North and South Page #27

North and South is a social novel published in 1854 by English writer Elizabeth Gaskell. With Wives and Daughters and Cranford, it is one of her best-known novels and was adapted for television three times. The 2004 version renewed interest in the novel and attracted a wider readership.

• Novel

								

although some are constantly sending out one-third of their coal in what
is called here unparliamentary smoke.”

“I only know it is impossible to keep the muslin blinds clean here above
a week together; and at Helstone we have had them up for a month or
more, and they have not looked dirty at the end of that time. And as for
hands--Margaret, how many times did you say you had washed your hands
this morning before twelve o’clock? Three times, was it not?”

“Yes, mamma.”

“You seem to have a strong objection to acts of parliament and all
legislation affecting your mode of management down here at Milton,” said
Mr. Hale.

“Yes, I have; and many others have as well. And with justice, I think.
The whole machinery--I don’t mean the wood and iron machinery now--of
the cotton trade is so new that it is no wonder if it does not work well
in every part all at once. Seventy years ago what was it? And now what
it is not? Raw, crude materials came together; men of the same level, as
regarded education and station, took suddenly the different position of
masters and men, owing to the motherwit, as regarded opportunities and
probabilities, which distinguished some, and made them far-seeing as to
what great future lay concealed in that rude model of Sir Richard
Arkwright’s. The rapid development of what might be called a new trade,
gave those early masters enormous power of wealth and command. I don’t
mean merely over the workmen; I mean over purchasers--over the whole
world’s market. Why, I may give you, as an instance, an advertisement,
inserted not fifty years ago in a Milton paper, that so-and-so (one of
the half-dozen calico-printers of the time) would close his warehouse at
noon each day; therefore, that all purchasers must come before that
hour. Fancy a man dictating in this manner the time when he would sell
and when he would not sell. Now, I believe, if a good customer chose to
come at midnight, I should get up, and stand hat in hand to receive his
orders.”

Margaret’s lip curled, but somehow she was compelled to listen; she
could no longer abstract herself in her own thoughts.

“I only name such things to show what almost unlimited power the
manufacturers had about the beginning of this century. The men were
rendered dizzy by it. Because a man was successful in his ventures,
there was no reason that in all other things his mind should be
well-balanced. On the contrary, his sense of justice, and his
simplicity, were often utterly smothered under the glut of wealth that
came down upon him; and they tell strange tales of the wild extravagance
of living indulged in on gala-days by those early cotton-lords. There
can be no doubt, too, of the tyranny they exercised over their
work-people. You know the proverb, Mr. Hale, ‘Set a beggar on horseback,
and he’ll ride to the devil,’--well, some of these early manufacturers
did ride to the devil in a magnificent style--crushing human bone and
flesh under their horses’ hoofs without remorse. But by-and-by came a
reaction; there were more factories, more masters; more men were wanted.
The power of masters and men became more evenly balanced; and now the
battle is pretty fairly waged between us. We will hardly submit to the
decision of an umpire, much less to the interference of a meddler with
only a smattering of the knowledge of the real facts of the case, even
though that meddler be called the High Court of Parliament.”

“Is there necessity for calling it a battle between the two classes?”
asked Mr. Hale. “I know, from your using the term, it is one which gives
a true idea of the real state of things to your mind.”

“It is true; and I believe it to be as much a necessity as that prudent
wisdom and good conduct are always opposed to, and doing battle with
ignorance and improvidence. It is one of the great beauties of our
system, that a working-man may raise himself into the power and position
of a master by his own exertions and behaviour; that, in fact, every one
who rules himself to decency and sobriety of conduct, and attention to
his duties, comes over to our ranks; it may not be always as a master,
but as an overlooker, a cashier, a book-keeper, a clerk, one on the side
of authority and order.”

“You consider all who are unsuccessful in raising themselves in the
world, from whatever cause, as your enemies, then, if I understand you
rightly,” said Margaret, in a clear, cold voice.

“As their own enemies, certainly,” said he, quickly, not a little
piqued by the haughty disapproval her form of expression and tone of
speaking implied. But, in a moment, his straightforward honesty made him
feel that his words were but a poor and quibbling answer to what she had
said, and, be she as scornful as she liked, it was a duty he owed to
himself to explain, as truly as he could, what he did mean. Yet it was
very difficult to separate her interpretation, and keep it distinct from
his meaning. He could best have illustrated what he wanted to say by
telling them something of his own life; but was it not too personal a
subject to speak about to strangers? Still, it was the simple
straightforward way of explaining his meaning; so, putting aside the
touch of shyness that brought a momentary flush of colour into his dark
cheek, he said:

“I am not speaking without book. Sixteen years ago, my father died under
very miserable circumstances. I was taken from school, and had to become
a man (as well as I could) in a few days. I had such a mother as few are
blest with; a woman of strong power, and firm resolve. We went into a
small country town, where living was cheaper than in Milton, and where I
got employment in a draper’s shop (a capital place, by the way, for
obtaining a knowledge of goods). Week by week, our income came to
fifteen shillings, out of which three people had to be kept. My mother
managed so that I put by three out of these fifteen shillings regularly.
This made the beginning; this taught me self-denial. Now that I am able
to afford my mother such comforts as her age, rather than her own wish,
requires, I thank her silently on each occasion for the early training
she gave me. Now when I feel that in my own case it is no good luck, nor
merit, nor talent,--but simply the habits of life which taught me to
despise indulgences not thoroughly earned,--indeed, never to think twice
about them,--I believe that this suffering, which Miss Hale says is
impressed on the countenances of the people of Milton, is but the
natural punishment of dishonestly-enjoyed pleasure, at some former
period of their lives. I do not look on self-indulgent, sensual people
as worthy of my hatred; I simply look upon them with contempt for their
poorness of character.”

“But you have the rudiments of a good education,” remarked Mr. Hale.
“The quick zest with which you are now reading Homer, shows me that you
do not come to it as an unknown book: you have read it before, and are
only recalling your old knowledge.”

“That is true,--I had blundered along it at school; I dare say, I was
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