PREFACE IX 



The motive of the drama of human life is 



4 



the necessity, laid upon every man who comes 

 into the world, of discovering the mean between 

 self-assertion and self-restraint suited to his 

 character and his circumstances. And the eter- 

 nally tragic aspect of the drama lies in this : 

 that the problem set before us is one the ele- 

 ments of which can be but imperfectly known, 

 and of which even an approximately right solution 

 rarely presents itself, until that stern critic, aged 

 experience, has been furnished with ample justifi- 

 cation for venting his sarcastic humour upon the 

 irreparable blunders we have already made. 



I have reprinted the letters on the " Darkest 

 England " scheme, published in the " Times " of 

 December 1890 and January 1891 ; and subse- 

 quently issued, with additions, as a pamphlet, under 

 the title of" Social Diseases and Worse Remedies;" 

 because, although the clever attempt to rush 

 the country on behalf of that scheme has been 

 balked, Mr. Booth's standing army remains afoot, 

 retaining all the capacities for mischief which are 

 inherent in its constitution. I am desirous that 

 this fact should be kept steadily in view ; and 

 that the moderation of the clamour of the drums 

 and trumpets should not lead us to forget the 

 existence of a force, which, in bad hands, may, at 

 any time, be used for bad purposes. 



In 1892, a Committee was " formed for the pur- 



