of their lives, but now
men paint for what the public will pay for, and write and work not from
their hearts but for their pockets. And with high and low, not success
but money is the moving power--not how can I can make it more perfect,
but what can I get for it. A man who will leave a piece of work, or a
clerk who will leave a few minutes writing only because the clock has
struck the hour, is little better than a money-making machine. Work done
in such a spirit did not give us men like Wren or Stephenson. Read their
lives and you will see what I mean. If your work is thoroughly and
honestly done, you have a right to your own price for it, if you can find
a purchaser. You have a right to sell your labour at your own price, but
the master has an equal right to buy or to refuse. Combinations and
unions of working men are perfectly right, if they unite for their own
advantage, and for protection against oppression, and strikes may, though
in very rare cases, be a painful necessity. It must be borne in mind
that there can be no fixed standard of wages. Wages must vary with the
state of the markets. Men must be ready to accept lower wages when trade
is dull, they must bear their share of the depression as well as the
masters, and the true principle is for men and masters, or if you like
the expression better, capital and labour to go hand in hand. The
success or ruin of the one is the success or ruin of the other. There
are of course cases of grasping masters who will endeavour to grind their
workmen, and there are cases of worthless and obstinate workmen, who look
only to themselves and the present moment, but both ought to be and might
be very rare exceptions, if the good and true men on both sides would
come to the front.

2nd. How to spend the money. Remember that you are God's steward, and
will have to account for the use of this bounty. Give your tithe to God
first. The tenth part of your profits, whether reckoned weekly or
yearly, should be given to God in some way or other, and those who do it
will find themselves blessed in earthly things, whilst they are laying up
a treasure in heaven. God's tithe paid, how is the rest of your income
to be spent? 1st. Necessary expenses, _i.e._, food, clothing, &c. 2nd.
Useful expenditure, _i.e._, learning, books, &c. 3rd. Recreation and
minor luxuries.

Pay your way as you go, and never run into debt. Debt is next door
neighbour to theft. Two things I would