Ch. xii. Conlinuatioji of the same Subject. 395 



poor-laws ; and as it is acknowledged that the 

 present system has essentially failed, various plans 

 have been proposed either as substitutes or im- 

 provements. It may be useful to inquire shortly 

 how far the plans which have already been pub- 

 lished are calculated to accomplish the ends which 

 they propose. It is generally thought that some 

 measure of importance will be the result of the 

 present state of public opinion. To the perma- 

 nent success of any such measure, it is absolutely 

 necessary that it should apply itself in some de- 

 gree to the real source of the difficulty. Yet there 

 is reason to fear, that, notwithstanding the present 

 improved knowledge on the subject, this point 

 may be too much overlooked. 



Among the plans which appear to have excited 

 a considerable degree of the public attention, is 

 one of Mr. Owen. I have already adverted to 

 some views of Mr. Owen in a chapter on Systems 

 of Equality, and spoken of his experience with 

 the respect which is justly due to it. If the ques- 

 tion were merely how to accommodate, support 

 and train, in the best manner, societies of 1200 

 people, there are perhaps few persons more en- 

 titled to attention than Mr. Owen : but in the 

 plan which he has proposed, he seems totally to 

 have overlooked the nature of the problem to be 

 solved. This problem is, Hoiv to provide for those 

 who are in want, in such a manner as to prevent a 

 continual increase of their numbers, and of the pro- 

 portion which they bear to the lohole society. And it 

 must be allowed that Mr. Owen's plan not only 



