ditions of our existence, and for that reason cannot
be done away with. If a miracle could happen, and you could all be
happy in the way you wish, namely, living your life without work,
without suffering, and with a great deal of enjoyment, what would
happen then? The race would increase so fast that after one or two
generations there would hardly be elbow-room, and bread would be as
scarce as it is now. It is the difficulty of providing for children
which limits the population, and this difficulty fixes the limit.
Understand this too, do what you will, you can only procure momentary
relief, and every relief procured means an increase of population.
Whatever your methods of labor are, however the fruits of it are
distributed, you will never produce up to the satisfaction of your
wants; and the sweat of your brow will always be in vain if you set
yourself against the hostile forces of nature."

Wilhelm paused a moment in the deep stillness which now reigned in the
hall, and then went on:

"I do not deny that your lives are troublesome and hard, but I believe
that you make your pain unnecessarily difficult to bear, and add to it
by imagination. You feel your lot to be hard because you see rich
people, who in the distance appear to you to be happy. I have already
told you that the rich are an exception, and that the world cannot
guarantee the existence of a millionaire of to-day for long. At most
you can make the few rich men poor, but you cannot make all the poor
men rich. But why compare yourselves with such people? Why not with
those who have gone before us? Look back, and you will find that your
lives are not only easier but very much richer than the generations who
have gone before you. The poorest among you live better, quieter, and
pleasanter lives than a well-to-do man a thousand years ago, or than a
prince of primitive times. You complain that your labor is hard and
unhealthy? You live longer, in better health, and freer from anxiety
than the huntsman, fisherman, or warrior of the barbarous ages. What
you most suffer from is your hatred, not your need, your ambitions,
your envy. Men can live healthily and happily on water, but you will
have beer and brandy. You earn enough to buy meat and vegetables, but
you will have tobacco for yourselves and finery for your wives, and
that cannot go on. Your daily bread might taste well enough, but it
becomes bitter in your mouths when you think of the millionaire's roast
mea