ThreeyearsagoIbecameanxiousfromcircumstancesthatneednotbemorefullyalludedtotoemploymyselfinwritingaworkoffiction。LivinginManchester，butwithadeeprelishandfondadmirationforthecountry，myfirstthoughtwastofindaframe-workformystoryinsomeruralscene；

　　andIhadalreadymadealittleprogressinatale，theperiodofwhichwasmorethanacenturyago，andtheplaceonthebordersofYorkshire，whenIbethoughtmehowdeepmightbetheromanceinthelivesofsomeofthosewhoelbowedmedailyinthebusystreetsofthetowninwhichIresided。Ihadalwaysfeltadeepsympathywiththecare-wornmen，wholookedasifdoomedtostrugglethroughtheirlivesinstrangealternationsbetweenworkandwant；tossedtoandfrobycircumstances，apparentlyinevenagreaterdegreethanothermen。Alittlemanifestationofthissympathyandalittleattentiontotheexpressionoffeelingsonthepartofsomeofthework-peoplewithwhomIwasacquainted，hadlaidopentometheheartsofoneortwoofthemorethoughtfulamongthem；Isawthattheyweresoreandirritableagainsttherich，theeventenorofwhoseseeminglyhappylivesappearedtoincreasetheanguishcausedbythelottery-likenatureoftheirown。Whetherthebittercomplaintsmadebythem，oftheneglectwhichtheyexperiencedfromtheprosperous——especiallyfromthemasterswhosefortunestheyhadhelpedtobuildup——werewell-foundedorno，itisnotformetojudge。Itisenoughtosay，thatthisbeliefoftheinjusticeandunkindnesswhichtheyendurefromtheirfellow-creatures，taintswhatmightberesignationtoGod’swill，andturnsittorevengeintoomanyofthepooruneducatedfactory-workersofManchester。

　　ThemoreIreflectedonthisunhappystateofthingsbetweenthosesoboundtoeachotherbycommoninterests，astheemployersandtheemployedmusteverbe，themoreanxiousIbecametogivesomeutterancetotheagonywhich，fromtimetotime，convulsesthisdumbpeople；theagonyofsufferingwithoutthesympathyofthehappy，oroferroneouslybelievingthatsuchisthecase。Ifitbeanerror，thatthewoes，whichcomewithever-returningtide-likefloodtooverwhelmtheworkmeninourmanufacturingtowns，passunregardedbyallbutthesufferers，itisatanyrateanerrorsobitterinitsconsequencestoallparties，thatwhateverpubliceffortcandointhewayoflegislation，orprivateeffortinthewayofmercifuldeeds，orhelplessloveinthewayofwidow’smites，shouldbedone，andthatspeedily，todisabusethework-peopleofsomiserableamisapprehension。

　　Atpresenttheyseemtometobeleftinastate，whereinlamentationsandtearsarethrownasideasuseless，butinwhichthelipsarecompressedforcurses，andthehandsclenchedandreadytosmite。

　　IknownothingofPoliticalEconomy，orthetheoriesoftrade。Ihavetriedtowritetruthfully；andifmyaccountsagreeorclashwithanysystem，theagreementordisagreementisunintentional。

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