large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_06_morris_64kb_10
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_06_morris_64kb
English
6138
In this stock jobbers' heaven let us leave our dear countrymen for a little, while I say a few words about the affairs of the people on the continent of Europe. IN THIS STOCKED UP AS HEAVEN LET US LEAVE OUR DEAR COUNTRYMEN FOR A LITTLE WHILE I SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE AFFAIRS OF THE PEOPLE ON THE CONTINENT OF EUROPE
r off than before. Thus was damped down the flame of a discontent vague in its aims, and passionately crying out for what, if granted, it could not have used: twenty years ago any one hinting at the possibility of serious class discontent in this country would have been looked upon as a madman; in fact, the well-to-do and cultivated were quite unconscious (as many still are) that there was any class distinction in this country other than what was made by the rags and cast clothes of feudalism, which in a perfunctory manner they still attacked. There was no sign of revolutionary feeling in England twenty years ago: the middle class were so rich that they had no need to hope for anything—but a heaven which they did not believe in: the well-to-do working men did not hope, since they were not pinched and had no means of learning their degraded position: and lastly, the drudges of the proletariat had such hope as charity, the hospital, the workhouse, and kind death at last could offer them.  WORKMEN WERE NO BETTER OFF THAN BEFORE THUS WAS DAMPED DOWN THE FLAME OF A DISCONTENT VAGUE IN ITS AIMS AND PASSIONATELY CRYING OUT FOR WHAT IF GRANTED IT COULD NOT HAVE USED TWENTY YEARS AGO ANYONE HINTING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF SERIOUS CLASS DISCONTENT IN THIS COUNTRY WOULD HAVE BEEN LOOKED UPON AS A MADMAN IN FACT THE WELL TO DO AND CULTIVATED WERE QUITE UNCONSCIOUS AS MANY STILL ARE THAT THERE WAS ANY CLASS DISTINCTION IN THIS COUNTRY OTHER THAN WHAT WAS MADE BY THE RAGS AND CAST CLOTHES OF FEUDALISM WHICH IN A PERFUNCTORY MANNER THEY STILL ATTACKED THERE WAS NO SIGN OF REVOLUTIONARY FEELING IN ENGLAND TWENTY YEARS AGO THE MIDDLE CLASS WAS SO RICH THAT THEY HAD NO NEED TO HOPE FOR ANYTHING BUT A HEAVEN WHICH THEY DID NOT BELIEVE IN THE WELL TO DO WORKING MEN DID NOT HOPE SINCE THEY WERE NOT PINCHED AND HAD NO MEANS OF LEARNING THEIR DEGRADED POSITION AND LASTLY THE DRUDGES OF THE PROLETARIAT HAD SUCH HOPE AS CHARITY THE HOSPITAL THE WORKHOUSE AND KIND DEATH AT LAST COULD OFFER THEM
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