682. Rest being a necessity after labour, is it not a law of nature?

"Undoubtedly it is. Rest serves to restore the bodily powers and is also necessary in order to give a little more freedom to the mind, enabling it to raise itself above matter."

683. What is the limit of labour?

"The limit of strength; but God leaves man at liberty to decide this point for himself."

684. What is to be thought of those who misuse their authority by imposing too heavy a labour on their inferiors?

"They commit one of the worst of crimes. Every man exercising authority is answerable for any excess of labour imposed by him on those who are under his orders, for he thereby transgresses the law of God." (273.)

685. Has man a right to repose in old age?

"Yes; he is only obliged to labour according to his strength."

– But what resource is there for the old man who needs to work in order to support himself, and yet is unable to do so?

"The strong should work for the weak; where family-help is not to be had, society should supply its place. Such is the law of charity."

To say that it is necessary for man to work is not to make a complete statement of the subject; for it is also necessary that he who has to gel his bread by his labour should be able to find occupation, and this is far from being always the case. Whenever the suspension of labour becomes general, it assumes the proportions of a famine. Economic science seeks a remedy for this evil in the equilibrium of production and consumption; but this equilibrium, supposing it to be attainable, will always be subject to intermittences, and during these intervals the labourer must live. There is an element of the question which has not been sufficiently considered, viz., education, not merely the education of the intellect, not even that of the moral nature as given by books, but that which consists in the formation, of characters and habits; for education is the totality of the habits acquired. When we consider how great a mass of individuals are thrown each day into the torrent of population, abandoned, without principles or curb, to the impulsions of their animal instincts, can we wonder at the disastrous consequences thence resulting? When the art of education shall be rightly understood and practised, each man will bring into the sphere of daily life habits of order and forethought for himself and for those dependent on him, and of respect for what is worthy of being respected; and these habits will enable him to traverse periods of difficulty with greater ease. Disorder and improvidence are social sores that can only be cured by education rightly understood; the generalisation of such education is the starting-point and essential element of social wen-being, the only pledge of security for all.