Page:A protest against the extension of railways in the Lake District - Somervell (1876).djvu/39

 the working classes are well paid and might be in much better circumstances if they made a wise use of their wages in no way lessens our responsibility. Nor can I adequately express the amazement with which I frequently hear high wages spoken of, as though the mere increase of riches could in itself make life more happy or more blessed. If a man can have no joy in his work, the larger wages he gets the worse, as a rule, he will spend them.

I must not pursue this subject. Both the Letter and the Article are worth careful reading and thought; and may well suggest to the apostles of 'material prosperity' and 'progress,' the propriety of setting somewhat more in order the very considerable territory which they already occupy before attempting to annex thereto the Lake District of England.

I have much pleasure in expressing my thanks to the Editor of the Saturday Review, the Managers of the Daily News, and the Proprietors of Punch, for their permission to make use of the articles here re-printed; also to Mr. Robert Browning for kindly-granted leave to grace my fly-leaf with the precious lines from 'Lady Geraldine's Courtship,' by the late Mrs. Browning.