[44] In the meantime, if any of my readers will look at the leading articles of the ‘Monetary Gazette,’ whose editor I thank with all my heart and soul, for the first honest commercial statements I ever saw in English journals, they will get sufficient light on such matters. [45] Corr., Art. VI. [46] See, on that subject, the third number of Deucalion. [47] Article III. of Correspondence. [48] I should like my lady readers in general to have, of back Fors numbers, at least, 30, 34, 36, 45, 46, and 48: those who have the complete book should scratch out the eleventh line in p. 18 of the last Index, and put the 10th line of it thus: “Ladies, and girls, advice to, 30, 2; 34, 29; 45, 212; 48, 271.” [49] They may serve for the defence of the store, of course;—so may the broken bottles, stuck on the top of a wall. But the lock of your cupboard is not the contents of it. [50] See Letter XI. (November ’71,) pages 3 to 7, the most pregnant five pages in the entire series of these letters; and compare that for January of this year, pp. 8–11, and for April, p. 113. [51] Again, I have more myself—but that is because I have been ill-bred; and I shall be most thankful to take less, as soon as other people cease to be paid for doing nothing. People cry out upon me for asking ten shillings for a year’s Fors; but never object to Mr. Barber’s paying his clerk a guinea for opening his study door to me five times, charging the same to St. George’s account. (See Fors of April, pp. 134, 135, 136.) [52] See Fors for January of this year, pp. 21, 22. [53] This book I shall extend, if time be given me, from its first proposed form into a parallel one with the two others. [54] Such limitation being secured by the severity of the required education in the public schools of art, and thought; and by the high standard of examination fixed, before granting licence of exhibition, in the public theatres, or picture galleries. [55] Here is just an instance of what might at first seem to be a jest; but is a serious and straightforward corollary from the eternally true fact stated by St. Timothy: “They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition;” and by Horace: “Quanto quisque sibi plura negaverit Ab Dis plura feret.” The passage might at first be thought inconsistent with what is said above of the ‘degradation’ which perpetual toil involves. But toil and poverty are two different things. Poverty ennobles, and secures; toil degrades, and endangers. We are all bound to fulfil our task; but happy only if we can also enter into our rest.