any of the duties of a citizen?"

"Stop, stop, Sir Charles! you are too virulent. There are
endless means of improving your lad--charities without
number----"

"Yes, that will never reach him."

"Never mind, they may, you know. Industrial schools,
reformatories, asylums, hospitals, Peabody-buildings, poor-laws.
Everybody is working to improve the condition of the poor man.
Sanitary administration goes to his house and makes it
habitable."

"Very," interjected Sir Charles Sterling, dryly.

"Factory laws protect and educate factory children----"

"They don't educate in one case out of ten. They don't feed
them, clothe them, give them amusement and cultivation, do they?"

"Certainly not--that would be ridiculous."

"Why, the question is whether that would be ridiculous!" replied
Sir Charles. "I do not say it can be done, but in order to
transform the next generation, what we should aim at is to
provide substitutes for bad homes, evil training, unhealthy air,
food and dulness, and terrible ignorance, in happier scenes,
better teaching, proper conditions of physical life, sane
amusements, and a higher cultivation. I dare say you would think