CHREMYLUS:--As matters now stand (who will dare contradict it?) the life of us men is compos'd Of a system where folly, absurdity, madness, ay, raving downright is disclosed; Since, how many a knave we see revel in wealth--the rich heap of his ill-gotten store-- And how many a good man, by fortune unblest, with thee begging bread at the door! (_Turns to Poverty._) I say, then, there is but one thing to be done, and if we succeed, what a prize Will we bring to mankind! That thing it will be--to give Plutus the use of his eyes. POVERTY:--A pest on your prate, and palavering stuff! back! begone with ye, blockheads, to school! You pair of old dotards, you drivelling comrades in trifling and playing the fool! If the plan ye propose be accomplish'd at last nothing worse could mankind e'er befall, Than that Plutus should have the full use of his eyes, and bestow himself equal on all! See you not, that at once, to all arts there would be, to each craft that you reckon, an end? If these were exploded (so much to your joy), say who _then_ should there be, who would lend To the forge, to the hammer, the adze or the loom--to the rule or the mallet--his hand? Not a soul! The mechanic, the carpenter, shipwright--would all be expelled from the land. Where would tailor, or cobbler, or dyer of leather, or bricklay'r, or tanner be found? Who would e'er condescend in this golden vacation, to till, for his bread's sake, the ground? BLEPSIDEMUS:--Hold, hold, jade! Whatever essentials of life in your catalogue's column you string, Our servants, of course, shall provide us. POVERTY:--Your servants? and whence do you think _they_ shall spring? BLEPSIDEMUS:--We shall buy them with cash-- POVERTY:--But with cash all the world as well as yourself is supplied! Who will care about selling? BLEPSIDEMUS:--Some dealer, no doubt, coming down from the Thessaly side, (A rare kidnapping nest) who may wish to secure a good bargain to profit the trade. POVERTY (_impatiently_):--You will not understand! In the lots of mankind when this grand revolution is made 'Twill at once put an end to all wants--and of course then, the kidnapper's business will cease: For who will court danger, and hazard his life, when, grown rich, he may live at his ease? Thus each for himself will be forced to turn plowman, to dig and to delve and to sweat; Wearing out an existence more grievous by far than he ever experienced yet. CHREMYLUS:--Curses on you!