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lives—public opinion and practice would be
greatly modified. ‘ Our Creator/ says Dr.
South wood Smith, ‘ has given us a frame
capable of a certain degree of labour—capable
of putting forth a certain degree of energy and
no more. If we disregard the limits which
He has put to our capability of exertion, that
beautiful and delicate mechanism, upon the
action of which our life depends, must be
deranged—must break.’ Dr. James Copland
states :—‘ There is nothing which can be more
injurious, both mentally and physically, to the
middle and lower classes of society than pro
longed labour. I believe that three-fourths oí
the disease to which human life is liable in the
metropolis actually arises from this cause.’
R. D. Grainger, Esq., gives the following testi
mony ;—‘ I would say, without fear of contra
diction from any quarter worthy of attention, I
would pledge all I know of the constitution of
the human frame to the assertion, that pro
tracted labour is nothing else than another term
for sickness, suffering, and death. There is no
exception to this rule.’ And mark that over
work tells upon the growing child, whose bone
is but gristle, in a tenfold degree. In many