This section opens by exposing the paradox between England’s visible prosperity and its hidden misery, using allegories such as Midas and the Sphinx to criticize material worship and superficial thinking while calling for genuine heroism. It then turns to the medieval chronicle of St. Edmundsbury, presenting Abbot Samson as a model of practical and moral leadership who restores order through responsibility and action. The struggles surrounding election, governance, and parliamentary affairs reveal that true authority lies not in formality but in ethical strength. The medieval abbot embodies a unity of labor, faith, and duty that stands in contrast to modern industrial leaders. The section concludes by beginning its critique of modern phenomena, Mammonism, and dilettantism, extending the dialogue between past and present.
