132 A Journey to Eondon in 1840. 



"Social System." I know Mr Owen,^ and have had long con- 

 versation.s or controversies with him. I never, however, read any 

 of his published works, but from what I know of the man I regard 

 him as altogether Utopian, as in fact insane on his favourite 

 subject. He has been termed a man of one idea, and so he is, 

 but that one idea is absurd. He is totally ignorant of the 

 mechanism of civil society, or of the nature of man and human 

 life, and his system is founded on his ignorance. His plan is 

 impracticable. It would do away with competition, which is the 

 grand source cf all exertion ; which impels an individual or society 

 forward. He would put the laz\- and the industrious, the econo- 

 mical and the extravagant, the virtuous and the vicious on an 

 equality. He would put an end to money, and exchange com- 

 modities for commodities. Indeed he is more ignorant of the 

 science of money than any man whom it has ever been my fate to 

 know. I do not speak of his negation of Christianity and of all 

 religion. But I would say that his whole system is based on 

 ignorance, both of man as an individual and of society, and never 

 can be realised. He tried it at New Lanark with what result is 

 well known. It was also tried at New Orbiston, where it totally 

 failed in a few months; and of the great buildings, which origi- 

 nally cost £12,000, not one stone is left upon another. People 

 give him credit for benevolence, but I never could trace this 

 principle in his character. His general faculties besides are of 

 a very inferior order. He has no ratiocination, no abstract 

 principle to lean on, no reading, no haven of thought. His mind 

 approaches a state of vacuity. But perhaps he was better in his 

 mature years, though I can scarcely make myself believe so. 

 He is now old and has the feebleness of intellect and thought 

 which sometimes characterizes old age in the case of persons 

 whose mind has not been vigorously exercised. His emotions, 

 too, seem as dead as his intellectual faculties are torpid. His 

 notions, however, of scholastic education are sound; and he has 

 the honour of being the first in Scotland to introduce what is now 

 called the intellectual system, and to illustrate the lessons at 

 school by representations and specimens. Otherwise he is an 

 inferior vain man. In truth, his self esteem is consummate. 



After leaving the parish of Bothwell we entered that of Old 



5. Robert Owen, the socialist, b. 1771, d. 1858.— J. A. F. 



