The Voice of Science in Nineteenth-Century Literature: Representative Prose and Verse
Science
The Voice of Science in Nineteenth-Century Literature: Representative Prose and Verse
English literature -- 19th century; Literature, Modern; Science; Science in literature
And then, thirdly, lodging people, which you may think should have been
put first, but I put it third, because we must feed and clothe people
where we find them, and lodge them afterwards. And providing lodgment for
them means a great deal of vigorous legislation, and cutting down of
vested interests that stand in the way; and after that, or before that, so
far as we can get it, through sanitary and remedial action in the houses
that we have; and then the building of more, strongly, beautifully, and in
groups of limited extent, kept in proportion to their streams, and walled
round, so that there may be no festering and wretched suburb anywhere, but
clean and busy streets within, and the open country without, with a belt
of beautiful garden and orchard round the walls, so that from any part of
the city perfectly fresh air and grass, and sight of far horizon, might be
reachable in a few minutes' walk. This the final aim; but in immediate
action every minor and possible good to be instantly done, when, and as,
we can; roofs mended that have holes in them--fences patched that have
gaps in them--walls buttressed that totter--and floors propped that shake;
cleanliness and order enforced with our own hands and eyes, till we are
breathless, every day. And all the fine arts will healthily follow. I
myself have washed a flight of stone stairs all down, with bucket and
broom, in a Savoy inn, where they hadn't washed their stairs since they
first went up them; and I never made a better sketch than that afternoon.
These, then, are the three first needs of civilized life; and the law for
every Christian man and woman is, that they shall be in direct service
toward one of these three needs, as far as is consistent with their own
special occupation, and if they have no special business, then wholly in
one of these services. And out of such exertion in plain duty all other
good will come; for in this direct contention with material evil, you will
find out the real nature of all evil; you will discern by the various
kinds of resistance, what is really the fault and main antagonism to good;
also you will find the most unexpected helps and profound lessons given,
and truths will come thus down to us which the speculation of all our
lives would never have raised us up to. You will find nearly every
educational problem solved, as soon as you truly want to do something;
everybody will become of use in their own fittest way, and will learn what
is best for them to know in that use. Competitive examination will then,
and not till then, be wholesome, because it will be daily, and calm, and
in practice; and on these familiar arts, and minute, but certain and
serviceable knowledges, will be surely edified and sustained the greater
arts and splendid theoretical sciences.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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