eatables makes its appearance in foreign inns2 particularly when he remembers the perpetual mutton chop and mashed potatoes of the ,english road4 ,the author remembers arriving at a roadside inn1 in a remote part of ,dauphiny1 immediately under the foot of the ,pic du ,midi4 ,on looking at the clay floor1 and the worn state of the furniture1 he remarked to his friend1 ,surely we can get no dinner here4 ,wait till you see1 was his answer4 ,in about half-an-hour1 the table 7though propped up7 was spread with a clean table-cloth2 and successive dishes of soup1 fowl1 ros-bif1 pomme-de-terre frite1 ,french beans1 with wholesome bread and butter1 made their appearance4 ,in the principal inns of most provincial towns in ,england1 it would not have been possible to obtain such a dinner4 ,great would be the gain to the community if cookery were made an ordinary branch of female education4 ,to the poor1 the gain would be incalculable4 ,among the prizes which the ,bountifuls of both sexes are fond of bestowing in the country1 we should like to see some offered for the best boiled potato1 the best grilled mutton chop1 and the best seasoned hotch-potch1 soup1 or broth4 ,in writing of a well-boiled potato1 we are aware that we shall incur the contempt of many for attaching importance to a thing they suppose to be so common4 ,but the fact is1 that their contempt arises1 as is often the origin of contempt1 from their ignorance--there being not one person in a hundred who has ever seen and tasted that great rarity--a well-boiled potato4#a ,footnote #a3 ,examiner4 ,in short1 we want common sense in cookery1 as in most other things4 ,food should be used1 and not abused4 ,much of it is now absolutely wasted1 wasted for want of a little art in cooking it4 ,food is not only wasted by bad cooking2 but much of it is thrown away which ,french women would convert into something savoury and digestible4 ,health1 morals1 and family enjoyments1 are all connected with the question of cookery4 ,above all1 it is the handmaid of ,thrift4 ,it makes the most and the best of the bounties of ,god4 ,it wastes nothing1 but turns everything to account4 ,every ,englishwoman1 whether gentle or simple1 ought to be accomplished in an art which confers so much comfort1 health1 and wealth upon the members of her household4 ,it appears to me1 said ,mrs4 ,margaretta ,grey1 that with an increase of wealth unequally distributed1 and a pressure of population1 there has sprung up amongst us a spurious refinement1 that cramps the energy and circumscribes the usefulness of women in the upper class of society4 ,a lady1 to be such1 must be a lady1 and nothing else4444 ,ladies dismissed from the dairy1 the confectionery1 the store-room1 the still-room1 the poultry-yard1 the kitchen-garden1 and the orchard she might have added1 the spinning-wheel1 have hardly yet found for themselves a sphere equally useful and important in the pursuits of trade and art1 to which to apply their too abundant leisure4 ,when1 at any time1 has society presented1 on the one hand1 so large an array of respectably educated individuals1 embarrassed for want of a proper calling1 and1 on the other1 so ponderous a multitude of untrained1 neglected poor1 who cannot1 without help1 rise out of their misery and degradation8 ,what an obstruction to usefulness and all eminence of character is that of being too rich1 or too genteelly connected1 to work at anything6#a ,footnote #a3 ,memoir of ,john ,grey1 of ,dalston4 p4 #bij4 ,many intelligent1 high-minded ladies1 who have felt disgusted at the idleness to which society condemns them1 have of late years undertaken the work of visiting the poor and of nursing--a noble work4 ,but there is another school of usefulness which stands open to them4 ,let them study the art of common cookery1 and diffuse the knowledge of it amongst the people4 ,they will thus do an immense amount of good2 and bring down the blessings of many a half-hungered husband upon their benevolent heads4 ,women of the poorer classes require much help from those who are better educated1 or who have been placed in better circumstances than themselves4 ,the greater number of them marry young1 and suddenly enter upon a life for which they have not received the slightest preparation4 ,they know nothing of cookery1 of sewing or clothes mending1 or of economical ways of spending their husbands' money4 ,hence slatternly and untidy habits1 and uncomfortable homes1 from which the husband is often glad to seek refuge in the nearest public-house4 ,the following story1 told by ,joseph ,corbett1 a ,birmingham operative1 before a ,parliamentary ,committee1 holds true of many working people in the manufacturing districts4 ,my mother1 he said1 worked in a manufactory from a very early age4 ,she was clever and industrious1 and1 moreover1 she had the reputation of being virtuous4 ,she was regarded as an excellent match for a working man4 ,she was married early4 ,she became the mother of eleven children3 ,i am the eldest4 ,to the best of her ability she performed the important duties of a wife and mother4 ,but she was lamentably deficient in domestic knowledge4 ,in that most important of all human instruction--how to make the home and the fireside to possess a charm for her husband and children--she had never received one single lesson4 ,she had children apace4 ,as she recovered from her lying-in1 so she went to work1 the babe being brought to her at stated times to receive nourishment4 ,as the family increased1 so everything like comfort disappeared altogether4 ,the power to make home cheerful and comfortable was never given to her4 ,she knew not the value of cherishing in my father's mind a love of domestic objects4 ,not one moment's happiness did ,i ever see under my father's roof4 ,all this dismal state of things ,i can distinctly trace to the entire and perfect absence of all training and instruction to my mother4 ,he became intemperate2 and his intemperance made her necessitous4 ,she made many efforts to abstain from shop-work2 but her pecuniary necessities forced her back into the shop4 ,the family was large2 and every moment was required at home4 ,i have known her1 after the close of a hard day's work1 sit up nearly all night for several nights together washing and mending clothes4 ,my father could have no comfort there4 ,these domestic obligations1 which in a well-regulated house 7even in that of a working man1 where there are prudence and good management7 would be done so as not to annoy the husband1 were to my father a sort of annoyance2 and he1 from an ignorant and mistaken notion1 sought comfort in an alehouse4 ,my mother's ignorance of household duties2 my father's consequent irritability and intemperance2 the frightful poverty2 the constant quarrelling2 the pernicious example to my brothers and sisters2 the bad effect upon the future conduct of my brothers1--one and all of us being forced out to work so young that our feeble earnings would produce only #as4 a week1--cold and hunger1 and the innumerable sufferings of my childhood1 crowd upon my mind and overpower me4 ,they keep alive a deep anxiety for the emancipation of thousands of families in this great town 7,birmingham7 and neighbourhood1 who are in a similar state of horrible misery4 ,my own experience tells me that the instruction of the females in the work of a house1 in teaching them to produce cheerfulness and comfort at the fireside1 would prevent a great amount of misery and crime4 ,there would be fewer drunken husbands and disobedient children4 ,as a working man1 within my own observation1 female education is disgracefully neglected4 ,i attach more importance to it than to anything else2 for woman imparts the first impressions to the young susceptible mind2 she models the child from which is formed the future man4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,the ,,art ,,of ,,living4 ,deem no man1 in any age1 ,gentle for his lineage4 ,though he be not highly born1 ,he is gentle if he doth ,what 'longeth to a gentleman4--,chaucer4 ,every one is the son of his own work4--,cervantes4 ,serve a noble disposition1 though poor2 the time comes that he will repay thee4--,george ,herbert4 ,although men are accused for not knowing their own weakness1 yet perhaps as few know their own strength4 ,it is in men as in soils1 where sometimes there is a vein of gold1 which the owner knows not of4--,swift4 ,let not what ,i cannot have ,my cheer of mind destroy4--,cibber4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,art of ,living deserves a place among the ,fine ,arts4 ,like ,literature1 it may be ranked with the ,humanities4 ,it is the art of turning the means of living to the best account1--of making the best of everything4 ,it is the art of extracting from life its highest enjoyment1 and1 through it1 of reaching its highest results4 ,to live happily1 the exercise of no small degree of art is required4 ,like poetry and painting1 the art of living comes chiefly by nature2 but all can cultivate and develop it4 ,it can be fostered by parents and teachers1 and perfected by self-culture4 ,without intelligence1 it cannot exist4 ,happiness is not1 like a large and beautiful gem1 so uncommon and rare1 that all search for it is vain1 all efforts to obtain it hopeless2 but it consists of a series of smaller and commoner gems1 grouped and set together1 forming a pleasing and graceful whole4 ,happiness consists in the enjoyment of little pleasures scattered along the common path of life1 which1 in the eager search for some great and exciting joy1 we are apt to overlook4 ,it finds delight in the performance of common duties1 faithfully and honourably fulfilled4 ,the art of living is abundantly exemplified in actual life4 ,take two men of equal means1--one of whom knows the art of living1 and the other not4 ,the one has the seeing-eye and the intelligent mind4 ,nature is ever new to him1 and full of beauty4 ,he can live in the present1 rehearse the past1 or anticipate the glory of the future4 ,with him1 life has a deep meaning1 and requires the performance of duties which are satisfactory to his conscience1 and are therefore pleasurable4 ,he improves himself1 acts upon his age1 helps to elevate the depressed classes1 and is active in every good work4 ,his hand is never tired1 his mind is never weary4 ,he goes through life joyfully1 helping others to its enjoyment4 ,intelligence1 ever expanding1 gives him every day fresh insight into men and things4 ,he lays down his life full of honour and blessing1 and his greatest monument is the good deeds he has done1 and the beneficent example he has set before his fellow-creatures4 ,the other has comparatively little pleasure in life4 ,he has scarcely reached manhood1 ere he has exhausted its enjoyments4 ,money has done everything that it could for him4 ,yet he feels life to be vacant and cheerless4 ,travelling does him no good2 for1 for him history has no meaning4 ,he is only alive to the impositions of innkeepers and couriers1 and the disagreeableness of travelling for days amidst great mountains1 among peasants and sheep1 cramped up in a carriage4 ,picture galleries he feels to be a bore1 and he looks into them because other people do4 ,these pleasures soon tire him1 and he becomes blas4 ,when he grows old1 and has run the round of fashionable dissipations1 and there is nothing left which he can relish1 life becomes a masquerade1 in which he recognizes only knaves1 hypocrites1 and flatterers4 ,though he does not enjoy life1 yet he is terrified to leave it4 ,then the curtain falls4 ,with all his wealth1 life has been to him a failure1 for he has not known the ,art of ,living1 without which life cannot be enjoyed4 ,it is not wealth that gives the true zest to life1--but reflection1 appreciation1 taste1 culture4 ,above all1 the seeing eye and the feeling heart are indispensable4 ,with these1 the humblest lot may be made blest4 ,labour and toil may be associated with the highest thoughts and the purest tastes4 ,the lot of labour may thus become elevated and ennobled4 ,montaigne observes that all moral philosophy is as applicable to a vulgar and private life as to the most splendid4 ,every man carries the entire form of the human condition within him4 ,even in material comfort1 good taste is a real economist1 as well as an enhancer of joy4 ,scarcely have you passed the doorstep of your friend's house1 when you can detect whether taste presides within it or not4 ,there is an air of neatness1 order1 arrangement1 grace1 and refinement1 that gives a thrill of pleasure1 though you cannot define it1 or explain how it is4 ,there is a flower in the window1 or a picture against the wall1 that marks the home of taste4 ,a bird sings at the window-sill2 books lie about2 and the furniture1 though common1 is tidy1 suitable1 and1 it may be1 even elegant4 ,the art of living extends to all the economies of the household4 ,it selects wholesome food1 and serves it with taste4 ,there is no profusion2 the fare may be very humble1 but it has a savour about it2 everything is so clean and neat1 the water so sparkles in the glass1 that you do not desire richer viands1 or a more exciting beverage4 ,look into another house1 and you will see profusion enough1 without either taste or order4 ,the expenditure is larger1 and yet you do not feel at home there4 ,the atmosphere seems to be full of discomfort4 ,books1 hats1 shawls1 and stockings in course of repair1 are strewn about4 ,two or three chairs are loaded with goods4 ,the rooms are hugger-mugger4 ,no matter how much money is spent1 it does not mend matters4 ,taste is wanting1 for the manager of the household has not yet learnt the ,art of ,living4 ,you see the same contrast in cottage life4 ,the lot of poverty is sweetened by taste4 ,it selects the healthiest1 openest neighbourhood1 where the air is pure and the streets are clean4 ,you see1 at a glance1 by the sanded doorstep1 and the window-panes without a speck1--perhaps blooming roses or geraniums shining through them1--that the tenant within1 however poor1 knows the art of making the best of his lot4 ,how different from the foul cottage-dwellings you see elsewhere2 with the dirty children playing in the gutters2 the slattern-like women lounging by the door-cheek2 and the air of sullen poverty that seems to pervade the place4 ,and yet the weekly income in the former home may be no greater1 perhaps even less1 than in that of the other4 ,how is it1 that of two men1 working in the same field or in the same shop1 one is merry as a lark1--always cheerful1 well-clad1 and as clean as his work will allow him to be1--comes out on ,sunday mornings in his best suit1 to go to church with his family1--is never without a penny in his purse1 and has something besides in the savings bank1--is a reader of books and a subscriber to a newspaper1 besides taking in some literary journal for family reading2 whilst the other man1 with equal or even superior weekly wages1 comes to work in the mornings sour and sad1--is always full of grumbling1--is badly clad and badly shod1--is never seen out of his house on ,sundays till about midday1 when he appears in his shirt-sleeves1 his face unwashed1 his hair unkempt1 his eyes bleared and bloodshot1--his children left to run about the gutters1 with no one apparently to care for them1--is always at his last coin1 except on ,saturday night1 and then he has a long score of borrowings to repay1--belongs to no club1 has nothing saved1 but lives literally from hand to mouth1--reads none1 thinks none1 but only toils1 eats1 drinks1 and sleeps2--why is it that there is so remarkable a difference between these two men8 ,simply for this reason1--that the one has the intelligence and the art to extract joy and happiness from life1--to be happy himself1 and to make those about him happy2 whereas the other has not cultivated his intelligence1 and knows nothing whatever of the art of either making himself or his family happy4 ,with the one1 life is a scene of loving1 helping1 and sympathizing1--of carefulness1 forethought1 and calculation--of reflection1 action1 and duty2--with the other1 it is only a rough scramble for meat and drink2 duty is not thought of1 reflection is banished1 prudent forethought is never for a moment entertained4 ,but look to the result2 the former is respected by his fellow-workmen and beloved by his family1--he is an example of well-being and well-doing to all who are within reach of his influence2 whereas the other is as unreflective and miserable1 as nature will allow him to be1--he is shunned by good men1--his family are afraid at the sound of his footsteps1 his wife perhaps trembling at his approach1--he dies without leaving any regrets behind him1 except1 it may be1 on the part of his family1 who are left to be maintained by the charity of the public1 or by the pittance doled out by the overseers4 ,for these reasons1 it is worth every man's while to study the important ,art of living happily4 ,even the poorest man may by this means extract an increased amount of joy and blessing from life4 ,the world need not be a vale of tears1 unless we ourselves will it to be so4 ,we have the command1 to a great extent1 over our own lot4 ,at all events1 our mind is our own possession2 we can cherish happy thoughts there2 we can regulate and control our tempers and dispositions to a considerable extent2 we can educate ourselves1 and bring out the better part of our nature1 which in most men is allowed to sleep a deep sleep2 we can read good books1 cherish pure thoughts1 and lead lives of peace1 temperance1 and virtue1 so as to secure the respect of good men1 and transmit the blessing of a faithful example to our successors4 ,the ,art of ,living is best exhibited in the ,home4 ,the first condition of a happy home1 where good influences prevail over bad ones1 is ,comfort4 ,where there are carking cares1 querulousness1 untidiness1 slovenliness1 and dirt1 there can be little comfort either for man or woman4 ,the husband who has been working all day1 expects to have something as a compensation for his toil4 ,the least that his wife can do for him1 is to make his house snug1 clean1 and tidy1 against his home-coming at eve4 ,that is the truest economy--the best housekeeping--the worthiest domestic management--which makes the home so pleasant and agreeable1 that a man feels when approaching it1 that he is about to enter a sanctuary2 and that1 when there1 there is no alehouse attraction that can draw him away from it4 ,some say that we worship ,comfort too much4 ,the word is essentially ,english1 and is said to be untranslateable1 in its full meaning1 into any foreign language4 ,it is intimately connected with the ,fireside4 ,in warmer climes1 people contrive to live out of doors4 ,they sun themselves in the streets4 ,half their life is in public4 ,the genial air woos them forth1 and keeps them abroad4 ,they enter their houses merely to eat and sleep4 ,they can scarcely be said to live there4 ,how different is it with us6 ,the raw air without1 during so many months of the year1 drives us within doors4 ,hence we cultivate all manner of home pleasures4 ,hence the host of delightful associations which rise up in the mind at the mention of the word ,home4 ,hence our household god1 ,comfort4 ,we are not satisfied merely with a home4 ,it must be comfortable4 ,the most wretched1 indeed1 are those who have no homes--the homeless6 ,but not less wretched are those whose homes are without comfort--those of whom ,charles ,lamb once said1 ,the homes of the very poor are no homes4 ,it is ,comfort1 then1 that is the soul of the home--its essential principle--its vital element4 ,comfort does not mean merely warmth1 good furniture1 good eating and drinking4 ,it means something higher than this4 ,it means cleanliness1 pure air1 order1 frugality1--in a word1 house-thrift and domestic government4 ,comfort is the soil in which the human being grows1--not only physically1 but morally4 ,comfort lies1 indeed1 at the root of many virtues4 ,wealth is not necessary for comfort4 ,luxury requires wealth1 but not comfort4 ,a poor man's home1 moderately supplied with the necessaries of life1 presided over by a cleanly1 frugal housewife1 may contain all the elements of comfortable living4 ,comfortlessness is for the most part caused1 not so much by the absence of sufficient means1 as by the absence of the requisite knowledge of domestic management4 ,comfort1 it must be admitted1 is in a great measure relative4 ,what is comfort to one man1 would be misery to another4 ,even the commonest mechanic of this day would consider it miserable to live after the style of the nobles a few centuries ago2 to sleep on straw beds1 and live in rooms littered with rushes4 ,william the ,conqueror had neither a shirt to his back1 nor a pane of glass to his windows4 ,queen ,elizabeth was one of the first to wear silk stockings4 ,the ,queens before her were stockingless4 ,comfort depends as much on persons as on things4 ,it is out of the character and temper of those who govern homes1 that the feeling of comfort arises1 much more than out of handsome furniture1 heated rooms1 or household luxuries and conveniences4 ,comfortable people are kindly-tempered4 ,good temper may be set down as an invariable condition of comfort4 ,there must be peace1 mutual forbearance1 mutual help1 and a disposition to make the best of everything4 ,better is a dinner of herbs where love is1 than a stalled ox and hatred therewith4 ,comfortable people are persons of common sense1 discretion1 prudence1 and economy4 ,they have a natural affinity for honesty and justice1 goodness and truth4 ,they do not run into debt1--for that is a species of dishonesty4 ,they live within their means1 and lay by something for a rainy day4 ,they provide for the things of their own household1--yet they are not wanting in hospitality and benevolence on fitting occasions4 ,and what they do1 is done without ostentation4 ,comfortable people do everything in order4 ,they are systematic1 steady1 sober1 industrious4 ,they dress comfortably4 ,they adapt themselves to the season1--neither shivering in winter1 nor perspiring in summer4 ,they do not toil after a fashionable appearance4 ,they expend more on warm stockings than on gold rings2 and prefer healthy1 good bedding1 to gaudy window-curtains4 ,their chairs are solid1 not gimcrack4 ,they will bear sitting upon1 though they may not be ornamental4 ,the organization of the home depends for the most part upon woman4 ,she is necessarily the manager of every family and household4 ,how much1 therefore1 must depend upon her intelligent co-operation6 ,man's life revolves round woman4 ,she is the sun of his social system4 ,she is the queen of domestic life4 ,the comfort of every home mainly depends upon her1--upon her character1 her temper1 her power of organization1 and her business management4 ,a man may be economical2 but unless there be economy at home1 his frugality will be comparatively useless4 ,a man cannot thrive1 the proverb says1 unless his wife let him4 ,house-thrift is homely1 but beneficent4 ,though unseen of the world1 it makes many people happy4 ,it works upon individuals2 and by elevating them1 it elevates society itself4 ,it is in fact a receipt of infallible efficacy1 for conferring the greatest possible happiness upon the greatest possible number4 ,without it legislation1 benevolence1 and philanthropy are mere palliatives1 sometimes worse than useless1 because they hold out hopes which are for the most part disappointed4 ,how happy does a man go forth to his labour or his business1 and how doubly happy does he return from it1 when he knows that his means are carefully husbanded and wisely applied by a judicious and well-managing wife4 ,such a woman is not only a power in her own house1 but her example goes forth amongst her neighbours1 and she stands before them as a model and a pattern4 ,the habits of her children are formed after her habits3 her actual life becomes the model after which they unconsciously mould themselves2 for example always speaks more eloquently than words3 it is instruction in action--wisdom at work4 ,first amongst woman's qualities is the intelligent use of her hands and fingers4 ,every one knows how useful1 how indispensable to the comfort of a household1 is the tidy1 managing1 handy woman4 ,pestalozzi1 with his usual sagacity1 has observed1 that half the education of a woman comes through her fingers4 ,there are wisdom and virtue at her finger-ends4 ,but intellect must also accompany thrift3 they must go hand in hand4 ,a woman must not only be clever with her fingers1 but possessed of the power of organizing household work4 ,there must be ,method4 ,the late ,sir ,arthur ,helps observed1 that as women are at present educated1 they are for the most part thoroughly deficient in method4 ,but this surely might be remedied by training4 ,to take a very humble and simple instance4 ,why is it that a man-cook is always better than a woman-cook8 ,simply because a man is more methodical in his arrangements1 and relies more upon his weights and measures4 ,an eminent physician told me that he thought women were absolutely deficient in the appreciation of time4 ,but this ,i hold to be merely one instance of their general want of accuracy1 for which there are easy remedies3 that is1 easy if begun early enough4 ,accordingly1 to manage a household efficiently1 there must be ,method4 ,without this1 work cannot be got through satisfactorily either in offices1 workshops1 or households4 ,by arranging work properly1 by doing everything at the right time1 with a view to the economy of labour1 a large amount of business can be accomplished4 ,muddle flies before method2 and hugger-mugger disappears4 ,there is also a method in spending--in laying out money1--which is as valuable to the housewife1 as method is in accomplishing her work4 ,money slips through the fingers of some people like quicksilver4 ,we have already seen that many men are spendthrifts4 ,but many women are the same4 ,at least they do not know how to expend their husband's earnings to the best advantage4 ,you observe things very much out of place--frills and ruffles and ill-darned stockings--fine bonnets and clouted shoes--silk gowns and dirty petticoats2 while the husband goes about ragged and torn1 with scarcely a clean thing about him4 ,industry is of course essential4 ,this is the soul of business2 but1 without method1 industry will be less productive4 ,industry may sometimes look like confusion4 ,but the methodical and industrious woman gets through her work in a quiet1 steady style1--without fuss1 or noise1 or dust-clouds4 ,prudence is another important household qualification4 ,prudence comes from cultivated judgment3 it means practical wisdom4 ,it has reference to fitness1 to propriety2 it judges of the right thing to be done1 and of the right way of doing it4 ,it calculates the means1 order1 time1 and method of doing4 ,prudence learns much from experience1 quickened by knowledge4 ,punctuality is another eminently household qualification4 ,how many grumblings would be avoided in domestic life1 by a little more attention being paid to this virtue4 ,late breakfasts and late dinners1--too late for church and market1--cleanings out of time1 and washings protracted till midnight1--bills put off with a call again to-morrow1--engagements and promises unfulfilled1--what a host of little nuisances spring to mind1 at thought of the unpunctual housewife6 ,the unpunctual woman1 like the unpunctual man1 becomes disliked1 because she consumes our time1 interferes with our plans1 causes uneasy feelings1 and virtually tells us that we are not of sufficient importance to cause her to be more punctual4 ,to the business man1 time is money1 and to the business woman it is more1--it is peace1 comfort1 and domestic prosperity4 ,perseverance is another good household habit4 ,lay down a good plan1 and adhere to it4 ,do not be turned from it without a sufficient reason4 ,follow it diligently and faithfully1 and it will yield fruits in good season4 ,if the plan be a prudent one1 based on practical wisdom1 a ll things will gravitate towards it1 and a mutual dependence will gradually be established among all the parts of the domestic system4 ,we might furnish numerous practical illustrations of the truth of these remarks1 but our space is nearly filled up1 and we must leave the reader to supply them from his or her own experience4 ,there are many other illustrations which might be adduced1 of the art of making life happy4 ,the management of the temper is an art full of beneficent results4 ,by kindness1 cheerfulness1 and forbearance1 we can be happy almost at will2 and at the same time spread happiness about us on every side4 ,we can encourage happy thoughts in ourselves and others4 ,we can be sober in habit4 ,what can a wife and her children think of an intemperate husband and father8 ,we can be sober in language1 and shun cursing and swearing--the most useless1 unmeaning1 and brutal of vulgarities4 ,nothing can be so silly and unmeaning--not to say shocking1 repulsive1 and sinful--as the oaths so common in the mouths of vulgar swearers4 ,they are profanation without purpose--impiety without provocation--blasphemy without excuse4 ,this leads us to remark1 in passing1 that in this country we are not sufficiently instructed in the ,art of ,good ,manners4 ,we are rather gruff1 and sometimes unapproachable4 ,manners do not make the man1 as the proverb alleges2 but manners make the man much more agreeable4 ,a man may be noble in his heart1 true in his dealings1 virtuous in his conduct1 and yet unmannerly4 ,suavity of disposition and gentleness of manners give the finish to the true gentleman4 ,by ,good ,manners we do not mean ,etiquette4 ,this is only a conventional set of rules adopted by what is called good society2 and many of the rules of etiquette are of the essence of rudeness4 ,etiquette does not permit genteel people to recognize in the streets a man with a shabby coat though he be their brother4 ,etiquette is a liar in its not at home1--ordered to be told by servants to callers at inconvenient seasons4 ,good manners include many requisites2 but they chiefly consist in politeness1 courtesy1 and kindness4 ,they cannot be taught by rule1 but they may be taught by example4 ,it has been said that politeness is the art of showing men1 by external signs1 the internal regard we have for them4 ,but a man may be perfectly polite to another1 without necessarily having any regard for him4 ,good manners are neither more nor less than beautiful behaviour4 ,it has been well said that a beautiful form is better than a beautiful face1 and a beautiful behaviour is better than a beautiful form2 it gives a higher pleasure than statues or pictures2 it is the finest of the fine arts4 ,manner is the ornament of action2 indeed a good action1 without a good manner of doing it1 is stripped of half its value4 ,a poor fellow gets into difficulties1 and solicits help of a friend4 ,he obtains it1 but it is with a ,there-take that2 but ,i don't like lending4 ,the help is given with a kind of kick1 and is scarcely accepted as a favour4 ,the manner of the giving long rankles in the mind of the acceptor4 ,thus good manners mean kind manners1--benevolence being the preponderating element in all kinds of pleasant intercourse between human beings4 ,a story is told of a poor soldier having one day called at the shop of a hairdresser1 who was busy with his customers1 and asked relief1--stating that he had stayed beyond his leave of absence1 and unless he could get a lift on the coach1 fatigue and severe punishment awaited him4 ,the hairdresser listened to his story respectfully1 and gave him a guinea4 ,god bless you1 sir6 exclaimed the soldier1 astonished at the amount4 ,how can ,i repay you8 ,i have nothing in the world but this--pulling out a dirty piece of paper from his pocket2 it is a receipt for making blacking2 it is the best that was ever seen2 many a half-guinea ,i have had for it from the officers1 and many bottles ,i have sold2 may you be able to get something for it to repay you for your kindness to the poor soldier4 ,oddly enough1 that dirty piece of paper proved worth half a million of money to the hairdresser4 ,it was no less than the receipt for the famous ,day and ,martin's blacking2 the hairdresser being the late wealthy ,mr4 ,day1 whose manufactory is one of the notabilities of the metropolis4 ,good manners have been supposed to be a peculiar mark of gentility1 and that the individual exhibiting them has been born in some upper class of society4 ,but the poorest classes may exhibit good manners towards each other1 as well as the richest4 ,one may be polite and kind towards others1 without a penny in the purse4 ,politeness goes very far2 yet it costs nothing4 ,it is the cheapest of commodities4 ,but we want to be taught good manners1 as well as other things4 ,some happy natures are to the manner born4 ,but the bulk of men need to be taught manners1 and this can only be efficiently done in youth4 ,we have said that working men might study good manners with advantage4 ,why should they not respect themselves and each other8 ,it is by their demeanour towards each other--in other words1 by their manners--that self-respect and mutual respect are indicated4 ,we have been struck by the habitual politeness of even the poorest classes on the ,continent4 ,the workman lifts his cap and respectfully salutes his fellow-workman in passing4 ,there is no sacrifice of manliness in this1 but rather grace and dignity4 ,the working man1 in respecting his fellow1 respects himself and his order4 ,there is kindness in the act of recognition1 as well as in the manner in which it is denoted4 ,we might learn much from the ,french people in this matter4 ,they are not only polite to each other1 but they have a greater respect for property4 ,some may be disposed to doubt this1 after the recent destruction of buildings in ,paris4 ,but the ,communists must be regarded as altogether exceptional people2 and to understand the ,french character1 we must look to the body of the population scattered throughout ,france4 ,there we find property much more respected by the people than amongst ourselves4 ,even the beggar respects the fruit by the roadside1 although there is nobody to protect it4 ,the reason of this is1 that ,france is a nation of small proprietors1--that property is much more generally diffused and exposed1--and parents of even the lowest class educate their children in carefulness of and fidelity to the property of others4 ,this respect for property is also accompanied with that respect for the feelings of others1 which constitutes what is called ,good ,manners4 ,this is carefully inculcated in the children of all ranks in ,france4 ,they are very rarely rude4 ,they are civil to strangers4 ,they are civil to each other4 ,mr4 ,laing1 in his ,notes of a ,traveller1 makes these remarks3 ,this deference to the feelings of others in all that we do is a moral habit of great value when it is generally diffused1 and enters into the home training of every family4 ,it is an education both of the parent and child in morals1 carried on through the medium of external manners4444 ,it is a fine distinction of the ,french national character1 and of social economy1 that practical morality is more generally taught through manners1 among and by the people themselves1 than in any country in ,europe4#a ,footnote #a3 ,,samuel ,,laing--,notes of ,traveller1 on the ,social and ,political ,state of ,france1 ,prussia1 ,switzerland1 ,italy1 and other ,parts of ,europe1 p4 #ee4 ,the same kindly feeling might be observed throughout the entire social intercourse of working men with each other4 ,there is not a moment in their lives in which the opportunity does not occur for exhibiting good manners--in the workshop1 in the street1 and at home4 ,provided there be a wish to please others by kind looks and ways1 the habit of combining good manners with every action will soon be formed4 ,it is not merely the pleasure a man gives to others by being kind to them3 he receives tenfold more pleasure himself4 ,the man who gets up and offers his chair to a woman1 or to an old man--trivial though the act may seem1--is rewarded by his own heart1 and a thrill of pleasure runs through him the moment he has performed the kindness4 ,workpeople need to practise good manners towards each other the more1 because they are under the necessity of constantly living with each other and amongst each other4 ,they are in constant contact with their fellow-workmen1 whereas the richer classes need not mix with men unless they choose1 and then they can select whom they like4 ,the working man's happiness depends much more upon the kind looks1 words1 and acts of those immediately about him1 than the rich man's does4 ,it is so in the workshop1 and it is the same at home4 ,there the workman cannot retire into his study1 but must sit amongst his family1 by the side of his wife1 with his children about him4 ,and he must either live kindly with them--performing kind and obliging acts towards his family1--or he must see1 suffer1 and endure the intolerable misery of reciprocal unkindness4 ,admitted that there are difficulties in the way of working men cultivating the art of good manners--that their circumstances are often very limited1 and their position unfavourable1 yet no man is so poor but that he can be civil and kind1 if he choose2 and to be civil and kind is the very essence of good manners4 ,even in the most adverse circumstances a man may try to do his best4 ,if he do--if he speak and act courteously and kindly to all1--the result will be so satisfactory1 so self-rewarding1 that he cannot but be stimulated to persevere in the same course4 ,he will diffuse pleasure about him in the home1 make friends of his work-fellows1 and be regarded with increased kindness and respect by every right-minded employer4 ,the civil workman will exercise increased power amongst his class1 and gradually induce them to imitate him by his persistent steadiness1 civility1 and kindness4 ,thus ,benjamin ,franklin1 when a workman1 reformed the habits of an entire workshop4 ,then1 besides the general pleasure arising from the exercise of ,good ,manners1 there is a great deal of healthful and innocent pleasure to be derived from amusements of various kinds4 ,one cannot be always working1 eating1 and sleeping4 ,there must be time for relaxation--time for mental pleasures--time for bodily exercise4 ,there is a profound meaning in the word ,amusement2 much more than most people are disposed to admit4 ,in fact1 amusement is an important part of education4 ,it is a mistake to suppose that the boy or the man who plays at some outdoor game is wasting his time4 ,amusement of any kind is not wasting time1 but economizing life4 ,relax and exercise frequently1 if you would enjoy good health4 ,if you do not relax1 and take no exercise1 the results will soon appear in bodily ailments1 which always accompany sedentary occupations4 ,the students1 says ,lord ,derby1 who think they have not time for bodily exercise1 will sooner or later find time for illness4 ,there are people in the world who would1 if they had the power1 hang the heavens about with crape2 throw a shroud over the beautiful and life-giving bosom of the planet2 pick the bright stars from the sky2 veil the sun with clouds2 pluck the silver moon from her place in the firmament2 shut up our gardens and fields1 and all the flowers with which they are bedecked2 and doom the world to an atmosphere of gloom and cheerlessness4 ,there is no reason nor morality in this1 and there is still less religion4 ,a benevolent ,creator has endowed man with an eminent capacity for enjoyment1--has set him in a fair and lovely world1 surrounded him with things good and beautiful1--and given him the disposition to love1 to sympathize1 to help1 to produce1 to enjoy2 and thus to become an honourable and a happy being1 bringing ,god's work to perfection1 and enjoying the divine creation in the midst of which he lives4 ,make a man happy1 and his actions will be happy too2 doom him to dismal thoughts and miserable circumstances1 and you will make him gloomy1 discontented1 morose1 and probably vicious4 ,hence coarseness and crime are almost invariably found amongst those who have never been accustomed to be cheerful1 whose hearts have been shut against the purifying influences of a happy communion with nature1 or an enlightened and cheerful intercourse with man4 ,man has a strong natural appetite for relaxation and amusement1 and1 like all other natural appetites1 it has been implanted for a wise purpose4 ,it cannot be repressed1 but will break out in one form or another4 ,any well-directed attempt to promote an innocent amusement1 is worth a dozen sermons against pernicious ones4 ,if we do not provide the opportunity for enjoying wholesome pleasures1 men will certainly find out vicious ones for themselves4 ,sydney ,smith truly said1 ,in order to attack vice with effect1 we must set up something better in its place4 ,temperance reformers have not sufficiently considered how much the drinking habits of the country are the consequences of gross tastes1 and of the too limited opportunities which exist in this country for obtaining access to amusements of an innocent and improving tendency4 ,the workman's tastes have been allowed to remain uncultivated2 present wants engross his thoughts2 the gratification of his appetites is his highest pleasure2 and when he relaxes1 it is to indulge immoderately in beer or whisky4 ,the ,germans were at one time the drunkenest of nations2 they are now amongst the soberest4 ,as drunken as a ,german boor1 was a common proverb4 ,how have they been weaned from drink8 ,principally by ,education and ,music4 ,music has a most humanizing effect4 ,the cultivation of the art has a most favourable influence upon public morals4 ,it furnishes a source of pleasure in every family4 ,it gives home a new attraction4 ,it makes social intercourse more cheerful4 ,father ,mathew followed up his ,temperance movement by a ,singing movement4 ,he promoted the establishment of musical clubs all over ,ireland3 for he felt that1 as he had taken the people's whisky from them1 he must give them some wholesome stimulus in its stead4 ,he gave them ,music4 ,singing classes were established1 to refine the taste1 soften the manners1 and humanize the mass of the ,irish people4 ,but we fear that the example set by ,father ,mathew has already been forgotten4 ,what a fulness of enjoyment1 says ,channing1 has our ,creator placed within our reach1 by surrounding us with an atmosphere which may be shaped into sweet sounds6 ,and yet this goodness is almost lost upon us1 through want of culture of the organ by which this provision is to be enjoyed4 ,how much would the general cultivation of the gift of music improve us as a people6 ,children ought to learn it in schools1 as they do in ,germany4 ,the voice of music would then be heard in every household4 ,our old ,english glees would no longer be forgotten4 ,men and women might sing in the intervals of their work1--as the ,germans do in going to and coming from their wars4 ,the work would not be worse done1 because it was done amidst music and cheerfulness4 ,the breath of society would be sweetened1 and pleasure would be linked with labour4 ,why not have some elegance in even the humblest home8 ,we must of course have cleanliness1 which is the special elegance of the poor4 ,but why not have pleasant and delightful things to look upon8 ,there is no reason why the humbler classes should not surround themselves with the evidences of beauty and comfort in all their shapes1 and thus do homage alike to the gifts of ,god and the labours of man4 ,the taste for the beautiful is one of the best and most useful endowments4 ,it is one of the handmaids of civilization4 ,beauty and elegance do not necessarily belong to the homes of the rich4 ,they are1 or ought to be1 all-pervading4 ,beauty in all things1--in nature1 in art1 in science1 in literature1 in social and domestic life4 ,how beautiful and yet how cheap are flowers4 ,not exotics1--but what are called common flowers4 ,a rose1 for instance1 is among the most beautiful of the smiles of nature4 ,the laughing flowers1 exclaims the poet6 ,but there is more than gaiety in blooming flowers1 though it takes a wise man to see the beauty1 the love1 and the adaptation1 of which they are full4 ,what should we think of one who had invented flowers2 supposing that1 before him1 flowers were unknown8 ,would he not be regarded as the opener-up of a paradise of new delight8 should we not hail the inventor as a genius1 as a god8 ,and yet these lovely offsprings of the earth have been speaking to man from the first dawn of his existence until now1 telling him of the goodness and wisdom of the ,creative ,power1 which bade the earth bring forth1 not only that which was useful as food1--but also flowers1 the bright consummate flowers1 to clothe it in beauty and joy6 ,bring one of the commonest field-flowers into a room1 place it on a table or chimneypiece1 and you seem to have brought a ray of sunshine into the place4 ,there is a cheerfulness about flowers4 ,what a delight are they to the drooping invalid6 ,they are like a sweet draught of enjoyment1 coming as messengers from the country1 and seeming to say1 ,come and see the place where we grow1 and let your heart be glad in our presence4 ,what can be more innocent than flowers6 ,they are like children undimmed by sin4 ,they are emblems of purity and truth1 a source of fresh delight to the pure and innocent4 ,the heart that does not love flowers1 or the voice of a playful child1 cannot be genial4 ,it was a beautiful conceit that invented a language of flowers1 by which lovers were enabled to express the feelings that they dared not openly speak4 ,but flowers have a voice for all1--old and young1 rich and poor4 ,to me1 says ,wordsworth1 ,the meanest flower that blows can give ,thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears4 ,have a flower in the room1 by all means6 ,it will cost only a penny1 if your ambition is moderate2 and the gratification it gives will be beyond price4 ,if you can have a flower for your window so much the better4 ,what can be more delicious than the sun's light streaming through flowers--through the midst of crimson fuchsias or scarlet geraniums8 ,to look out into the light through flowers--is not that poetry8 ,and to break the force of the sunbeams by the tender resistance of green leaves8 ,if you can train a nasturtium round the window1 or some sweet peas1 then you will have the most beautiful frame you can invent for the picture without1 whether it be the busy crowd1 or a distant landscape1 or trees with their lights and shades1 or the changes of the passing clouds4 ,any one may thus look through flowers for the price of an old song4 ,and what pure taste and refinement does it not indicate on the part of the cultivator6 ,a flower in the window sweetens the air1 makes the room look graceful1 gives the sun's light a new charm1 rejoices the eye1 and links nature with beauty4 ,the flower is a companion that will never say a cross thing to any one1 but will always look beautiful and smiling4 ,do not despise it because it is cheap1 and because everybody may have the luxury as well as yourself4 ,common things are cheap1 but common things are invariably the most valuable4 ,could we only have fresh air or sunshine by purchase1 what luxuries they would be considered2 but they are free to all1 and we think little of their blessings4 ,there is1 indeed1 much in nature that we do not yet half enjoy1 because we shut our avenues of sensation and feeling4 ,we are satisfied with the matter of fact1 and look not for the spirit of fact1 which is above it4 ,if we opened our minds to enjoyment1 we might find tranquil pleasures spread about us on every side4 ,we might live with the angels that visit us on every sunbeam1 and sit with the fairies who wait on every flower4 ,we want more loving knowledge to enable us to enjoy life1 and we require to cultivate the art of making the most of the common means and appliances for enjoyment1 which lie about us on every side4 ,a snug and a clean home1 no matter how tiny it be1 so that it be wholesome2 windows into which the sun can shine cheerily2 a few good books 7and who need be without a few good books in these days of universal cheapness87--no duns at the door1 and the cupboard well supplied1 and with a flower in your room6 ,there is none so poor as not to have about him these elements of pleasure4 ,but why not1 besides the beauty of ,nature1 have a taste for the beauty of ,art8 ,why not hang up a picture in the room8 ,ingenious methods have been discovered--some of them quite recently--for almost infinitely multiplying works of art1 by means of wood engravings1 lithographs1 photographs1 and autotypes1 which render it possible for every person to furnish his rooms with beautiful pictures4 ,skill and science have thus brought ,art within reach of the poorest4 ,any picture1 print1 or engraving1 that represents a noble thought1 that depicts a heroic act1 or that brings a bit of nature from the fields or the streets into our room1 is a teacher1 a means of education1 and a help to self-culture4 ,it serves to make the home more pleasant and attractive4 ,it sweetens domestic life1 and sheds a grace and beauty about it4 ,it draws the gazer away from mere considerations of self1 and increases his store of delightful associations with the world without1 as well as with the world within4 ,the portrait of a great man1 for instance1 helps us to read his life4 ,it invests him with a personal interest4 ,looking at his features1 we feel as if we knew him better1 and were more closely related to him4 ,such a portrait1 hung up before us daily1 at our meals and during our leisure hours1 unconsciously serves to lift us up and sustain us4 ,it is a link that in some way binds us to a higher and nobler nature4 ,it is said of a ,catholic money-lender that when about to cheat1 he was wont to draw a veil over the face of his favourite saint4 ,thus the portraiture of a great and virtuous man is in some measure a companionship of something better than ourselves2 and though we may not reach the standard of the hero1 we may to a certain extent be influenced by his likeness on our walls4 ,it is not necessary that a picture should be high-priced in order to be beautiful and good4 ,we have seen things for which hundreds of guineas have been paid1 that have not one-hundredth part of the meaning or beauty that is to be found in ,linton's woodcut of ,rafaelle's ,madonna1 which may be had for twopence4 ,the head reminds one of the observation made by ,hazlitt upon a picture1 that it seems as if an unhandsome act would be impossible in its presence4 ,it embodies the ideas of mother's love1 womanly beauty1 and earnest piety4 ,as some one said of the picture3 ,it looks as if a bit of ,heaven were in the room4 ,picture-fanciers pay not so much for the merit1 as for the age and the rarity of their works4 ,the poorest may have the seeing eye for beauty1 while the rich man may be blind to it4 ,the cheapest engraving may communicate the sense of beauty to the artizan1 while the thousand-guinea picture may fail to communicate to the millionaire anything1--excepting perhaps the notion that he has got possession of a work which the means of other people cannot compass4 ,does the picture give you pleasure on looking at it8 ,that is one good test of its worth4 ,you may grow tired of it2 your taste may outgrow it1 and demand something better1 just as the reader may grow out of ,montgomery's poetry into ,milton's4 ,then you will take down the daub1 and put up a picture with a higher idea in its place4 ,there may thus be a steady progress of art made upon the room walls4 ,if the pictures can be put in frames1 so much the better2 but if they cannot1 no matter2 up with them6 ,we know that ,owen ,jones says it is not good taste to hang prints upon walls--he would merely hang room papers there4 ,but ,owen ,jones may not be infallible2 and here we think he is wrong4 ,to our eyes1 a room always looks unfurnished1 no matter how costly and numerous the tables1 chairs1 and ottomans1 unless there be pictures upon the walls4 ,it ought to be1 and no doubt it is1 a great stimulus to artists to know that their works are now distributed in prints and engravings1 to decorate and beautify the homes of the people4 ,the wood-cutter1 the lithographer1 and the engraver1 are the popular interpreters of the great artist4 ,thus ,turner's pictures are not confined to the wealthy possessors of the original works1 but may be diffused through all homes by the ,millars1 and ,brandards1 and ,wilmotts1 who have engraved them4 ,thus ,landseer finds entrance1 through woodcuts and mezzotints1 into every dwelling4 ,thus ,cruikshank preaches temperance1 and ,ary ,scheffer purity and piety4 ,the engraver is the medium by which art in the palace is conveyed into the humblest homes in the kingdom4 ,the ,art of ,living may be displayed in many ways4 ,it may be summed up in the words1--,make the best of everything4 ,nothing is beneath its care2 even common and little things it turns to account4 ,it gives a brightness and grace to the home1 and invests ,nature with new charms4 ,through it1 we enjoy the rich man's parks and woods1 as if they were our own4 ,we inhale the common air1 and bask under the universal sunshine4 ,we glory in the grass1 the passing clouds1 and the flowers4 ,we love the common earth1 and hear joyful voices through all ,nature4 ,it extends to every kind of social intercourse4 ,it engenders cheerful goodwill and loving sincerity4 ,by its help we make others happy1 and ourselves blest4 ,we elevate our being and ennoble our lot4 ,we rise above the grovelling creatures of earth1 and aspire to the ,infinite4 ,and thus we link time to eternity2 where the true ,art of ,living has its final consummation4 ,,index4 ,,aberdare1 ,lord1 on loss by strikes ,advancement of self is advancement of society ,aiton1 ,dr41 an example of thrift ,akroyd1 ,edward1 founds ,provident ,society and ,penny ,savings ,bank and his workpeople and ,penny ,banks ,ambition1 use of ,amusement1 meaning and use of ,arithmetic1 necessary for domestic economy ,ashburton1 ,lord1 on home economy ,ashworth1 ,messrs41 and their workpeople ,author's mother1 an example of thrift ,avarice1 differs from economy ,,bacon1 on limits of economy his improvidence ,bargain-buying1 bad economy of ,baxendale1 ,joseph on punctuality and ,pickford and ,co4 and railways his maxims ,bewick1 the engraver ,bilston ,savings ,bank ,brassey4 ,t41 on ,english work-men ,brewster1 ,d41 on education ,briggs and ,son1 and co-operation ,bright1 ,john1 on the wages of the working classes ,brutus1 and usury ,buchan1 ,earl of1 an example of thrift ,building ,societies at ,birmingham at ,leeds at ,padiham at ,burnley ,burnley1 ,building ,society at ,burns1 and debt ,byron1 and debt ,,campbell1 ,dr41 the missionary ,canova1 humble origin of ,capital1 the result of industry and thrift advantage of1 to workmen employed ,carlyle1 ,t41 on manufacturers his letter to ,whitworth on public charities ,carrington1 ,lord1 and ,pitt ,cato1 the elder1 and usury ,chadwick1 ,edwin1 sketch of his life his ,sanitary ,idea and ,poor ,law ,inquiry and the ,sanitary ,movement and ,general ,board of ,health on thriftlessness ,chantrey1 ,f4 ,charities1 public ,christianity1 its establishment ,civilization1 and thrift slow progress of and healthy homes ,class1 exclusiveness of ,cleanliness1 must be taught ,cobbett1 ,w41 on ,savings ,banks ,cobden1 ,r41 on self-help ,cold1 the parent of frugality ,comfort1 and the art of living ,competition1 use of ,cooking1 good and bad ,co-operation1 the secret of social development and the middle classes and working classes ,fishery tin-mining at ,hull at ,leeds at ,rochdale at ,over ,darwen at ,northampton at ,padiham1 ,manchester1 ,birmingham1 ,leeds and life assurance and friendly societies and factories ,corbett1 ,j41 on ignorance of domestic economy ,crallan1 and lessons on thrift ,crossley1 ,francis1 and ,halifax ,park ,crossley1 ,john1 sketch of his life his wife his work ,,dantzic1 ,duke of ,davis1 ,john1 on debt ,debt1 evils of sympathy with and great men ,debtors1 celebrated1 ,bacon1 ,pitt ,melville1 ,fox ,sheridan ,de ,retz1 ,mirabeau1 ,lamartine1 ,webster ,hunter1 ,vandyck ,hayden ,cowper1 ,marlowe1 ,greene1 ,peele ,lovelace1 ,butler1 ,wycherley1 ,fielding1 ,savage ,chatterton ,steele ,goldsmith ,byron ,foote ,de ,foe ,scott ,deeds1 not words ,denison1 ,edward1 on providence on ,london poor on thrift on thrift in ,guernsey ,derby1 ,lord1 on progress ,derby ,penny ,bank ,de ,retz1 ,cardinal ,dirt1 a degradation ,dolland1 industry of ,donne1 ,dr41 his charity and thrift ,donough1 ,j41 tombstone of ,dress1 extravagance in ,drill1 the magic of ,drink1 money spent on the ,great ,sin and unhealthy homes ,duncan1 ,h41 and ,savings ,banks ,,economy1 see ,thrift ,education1 power of is capital advantage of in ,germany ,elcho1 ,lord1 on miners' wages ,elegance at home ,elliot1 ,sir ,g41 and miners ,england1 one hundred years ago ,english charities ,english workmanship ,englishmen1 industry and improvidence of ,extravagance1 prevalence of ,,failure1 self-sought ,farnham ,penny ,bank ,fast living1 tendency to ,felkin1 on workmen's savings ,ferguson ,charity1 the ,ferguson1 the astronomer ,flaxman1 the sculptor ,flowers1 use of ,foote1 and debt ,forster1 ,w4,e41 on ,lister ,fox1 ,head1 and ,co41 and cooperation ,fox1 ,c4,j41 and debt ,franklin1 ,b41 on thrift of time on self-imposed taxes his industry ,friendly societies defects of working of objections to improvement of ,funerals1 extravagance of ,,generosity1 and economy ,girard ,charity1 the ,ghent1 ,school ,bank at ,gibbon1 on ,fox ,goethe1 on individualism ,goldsmith1 ,o41 and debt ,good manners1 art of among working classes ,good taste1 economy of and comfort ,grey1 ,margaretta1 on occupation of ladies ,greenock ,penny ,bank ,greg1 ,w4,b41 on savings of working classes ,gregory1 ,o41 on self-taught working men ,griffiths1 on pursuit of money ,grundy1 ,mrs41 fear of ,guizot1 on ,english ,charities ,guy's ,hospital ,,halifax ,,penny ,,bank ,happiness in old age ,health1 pleasures of1 #cae2 injuries to4 #caf-g ,heriot's ,hospital1 #cji ,herschel1 his industry4 #gg ,hill1 ,rowland1 and ,savings ,banks1 #adi-ej ,hogarth4 #hj ,home and civilization4 #cba2 and children4 #cbb2 ignorance concerning1 #cbc-d2 reform1 #cdj-a ,huddersfield ,savings ,bank1 #aed ,hull ,anti-,mill ,society1 #ajb ,hume1 ,h41 and thrift1 #fh ,hume1 ,j41 on tone of living1 #ag ,hunter1 ,j41 and debt1 #bfi ,hutton1 ,dr41 #gc ,,idleness1 wretchedness of1 #f ,ignorance is power1 #eg-i ,improvidence1 see ,thriftlessness ,inchbald1 ,mrs41 on thrift1 #fe ,incomes of the working classes1 #da-i ,independence of a good mechanic1 #ej ,individualism1 #gb-c ,industry1 see ,labour ,,johnson1 ,s41 on economy1 #ai2 on poverty1 #bj2 on ,savage1 #bgb2 his poverty1 #bhb-c2 on debt1 #bhc ,jonson1 ,b41 and poverty1 #bga ,,kepler1 and poverty1 #bfh ,knowledge1 acquired by labour1 #f ,,labour1 leads to wealth1 #b2 is never lost1 #c2 a necessity and pleasure1 #d2 ,st4 ,paul on1 #f2 gives knowledge1 #f2 and progress1 #g2 of ,english workmen1 #cf2 and thrift1 #if1 #ahd2 makes the man1 #afj ,laing1 ,s41 on good manners in ,france1 #cfh ,lamartine and debt1 #bfg ,lancaster1 ,j41 and ,sunday schools ,land and ,building ,societies ,leeds1 ,industrial ,society ,permanent ,building ,society ,life assurance1 advantages of working of at a penny a day ,life1 uncertainty of ,lister1 of ,bradford ,little things1 importance of ,living1 art of ,loan ,societies ,lough1 the sculptor1 sketch of his life ,luck1 means good management does not make men ,lytton1 ,lord1 on money on public charities ,,macaulay1 on ,pit ,macdonald1 ,a4 ,manchester1 ,bishop of1 on agricultural labourers ,manchester ,co-operative ,bank ,unity of ,odd ,fellows ,marlborough1 ,duke of1 his penuriousness ,marriage1 responsibility of makes economy a duty imprudent ,masters1 influence of want of sympathy between men and ,means1 living beyond ,mechanics' ,institutes ,melville1 ,lord1 and debt ,method1 a masculine quality value of ,middle class1 co-operation among ,mill1 ,j4,s41 on combination on dollar-hunters ,miller1 ,hugh1 on thrift his industry ,milton1 ,j41 and poverty ,mirabeau1 and debt ,misery1 caused by greed and improvidence of the man of nothing but money ,money1 represents independence mistake as to power of worship of accumulation of dissipated by the third generation ,montaigne1 on debt ,mortality1 laws of ,moses1 a sanitary reformer ,,napier1 ,c41 on debt ,nasmyth1 ,j41 sketch of his life his active leisure ,national prosperity is not real prosperity ,navvy's ,home1 a failure ,newman1 on debt ,nightingale1 ,f41 and soldiers' savings ,no1 ability to say ,nobody to blame ,norris1 on miners ,northampton ,co-operative ,society ,,order ,overcrowding ,over ,darwen ,co-operative ,society ,,padih ,,am1 ,co-operative ,cotton-mill ,building ,society ,pastoral life1 a myth ,peabody benefaction1 the ,penny a day1 power of a ,penny ,bank1 ,akroyd's at ,greenock at ,halifax at ,glasgow at ,farnham ,pennies1 taking care of the ,physiology1 should be taught ,pickford and ,co41 see ,baxendale ,pictures1 use of ,pitt1 and debt ,post ,office ,savings ,banks ,pounds1 ,john1 and ,ragged ,schools ,poverty1 not a disgrace sharpens wits the skeleton in the closet ,preston ,savings ,bank ,primogeniture1 ,right of1 causes struggle for wealth ,prodigality1 see ,thriftlessness ,progress and labour of individuals and nations ,prosperity1 leads to greater expenditure ,punctuality1 ,baxendale on a household quality ,,queckett1on ,penny ,banks ,quentin ,matsys1 industry of ,,ragged ,,schools and ,penny ,banks foundation of ,ramsay1 ,allan ,ready-money transactions ,reform of ,number ,one of home ,republican millionaires ,respectability1 abuse of ,rich man1 the troubles of the ,richardson1 ,s4 ,rochdale1 co-operative corn-mill ,equitable ,pioneers ,society ,roebuck1 ,j4,a41 on the working classes ,rural districts1 unwholesome condition of ignorance in ,russell1 ,lord1 on self-imposed taxes ,ruthven ,savings ,bank ,,saladin1 on wealth ,salamanca1 ,jose de1 on love of gold ,salt1 ,t41 sketch of his life founds ,saltaire and his workpeople ,saltaire ,sanitary science ,savings ,banks the first at ,ruthven used by domestic servants used most where wages are lowest used by soldiers military at ,bilston ,penny school increase of ,post ,office statistics of ,savings1 see ,thrift ,scholarship in the ,school of ,mines ,scotch charities ,scott1 ,w41 and debt ,self-help1 means self-respect ,sharp1 ,w4 ,sheridan1 and debt ,sikes4 ,c4,w41 on thriftlessness on ,savings ,banks and ,post ,office ,savings ,banks sketch of his life ,slavery1 in ,britain in ,england in ,scotland ,smith1 ,joseph1 starts a ,savings ,bank ,smith1 ,sydney1 and poverty ,society1 living up to higher ,socrates1 on thrift ,southey1 his industry ,spinoza1 and poverty ,steele1 ,r41 and debt ,steen1 ,jan1 and debt ,stephenson1 ,george ,sterne1 and poverty ,stone1 on public charities ,strikes1 losses by1 #dg1 #ih-ajj ,sully1 ,duke of1 on economy1 #ic ,sympathy between masters and men1 want of1 #ahj-hc ,tact1 want of1 #ie ,tassie1 sculptor1 #hj ,taxes1 self-imposed1 #ci ,taylor1 ,j41 on reputation of man of money1 #bid ,thrift1 origin and definition of1 #a2 an acquired principle1 #h2 gives ,capital1 #aj2 is within reach of all1 #aa-c2 of time1 #ab2 needs common sense4 #ac2 needs a beginning1 #ad2 is a duty1 #ad2 in youth1 #ah2 is practical1 #ai2 dignity of1 #bj2 in ,guernsey1 #ce2 object of1 #fe2 is ,order1 #ff2 of upper classes1 #fg2 rules for1 #hi2 limits of1 #ij2 is a dignity and satisfaction1 #ic2 is conservative1 #ajg-h2 and building societies1 #aji2 of ,frenchmen and ,belgians1 #aae2 of private soldiers1 #acc-e2 lessons in1 #ade-f2 of great generals1 #aib2 of ,french workmen1 #bca-b2 leads to ,charity1 #bhf ,thriftlessness1 of savages1 #b2 of nations1 #i2 of individuals1 #aj2 selfishness of1 #ad2 dependence of1 #af2 cruelty of1 #ag1aab2 in prosperous times1 #bf1 #cj2 of ,english workmen1 #cf-g1 #da-eg1 #ia1 #aci ,tottenham ,savings ,bank1 #abg ,trades ,unions1 #ii-ajj ,typhus1 a preventible disease1 #cce ,,uncivilized condition of the poor1 #cb ,,ventilation ,,wages of working classes ,wakefield1 ,p41 and ,savings ,banks ,walker1 ,robert ,walpole1 ,horace1 on bargains ,walter1 ,j41 on pride in work ,washington1 ,g41 and slaves ,waterlow1 ,s4 ,watt1 ,james ,wealth1 by labour and poverty ,wellington1 ,duke of1 on military ,savings ,banks ,wesley ,j41 his account-keeping ,whitworth1 ,j41 and co-operation ,winckelmann ,woman1 influence of ,women1 require to be taught physiology domestic economy arithmetic cooking ,working-men1 definition of thriftlessness of wages of extravagance of want of self-respect among neglect opportunities want knowledge co-operation among strikes among their ability to save do not much use the ,savings ,banks ,wycherley1 and debt