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manufacturing　town；　and　Englishmen；　sacrificing　themselves　to　the



good　of　general　humanity；　may　live　diminished　lives　in　the　midst



of　noise；　of　darkness；　and　of　deadly　exhalation。　But　the　world



cannot　become　a　factory；　nor　a　mine。　No　amount　of　ingenuity　will



ever　make　iron　digestible　by　the　million；　nor　substitute　hydrogen



for　wine。　Neither　the　avarice　nor　the　rage　of　men　will　ever　feed



them；　and　however　the　apple　of　Sodom　and　the　grape　of　Gomorrah



may　spread　their　table　for　a　time　with　dainties　of　ashes；　and



nectar　of　asps；　　so　long　as　men　live　by　bread；　the　far　away



valleys　must　laugh　as　they　are　covered　with　the　gold　of　God；　and



the　shouts　of　His　happy　multitudes　ring　round　the　wine…press　and



the　well。



　　　　Nor　need　our　more　sentimental　economists　fear　the　too　wide



spread　of　the　formalities　of　a　mechanical　agriculture。　The



presence　of　a　wise　population　implies　the　search　for　felicity　as



well　as　for　food；　nor　can　any　population　reach　its　maximum　but



through　that　wisdom　which　〃rejoices〃　in　the　habitable　parts　of



the　earth。　The　desert　has　its　appointed　place　and　work；　the



eternal　engine；　whose　beam　is　the　earth's　axle；　whose　beat　is　its



year；　and　whose　breath　is　its　ocean；　will　still　divide



imperiously　to　their　desert　kingdoms；　bound　with　unfurrowable



rock；　and　swept　by　unarrested　sand；　their　powers　of　frost　and



fire：　but　the　zones　and　lands　between；　habitable；　will　be



loveliest　in　habitation。　The　desire　of　the　heart　is　also　the



light　of　the　eyes。　No　scene　is　continually　and　untiringly　loved；



but　one　rich　by　joyful　human　labour；　smooth　in　field；　fair　in



garden；　full　in　orchard；　trim；　sweet；　and　frequent　in　homestead；



ringing　with　voices　of　vivid　existence。　No　air　is　sweet　that　is



silent；　it　is　only　sweet　when　full　of　low　currents　of　under



sound…triplets　of　birds；　and　murmur　and　chirp　of　insects；　and



deep…toned　words　of　men；　and　wayward　trebles　of　childhood。　As　the



art　of　life　is　learned；　it　will　be　found　at　last　that　all　lovely



things　are　also　necessary：　　the　wild　flower　by　the　wayside；　as



well　as　the　tended　corn；　and　the　wild　birds　and　creatures　of　the



by　every　wondrous　word　and　unknowable　work　of　God。　Happy；　in　that



he　knew　them　not；　nor　did　his　fathers　know；　and　that　round　about



him　reaches　yet　into　the　infinite；　the　amazement　of　his



existence。



　　　　Note；　finally；　that　all　effectual　advancement　towards　this



true　felicity　of　the　human　race　must　be　by　individual；　not　public



effort。　Certain　general　measures　may　aid；　certain　revised　laws



guide；　such　advancement；　but　the　measure　and　law　which　have　first



to　be　determined　are　those　of　each　man's　home。　We　continually



hear　it　recommended　by　sagacious　people　to　complaining　neighbours



（usually　less　well　placed　in　the　world　than　themselves）；　that



they　should　〃remain　content　in　the　station　in　which　Providence



has　placed　them。〃　There　are　perhaps　some　circumstances　of　life　in



which　Providence　has　no　intention　that　people　should　be　content。



Nevertheless；　the　maxim　is　on　the　whole　a　good　one；　but　it　is



peculiarly　for　home　use。　That　your　neighbour　should；　or　should



not；　remain　content　with　his　position；　is　not　your　business；　but



it　is　very　much　your　business　to　remain　content　with　your　own。



What　is　chiefly　needed　in　England　at　the　present　day　is　to　show



the　quantity　of　pleasure　that　may　be　obtained　by　a　consistent；



well…administered　competence；　modest；　confessed；　and　laborious。



We　need　examples　of　people　who；　leaving　Heaven　to　decide　whether



they　are　to　rise　in　the　world；　decide　for　them　selves　that　they



will　be　happy　in　it；　and　have　resolved　to　seek…not　greater



wealth；　but　simpler　pleasure；　not　higher　fortune；　but　deeper



felicity；　making　the　first　of　possessions；　self…possession；　and



honouring　themselves　in　the　harmless　pride　and　calm　pursuits　of



piece。



　　　　Of　which　lowly　peace　it　is　written　that　〃justice〃　and　peace



have　kissed　each　other；〃　and　that　the　fruit　of　justice　is　〃　sown



in　peace　of　them　that　make　peace；〃　not　〃peace…makers〃　in　the



common　understanding　　reconcilers　of　quarrels；　（though　that



function　also　follows　on　the　greater　one；）　but　peace…Creators；



Givers　of　Calm。　Which　you　cannot　give；　unless　you　first　gain；　nor



is　this　gain　one　which　will　follow　assuredly　on　any　course　of



business；　commonly　so　called。　No　form　of　gain　is　less　probable；



business　being　（as　is　shown　in　the　language　of　all　nations　



polein　from　pelo；　prasis　from　perao；　venire；　vendre；　and　venal；



from　venio；　&c。）　essentially　restless　　and　probably



contentious；　　having　a　raven…like　mind　to　the　motion　to　and



fro；　as　to　the　carrion　food；　whereas　the　olive…feeding　and



bearing　birds　look　for　rest　for　their　feet：　thus　it　is　said　of



Wisdom　that　she　〃hath　builded　her　house；　and　hewn　out　her　seven



pillars；〃　and　even　when；　though　apt　to　wait　long　at　the



door…posts；　she　has　to　leave　her　house　and　go　abroad；　her　paths



are　peace　also。



　　　　For　us；　at　all　events；　her　work　must　begin　at　the　entry　of



the　doors：　all　true　economy　is　〃Law　of　the　house。〃　Strive　to　make



that　law　strict；　simple；　generous：　waste　nothing；　and　grudge



nothing。　Care　in　nowise　to　make　more　of　money；　but　care　to　make



much　of　it；　remembering　always　the　great；　palpable；　inevitable



fact　　the　rule　and　root　of　all　economy　　that　what　one　person



has；　another　cannot　have；　and　that　every　atom　of　substance；　of



whatever　kind；　used　or　consumed；　is　so　much　human　life　spent；



which；　if　it　issue　in　the　saving　present　life；　or　gaining　more；



is　well　spent；　but　if　not；　is　either　so　much　life　prevented；　or



so　much　slain。　In　all　buying；　consider；　first；　what　condition　of



existence　you　cause　in　the　producers　of　what　you　buy；　secondly；



whether　the　sum　you　have　paid　is　just　to　the　producer；　and　in　due



proportion；　lodged　in　his　hands；（35*）　thirdly；　to　how　much　clear



use；　for　food；　knowledge；　or　joy；　this　that　you　have　bought　can



be　put；　and　fourthly；　to　whom　and　in　what　way　it　can　be　most



speedily　and　serviceably　distributed：　in　all　dealings　whatsoever



insisting　on　entire　openness　and　stern　fulfilment；　and　in　all



doings；　on　perfection　and　loveliness　of　accomplishment；



especially　on　fineness　and　purity　of　all　marketable　commodity：



watching　at　the　same　time　for　all　ways　of　gaining；　or　teaching；



powers　of　simple　pleasure；　and　of　showing　oson　en　asphodelps　geg



oneiar　　the　sum　of　enjoyment　depending　not　on　the　quantity　of



things　tasted；　but　on　the　vivacity　and　patience　of　taste。



　　　　And　if；　on　due　and　honest　thought　over　these　things；　it　seems



that　the　kind　of　existence　to　which　men　are　now　summoned　by　every



plea　of　pity　and　claim　of　right；　may；　for　some　time　at　least；　not



be　a　luxurious　one；　　consider　whether；　even　supposing　it



guiltless；　luxury　would　be　desired　by　any　of　us；　if　we　saw



clearly　at　our　sides　the　suffering　which　accompanies　it　in　the



world。　Luxury　is　indeed　possible　in　the　future　　innocent　and



exquisite；　luxury　for　all；　and　by　the　help　of　all；　but　luxury　at



present　can　only　be　enjoyed　by　the　ignorant；　the　cruelest　man



living　could　not　sit　at　his　feast；　unless　he　sat　blindfold。　Raise



the　veil　boldly；　face　the　light；　and　if；　as　yet；　the　light　of　the



eye　can　only　be　through　tears；　and　the　light　of　the　body　through



sackcloth；　go　thou　forth　weeping；　bearing　precious　seed；　until



the　time　come；　and　the　kingdom；　when　Christ's　gift　of　bread；　and



bequest　of　peace；　shall　be　〃Unto　this　last　as　unto　thee〃；　and



when；　for　earth's　severed　multitudes　of　the　wicked　and　the　weary；



there　shall　be　holier　reconciliation　than　that　of　the　narrow



home；　and　calm　economy；　where　the　Wicked　cease　　not　from



trouble；　but　from　troubling　　and　the　Weary　are　at　rest。











NOTES：







1。　The　difference　between　the　two　modes　of　treatment；　and　between



their　effective　material　results；　may　be　seen　very　accurately　by



a　comparison　of　the　relations　of　Esther　and　Charlie　in　Bleak



House；　with　those　of　Miss　Brass　and　the　Marchioness　in　Master



Humphrey's　Clock。



　　　　The　essential　value　and　truth　of　Dickens's　writings　have　been



unwisely　lost　sight　of　by　many　thoughtful　persons；　merely　because



he　presents　his　truth　with　some　colour　of　caricature。　Unwisely；



because　Dickens's　caricature；　though　often　gross；　is　never



mistaken。　Allowing　for　his　manner　of　telling　them；　the　things　he



tells　us　are　always　true。　I　wish　that　he　could　think　it　right　to



limit　his　brilliant　exaggeration　to　works　written　only　for　public



amusement；　and　when　he　takes　up　a　subject　of　high　national



importance；　such　as　that　which　he　handled　in　Hard　Times；　that　he



would　use　severer　and　more　accurate　analysis。　The　usefulness　of



that　work　（to　my　mind；　in　several　respects；　the　greatest　he　has



written）　is　with　many　persons　seriously　diminished　because　Mr



Bounderby　is　a　dramatic　monster；　instead　of　a　characteristic



example　of　a　worldly　master；　and　Stephen　Blackpool　a　dramatic



perfection；　instead　of　a　characteristic　example　of　an　honest



workman。　But　let　us　not　lose　the　use　of　Dickens's　wit　and



insight；　because　he　chooses　to　speak　in　a　circle　of　stage　fire。



He　is　entirely　right　in　his　main　drift　and　purpose　in　every　book



he　has　written；　and　all　of　them；　but　especially　Hard　Times；



should　be　studied　with　close　and　earnest　care　by　persons



interested　in　social　questions。　They　will　find　much　that　is



partial；　and；　because　partial；　apparently　unjust；　but　if　they



examine　all　the　evidence　on　the　other　side；　which　Dickens　seems



to　ov