Time and Tide by Weare and Tyne Twenty-five Letters to a Working Man of Sunderland on the Laws of Work

LETTER I. CO-OPERATION 1 The two kinds of Co-operation.--In its highest sense it is not yet thought of.

II. CONTENTMENT 4 Co-operation, as hitherto understood, is perhaps not expedient.

III. LEGISLATION 7 Of True Legislation.--That every Man may be a Law to himself.

IV. EXPENDITURE 11 The Expenses for Art and for War.

V. ENTERTAINMENT 13 The Corruption of Modern Pleasure.--(Covent Garden Pantomime.)

VI. DEXTERITY 18 The Corruption of Modern Pleasure.--(The Japanese Jugglers.)

VII. FESTIVITY 20 Of the Various Expressions of National Festivity.

VIII. THINGS WRITTEN 22 The Four Possible Theories respecting the Authority of the Bible.

IX. THANKSGIVING 27 The Use of Music and Dancing under the Jewish Theocracy, compared with their Use by the Modern French.

X. WHEAT-SIFTING 32 The Meaning, and Actual Operation, of Satanic or Demoniacal Influence.

XI. THE GOLDEN BOUGH 38 The Satanic Power is mainly Twofold: the Power of causing Falsehood and the Power of causing Pain. The Resistance is by Law of Honor and Law of Delight.

XII. DICTATORSHIP 41 The Necessity of Imperative Law to the Prosperity of States.

XIII. EPISCOPACY AND DUKEDOM 45 The Proper Offices of the Bishop and Duke; or, "Overseer" and "Leader."

XIV. TRADE-WARRANT 51 The First Group of Essential Laws.--Against Theft by False Work, and by Bankruptcy.--Necessary Publicity of Accounts.

XV. PER-CENTAGE 54 The Nature of Theft by Unjust Profits.--Crime can finally be arrested only by Education.

XVI. EDUCATION 59 Of Public Education irrespective of Class distinction. It consists essentially in giving Habits of Mercy, and Habits of Truth. (Gentleness and Justice.)

XVII. DIFFICULTIES 66 The Relations of Education to Position in Life.

XVIII. HUMILITY 68 The harmful Effects of Servile Employments. The possible Practice and Exhibition of sincere Humility by Religious Persons.

XIX. BROKEN REEDS 73 The General Pressure of Excessive and Improper Work, in English Life.

XX. ROSE-GARDENS 78 Of Improvidence in Marriage in the Middle Classes; and of the advisable Restrictions of it.

XXI. GENTILLESSE 83 Of the Dignity of the Four Fine Arts; and of the Proper System of Retail Trade.

XXII. THE MASTER 88 Of the Normal Position and Duties of the Upper Classes. General Statement of the Land Question.

XXIII. LANDMARKS 93 Of the Just Tenure of Lands; and the Proper Functions of high Public Officers.

XXIV. THE ROD AND HONEYCOMB 101 The Office of the Soldier.

XXV. HYSSOP 108 Of inevitable Distinction of Rank, and necessary Submission to Authority. The Meaning of Pure-Heartedness. Conclusion.

APPENDICES.

APPENDIX PAGE I. Expenditure on Science and Art 119 II. Legislation of Frederick the Great 120 III. Effect of Modern Entertainments on the Mind of Youth 124 IV. Drunkenness as the Cause of Crime 124 V. Abuse of Food 126 VI. Regulations of Trade 128 VII. Letter to the Editor of the Pall Mall Gazette 130

PREFACE.

The following Letters were written to Mr. Thomas Dixon, a working cork-cutter of Sunderland, during the agitation for Reform in the spring of the present year. They contain, in the plainest terms I could use, the substance of what I then desired to say to our English workmen, which was briefly this:--"The reform you desire may give you more influence in Parliament; but your influence there will of course be useless to you,--perhaps worse than useless, until you have wisely made up your minds what you wish Parliament to do for you; and when you have made up your minds about that, you will find, not only that you can do it for yourselves, without the intervention of Parliament; but that eventually nobody but yourselves can do it. And to help you, as far as one of your old friends may, in so making up your minds, such and such things are what it seems to me you should ask for, and, moreover, strive for with your heart and might."

The letters now published relate only to one division of the laws which I desired to recommend to the consideration of our operatives,--those, namely, bearing upon honesty of work, and honesty of exchange. I hope in the course of next year that I may be able to complete the second part of the series, [I could not; but 'Fors Clavigera' is now (1872) answering the same end:] which will relate to the possible comforts and wholesome laws, of familiar household life, and the share which a laboring nation may attain in the skill, and the treasures, of the higher arts.

The letters are republished as they were written, with, here and there, correction of a phrase, and omission of one or two passages of merely personal or temporary interest; the headings only are added, in order to give the reader some clue to the general aim of necessarily desultory discussion; and the portions of Mr. Dixon's letters in reply, referred to in the text, are added in the Appendix, and will be found well deserving of attention.

DENMARK HILL, December 14, 1867.