2cS6 MY LIFE 



Statics"), and during the succeeding- year I read it a third 

 time, in order to refresh my memory on certain suggestions 

 which seemed to me especially admirable. 



From this time I declared myself a socialist, and I made 

 the first scientific application of my conviction in an article on 

 'Human Selection' in the Fortnightly Review (September, 

 1890), in which I showed how such a state as socialism 

 postulates would result in the solution of two great problems, 

 ( 1 ) that of gradually reducing the rate of increase of the 

 population through a later period of marriage, and (2) by 

 setting up a process of sexual selection which would steadily 

 eliminate the physically imperfect and the socially and morally 

 unfit. This article called forth several expressions of ap- 

 proval, which I highly value. It forms the last chapter of 

 vol. i. of my " Studies, Scientific and Social." 



I now read several other books on socialism, such as Mr. 

 Kirkup's " Enquiry into Socialism," an admirable resume, 

 generally favourable ; William Morris's " News from No- 

 where," a charming poetical dream, but as a picture of society 

 almost absurd, since nobody seems to work except at odd times 

 when they feel the inclination, and no indication is given of 

 any organization of labour. Gronlund's "Our Destiny' ' is a 

 beautiful and well reasoned essay on the influence of socialism 

 on morals and religion, and his " Co-operative Common- 

 wealth," an exposition of constructive socialism, which has 

 given us in its title the shortest and most accurate definition 

 of what socialism really is. " A Cityless and Countryless 

 World," by Henry Olerich, an American writer, is an excellent 

 exposition of an extreme form of what he calls co-operative 

 individualism, which is really voluntary socialism; and I may 

 here state for the benefit of those ignorant writers who believe 

 that socialism must be compulsory, and speak of it as a 

 " form of slavery," that my own definition of socialism is 

 " the voluntary organization of labour for the good of all." 

 All the best and most thoughtful writers on socialism agree 

 in this; and for my own part I cannot conceive it coming 

 about in any other way. Compulsory socialism is, to me, 

 a contradiction in terms — as much so as would be compulsory 



