[The Malady of the Century by Max Nordau]@TWC D-Link book
The Malady of the Century

CHAPTER IX
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Don't try on any of these windy arguments with a landowner--people that want work and can't find it indeed! Let me tell you, my son, neither I nor any one of my country neighbors can scrape together as many people as we need." "But everybody cannot work in the fields." "There, at last, you have hit the bull's eye--that is where the shoe pinches.

Agriculture offers a certain means of livelihood to all who can and will work properly.

But that does not suit the lazy beggars.
The work is too hard, and, more particularly, the discipline on an estate is too strict for their fancy.

They would rather be in the town, rather starve in a workshop, or ruin their lungs in a factory, because there they have more freedom--that is, they can go on the spree all night and shirk their work all day, if they like--they can play the gentleman, and think themselves as good as any general or minister.
Under these circumstances, it is no wonder that they soon come to want, and instead of admitting that it is entirely the fault of their own pigheadedness and perversity, they go and turn unruly against the government.

They should be turned out neck and crop, the whole pack of them." "Don't excite yourself so, Paul," warned Malvine gently, as her husband grew crimson in the face and ceased to eat.
Wilhelm remained unruffled.


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