Page 551 - the-idiot

‘Another excellent idea, and worth considering!’ replied
Lebedeff. ‘But, again, that is not the question. The ques-
tion at this moment is whether we have not weakened ‘the
springs of life’ by the extension ...’
‘Of railways?’ put in Colia eagerly.
‘Not railways, properly speaking, presumptuous youth,
but the general tendency of which railways may be consid-
ered as the outward expression and symbol. We hurry and
push and hustle, for the good of humanity! ‘The world is
becoming too noisy, too commercial!’ groans some soli-
tary thinker. ‘Undoubtedly it is, but the noise of waggons
bearing bread to starving humanity is of more value than
tranquillity of soul,’ replies another triumphantly, and
passes on with an air of pride. As for me, I don’t believe in
these waggons bringing bread to humanity. For, founded
on no moral principle, these may well, even in the act of
carrying bread to humanity, coldly exclude a considerable
portion of humanity from enjoying it; that has been seen
more than once.
‘What, these waggons may coldly exclude?’ repeated
someone.
‘That has been seen already,’ continued Lebedeff, not
deigning to notice the interruption. ‘Malthus was a friend
of humanity, but, with ill-founded moral principles, the
friend of humanity is the devourer of humanity, without
mentioning his pride; for, touch the vanity of one of these
numberless philanthropists, and to avenge his self-esteem,
he will be ready at once to set fire to the whole globe; and
to tell the truth, we are all more or less like that. I, perhaps,

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