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grow bright in the furrow； rather with diminution of its
substance； than addition； by the noble friction。 And the true
home question； to every capitalist and to every nation； is not；
〃how many ploughs have you？〃 but； 〃where are your furrows？〃 not
〃how quickly will this capital reproduce itself？〃 but；
〃what will it do during reproduction？〃 What substance will it
furnish； good for life？ what work construct； protective of life？
if none； its own reproduction is useless if worse than none；
（for capital may destroy life as well as support it）； its own
reproduction is worse than useless； it is merely an advance from
Tisiphone； on mortgage not a profit by any means。
Not a profit； as the ancients truly saw； and showed in the
type of Ixion； for capital is the head； or fountain head of
wealth the 〃well…head〃 of wealth； as the clouds are the
well…heads of rain； but when clouds are without water； and only
beget clouds； they issue in wrath at last； instead of rain； and
in lightning instead of harvest； whence Ixion is said first to
have invited his guests to a banquet； and then made them fall
into a pit； （as also Demas' silver mine；） after which； to show
the rage of riches passing from lust of pleasure to lust of
power； yet power not truly understood； Ixion is said to have
desired Juno； and instead； embracing a cloud （or phantasm）； to
have begotten the Centaurs； the power of mere wealth being； in
itself； as the embrace of a shadow； comfortless； （so also
〃Ephraim feedeth on wind and followth after the east wind；〃 or
〃that which is not〃 Prov。 xxiii。 5； and again Dante's Geryon；
the type of avaricious fraud； as he flies； gathers the air up
with retractile claws； 〃l'aer a se raccolse〃（28*）） but in its
offspring； a mingling of the brutal with the human nature； human
in sagacity using both intellect and arrow； but brutal in its
body and hoof； for consuming； and trampling down。 For which sin
Ixion is at last bound upon a wheel fiery and toothed； and
rolling perpetually in the air： the type of human labour when
selfish and fruitless （kept far into the Middle Ages in their
wheels of fortune）； the wheel which has in it no breath or
spirit； but is whirled by chance only； whereas of all true work
the Ezekiel vision is true； that the Spirit of the living
creature is in the wheels； and where the angels go； the wheels go
by them； but move no otherwise。
This being the real nature of capital； it follows that there
are two kinds of true production； always going on in an active
State： one of seed； and one of food； or production for the
Ground； and for the Mouth； both of which are by covetous persons
thought to be production only for the granary； whereas the
function of the granary is but intermediate and conservative；
fulfilled in distribution； else it ends in nothing but mildew；
and nourishment of rats and worms。 And since production for the
Ground is only useful with future hope of harvest； all essential
production is for the Mouth； and is finally measured by the
mouth； hence； as I said above； consumption is the crown of
production； and the wealth of a nation is only to be estimated by
what it consumes。
The want of any clear sight of this fact is the capital
error； issuing in rich interest and revenue of error among the
political economists。 Their minds are continually set on
money…gain； not on mouth…gain； and they fall into every sort of
net and snare； dazzled by the coin…glitter as birds by the
fowler's glass； or rather （for there is not much else like birds
in them） they are like children trying to jump on the heads of
their own shadows； the money…gain being only the shadow of the
true gain； which is humanity。
The final object of political economy； therefore； is to get
good method of consumption； and great quantity of consumption： in
other words； to use everything； and to use it nobly。 whether it
be substance； service； or service perfecting substance。 The most
curious error in Mr Mill's entire work； （provided for him
originally by Ricardo；） is his endeavour to distinguish between
direct and indirect service； and consequent assertion that a
demand for commodities is not demand for labour （I。 v。 9； et
seq。）。 He distinguishes between labourers employed to lay out
pleasure grounds； and to manufacture velvet； declaring that it
makes material difference to the labouring classes in which of
these two ways a capitalist spends his money； because the
employment of the gardeners is a demand for labour； but the
purchase of velvet is not。（29*） Error colossal； as well as
strange。 It will； indeed； make a difference to the labourer
whether we bid him swing his scythe in the spring winds； or drive
the loom in pestilential air。 but； so far as his pocket is
concerned； it makes； to him absolutely no difference whether we
order him to make green velvet； with seed and a scythe； or red
velvet； with silk and scissors。 Neither does it anywise concern
him whether； when the velvet is made； we consume it by walking on
it； or wearing it； so long as our consumption of it is wholly
selfish。 But if our consumption is to be in anywise unselfish；
not only our mode of consuming the articles we require interests
him； but also the kind of article we require with a view to
consumption。 As thus （returning for a moment to Mr Mill's great
hardware theory（30*））： it matters； so far as the labourer's
immediate profit is concerned； not an iron filing whether I
employ him in growing a peach； or forging a bombshell； but my
probable mode of consumption of those articles matters seriously。
Admit that it is to be in both cases 〃unselfish；〃 and the
difference； to him； is final； whether when his child is ill； I
walk into his cottage and give it the peach； or drop the shell
down his chimney； and blow his roof off。
The worst of it； for the peasant； is； that the capitalist's
consumption of the peach is apt to be selfish； and of the shell；
distributive；（31*） but； in all cases； this is the broad and
general fact； that on due catallactic commercial principles；
somebody's roof must go off in fulfilment of the bomb's destiny。
You may grow for your neighbour； at your liking； grapes or
grape…shot； he will also； catallactically； grow grapes or
grape…shot for you； and you will each reap what you have sown。
It is； therefore； the manner and issue of consumption which
are the real tests of production。 Production does not consist in
things laboriously made； but in things serviceably consumable；
and the question for the nation is not how much labour it