PREFACE 



THE essays and lectures in this volume have already- 

 appeared in print : " The Working Faith of the Social 

 Reformer" and "The Moral Aspect of the Fiscal Ques- 

 tion" in The Hibbert Journal; "The Child and Heredity'* 

 in a volume of The Crown Theological Library, entitled 

 'The Child and Religion ; " Idealism and Politics " in The 

 Contemporary Review ; " Social and Individual Evolution " 

 in The New World; and "Social Responsibilities" in 

 a pamphlet published by James MacLehose & Sons. 

 I wish to express my hearty gratitude to the Editors 

 and Publishers of these periodicals for their kindness in 

 allowing me to collect the papers together for repub- 

 lication. 



Most of the essays were originally written in response 

 to the incitement of some quite temporary circumstance ; 

 but they all turn around principles which, if they are 

 valid, are of cardinal importance for our thinking and 

 practice in social matters. 



The changes I have made are both less numerous 

 and less important than I could have wished. In par- 

 ticular I could have gladly eliminated some repetitions. 

 But I was prevented, partly by the difficulty of doing so 

 without tearing up the web of the argument, and partly by 

 the belief that the convictions which kept recurring to 



