Читать книгу My Commonplace Book онлайн

79 страница из 124

Charles Kingsley (1819-1875) (Water-Babies).

This passage interested us greatly in the old days, and also another passage drawing a not very satisfactory analogy between the transformation of insects and our probable transformation at death. I do not know whether the elephant’s brain warrants Kingsley’s deduction.

This book, published in 1863,[16] had a considerable effect in doing away with the barbarous employment of young children in mines, factories, brickfields, etc. It called attention particularly to the chimney-sweep boys of four or five years of age who had to climb up the narrow chimneys, and who were simply slaves, neglected and ill-treated by their drunken masters. We are apt to forget how recently we emerged from barbarism in many directions, and that we are only now becoming civilized in other respects, as, for instance, with regard to the poor, suffering, and ignorant.

The worst way to improve the world

Is to condemn it.

P. J. Bailey (Festus).

THE DARK GLASS

Not I myself know all my love for thee:

Правообладателям