`Make it beer!' cried Harlow appealingly.

`Who would be the richer man, you or Harlow?'

`But then you see we ain't shipwrecked on no dissolute island at all,'
sneered Crass. `That's the worst of your arguments. You can't never
get very far without supposing some bloody ridclus thing or other.
Never mind about supposing things wot ain't true; let's 'ave facts and
common sense.'

`'Ear, 'ear,' said old Linden. `That's wot we want - a little common
sense.'

`What do YOU mean by poverty, then?' asked Easton.

`What I call poverty is when people are not able to secure for
themselves all the benefits of civilization; the necessaries,
comforts, pleasures and refinements of life, leisure, books, theatres,
pictures, music, holidays, travel, good and beautiful homes, good
clothes, good and pleasant food.'

Everybody laughed. It was so ridiculous. The idea of the likes of
THEM wanting or having such things! Any doubts that any of them had
entertained as to Owen's sanity disappeared. The man was as mad as a
March hare.

`If a man is only able to provide himself and his family with the bare
necessaries of existence, that man's family is living in poverty.
Since he cannot enjoy the advantages of civilization he might just as