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who dug it and of the engineer who designed it pay the toll when
they have occasion to travel by it； or to purchase goods which
have been conveyed along it。 I remember my grandfather well。 He
was a well…bred man； and a perfect gentleman in his manners； but；
on the whole； I think he was wickeder than my father； who； after
all； was caught in the wheels of a vicious system； and had either
to spoil others or be spoiled by them。 But my grandfatherthe
old rascal！was in no such dilemma。 Master as he was of his bit
of merry England； no man could have enslaved him； and he might at
least have lived and let live。 My father followed his example in
the matter of the deer forest； but that was the climax of his
wickedness； whereas it was only the beginning of my
grandfather's。 Howbeit； whichever bears the palm； there they
were； the types after which we all strive。〃
〃Not all； Sidney。 Not we two。 I hate tradespeople and country
squires。 We belong to the artistic and cultured classes； and we
can keep aloof from shopkeepers。〃
〃Living； meanwhile； at the rate of several thousand a year on
rent and interest。 No； my dear； this is the way of those people
who insist that when they are in heaven they shall be spared the
recollection of such a place as hell； but are quite content that
it shall exist outside their consciousness。 I respect my father
moreI mean I despise him lessfor doing his own sweating and
filching than I do the sensitive sluggards and cowards who lent
him their money to sweat and filch with； and asked no questions
provided the interest was paid punctually。 And as to your friends
the artists； they are the worst of all。〃
〃Oh； Sidney； you are determined not to be pleased。 Artists don't
keep factories。〃
〃No； but the factory is only a part of the machinery of the
system。 Its basis is the tyranny of brain force； which； among
civilized men； is allowed to do what muscular force does among
schoolboys and savages。 The schoolboy proposition is： 'I am
stronger than you； therefore you shall fag for me。' Its grown up
form is： 'I am cleverer than you； therefore you shall fag for
me。' The state of things we produce by submitting to this； bad
enough even at first； becomes intolerable when the mediocre or
foolish descendants of the clever fellows claim to have inherited
their privileges。 Now； no men are greater sticklers for the
arbitrary dominion of genius and talent than your artists。 The
great painter is not satisfied with being sought after and
admired because his hands can do more than ordinary hands； which
they truly can； but he wants to be fed as if his stomach needed
more food than ordinary stomachs； which it does not。 A day's work
is a day's work； neither more nor less； and the man who does it
needs a day's sustenance； a night's repose； and due leisure；
whether he be painter or ploughman。 But the rascal of a painter；
poet； novelist； or other voluptuary in labor； is not content with
his advantage in popular esteem over the ploughman； he also wants
an advantage in money； as if there were more hours in a day spent
in the studio or library than in the field； or as if he needed
more food to enable him to do his work than the ploughman to
enable him to do his。 He talks of the higher quality of his work；
as if the higher quality of it were of his own makingas if it
gave him a right to work less for his neighbor than his neighbor
works for himas if the ploughman could not do better without
him than he without the ploughmanas if the value of the most
celebrated pictures has not been questioned more than that of any
straight furrow in the arable worldas if it did not take an
apprenticeship of as many years to train the hand and eye of a
mason or blacksmith as of an artistas if； in short； the fellow
were a god； as canting brain worshippers have for years past been
assuring him he is。 Artists arc the high priests of the modern
Moloch。 Nine out of ten of them are diseased creatures； just sane
enough to trade on their own neuroses。 The only quality o？theirs
which extorts my respect is a certain sublime selfishness which
makes them willing to starve and to let their families starve
sooner than do any work they don't like。〃
〃INDEED you are quite wrong； Sidney。 There was a girl at the
Slade school who supported her mother and two sisters by her
drawing。 Besides； what can you do？ People were made so。〃
〃Yes； I was made a landlord and capitalist by the folly of the
people； but they can unmake me if they will。 Meanwhile I have
absolutely no means of escape from my position except by giving
away my slaves to fellows who will use them no better than I； and
becoming a slave myself； which； if you please； you shall not
catch me doing in a hurry。 No； my beloved； I must keep my foot on
their necks for your sake as well as for my own。 But you do not
care about all this prosy stuff。 I am consumed with remorse for
having bored my darling。 You want to know why I am living here
like a hermit in a vulgar two…roomed hovel instead of tasting the
delights of London society with my beautiful and devoted young
wife。〃
〃But you don't intend to stay here； Sidney？〃
〃Yes； I do； and I will tell you why。 I am helping to liberate
those Manchester laborers who were my father's slaves。 To bring
that about； their fellow slaves all over the world must unite in
a vast international association of men pledged to share the
world's work justly； to share the produce of the work justly； to
yield not a farthingcharity apartto any full…grown and
able…bodied idler or malingerer； and to treat as vermin in the
commonwealth persons attempting to get more than their share of
wealth or give less than their share of work。 This is a very
difficult thing to accomplish； because working…men； like the
people called their betters； do not always understand their own
interests； and will often actually help their oppressors to
exterminate their saviours to the tune of 'Rule Britannia；' or
some such lying doggerel。 We must educate them out of that； and；
meanwhile； push forward the international association of laborers
diligently。 I am at present occupied in propagating its
principles。 Capitalism； organized for repressive purposes under
pretext of governing the nation； would very soon stop the
association if it understood our aim； but it thinks that we are
engaged in gunpowder plots and conspiracies to assassinate
crowned heads； and so； whilst the police are blundering in search
of evidence of these； our real work goes on unmolested。 Whether I
am really advancing the cause is more than I can say。 I use heaps
of postage stamps； pay the expenses of many indifferent
lecturers； defray the cost of printing reams of pamphlets and
hand…bills which hail the laborer flatteringly as the salt of the
earth； write and edit a little socialist journal； and do what
lies in my power generally。 I had rather spend my ill…gotten
wealth in this way than upon an expensive house and a retinue of
servants。 And I prefer my corduroys and my two…roomed chalet here
to our pretty little house； and your pretty little ways； and my
pretty little neglect of the work that my heart is set upon。 Some
day； perhaps； I will take a h