The plan to fabricate such wonder-wares Suits not the spirit of our present age. The aim of all production now must be Complete perfection in some narrow groove. The powers which work impersonally, and pour The part into the whole in active streams, Confer unthinkingly upon each link A worth that is by wisdom not bestowed. And were this obstacle not in thy path Yet would thy purpose none the less be vain. That thou shouldst find a man to realize The plan thou hast so charmingly conceived Passeth belief, at least it passeth mine.
Thou knowest, friend, I do not dream vain dreams. How should I aim at such a lofty goal Had not kind fate already brought to me The man to realize what I propose? I am amazed that thine eyes cannot see That Strader is, in fact, this very man. And one who, knowing this man's inner self, And his own duty to humanity, Conceives one of his duties to be this; To find a field of work for such a man, A dreamer is no proper name for him.
MANAGER (after manifesting some surprise):
Am I to look on Strader as this man? In his case hath it not been manifest How easily deluded mortals are Who lack the power to know realities? That his contrivance owes to spirit-light Its origin doth not admit of doubt. And if it can sometime be perfected Those benefits will doubtless pour therefrom Which Strader thought he had already won. But a mere model it will long remain Seeing those forces are still undisclosed Whose power alone will give reality. I am distressed to find that thou dost hope Good will result from giving up thy plant Unto a man who came to grief himself With his own carefully contrived machine. 'Tis true it led his spirit up to heights Which ever will entice the souls of men, But which will only then be scaled by him When he hath made the rightful powers his own.
That thou must praise the spirit of this man And yet seek'st cause to overthrow his work Doth prove most clearly that his worth is great. The fault, thou sayest, did not lie in him, That failure rather than success was his. Among us therefore he will surely find His proper place; for here there will not be External hindrances to thwart his plans.
And if, despite what I have just now said, I were to strive within myself and try To tune my reason to thy mode of thought, Still one more point compels me to object. Who will in future value this thy work? Or show such comprehension of thine aims As to make use of what thou mayst have made? Thy property will all be swallowed up Before thy business hath been well begun, And then it can no more be carried on.