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don’t see in fact； you are not to have anywhere； what you don’t
have in fact。 What is called Taste； is only another name for Fact。”
Thomas Gradgrind nodded his approbation。
“This is a new principle； a discovery； a great discovery；” said
the gentleman。 “Now； I’ll try you again。 Suppose you were going to
carpet a room。 Would you use a carpet having a representation of
flowers upon it？”
There being a general conviction by this time that “No； sir！”
was always the right answer to this gentleman； the chorus of No
was very strong。 Only a few feeble stragglers said Yes； among
them Sissy Jupe。
“Girl number twenty；” said the gentleman； smiling in the calm
strength of knowledge。
Sissy blushed； and stood up。
“So you would carpet your room—or your husband’s room； if
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you were a grown woman； and had a husband—with
representations of flowers； would you；” said the gentleman。 “Why
would you？”
“If you please； sir； I am very fond of flowers；” returned the girl。
“And is that why you would put tables and chairs upon them；
and have people walking over them with heavy boots？”
“It wouldn’t hurt them； sir。 They wouldn’t crush and wither if
you please； sir。 They would be the pictures of what was very pretty
and pleasant； and I would fancy—”
“Ay； ay； ay！ But you mustn’t fancy；” cried the gentleman； quite
elated by coming so happily to his point。 “That’s it！ You are never
to fancy。”
“You are not； Cecilia Jupe；” Thomas Gradgrind solemnly
repeated； “to do anything of that kind。”
“Fact； fact； fact！” said the gentleman。 And “Fact； fact； fact！”
repeated Thomas Gradgrind。
“You are to be in all things regulated and governed；” said the
gentleman； “by fact。 We hope to have； before long； a board of fact；
composed of commissioners of fact； who will force the people to be
a people of fact； and of nothing but fact。 You must discard the
word Fancy altogether。 You have nothing to do with it。 You are
not to have； in any object of use or ornament； what would be a
contradiction in fact。 You don’t walk upon flowers in fact； you
cannot be allowed to walk upon flowers in carpets。 You don’t find
that foreign birds and butterflies come and perch upon your
crockery。 You never meet with quadrupeds going up and down
walls； you must not have quadrupeds represented upon walls。 You
must use；” said the gentleman； “for all these purposes；
combinations and modifications （in primary colours） of
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Hard Times 15
mathematical figures which are susceptible of proof and
demonstration。 This is the new discovery。 This is fact。 This is
taste。”
The girl curtseyed； and sat down。 She was very young； and she
looked as if she were frightened by the matter…of…fact prospect the
world afforded。
“Now； if Mr M’Choakumchild；” said the gentleman； “will
proceed to give his first lesson here； Mr Gradgrind； I shall be
happy； at your request； to observe his mode of procedure。”
Mr Gradgrind was much obliged。 “Mr M’Choakumchild； we
only wait for you。”
So； Mr M’Choakumchild began in his best manner。 He and
some one hundred and forty other schoolmasters； had been lately
turned at the same time； in the same factory； on the same
principles； like so many pianoforte legs。 He had been put through
an immense variety of paces； and had answered volumes of head…
breaking questions。 Orthography； etymology； syntax； and prosody；
biography； astronomy； geography； and general cosmography； the
sciences of compound proportion； algebra； land…surveying and
levelling； vocal music； and drawing from models； were all at the
ends of his ten chilled fingers。 He had worked his stony way into
Her Majesty’s most Honourable Privy Council’s Schedule B； and
had taken the bloom off the higher branches of mathematics and
physical science； French； German； Latin； and Greek。 He knew all
about all the Water Sheds of all the world （whatever they are）； and
all the histories of all the peoples； and all the names of all the
rivers and mountains； and all the productions； manners； and
customs of all the countries； and all their boundaries and bearings
on the two and thirty points of the compass。 Ah； rather overdone；
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Hard Times 16
M’Choakumchild。 If he had only learnt a little less； how infinitely
better he might have taught much more！
He went to work in this preparatory lesson； not unlike
Morgiana in the Forty Thieves： looking into all the vessels ranged
before him； one after another； to see what they contained。 Say；
good M’Choakumchild。 When from thy boiling store； thou shalt fill
each jar brim full by and by； dost thou think that thou wilt always
kill outright the robber Fancy lurking within—or sometimes only
maim him and distort him！
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Hard Times 17
Chapter 3
A Loophole
r Gradgrind walked homeward from the school； in a
state of considerable satisfaction。 It was his school； and
M
he intended it to be a model。 He intended every child in
it to be a model—just as the young Gradgrinds were all models。
There were five young Gradgrinds； and they were models every
one。 They had been lectured at； from their tenderest years；
coursed； like little hares。 Almost as soon as they could run alone；
they had been made to run to the lecture…room。 The first object
with which they had an association； or of which they had a
remembrance； was a large black board with a dry Ogre chalking
ghastly white figures on it。
Not that they knew； by name or nature； anything about an
Ogre。 Fact forbid！ I only use the word to express a monster in a
lecturing castle； with Heaven knows how many heads manipulated
into one； taking childhood captive； and dragging it into gloomy
statistical dens by the hair。
No little Gradgrind had ever seen a face in the moon； it was up
in the moon before it could speak distinctly。 No little Gradgrind
had ever learnt the silly jingle； Twinkle； twinkle； little star； how I
wonder what you are！ No little Gradgrind had ever known wonder
on the subject； each little Gradgrind having at five years old
dissected the Great Bear like a Professor Owen； and driven
Charles’s Wain like a locomotive engine…driver。 No little
Gradgrind had ever associated a cow in a field with that famous
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Hard Times 18
cow with the crumpled horn who tossed the dog who worried the
cat who killed the rat who ate the malt； or with that yet more
famous cow who swallowed Tom Thumb： it had never heard of
those celebrities； and had only been introduced to a cow as a
graminivorous ruminating quadruped with several stomachs。
To his matter…of…fact home； which was called Stone Lodge； Mr
Gradgrind directed his steps。 He had virtually retired from the
wholesale hardware trade before he built Stone Lodge； and w