Professional Documents
Culture Documents
In the preceding Book Carlyle has been talking of the twelfth century i.e. the Past. In this
Book he talks of the Present and its most outstanding fact, namely the Modern Worker or
the rise of Labour.
CHAPTER # 1:
PHENOMENA
CHAPTER # 2:
GOSPEL OF MAMMONISM
THEME: Modern society is held together by only one bond – cash payment.
CHAPTER # 3:
GOSPEL OF DILETTANTISM
CHAPTER # 4:
HAPPY
THEME: Men are wrong in claiming to be happy, that is not their destiny; they can only
claim the blessedness of work.
CHAPTER # 5:
THE ENGLISH
THEME: Of all the nations, the English are the stupidest in speech, the wisest in action.
In their unconsciousness lies their strength.
CHAPTER # 6:
TWO CENTURIES
THEME: The one voice of GOD heard in the two atheistic centuries is the practical
labour and it must become a seeing rational giant.
CHAPTER # 7:
OVER-PRODUCTION
CHAPTER # 8:
UNWORKING ARISTOCRACY
THEME: The Unworking aristocracy, parasitic and pampered race, must find its duties
and do them; otherwise it will have to be abolished. These noblemen not only do not help
but they actually make mischief.
CHAPTER # 9:
WORKING ARISTOCRACY
THEME: The working Aristocrats of England is in a bad position now, mainly because it
is given to Mammon worship. It must take its stand upon honest work.
CHAPTER # 10:
PLUGSON OF UNDERSHOT
THEME: Cash payment can not be the supreme bond between one man and another.
There is a higher Gospel than cash Gospel which must be followed.
CHAPTER # 11:
LABOUR
THEME: There is a perennial nobleness and even sacredness in work. The old Gospels of
“know thyself” are exploded, now the latest Gospel is “know thy work and do it”. Man’s
true blessedness is in work.
CHAPTER # 12:
REWARD
THEME: Work is worship. The worker’s true wages can be paid only in Heaven. Money
wages can not compensate work. The worker should have the consolation that he is doing
worship and let him silently do his work.
CHAPTER # 13:
DEMOCRACY
THEME: A true governor is that whose priority is to do service of public rather than
getting fame.
CHAPTER # 15:
MORRISON AGAIN
THEME: England has become atheistic and irreligious. Religion is no Morrison’s Pill to
be gulped down. Rituals and liturgies do not make religion. Religion in its true sense is a
belief in unseen powers.