Believe me, he who wishes to learn, learns and becomes wise!" "But how many among those who wish to learn come to be what you are?
One in ten thousand, and more!" "Pish! Why any more ?" retorted the old man, shrugging his shoulders.

"There are too many lawyers now, many of them become mere clerks.

Doctors?
They insult and abuse one another, and even kill each other in competition for a patient.

Laborers, sir, laborers, are what we need, for agriculture!" Isagani realized that he was losing time, but still could not forbear replying: "Undoubtedly, there are many doctors and lawyers, but I won't say there are too many, since we have towns that lack them entirely, and if they do abound in quantity, perhaps they are deficient in quality.

Since the young men can't be prevented from studying, and no other professions are open to us, why let them waste their time and effort?
And if the instruction, deficient as it is, does not keep many from becoming lawyers and doctors, if we must finally have them, why not have good ones?
After all, even if the sole wish is to make the country a country of farmers and laborers, and condemn in it all intellectual activity, I don't see any evil in enlightening those same farmers and laborers, in giving them at least an education that will aid them in perfecting themselves and in perfecting their work, in placing them in a condition to understand many things of which they are at present ignorant." "Bah, bah, bah!" exclaimed the lawyer, drawing circles in the air with his hand to dispel the ideas suggested.