170 Letter XI. 
debating societies, whether the state of savagism or of civiliza- 
tion was the happier—a favourite subject, probably, because it 
was one which could not be settled. Diocletian, who both ruled 
men and planted cabbages, says that of the two occupations he 
preferred the latter; so I dare say the life of a South-Sea 
islander, with its freedom from care and responsibility, is hap- 
pier than that of many an envied and busy member of a highly- 
civilized community. I have little doubt, too, that it is happier 
than the life of those who lurk in the background of our great 
cities, enduring want and cold, and entirely forgotten by the 
majority of their more favoured fellow-countrymen. I have 
often thought what a fine thing it would be to pull some thou- 
sands of those poor, miserable, starving wretches out of the 
back slums of London, and transfer them to some of these fair 
islands with their warm airs and abundant fruits. The thought 
came to me very vividly the other day in a dream, with which, 
for the sake of variety, I shall close this letter. 
I may, possibly, have been thinking of such things before. 
I do not recollect; but at all events I went out one day ina 
meditative mood, and sat down to watch the breakers. Lulled 
by their pleasant murmurs, I fell asleep. 
Then I thought I stood on the shore of a fair island, where 
the trees were rich with fruits and the airs with fragrance. 
Looking over the wide expanse of water before me, I saw three 
great ships, which came sailing towards the island with all their 
canvas spread. I sawa crowd of men, women, and children— 
a ghastly multitude, with thin pale faces, wasted frames, and 
tattered garments. But as they gazed on the land before them 
every face was lighted up with hope and eager expectation. 
Then the busy sailors plied the oars, and the beach was 
quickly covered with this strange mass of human beings, who 
seeing the fruits hang over them in all their luscious ripeness, and 
