halt and must be helped.

This is not a man I would kill and strangle by Corn-Laws, even if
I could! No, I would fling my Corn-Laws and Shotbelts to the
Devil; and try to help this man. I would teach him, by noble
precept and law-precept, by noble example most of all, that
Mammonism was not the essence of his or of my station in God's
Universe; but the adscititious excrescence of it; the gross,
terrene, godless embodiment of it; which would have to become,
more or less, a godlike one. By noble _real_ legislation, by
true _noble's_-work, by unwearied, valiant, and were it wageless
effort, in my Parliament and in my Parish, I would aid,
constrain, encourage him to effect more or less this blessed
change. I should know that it would have to be effected; that
unless it were in some measure effected, he and I and all of us,
I first and soonest of all, were doomed to perdition!--Effected
it will be; unless it were a Demon that made this Universe;
which I, for my own part, do at no moment, under no form, in the
least believe.

May it please your Serene Highnesses, your Majesties, Lordships
and Law-wardships, the proper Epic of this world is not now 'Arms
and the Man;' how much less, 'Shirt-frills and the Man:' no, it
is now 'Tools and the Man:' that, henceforth to all time is now
our Epic;--and you, first of all others, I think, were wise to
take note of that!

Chapter XIII

Democracy

If the Serene Highnesses and Majesties do not take note of that,
then, as I perceive, _that_ will take note of itself! The time
for levity, insincerity, and idle babble and play-acting, in all
kinds, is gone by; it is a serious, grave time. Old long-vexed
questions, not yet solved in logical words or parliamentary laws,
are fast solving themselves in facts, somewhat unblessed to
behold! This largest of questions, this question of Work and
Wages, which ought, had we heeded Heaven's voice, to have begun
two generations ago or more, cannot be delayed longer without
hearing Earth's voice. 'Labour' will verily need to be somewhat
'organised,' as they say,--God knows with what difficulty. Man
will actually need to have his debts and earnings a little better
paid by man; which, let Parliaments speak of them or be silent
of them, are eternally his due from man, and cannot, without
penalty and at length not without death-penalty, be withheld.
How much ought to cease among us straightway; how much ought to
begin stra