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Untitled Article
. that they should occasionally get drunk ; the only matter for surprise is , tthat it should be only occasional . Drinking is the sole means such rmen have of getting away from themselves , and the pleasure of drinking tto excess is beyond all comparison greater to such men than to any ( other class of persons ; it has also effects almost peculiar to them as a ( class , from its being their only resource against the most depressing I thoughts . It has , to be sure , the same effect on many individuals in iother classes of society ; but to these it is not the only resource , and ( does not therefore admit of the same excuse . Is a man whose
understanding has been somewhat cultivated , whose means are such as ought to induce him to conclude he shall not be reduced to positive want- —is such a man unfortunate—does he appear to be overwhelmed with difficulties—still he has many resources , and as it is only in particular cases that his misfortunes might reasonably be expected to be such as he could not bear for any considerable time , he is still far removed from
the state of ignorant helplessness of the working man . Does he , however , permit his misfortunes to produce a state of mind which leads him to irregularities ; does he seek consolation and oblivion in liquor , —all sorts of allowances are made for him , he is pitied , consoled , advised and assisted . But the working man , whose situation is so much more deplorable , is despised and condemned : and why ? because he has not ten times as much fortitude as the man whose education , associations )
and other circumstances , are ten times more favourable . The working man is judged by his superiors , his superiors are judged by themselves . * A labouring man should have no fits of idleness ; so says pride , wilfulness , and ignorance . He , who of all men , the negro slave excepted , has the fewest inducements to constant and unremitted toil , should be
free from idle feelings . This is impossible ; every man has his fits of idleness , no man in any class has always the same desire for exertion or investigation ; no , nor even for the pursuit of pleasure , when even pleasure alone is the object of his useless life : no man at all times follows even the most gratifying pursuit or inquiry with the same zeal ; relaxation becomes absolutely necessary ; and this is sought in change
in his pursuits and in change of place , by eveiy one whose means enable him to indulge , in what is , in relation to the working man , called idleness—the word being used , in respect to him , in its worst and most opprobrious sense . The working man must have no relaxation ; he who drudge 8 constantly against his will must have no such propensities as are allowed and cherished in his superior ; the unintellectual
man must exert greater powers of mind than the intellectual man ; must show by his conduct that his is the superior understanding , or he is condemned as unworthy ; and this is called judging him fairly . The most pains-taking , saving , industrious man is not free from the desire of leisure ; there are times when he is unable to bring himself to the
conclusion that he must continue working . I know not how to describe the sickening aversion which at times steals over the working man , and utterl y disables him for a longer or a shorter period , from following his usual occupation , and compels him to indulge in idleness . I have felt it , resisted it to the utmost of my power ; but have been so completely sub dued by it , that spite of very pressing circumstances , I have been
Untitled Article
Improvement of the Working People , 699
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1834, page 629, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2637/page/25/
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