You stated that you would wish the hours during which they would be able to enjoy the institutions to be as early as possible?--Yes, certainly.
But it would be impossible to have them earlier than they are now, on account of the organization of labor in the country.--I do not know what is possible. I do not know what the number of hours necessary for labor will ultimately be found to be.
Still you are of opinion that, if there was a half-holiday on the Saturday, it would be an advantage to the working classes, and enable them to visit and enjoy these institutions?--Certainly.
155. You observed, I think, that there was a thirsty desire on the part of the working classes for improvement?--Certainly.
And you also stated that there was a desire on their part to rise in that class, but not out of it?--I did not say that they wanted to rise in that class; they wish to emerge from it; they wish to become something better than workmen, and I want to keep them in that class; I want to teach every man to rest contented in his station, and I want all people, in all stations, to better and help each other as much as they can.
But you never saw a man, did you, who was contented?--Yes, I have seen several; nearly all the very good workmen are contented; I find that it is only the second-rate workmen who are discontented.
156. Surely competition with foreigners is a great advantage to the working classes of this country?--No.
It has been stated that competition is an immense advantage in the extension of artistic knowledge among the people of this country, who are rapidly stepping on the heels of foreigners?--An acquaintance with what foreign nations have accomplished may be very useful to our workmen, but a spirit of competition with foreign nations is useful to no one.
Will you be good enough to state why?--Every nation has the power of producing a certain number of objects of art, or of manufacturing productions which are peculiar to it, and which it can produce thoroughly well; and, when that is rightly understood, every nation will strive to do its own work as well as it can be done, and will desire to be supplied, by other nations, with that which they can produce; for example, if we tried here in England to produce silk, we might possibly grow unhealthy mulberry trees and bring up unhealthy silkworms, but not produce good silk. It may be a question how far we should compete with foreigners in matters of taste. I think it doubtful, even in that view, that we should ever compete with them thoroughly. I find evidence in past art, that the French have always had a gift of color, which the English never had.