Itisverycertainthatforeveryvictimslainbytheplague，hundredsofmankindexistandfindafairshareofhappinessintheworldbytheaidofthespinningjenny。Andthegreatfire，atitsworst，couldnothaveburnedthesupplyofcoal，thedailyworkingofwhich，inthebowelsoftheearth，madepossiblebythesteampump，givesrisetoanamountofwealthtowhichthemillionslostinoldLondonarebutasanoldsong。
Butspinningjennyandsteampumpare，afterall，buttoys，possessinganaccidentalvalue;andnaturalknowledgecreatesmultitudesofmoresubtlecontrivances，thepraisesofwhichdonothappentobesungbecausetheyarenotdirectlyconvertibleintoinstrumentsofcreatingwealth。WhenIcontemplatenaturalknowledgesquanderingsuchgiftsamongmen，theonlyappropriatecomparisonIcanfindforheris，tolikenhertosuchapeasantwomanasoneseesintheAlps，stridingeverupward，heavilyburdened，andwithmindbentonlyonherhome;butyet，withouteffortandwithoutthought，knittingforherchildren。Nowstockingsaregoodandcomfortablethings，andthechildrenwillundoubtedlybemuchthebetterforthem;butsurelyitwouldbeshort—sighted，tosaytheleastofit，todepreciatethistoilingmotherasamerestocking—machine——amereproviderofphysicalcomforts？
However，thereareblindleadersoftheblind，andnotafewofthem，whotakethisviewofnaturalknowledge，andcanseenothinginthebountifulmotherofhumanitybutasortofcomfort—grindingmachine。
Accordingtothem，theimprovementofnaturalknowledgealwayshasbeen，andalwaysmustbe，synonymouswithnomorethantheimprovementofthematerialresourcesandtheincreaseofthegratificationofmen。
Naturalknowledgeis，intheireyes，norealmotherofmankind，bringingthemupwithkindness，andifneedbe，withsternness，inthewaytheyshouldgo，andinstructingtheminallthingsneedfulfortheirwelfare;butasortoffairygodmother，readytofurnishherpetswithshoesofswiftness，swordsofsharpness，andomnipotentAladdin’slamps，sothattheymayhavetelegraphstoSaturn，andseetheothersideofthemoon，andthankGodtheyarebetterthantheirbenightedancestors。Ifthistalkweretrue，I，forone，shouldnotgreatlycaretotoilintheserviceofnaturalknowledge。IthinkIwouldjustassoonbequietlychippingmyownflintaxe，afterthemannerofmyforefathersafewthousandyearsback，asbetroubledwiththeendlessmaladyofthoughtwhichnowinfestsusall，forsuchreward。ButI