Ch. ii. Of Systems of Equality . Godwin. 19 



systems, where every individual is in a manner 

 the slave of the public. The substitution of be- 

 nevolence, as the master-spring and moving prin- 

 ciple of society, instead of self-love, appears at 

 first sight to be a consummation devoutly to be 

 wished. In short, it is impossible to contemplate 

 the whole of this fair picture, without emotions of 

 delight and admiration, accompanied with an ar- 

 dent longing for the period of its accomplishment. 

 But alas ! that moment can never arrive. The 

 whole is little better than a dream — a phantom of 

 the imagination. These " gorgeous palaces" of 

 happiness and immortality, these " solemn temples'' 

 of truth and virtue, will dissolve, " like the base- 

 " less fabric of a vision," when we awaken to real 

 life, and contemplate the genuine situation of man 

 on earth. 



Mr. Godwin, at the conclusion of the third 

 chapter of his eighth book, speaking of popula- 

 tion, says, " there is a principle in human society, 

 " by which population is perpetually kept down 

 " to the level of the means of subsistence. Thus 

 " among the wandering tribes of America and 

 " Asia we never find, through the lapse of ages, 

 " that population has so increased, as to render 

 " necessary the cultivation of the earth."* This 

 principle, which Mr. Godwin thus mentions as 

 some mysterious and occult cause, and which he 

 does not attempt to investigate, has appeared to 

 be the law of necessity — misery, and the fear of 

 misery. 



* P. 460, 8vo. 2(1 edit. 



c 2 



