An Appeal to the Young. 21 



of the many: to divine them, to give them shape, 

 and then to work, without rest and without haste, 

 witli all the fire of youth and all the judgment of 

 age, to realize them in actual life. Then and then 

 only will you lead a complete, a noble, a rational ex- 

 istence. Then you will see that your every effort on 

 this path bears with it fruit in abundance, and this 

 sublime harmony once established between your ac- 

 tions and the dictates of your conscience will give 

 you powers you never dreamed lay dormant in your- 

 selves. 



The never-ceasing struggle for truth, justice and 

 equality among the people, whose gratitude you will 

 earn — what nobler career can the youth of all na- 

 tions desire than this? 



It has taken me long to show you of the well-to- 

 do classes that, in view of the dilemma which life 

 presents to you, you will be forced, if courageous 

 and sincere, to come and work side by side with the 

 socialists, and champion in their ranks the cause of 

 the social revolution. And yet how simple this 

 truth is, after all ! But when one is speaking to 

 those who have suffered from the effects of bourgeois 

 surroundings, how many sophisms must be com- 

 bated, how many prejudices overcome, how many 

 interested objections put aside ! 



It is easy to be brief to-day in addressing you, the 

 youth of the people. The very pressure of events 

 impels you to become socialists, however little 3'-ou 

 may have the courage to reason and to act. 



To rise from the ranks of the working people, and 

 not devote one's self to bringing about the triumph 

 of socialism, is to misconceive the real interests at 

 stake, to give up the cause and the true historic 

 mission. 



Do you remember the time, when still a mere lad, 

 you went down one winter's day to play in your dark 

 court ? The cold nipped your shoulders through 

 your thin clothes, and the mud worked into your 



