“True, M. Agricola; how is that to be done?”

“‘And that is not all,’ says our man; ’to sell my produce at high prices, it should be irreproachable, excellent.  My workmen do pretty well; but that is not enough.  I want them to produce masterpieces.’”

“But, M. Agricola, when they have once performed the task set them what interest have workmen to give themselves a great deal of trouble to produce masterpieces?”

“There it is, Mdlle.  Angela; what interest have they?  Therefore, our speculator soon says to himself:  ’That my workmen may have an interest to be economical in the use of the materials, an interest to employ their time well, an interest to invent new and better manufacturing processes, an interest to send out of their hands nothing but masterpieces—­I must give them an interest in the profits earned by their economy, activity, zeal and skill.  The better they manufacture, the better I shall sell, and the larger will be their gain and mine also.’”

“Oh! now I understand, M. Agricola.”

“And our speculator would make a good speculation.  Before he was interested, the workman said:  ’What does it matter to me, that I do more or do better in the course of the day?  What shall I gain by it?  Nothing.  Well, then, little work for little wages.  But now, on the contrary (he says), I have an interest in displaying zeal and economy.  All is changed.  I redouble my activity, and strive to excel the others.  If a comrade is lazy, and likely to do harm to the factory, I have the right to say to him:  ’Mate, we all suffer more or less from your laziness, and from the injury you are doing the common weal.’”

“And then, M. Agricola, with what ardor, courage, and hope, you must set to work!”

“That is what our speculator counts on; and he may say to himself, further:  ’Treasures of experience and practical wisdom are often buried in workshops, for want of goodwill, opportunity, or encouragement.  Excellent workmen, instead of making all the improvements in their power, follow with indifference the old jog-trot.  What a pity! for an intelligent man, occupied all his life with some special employment, must discover, in the long run, a thousand ways of doing his work better and quicker.  I will form, therefore, a sort of consulting committee; I will summon to it my foremen and my most skillful workmen.  Our interest is now the same.  Light will necessarily spring from this centre of practical intelligence.’  Now, the speculator is not deceived in this, and soon struck with the incredible resources, the thousand new, ingenious, perfect inventions suddenly revealed by his workmen, ‘Why’ he exclaims, ’if you knew this, did you not tell it before?  What for the last ten years has cost me a hundred francs to make, would have cost me only fifty, without reckoning an enormous saving of time.’  ‘Sir,’ answers the workman, who is not more stupid than others, ’what interest had I, that you should effect a saving of fifty per