380 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



the work is of its nature monotonous ; opportunity for every 

 one to choose the occupation suitable to his capacity and 

 idiosyncracy ; and, lastly, the solace of labour by the introduc- 

 tion of ornament. Architecture, he thinks, will be the act 

 of a society of co-operatives ; sculpture and pictures part of 

 a fine building, turning a utilitarian building into a great 

 artistic production. The buildings would probably be so 

 large as to be almost small towns in themselves. As to 

 literature, he thinks the novel, and fiction in general, would 

 die out ; but not the great art of poetry, which has changed so 

 little in essentials smce the Homeric epics. Science, he 

 asserts, will be free, and not the servant of profit-making in- 

 dustrialism. Music will develope completely new styles of its 

 own no less than the other arts, and music and architectui^e 

 be the serious occupation of the greatest number of the 

 people. In costumes the extreme difference between the 

 garments of the sexss would probably be done away with. 

 Education would make the best of each individual's powers 

 in all directions, to which each would be led by his innate 

 disposition. 



Under these conditions man would lead a life of happiness 

 without imputing it to himself for wickedness, a habit of 

 mind which, under the prevailing ethical ideas, casts a gloom 

 over so many. In all this, Mr. Morris says, he has at least 

 tried to make his belief clear ; he is convinced that the kind 

 of life he describes (which he can foresee) means general 

 happiness for all men, free from any substratum of slavery, 

 and he is equally convinced it will be forced upon the 

 world. 



This is, very briefly, Mr. Morris's scheme for the re- 

 arrangement of social life. He has evidently bestowed much 

 pains upon it, is thoroughly in earnest, and honestly believes 

 it will confer universal happiness upon mankind. We have 

 no reason to doubt the pureness of his motives or the 

 sincerity of his convictions — convictions, be it remembered, 

 of a man of no mean order, earnestly intent upon benefiting 

 his fellow -man. His social scheme therefore claims and 

 deserves our best attention. 



On perusing his " Socialism Triumphant " we are led to 

 ask ourselves. Is this real or dream life — a social arrange- 

 ment fitted to benefit mankind, or a " poet's vain imagin- 

 ings " ? To enable us to answer that question in a satisfactory 

 manner, we must recall what we have read on the subject 

 of socialism and communism, and in doing so there will be 

 found, I think, in all their proposals and theories for the uni- 

 versal happiness of mankind a great similarity. Let me call 

 your attention to one or two prominent features characteristic 

 of all such schemes. A great writer (Hume) has said, " All 



