Theinstinctiverevoltofhisspiritagainstpatronage，isaqualitymuchtoberespectedintheEnglishworkingman。Itisthebaseofthebaseofhisbestqualities。Norisitsurprisingthatheshouldbeundulysuspiciousofpatronage，andsometimesresentfulofitevenwhereitisnot，seeingwhatafloodofwashytalkhasbeenletlooseonhisdevotedhead，orwithwhatcomplacentcondescensionthesamedevotedheadhasbeensmoothedandpatted。Itisaprooftomeofhisself-controlthatheneverstrikesoutpugilistically，rightandleft，whenaddressedasoneof’Myfriends，’or’Myassembledfriends；’thathedoesnotbecomeinappeasable，andrunamucklikeaMalay，wheneverheseesabipedinbroadclothgettingonaplatformtotalktohim；thatanypretenceofimprovinghismind，doesnotinstantlydrivehimoutofhismind，andcausehimtotosshisobligingpatronlikeamadbull。
For，howoftenhaveIheardtheunfortunateworkingmanlectured，asifhewerealittlecharity-child，humidastohisnasaldevelopment，strictlyliteralastohisCatechism，andcalledbyProvidencetowalkallhisdaysinastationinliferepresentedonfestiveoccasionsbyamugofwarmmilk-and-waterandabun！Whatpopgunsofjokeshavetheseearstingledtohearletoffathim，whatasininesentiments，whatimpotentconclusions，whatspelling-
bookmoralities，whatadaptationsoftheorator’sinsufferabletediousnesstotheassumedlevelofhisunderstanding！Ifhissledge-hammers，hisspadesandpick-axes，hissawsandchisels，hispaint-potsandbrushes，hisforges，furnaces，andengines，thehorsesthathedroveathiswork，andthemachinesthatdrovehimathiswork，werealltoysinonelittlepaperbox，andhethebabywhoplayedwiththem，hecouldnothavebeendiscoursedto，moreimpertinentlyandabsurdlythanIhaveheardhimdiscoursedtotimesinnumerable。Consequently，notbeingafoolorafawner，hehascometoacknowledgehispatronagebyvirtuallysaying:’Letmealone。IfyouunderstandmenobetterthanTHAT，sirandmadam，letmealone。Youmeanverywell，Idaresay，butIdon’tlikeit，andIwon’tcomehereagaintohaveanymoreofit。’
Whateverisdoneforthecomfortandadvancementoftheworkingmanmustbesofardonebyhimselfasthatitismaintainedbyhimself。
Andtheremustbeinitnotouchofcondescension，noshadowofpatronage。Inthegreatworkingdistricts，thistruthisstudiedandunderstood。WhentheAmericancivilwarrendereditnecessary，firstinGlasgow，andafterwardsinManchester，thattheworkingpeopleshouldbeshownhowtoavailthemselvesoftheadvantagesderivablefromsystem，andfromthecombinationofnumbers，inthepurchaseandthecookingoftheirfood，thistruthwasaboveallthingsborneinmind。Thequickconsequencewas，thatsuspicionandreluctancewerevanquished，andthattheeffortresultedinanastonishingandacompletesuccess。