land heard the question: it is the first
practical form of our Sphinx-riddle. England will answer it;
or, on the whole, England will perish;--one does not yet expect
the latter result!

For the rest, that the Manchester Insurrection could yet discern
no radiance of Heaven on any side of its horizon; but feared
that all lights, of the O'Connor or other sorts, hitherto
kindled, were but deceptive fish-oil transparencies, or bog
will-o'-wisp lights, and no dayspring from on high: for this
also we will honour the poor Manchester Insurrection, and augur
well of it. A deep unspoken sense lies in these strong men,--
inconsiderable, almost stupid, as all they can articulate of it
is. Amid all violent stupidity of speech, a right noble instinct
of what is doable and what is not doable never forsakes them:
the strong inarticulate men and workers, whom _Fact_ patronises;
of whom, in all difficulty and work whatsoever, there is good
augury! This work too is to be done: Governors and Governing
Classes that _can_ articulate and utter, in any measure, what the
law of Fact and Justice is, may calculate that here is a Governed
Class who will listen.

And truly this first practical form of the Sphinx-question,
inarticulately and so audibly put there, is one of the most
impressive ever asked in the world. "Behold us here, so many
thousands, millions, and increasing at the rate of fifty every
hour. We are right willing and able to work; and on the Planet
Earth is plenty of work and wages for a million times as many.
We ask, If you mean to lead us towards work; to try to lead us,
--by ways new, never yet heard of till this new unheard-of Time?
Or if you declare that you cannot lead us? And expect that we
are to remain quietly unled, and in a composed manner perish of
starvation? What is it you expect of us? What is it you mean to
do with us?" This question, I say, has been put in the hearing
of all Britain; and will be again put, and ever again, till some
answer be given it.

Unhappy Workers, unhappier Idlers, unhappy men and women of this
actual England! We are yet very far from an answer, and there
will be no existence for us without finding one. "A fair
day's-wages for a fair day's-work:" it is as just a demand as
Governed men ever made of Governing. It is the everlasting
right of man. Indisputable as Gospels, as arithmetical
multiplication-tables: it must and will have itself fulfilled;
--and yet, in these