Erewhonian hands； it will be said that what I have written about
the relations between parents and children being seldom
satisfactory is an infamous perversion of facts； and that in truth
there are few young people who do not feel happier in the society
of their nearest relations ｛4｝ than in any other。 Mr。 Nosnibor
would be sure to say this。 Yet I cannot refrain from expressing an
opinion that he would be a good deal embarrassed if his deceased
parents were to reappear and propose to pay him a six months'
visit。 I doubt whether there are many things which he would regard
as a greater infliction。 They had died at a ripe old age some
twenty years before I came to know him； so the case is an extreme
one； but surely if they had treated him with what in his youth he
had felt to be true unselfishness； his face would brighten when he
thought of them to the end of his life。
In the one or two cases of true family affection which I met with；
I am sure that the young people who were so genuinely fond of their
fathers and mothers at eighteen； would at sixty be perfectly
delighted were they to get the chance of welcoming them as their
guests。 There is nothing which could please them better； except
perhaps to watch the happiness of their own children and
grandchildren。
This is how things should be。 It is not an impossible ideal； it is
one which actually does exist in some few cases； and might exist in
almost all； with a little more patience and forbearance upon the
parents' part； but it is rare at presentso rare that they have a
proverb which I can only translate in a very roundabout way； but
which says that the great happiness of some people in a future
state will consist in watching the distress of their parents on
returning to eternal companionship with their grandfathers and
grandmothers； whilst 〃compulsory affection〃 is the idea which lies
at the root of their word for the deepest anguish。
There is no talisman in the word 〃parent〃 which can generate
miracles of affection； and I can well believe that my own child
might find it less of a calamity to lose both Arowhena and myself
when he is six years old； than to find us again when he is sixtya
sentence which I would not pen did I not feel that by doing so I
was giving him something like a hostage； or at any rate putting a
weapon into his hands against me； should my selfishness exceed
reasonable limits。
Money is at the bottom of all this to a great extent。 If the
parents would put their children in the way of earning a competence
earlier than they do； the children would soon become self…
supporting and independent。 As it is； under the present system；
the young ones get old enough to have all manner of legitimate
wants （that is； if they have any 〃go〃 about them） before they have
learnt the means of earning money to pay for them； hence they must
either do without them； or take more money than the parents can be
expected to spare。 This is due chiefly to the schools of Unreason；
where a boy is taught upon hypothetical principles； as I will
explain hereafter； spending years in being incapacitated for doing
this； that； or the other （he hardly knows what）； during all which
time he ought to have been actually doing the thing itself；
beginning at the lowest grades； picking it up through actual
practice； and rising according to the energy which is in him。
These schools of Unreason surprised me much。 It would be easy to
fall into pseudo…utilitarianism； and I would fain believe that the
system may be good for the children of very rich parents； or for
those who show a natural instinct to acquire hypothetical lore； but
the misery was that their Ydgrun…worship required all people with
any pretence to respectability to send their children to some one
or other of these schools； mulcting them of years of money。 It
astonished me to see what sacrifices the parents would make in
order to render their children as nearly useless as possible； and
it was hard to say whether the old suffered most from the expense
which they were thus put to； or the young from being deliberately
swindled in some of the most important branches of human inquiry；
and directed into false channels or left to drift in the great
majority of cases。
I cannot think I am mistaken in believing that the growing tendency
to limit families by infanticidean evil which was causing general
alarm throughout the countrywas almost entirely due to the way in
which education had become a fetish from one end of Erewhon to the
other。 Granted that provision should be made whereby every child
should be taught reading； writing； and arithmetic； but here
compulsory state…aided education should end； and the child should
begin （with all due precautions to ensure that he is not
overworked） to acquire the rudiments of that art whereby he is to
earn his living。
He cannot acquire these in what we in England call schools of
technical education； such schools are cloister life as against the
rough and tumble of the world； they unfit； rather than fit for work
in the open。 An art can only be learned in the workshop of those
who are winning their bread by it。
Boys； as a rule； hate the artificial； and delight in the actual；
give them the chance of earning； and they will soon earn。 When
parents find that their children； instead of being made
artificially burdensome； will early begin to contribute to the
well…being of the family； they will soon leave off killing them；
and will seek to have that plenitude of offspring which they now
avoid。 As things are； the state lays greater burdens on parents
than flesh and blood can bear； and then wrings its hands over an
evil for which it is itself mainly responsible。
With the less well…dressed classes the harm was not so great； for
among these； at about ten years old； the child has to begin doing
something： if he is capable he makes his way up； if he is not； he
is at any rate not made more incapable by what his friends are
pleased to call his education。 People find their level as a rule；
and though they unfortunately sometimes miss it； it is in the main
true that those who have valuable qualities are perceived to have
them and can sell them。 I think that the Erewhonians are beginning
to become aware of these things； for there was much talk about
putting a tax upon all parents whose children were not earning a
competence according to their degrees by the time they were twenty
years old。 I am sure that if they will have the courage to carry
it through they will never regret it； for the parents will take
care that the children shall begin earning money （which means
〃doing good〃 to society） at an early age； then the children will be
independent early； and they will not press on the parents； nor the
parents on them； and they will like each other better than they do
now。
This is the true philanthropy。 He who makes a colossal fortune in
the hosiery trade； and by his energy has succeeded in reducing the
price of woollen goods by the thousandth part of a penny in the
poundthis man is worth ten professional philanthropists。 So
strongly are the Erewhonians impressed with this； that if a man has
made a fortune of over 20；000 pounds a year they exempt him from
all taxation； considering him as a work of art； and too precious to
be meddled with； they say； 〃How very much he must have done for
society before society could have been prevailed upon to give him
so much money；〃 so magnificent an organisation overawes them； they
regard it as a thing dropped from heaven。
〃Money；〃 they say； 〃is the symbol of duty； it is the sacrament of
having done for mankind that which mankind wanted。 Mankind may not
be a very good judge； but there is no better。〃 This used to shock
me at first； when I remembered that it had been said on high
authority that they who have riches shall enter hardly into the
kingdom of heaven； but the influence of Erewhon had made me begin
to see things in a new light； and I could not help thinking that
they who have not riches shall enter more hardly still。
People oppose money to culture； and imply that if a man has spent
his time in making money he will not be cultivatedfallacy of
fallacies！ As though there could be a greater aid to culture than
the having earned an honourable independence； and as though any
amount of culture will do much for the man who is penniless； except
make him feel his position more deeply。 The young man who was told
to sell all his goods and give to the poor； must have been an
entirely exceptional person if the advice was given wisely； either
for him or for the poor； how much more often does it happen that we
perceive a man to have all sorts of good qualities except money；
and feel that his real duty lies in getting every half…penny that
he can persuade others to pay him for his services； and becoming
rich。 It has been said that the love of money is the root of all
evil。 The want of money is so quite as truly。
The above may sound irreverent； but it is conceived in a spirit of
the most utter reverence for those things which do alone deserve
itthat is； for the things which are； which mould us and fashion
us； be they what they may； for the things that have power to punish
us； and which will punish us if we do not heed them； for our
masters therefore。 But I am drifting away from my story。
They have another plan about which they are making a great noise
and fuss； much as some are doing with women's rights in England。 A
party of extreme radicals have professed themselves unable to
decide upon the superiority of age or youth。 At present all goes
on the supposition that it is desirable to make the young old as
soon as possible。 Some would have it that this is wrong； and that
the object of education should be to keep the old young as long as
possible。 They say that each age should take it turn in turn
about； week by week； one week the old to be topsawyers； and the
other the young； drawing the line at thirty…five years of age； but
they insist that the young should be allowed to inflict corporal
chastisement on the old； without which the old would be quite
incorrigible。 In any European country this would be out of the
question；