Chapter 154 154

I ask Emile to learn a trade.You say, "Learn the profession of honesty." What do you mean by honesty?Is not all useful work honest?I wouldn't ask him to be a young gentleman, a musician, an actor, or a writer.Apart from these, he can choose any skill he likes.I don't mean to interfere with his choice, I'd rather have him be a shoemaker than a poet.I'd rather watch him pave the road than paint flowers on china.You will say, "Police, spies, and executioners are also useful." This kind of work is useless without the government.But the art of honesty is not enough, it must be such that it does not develop a surly temper, a quality out of harmony with human nature.Closer to home, we need to choose an honest craft, there is no honesty in a craft that is not useful.