is a provision for
life, and for the best part of us; yet how long most people would look
at the best book before they would give the price of a large turbot for
it!'[73]

'It will be long yet before that comes to pass. Nevertheless, I hope it
will not be long before royal or national libraries will be founded in
every considerable city, with a royal series of books in them; the same
series in every one of them, chosen books, the best in every kind,
prepared for that national series in the most perfect way possible;
their text printed all on leaves of equal size, broad of margin, and
divided into pleasant volumes, light in the hand, beautiful and strong,
and thorough as examples of binder's work.'[73]

'I could shape for you other plans, for art galleries and for natural
history galleries, and for many precious, many, it seems to me, needful
things; but this book plan is the easiest and needfullest, and would
prove a considerable tonic to what we call our British constitution,
which has fallen dropsical of late, and has an evil thirst, and evil
hunger, and wants healthier feeding. You have got its Corn Laws repealed
for it; try if you cannot get Corn Laws established for it dealing in a
better bread--bread made of that old enchanted Arabian grain, the
Sesame, which opens doors, doors, not of robbers', but of kings'
treasuries.'[74]

* * * * *

'Whatever the hold which the aristocracy of England has on the heart of
England, in that they are still always in front of her battles, this
hold will not be enough, unless they are also in front of her
thoughts.'[75]

* * * * *

'But it is not gold that you want to gather! What is it? Greenbacks? No;
not those neither. What is it then--is it ciphers after a capital I?
Cannot you practise writing ciphers, and write as many as you want?
Write ciphers for an hour every morning, in a big book, and say every
evening, I am worth all those noughts more than I was yesterday. Won't
that do? Well, what in the name of Plutus is it you want? Not gold, not
greenbacks, not ciphers after a capital I? You will have to answer after
all, "No; we want, somehow or other, money's _worth_." Well, what is
that? Let your Goddess of Getting-on discover it, and let her learn to
stay therein.'[76]

* * * * *

'And the entire object of true education is to make people not merely
_do_ the right things, but