I rejoice to see my old friend Mr. Sillar gathering finally together the evidence he has so industriously collected on the guilt of Usury, and supporting it by the always impressive language of symbolical art; for indeed I had myself no idea, till I read the connected statement which these pictures illustrate, how steadily the system of money-lending had gained on the nation, and how fatally every hand and foot was now entangled by it.
“I place,” says Mr. Ruskin, “side by side the ancient and modern versions of the seven verses of the New Testament which were the beginning, and are indeed the heads, of all the teachings of Christ:—”
| Ancient. | Modern. |
| Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. | Blessed are the rich in flesh, for theirs is the kingdom of earth. |
| Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. | Blessed are they that are merry and laugh the last. |
| Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. | Blessed are the proud, in that they have inherited the earth. |
| Blessed are they which do hunger for righteousness, for they shall be filled. | Blessed are they which hunger for unrighteousness, in that they shall divide its mammon. |
| Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. | Blessed are the merciless, for they shall obtain money. |
| Blessed are the poor in heart, for they shall see God. | Blessed are the foul in heart, for they shall see no God. |
| Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. | Blessed are the war makers, for they shall be adored by the children of men. |
The Pall Mall Gazette. March, 1885.
The three following examples of Scripture knowledge are said to have been written by Metropolitan School Board pupils in answer to questions put to them by Government Inspectors. “Who was Moses?—He was an Egypsian. He lived in a hark maid of bullrushers, and he kept a golden carf and worshipt braizen snakes and het nothin but qwhales and manner for forty years. He was kort up by the air of his ed while ridin under a bow of a tree and lie was killed by his son Abslon as he was hanging from the bow. His end was peace.”
“What do you know of the patriarch Abraham?—He was the father of Lot and had tew wifes. Wun was called Hismale and tother Haygur. He kep wun at home and he hurried the tother into the dessert where she became a pillow of salt in the daytime and a pillow of fire at nite.”
“Write an account of the good Samaritan.—A certing man went down from jerslam to jerriker and he feld among thawns and the thawns spranged up and choaked him; wareupon he gave tuppins to the hoast and said take care on him and put him on his hone hass. And he passt bye on the hother side.”
——:o:——
In addition to the parodies already quoted, Hone, in his defence, also mentioned the following:—