Books and reading -- Great Britain; Conduct of life; Social problems; Women
These two lectures are fragmentary and ill-arranged, but not, I think,
diffuse or much compressible. The entire gist and conclusion of them,
however, is in the last six paragraphs of the third lecture, which I
would beg the reader to look over not once nor twice, (rather than any
other part of the book,) for they contain the best expression I have yet
been able to put in words of what, so far as is within my power, I mean
henceforward both to do myself, and to plead with all over whom I have
any influence, to do also according to their means: the letters begun on
the first day of this year, to the workmen of England, having the object
of originating, if possible, this movement among them, in true alliance
with whatever trustworthy element of help they can find in the higher
classes. After these paragraphs, let me ask you to read, by the fiery
light of recent events, the fable at p. 170 {1}, and then paragraphs
129–131 {2}; and observe, my statement respecting the famine at Orissa is
not rhetorical, but certified by official documents as within the truth.
Five hundred thousand persons, _at least_, died by starvation in our
British dominions, wholly in consequence of carelessness and want of
forethought. Keep that well in your memory; and note it as the best
possible illustration of modern political economy in true practice, and
of the relations it has accomplished between Supply and Demand. Then
begin the second lecture, and all will read clear enough, I think, to the
end; only, since that second lecture was written, questions have arisen
respecting the education and claims of women which have greatly troubled
simple minds and excited restless ones. I am sometimes asked my thoughts
on this matter, and I suppose that some girl readers of the second
lecture may at the end of it desire to be told summarily what I would
have them do and desire in the present state of things. This, then, is
what I would say to any girl who had confidence enough in me to believe
what I told her, or to do what I asked her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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