his talk on the previous evening Dr. Leete had emphasized
the pains taken to enable every man to ascertain and follow his natural bent in
choosing an occupation, it was not till I learned that the worker's income is
the same in all occupations that I realized how absolutely he may be counted on
to do so, and thus, by selecting the harness which sets most lightly on himself,
find that in which he can pull best. The failure of my age in any systematic or
effective way to develop and utilize the natural aptitudes of men for the
industries and intellectual avocations was one of the great wastes, as well as
one of the most common causes of unhappiness in that time. The vast majority of
my contemporaries, though nominally free to do so, never really chose their
occupations at all, but were forced by circumstances into work for which they
were relatively inefficient, because not naturally fitted for it. The rich, in
this respect, had little advantage over the poor. The latter, indeed, being
generally deprived of education, had no opportunity even to ascertain the
natural aptitudes they might have, and on account of their poverty were unable
to develop them by cultivation even when ascertained. The liberal and technical
professions, except by favourable accident, were shut to them, to their own great
loss and that of the nation. On the other hand, the well-to-do, although they
could command education and opportunity, were scarcely less hampered by social
prejudice, which forbade them to pursue manual avocations, even when adapted to
them, and destined them, whether fit or unfit, to the professions, thus wasting
many an excellent handicraftsman. Mercenary considerations, tempting men to
pursue money-making occupations for which they were unfit, instead of less
remunerative employments for which they were fit, were responsible for another
vast perversion of talent. All these things now are changed. Equal education and
opportunity must needs bring to light whatever aptitudes a man has, and neither
social prejudices nor mercenary considerations hamper him in the choice of his
life work.
 

                                  Chapter XIII

As Edith had promised he should do, Dr. Leete accompanied me to my bedroom when
I retired, to instruct me as to the adjustment of the musical telephone. He
showed how, by turning a screw, the volume of the music could be made to fill
the room, or die away to an echo so faint and far that one could scarcely be
sure whether he heard or imagined it. If, of two persons side by side, one
desired to listen to music and the other to sleep, it could be made