274 FISH CUI,TUEE. 



supplied by food judiciously prepared. It must 

 proceed eventually to the destruction of all social 

 ■womanly respect and functions, and of manly gratitude 

 for pains bestowed — to- the breaking up of all home 

 feelings, tiesj and virtues. It must debase mankind 

 to something below the beasts ("who do fulfil their 

 duties) — ^to a creation without a purpose — humanj 

 but without human aims. It is not easy to conceive 

 what a being can be which has lost the great type 

 of its race — ^which belongs neither to savage life nor 

 civilization — which cultivates the virtues of neither 

 but the vices of both. Intelligence, understanding; 

 and self-respect must all be gone- before these things 

 can go ; What a fine satire it is upon civilization 

 to hear a talk of plans for " Moral Cottages," and to 

 fiiid our Legislature actually busy with a " Labourers? 

 Cottages BUI : " as if legislation could be expected to 

 su;^ly the loss of habits of housewifely, cleanlinessi, 

 order, sobriety, decency, and morality — as if cha- 

 racter can be manufactured by Act of Parliament 

 as easily as it can be unmanufactured ! 



But while we deplore the loss of this knowledge 

 among the labmring class, we must not think that 

 it does not affect the middle and even the upper 

 classes. It must be remembered that it is from 

 these lower classes that we draw our servants ; and 



