第53章

But，asIhavesaidbefore，shewasnowdissatisfiedwiththebook，andwithmostotherthingsinwhichshehadtakenpleasure；shedweltmuchonthewords，’Thoushaltnotsteal’；shehadneverstolenthingsherself，butthenshehadboughtthingswhichotherpeoplehadstolen，andwhichsheknewhadbeenstolen；andherdearsonhadbeenathief，whichheperhapswouldnothavebeenbutfortheexamplewhichshesethiminbuyingthingsfromcharacters，asshecalledthem，whoassociatedwithher。

Oninquiringhowshehadbecomeacquaintedwiththesecharacters，I

learnedthattimeshadgonehardwithher；thatshehadmarried，butherhusbandhaddiedafteralongsickness，whichhadreducedthemtogreatdistress；thatherfruittradewasnotaprofitableone，andthatshehadboughtandsoldthingswhichhadbeenstolentosupportherselfandherson。Thatforalongtimeshesupposedtherewasnoharmindoingso，asherbookwasfullofentertainingtalesofstealing；butshenowthoughtthatthebookwasabadbook，andthatlearningtoreadwasabadthing；hermotherhadneverbeenabletoread，buthaddiedinpeace，thoughpoor。

Soherewasawomanwhoattributedthevicesandfolliesofherlifetobeingabletoread；hermother，shesaid，whocouldnotread，livedrespectably，anddiedinpeace；andwhatwastheessentialdifferencebetweenthemotheranddaughter，savethatthelattercouldread？Butforherliteratureshemightinallprobabilityhavelivedrespectablyandhonestly，likehermother，andmighteventuallyhavediedinpeace，whichatpresentshecouldscarcelyhopetodo。Educationhadfailedtoproduceanygoodinthispoorwoman；onthecontrary，therecouldbelittledoubtthatshehadbeeninjuredbyit。Thenwaseducationabadthing？

Rousseauwasofopinionthatitwas；butRousseauwasaFrenchman，atleastwroteinFrench，andIcarednotthesnapofmyfingersforRousseau。Buteducationhascertainlybeenofbenefitinsomeinstances；well，whatdidthatprove，butthatpartialityexistedinthemanagementoftheaffairsoftheworld-ifeducationwasabenefittosome，whywasitnotabenefittoothers？Couldsomeavoidabusingit，anymorethanotherscouldavoidturningittoaprofitableaccount？Ididnotseehowtheycould；thispoorsimplewomanfoundabookinhermother’scloset；abook，whichwasacapitalbookforthosewhocouldturnittotheaccountforwhichitwasintended；abook，fromtheperusalofwhichIfeltmyselfwiserandbetter，butwhichwasbynomeanssuitedtotheintellectofthispoorsimplewoman，whothoughtthatitwaswritteninpraiseofthieving；yetshefoundit，shereadit，and-and-I

feltmyselfgettingintoamaze；whatisright，thoughtI？whatis