169. If, however, the standard of living which one has inherited from his class is adopted as an individual standard, and is made the object of effort and self-denial, the individual and social results are of high value. One man said, "Live like a hog and you will behave like one"; to which another replied, "Behave like a hog and you will live like one." Both were right in about equal measure. The social standard of a class acts like honor. It sustains self-respect and duty to self and family. The pain which is produced by derogation produces effort and self-denial. The social standard may well call out and concentrate all there is in a man to work for his social welfare. Evidently the standard of living never can do more than that. It never can add anything to the forces in a man's own character and attainments.
[366] Prov. xxiv. 30.
[367] Jewish Encyc., s.v. "Labor." The same view is found in 2 Thess. iii. 10, and Eph. iv. 28.
[368] Thomas Aquinas, Summa, II, 2, qu. 82, 1, 2; qu. 187, 3.
[369] D'Avenel, Hist. Econ., 142.
[370] D'Avenel, 397.
[371] D'Avenel, 144.
[372] Hardy used this fact in Tess of the D'Urbervilles.