216 THE STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE v 



the population of all great industrial centres, 

 whether in this or other countries, is aware that, 

 amidst a large and increasing body of that popu- 

 lation, la misere reigns supreme. I have no pre- 

 tensions to the character of a philanthropist, and 

 I have a special horror of all sorts of sentimental 

 rhetoric; I am merely trying to deal with facts, 

 to some extent within my own knowledge, and 

 further evidenced by abundant testimony, as a 

 naturalist; and I take it to be a mere plain truth 

 that, throughout industrial Europe, there is not a 

 single large manufacturing city which is free from 

 a vast mass of people whose condition is exactly 

 that described; and from a still greater mass who, 

 living just on the edge of the social swamp, are 

 liable to be precipitated into it by any lack of de- 

 mand for their produce. And, with every addi- 

 tion to the population, the multitude already sunk 

 in the pit and the number of the host sliding to- 

 wards it continually increase. 



Argumentation can hardly be needful to make 

 it clear that no society in which the elements of 

 decomposition are thus swiftly and surely accumu- 

 lating can hope to win in the race of industries. 



Intelligence, knowledge, and skill are undoubt- 

 edly conditions of success; but of what avail are 

 they likely to be unless they are backed up by 

 honesty, energy, goodwill, and all the physical and 

 moral faculties that go to the making of manhood, 

 and unless they are stimulated by hope of such 



