181 



a graduated power ; and consists not only in the quantity or 

 nature of the thing possessed, but also, and" in a greater degree, 

 in the suitableness to the person possessing it and in his vital 

 power to use it. 



And Ruskiu's definition of wealth, expanded,becomes — the pos- 

 session of useful articles which we can use. This is a very serious 

 change. For wealth, instead of depending mostly on a " have," 

 is thus seen to depend on a '• can," And what we reasoned of 

 only as accumulation of material is seen to demand also accumu- 

 lation of capacity. 



He next goes on to explain "useful," and says that what is of 

 use in the hands of some persons is in the hands of others only 

 capable of " from use " or " ab-use," wine, and our own bodies, 

 he mentions as equally liable to use or abuse. Wealth, there- 

 fore, is — the possession of the valuable by the vahant. 



Ruskin next considers the name of price ; that is to say, ol 

 exchange value and its expression by currencies. Note first, 

 of exchange there can be no profit in it. It is only in labour 

 there can be profit. [Whenever material gain follows exchange, 

 for every plus there is a precisely equal minus.] The plusses 

 makes a very positive and venerable appearance in the world, so 

 that every one is eager to learn the science which produces results 

 so magnificent ; whereas the minuses have, on the other hand, 

 a tendency to retire into back streets and other places of shame ; 

 also prematurely put out of sight in graves. 



Labour rightly applied is the means of production. This may 

 be constructive labour, as agriculture ; nugatory, as jewel cut- 

 ting ; or destructive, as in war. 



Ruskin beheves that nearly all production may be shortly 

 divided into positive labour, that which produces life, and 

 negative labour, that which produces death ; the most directly 

 negative labour being murder, and the most directly positive, 

 the bearing and rearing of children. It is strange that men 

 always praise enthusiastically any person who by a momentary 

 effort or exertion saves a life ; but praise very hesitatingly a 

 person who by exertion and self-denial prolonged through years — 

 creates one. Capital signifies "head" or source, or root 

 materials. It is material by which some derivative or secondary 

 good is produced. 



The best and simplest general type of capital is a weU made 

 ploughshare. Now if that ploughshare did nothing but beget 

 other ploughshares it would have lost its function of capital. It 

 becomes true capital only when it is seen to grow bright in the 

 furrow rather with diminution of its semblance than of addition 

 by the noble friction. 



And the true home question to every capitaHst and to every 

 nation is not, " how many ploughs have you ? " But " where 



