Attempt > Volume 1 and Select writings

THE ATTEMPT 65
The ship’s galley for distilling fresh water from the ocean, together with the discovery
of the means of preserving meat fresh, have driven the once fatal scurvy from our
navy. The sewing-machine has already proved a great boon to shoemakers, whose
eyes were injured by straining closely over their black material.
One last objection which has been brought against our present system is, that
men themselves are reduced to the level of machines, by the precise and monotonous
nature of their occupations. No doubt, machine work cannot give free scope for the
energies of man or woman. But shortened hours of labour allow in many cases of
the devotion of this spare vigour to other objects. The labourer may have many
evening hours of intellectual and family enjoyment. It is only the man whose habits
are depraved, and whose mind is empty, who will be debased, if further debasement
be possible, by his employment.
It seems plain, then, that opportunities for advancement, both in comfort and
intelligence, are far more widely diffused than ever before. Are men, therefore, better
and happier than they used to be in the old world! Would we could say they were !
Would we could forget the misery and degradation that fill so large a space in all
ranks of society ! But while we cannot shut our eyes to the evils around us, let us
not attribute them to that which is neither their cause nor their cure. We hope the
world is tired of fighting with wind-mills and steam-engines. Not science, nor manu¬
factures, but sin, is the source of sorrow. With real, not with imaginary evil, then
let our conflict be. M. L.
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jpuurtualitg-
There was a request made not many weeks ago, at one of our meetings con¬
cerning “The Attempt,” that a member should write an essay on Punctuality. I
waited some time, hoping that a more able pen than mine would give us a paper
on that subject; but when no notice was taken of the request, I began to think that
a few words from me might be better than nothing at all. Because I write on this
subject, I do not mean to imply that I am a person of very punctual habits; if
questioned, my friends would give you to understand that I am rather the reverse.
Notwithstanding, I do not think I am the less fitted to write on the subject; on the