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ECONOMY.

BY

JAMES PLATT,

AUTHOR OF

"BUSINESS," "MORALITY," "MONEY."

66
AND 'LIFE."

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SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, AND CO.,

4, STATIONERS' HALL COURT.

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INTRODUCTION.

"Most men work for the present, a few for the future. The wise work for both-for the future in the present, and for the present in the future." -Guesses at Truth.

THOSE of my critics who have written adversely of my other books have given as a reason that my opinions upon theology have destroyed partly or wholly the good my works might have done, and these "orthodox" critics have advised me to keep to "commercial" or other "common-sense " subjects that I did understand, and, as I infer from their remarks (they are so certain their opinions are correct), leave the higher paths of thought for their more cultured minds to write upon. In reply to the writers of letters and reviews opposed to my views, I respectfully submit that there are a much larger number of reviewers favourable thereto; whilst the writers of letters thanking me for having put into words their thoughts upon religious matters, or for having done them much benefit by the advice for their guidance in my books, are at least in the proportion of a hundred to one; and with each new book, the proportion of reviewers and letter-writers has been in my favour. This was markedly the case with "Life." "Morality" had been condemned by the "orthodox" of all denominations as “a bad book," a "dangerous book," and the sale of it was crushed, except amongst those who bought it upon the reputation of my book, 66 Business; but "Life" was no sooner published and read, than a demand sprang up for "Morality," and, to my surprise, in Scotland "both books" were eagerly bought, although, when published, the Scotch refused to have "Morality" at all. This indicates, I think, a great advance in "freedom of thought"

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