CHAPTER XIV.

A Sketch of Socialism.

I' the commonwealth I would by contraries
Execute all things: for no kind of traffic
Would I admit; no name of magistrate;
Letters should not be known; riches, poverty,
And use of service, none; contracts, succession,
Bourn, bound of land, tilth, vineyard, olive, none;
No occupation: all men idle, all;

And women too, but innocent and pure:

No sovereignty:

All things in common nature should produce
Without sweat or endeavour: treason, felony,
Sword, pike, knife, gun, or need of any engine,
Would I not have: but nature should bring forth
Of all its kind, all foison, all abundance,

To feed my innocent people.

I would with such perfection govern, sir,
To excel the golden age.

SHAKSPEARE,-The Tempest.

FOR the sake of those who may not be aware what are the principles and doctrines of the Socialists, and for the sake perhaps of the Socialists themselves, if any should read this book, it may be useful to give a brief sketch of their tenets.

The Socialists believe that the world has been going wrong for six thousand years, or infinitely longer, for aught they know; and that no one understood how to set it right, until one Robert Owen arose, who has at length found out the secret. the first proposition—namely, that much evil exists

On

and has existed in the world- they dwell very forcibly, and no one contradicts them. But I have

never yet heard them attempt to bring forward any reason why we should believe that Robert Owen, of all men, can amend it. Who is Mr. Robert Owen, that we should believe him able to accomplish so great a work?

Mr. Robert Owen is an elderly gentleman, by trade a cotton-manufacturer. "At the age of ten" (says his biographer) "he commenced the business of life in the department of the distribution of wealth."1 (Why should the writer be ashamed to state, in plain terms, the real truth-namely, that from the age of ten to sixteen, Mr. Owen was a linen-draper's apprentice?) Afterwards he became clerk to Mr. Robert Dale of New Lanark, and married his daughter, with whom he received a considerable fortune. The establishment at New Lanark had been founded by Mr. Dale on strictly religious principles, and afforded a good example to master-manufacturers of the important benefits, which may be conferred on hundreds of human beings by those who perform their duty of attending to the welfare of the numerous families within the sphere of their influence. When the establishment came into the hands of Mr. Owen, he no longer cared to maintain the religious practice of his father-in-law, but placed it on a different footing, according to his own views. For a while the rottenness of the new system did not apSee New Moral World, p. 332.

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pear. The establishment continued outwardly to prosper. Situated in a romantic part of Scotland, it attracted the attention of many benevolent and distinguished individuals. And poor Mr. Owen's head seems to have been turned by the numerous visits which he received from all the great characters of the day-members of parliament, dukes, and even princes and emperors-who happened to be travelling that way, and wished to see a cotton-manufactory.

It was certainly very pleasing to see the young factory-children dancing and singing, apparently in good health and spirits. Had they been taught, as in Mr. Dale's time, to obey God's law, amongst their other accomplishments, it would have been well. However, after a while the bubble burst, and the establishment, on Mr. Owen's system, was broken up. From New Lanark, Mr. Owen went to a place called New Harmony, in America, where he attempted to set up another establishment on Socialist principles. This also failed. But not even this second failure was enough to demonstrate to Mr. Owen the utter incompatibility of his system with the circumstances of man as God has made him.

It was during his residence at New Lanark, in the height of his prosperity, that is, while his capital was yet unexhausted, that Mr. Owen, like Don Quixote, and a hundred other enthusiasts, took into his head the preposterous notion, that he was destined to reform the world. He called together his workmen and dependents, and informed them, in a

grave and mysterious manner, that "it had been permitted to him to comprehend clearly, and without a vestige of doubt remaining on his mind," that certain plans and notions which he had in his head would render every man, woman, and child, as happy as sentient beings can be. Having this knowledge given him, and an understanding formed and corrected by experience, he could not rest satisfied till he had made it public. "Attend ye, then," said he, "to the words which I shall utter; for I am instructed to declare to you, and to all mankind, truths of the most mighty import; truths which, by their plainness and simplicity, shall with ease overcome the learning of the learned, and the power of the mighty ones of the earth; truths against which tongues shall not prevail, and before which the eloquent shall become dumb; truths, in short, which by their never-varying consistency with all the great, and glorious, and wonderful works of the Deity in his creation around us, will appear so evidently and unerringly true, that opposition to them from any quarter will be vain, futile, and utterly hopeless. Neither will they require the aid of any mystery for their support, or successful propagation in every part of the world. No! by their internal evidence alone they will go forth conquering and to conquer. Such, my friends, are the divine truths which I am about to declare to you and to the world."2

2 See Owen's Lectures on Charity, pp. 11, 12, 17, 18.

In this tone did our fantastic cotton-spinner promulgate his opinions to his wondering workmen. I know not what his hearers thought of the pretended discoveries of their self-conceited master; but any sensible man amongst them would have addressed him in something like the following manner :

"Sir, all this is very fine talking, and no doubt you mean to do us good, and are convinced of the truth of your own opinion; but allow us to ask what authority have you to bring forward, which may induce us to believe what you state? Whence have you received your commission to instruct us in divine truth? Before I rest my expectations of happiness in this world and in the next on your schemes, and risk the welfare of my family, as well as my own soul, I must have some proof or authority, beyond your mere assertion, that you are really able to instruct me. I know on what authority I have received the truths contained in the holy Bible. I know that the prophets, and evangelists, and apostles, were commissioned by God to teach mankind the way to happiness, because they wrought such miracles as no man can do, except God be with him; and therefore the word in their mouth is truth. And I know also that the apostles, before they left the world, did, by the command of Christ their Master, commission others after them, who should, even to the end of the world, instruct men how they may be happy in this life, and obtain salvation in the next, according to the things