Good fellow! He got me the food I
ate,
His kindliness and cure I shell never forget;
I cannot embrace him, though other folks can,
For I, myself, am this excellent man."
Poverty is not unattractive subject,
but it is one of the greatest importance; but, generally speaking,
there is too much sentiment
and too little common sense used in the discussion of this subject.
It is so easy to put before the public horrible details of "how
the Poor 1ive," and for those in easy circumstances to express
their disgust at such a condition of things, and say, " Something
must be done." I shall endeavour to show that "poverty"
is no new thing, nor the result of the " wealth" that
we possess; that, bad as things are, they have been worse ; and
that the cure must come from the people themselves, and will come
as soon as they really wish it. What is wanted is to reuse Within
them a higher self - respect - to feel that it is in their power
to rise above their present position, but that to do that, they
must believe in the above quotation of Heine's. They must reform
themselves; they will soon reform their surroundings.
I do not object to poverty because it makes men work; on the contrary,
that is one of the blessings of poverty, because it
