EMILIA.
That appears to me to be very wrong.
CHARLES.
It is indeed a very perverse pride, for with all their riches, they could not do without those useful men. O, thought I, when I saw the weaver, who sat sweating before his loom, this man exhausts his vigour to procure me a great comfort, linen. Without him, the flax, that valuable plant, which the earth produces for this purpose, would be useless. Every one will allow, that shoe-makers and taylors are necessary; in short, since I find that laborious people are so essential to the well-being of the world, I cannot imagine how men can treat them with so much contempt. As to myself I shall guard against such behaviour; in the use of those things, I shall endeavour always to remember the men who are the instruments to convey the blessings of heaven to me: and these considerations will make me esteem my fellow-members of society; and try to fulfil my part of the sociable compact.
WILLIAM.
I agree with my friend, and am ashamed that I should ever have looked on this class of my brethren with indifference.
EMILIA.
But I found nothing that excited my wonder more than the art of printing. How could it be possible to write so many books as there are in the world?
CHARLES.
That would not be possible. We should then have very few books; and all those great geniuses, from whose writings we reap so much instruction, would be to us as dead men,—now they live and are our friends. Your country, William, had the honour of giving birth to the inventor of this invaluable art.