large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_06_morris_64kb_31
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_06_morris_64kb
English
6138
For this latter supposition there was no foundation: indeed, the poor wretches who were thrown out of work by the triumphant march of commerce had perforce worn thrift threadbare, and could hardly better their exploits in _that_ direction; while as to those who worked in the factories, or who formed the fringe of labour elsewhere, industry was no new gospel to them, since they already worked as long as they could work without dying at the loom, the spindle, or the stithy. FOR THIS LATTER SUPPOSITION THERE WAS NO FOUNDATION INDEED THE POOR WRETCHES WHO WERE THROWN OUT OF WORK BY THE TRIUMPHANT MARCH OF COMMERCE HAD PERFORCE WORN THRIFT THREADBARE AND COULD HARDLY BETTER THEIR EXPLOITS IN THAT DIRECTION WHILE AS TO THOSE WHO WORKED IN THE FACTORIES OR WHO FORMED THE FRINGE OF LABOUR ELSEWHERE INDUSTRY WAS NO NEW GOSPEL TO THEM SINCE THEY ALREADY WORKED AS LONG AS THEY COULD WORK WITHOUT DYING AT THE LOOM THE SPINDLE OR THE STYTHY
ts of the world, and also, as the people of that period were never weary of boasting, the workshop of the world: the increase in the riches of the country was enormous, even at the early period I am thinking of now—prior to ’48, I mean—though it increased much more speedily in times that we have all seen: but part of the jubilant hopes of this newly rich man concerned his servants, the instruments of his fortune: it was hoped that the population in general would grow wiser, better educated, thriftier, more industrious, more comfortable; for which hope there was surely some foundation, since man’s mastery over the forces of Nature was growing yearly towards completion; but you see these benevolent gentlemen supposed that these hopes would be realized perhaps by some unexplained magic as aforesaid, or perhaps by the working-classes, _at their own expense_, by the exercise of virtues supposed to be specially suited to their condition, and called, by their masters, “thrift” and “industry.” MISTRESS OF THE MARKETS OF THE WORLD AND ALSO AS THE PEOPLE OF THAT PERIOD WERE NEVER WEARY OF BOASTING THE WORKSHOP OF THE WORLD THE INCREASE IN THE RICHES OF THE COUNTRY WAS ENORMOUS EVEN AT THE EARLY PERIOD I AM THINKING OF NOW PRIOR TO FORTY EIGHT I MEAN THOUGH IT INCREASED MUCH MORE SPEEDILY IN TIMES THAT WE HAVE ALL SEEN BUT PART OF THE JUBILANT HOPES OF THIS NEWLY RICH MAN CONCERNED HIS SERVANTS THE INSTRUMENTS OF HIS FORTUNE IT WAS HOPED THAT THE POPULATION IN GENERAL WOULD GROW WISER BETTER EDUCATED THRIFTIER MORE INDUSTRIOUS MORE COMFORTABLE FOR WHICH HOPE THERE WAS SURELY SOME FOUNDATION SINCE MAN'S MASTERY OVER THE FORCES OF NATURE WAS GROWING YEARLY TOWARDS COMPLETION BUT YOU SEE THESE BENEVOLENT GENTLEMEN SUPPOSED THAT THESE HOPES WOULD BE REALIZED PERHAPS BY SOME UNEXPLAINED MAGIC AS AFORESAID OR PERHAPS BY THE WORKING CLASSES AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE BY THE EXERCISE OF VIRTUES SUPPOSED TO BE SPECIALLY SUITED TO THEIR CONDITION AND CALLED BY THEIR MASTERS THRIFT AND INDUSTRY
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