THE WASTE OF DAYLIGHT.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "EPECTATOR."] SIR,—Mr. Frost in the Spectator of September 7th describes my proposal as a dream. It may appear so, but it, or some adaptation of it, is destined to become a reality. It applies, be it remembered, to spring, summer, and early autumn only. Is then Mr. Frost not dreaming when he asks : " Do we really want to be rid of our evenings indoors ? Are they not
often the most pleasant part of the day ? " Would an affirmative reply be in harmony with the facts ? It would certainly be directly contrary to my experience. Mr. Frost is certainly dreaming when he says that I propose to put him to bed by Act of Parliament. I assure him he is mis- taken. When the Act of Parliament which I advocate is passed, be will still have twenty-four hours in every day, and will still be free to choose his own time for rising and retiring, his meals, his work, and his play. Mr. Frost's next dream is that recreation should precede, not follow, work, for he says: "I dislike and suspect the half-implied, though unex- pressed, idea underlying Mr. Willett's advice,—to get through
the day's work in order to reach its sports The serious
object of a thinking man should be by relaxation to prepare for work." I appeal from Mr. Frost asleep to Mr. Frost awake. When he engages a butler or a clerk, does he commence the engagement by giving him a fortnight's holiday, or does he wait until service has been rendered, and then present him with a holiday ? In Mr. Frost's dreams the carts seem to precede the horses. By early rising, says Mr. Frost, we can obtain all the good things Mr. Willett describes; and so we could if we were not bound by chains of custom and inclination from commencing business at earlier hours from April to September•. There are still men without fear; but would any man he without reproach if he were to tell his wife that in future he should want his breakfast at 6.30 or 6.40 instead of 8 o'clock every morning P He might retain his wife, but how long would she retain her domestic servants ? They would have to rise at 5 o'clock. Besides, where would be the morning milk, the letters, and the newspapers ? When Mr. Frost is quite awake I will appeal to him to observe that all I ask him to do is to accept four Sundays each shortened by twenty minutes. Would he be conscious of any loss ? Would .::ft a Sunday of twenty-three hours and forty minutes suit him just as well as a Sunday of twenty-four hours, especially as he would be repaid by Sundays of twenty-four hours and twenty minutes a few months later ? If Mr. Frost's inclination will not allow him to yield agreement with my proposal, will not his generosity enable him to make a concession for the benefit of the great majority of his fellow-men ? I venture to say he has seldom been offered an opportunity of exercising it so cheaply.—I am, Sloane Square, S.W.
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