CONSEQUENCES OF MACHINERY. 423 



of mechanics would reduce the working class to complete 

 inaction, have been followed by others quite of a different 

 character, and on which it appears indispensable to dwell 

 for a moment. 



By suppressing all efforts of strength in manufactories, 

 machines allow of a great number of children of both 

 sexes being called in. Some industrial and some avari- 

 cious parents often abuse this power. The time devoted 

 to work is most unreasonably long. For the daily pay 

 of eight or ten centimes, some minds are devoted to eter- 

 nal stupidity, which a few hours of study would have 

 rendered fruitful ; limbs are condemned to be rickety, 

 that required open air, and exercise in the wholesome 

 rays of the sun for their development. 



To ask a legislator to put an end to this hideous ex- 

 haustion of the poor by the rich ; to solicit measures for 

 combating the demoralization which is the usual conse- 

 quence of numerous gatherings of young work-people ; 

 to try to introduce and distribute certain machines among 

 the cottages, so that, according to the seasons, agricultural 

 labours might be interspersed with the industrial ; this 

 would be an act of humanity, an act of patriotism ; this 

 would show a knowledge of the present requirements of 

 the working classes. But to persist in executing labori- 

 ously and expensively, by hand, works that machines can 

 perform in a twinkling and at a low price, would but as- 

 similate proletaries to brutes. To ask daily efforts from 

 them which ruin their health, and which science can pro- 

 cure a hundredfold by the action of wind, of water, or of 

 steam, would be going in the contrary direction to the 

 wished-for result : this would be devoting the poor to 

 nudity ; reserving exclusively for the rich a host of enjoy- 

 ments, which at present are shared by everybody : this, 



