But Keith, you say on the one hand everyone thought that way Yes they did because it was the case. yet on the other you say that there was a "fringe minority" that thought differently. Which is it to be? Either everyone thought that way or some did not. Rhetorical question of course. We all know that some did not think that way because we have all alluded to them. Including you. That 'fringe minority' in not much more than 100 years developed into todays society where everyone does matter and we no longer send children up chimneys. Those are the simple facts of the matter. Whether we believe they did it out of benevolence or out of sound economic strategy does not matter. None of us are privy to their exact motives as Jim's quotes above illustrate.

Again, you are just arguing for arguments sake and it is pointless. I have said my piece and you can either accept it or not. No skin off my nose either way.

DtG