“Yes,” replied Mr. Midith. “We gradually eliminated all unproductive and destructive labor as our social and industrial system advanced. “But allow me, ladies and gentlemen, to tell you right here, there is one other point in connection with labor that I shall have to speak to you about, in order to give you a clear understanding of our idea of labor, and that point is this: not all human exertion, whether performed on earth or on Mars, is considered laborious or toilsome. For instance, the beating of the heart, eating, breathing, voluntary conversation, a ride or walk for recreation, pursuing a favorite study or occupation, shopping as you call it, entertaining a welcome friend, being engaged in a certain kind of fancy work, are not considered even by you as toilsome labor. They have either become delightful exercises, or they have lost their conscious sensitiveness all together, like the beating of the heart, etc. “All well organized persons find delight in being _always_ engaged in some active, physical or mental pursuits, during their waking hours. Absolute quietude and idleness are very burdensome to them. So, too, is excessive labor toilsome to them. But by the aid and improvement of our machinery, by shortening the day of manual labor, by acquiring the habit of working while young, by receiving a large return for labor, by laboring in company with pleasant companions, by having all the necessary and convenient tools, by becoming continually more and more proficient in our occupation, by appreciating with a keener, esthetic sense the improved products of an advancing industry, and by laboring more and more under individual freedom, all exertions tend to pass from the sphere of toilsome labor into the sphere of delightful, sportive exercise, and this change will, no doubt, continue until a complete adjustment is effected. “You see our machinery and tools are so perfect and easily manipulated, our conveniences so complete, our day’s manual labor so short, our return of labor so abundant, our company so pleasant, our choice of occupation so free, our liberty so unimpaired, our esthetic sense so keen, that nearly all our work has passed into play, and is almost as delightful and pleasant to us as activity is to a child.