The Private Library Part 10

'I could shape for you other plans, for art galleries and for natural history galleries, and for many precious, many, it seems to me, needful things; but this book plan is the easiest and needfullest, and would prove a considerable tonic to what we call our British const.i.tution, which has fallen dropsical of late, and has an evil thirst, and evil hunger, and wants healthier feeding. You have got its Corn Laws repealed for it; try if you cannot get Corn Laws established for it dealing in a better bread--bread made of that old enchanted Arabian grain, the Sesame, which opens doors, doors, not of robbers', but of kings'

treasuries.'[74]

'Whatever the hold which the aristocracy of England has on the heart of England, in that they are still always in front of her battles, this hold will not be enough, unless they are also in front of her thoughts.'[75]

'But it is not gold that you want to gather! What is it? Greenbacks? No; not those neither. What is it then--is it ciphers after a capital I?

Cannot you practise writing ciphers, and write as many as you want?

Write ciphers for an hour every morning, in a big book, and say every evening, I am worth all those noughts more than I was yesterday. Won't that do? Well, what in the name of Plutus is it you want? Not gold, not greenbacks, not ciphers after a capital I? You will have to answer after all, "No; we want, somehow or other, money's _worth_." Well, what is that? Let your G.o.ddess of Getting-on discover it, and let her learn to stay therein.'[76]

'And the entire object of true education is to make people not merely _do_ the right things, but _enjoy_ the right things--not merely industrious, but to love industry--not merely learned, but to love knowledge--not merely pure, but to love purity--not merely just, but to hunger and thirst after justice.'[77]

FOOTNOTES:

[73] _Sesame and Lilies._

[74] _Sesame and Lilies._

[75] _Crown of Wild Olive_, p. 87.

[76] _Ibid._, p. 60.

[77] _Ibid._, p. 46.