Human Physiology. 473 



world ! No one can read the histories of the religious Orders, 

 of the Missions of Paraguay, of the Reformatory of Mettray, 

 and similar institutions, without corning to the conviction of the 

 practicability of great and rapid reforms in human society. A 

 man with a genius for order, discipline, and command, will 

 convert a mob into an army. A musician, with similar quali- 

 ties, will organise music. Politicians will constitute states, 

 kingdoms, empires. There must be men capable of organising 

 society. 



Meantime, the work we can all do is one of individual, per- 

 sonal preparation. As the stones and timbers were shaped for 

 the temple, so we should form and polish ourselves for a true 

 society, clearing ourselves of bad habits and prejudices, purify- 

 ing our lives, training all our faculties, gaining the knowledge and 

 skill we shall require in the varied occupations of a more com- 

 plete social organisation, educating ourselves in all ways for a 

 purer and higher life. At first, the most advanced individuals 

 will form the society; and this society will then form, mould, 

 educate, and perfect all its members. The children born and 

 trained in such a society will be of a higher order of humanity, 

 and each generation may be expected to preserve the good 

 attained, and take a step in advance. Here will be united the 

 highest conservatism with the most rapid progression. All the 

 knowledge, skill, culture, and wealth of society will be pre- 

 served, with a constant addition. When wear and waste are 

 reduced to a minimum, and the power of production increased 

 by every advance in science, the increase of wealth will be 

 incalculable. Working men demand that their hours of toil be 

 diminished to twelve, ten, and even eight. It is probable that 

 in a well organised association the time devoted to the labour 

 necessary for the production of all the comforts of life would 

 never exceed four hours ; but works of art, literature, science, 

 would be carried on with an enthusiasm that would take no 

 note of time. The lives of all men and women would be full 



