The National Register.
London, England, 1817-08-18 00:00:00

MR. OWEN'S PLAN:

We profess ourselves to be of that claw of persons,
whom one of our elegant writers long ago described,
that never like to read a book without knowing some-
thing about the author; and we are always the more
curious on this head,Av hen new doctrines are promulgated,
either in religion, polities or morality. Mr, Owen hp
therefore gratified us much by the short sketch which. -
he has given us of his life; it was only wanting in ad.
dition to this, to see his person to make our knowledge
of him perfect—this we have seen, and we are now
as familiar with Mr. Owen, as if he had invited us
every day for a twelvemonth, to bed and board. That '
our readers may become as well acquainted with him
us ourselves, we will insert the short sketch .of his life,
which has already appeared from his own pen in several
of the daily papers.

" I was born in Newtown, •Montgomerysliire ; left it, and
came to London when I was about ten i ears of age ; soon
after came to Mr. James M'Guffog, of Stamford, in Lincoln-
shire, where I remained upwards of 9 yea's; returned to
town, and wa.s•a short time with Messrs. Flint and Palmer's
London-hridge. I went after wards toMancliester,and was some
time with Mr. John Satterstield, whom I left, while yet a boy,
to commence business on a limited scale, in making machi-
nery and spinning cotton, part of the tithe in purtnership with
Mr. Jones, and part on my own account ; afterwards I under.
took to manage the spinning establishmouts of the latc Mr.
Drinkwater, of Manchester, at the latter place, and at Nor.
wicks, in Cheshire, iu which occupation I remained 3or 4
years. I then formed a partnership to carry un a cotton -
spinning business with Messrs. Moulson and Scarth of Man-
chester ; built the Cliorlton mills, and commenced a new finis
under the designation of the Chorlon Twist Company. along .
with Messrs. llorratlaile and At kinson, of London, and Messrs.
IL and J. Barton and Co. of Manchester. Sonic time after-
wards we purchased the mills and establishments ut New
Lanark, where! I have been before the public for 1$ years
past, and I am now 46 years old."
During these IS years, Mr. Owen has been active.
ly employed in maturing Lis schemes for the comfort
and re-moraliuttion of the poor, within the circle of his
influence, and he has now attained to that point,
which will either extend that circle or anihilate his
hopes of further success. We cordially agree with •
him, in his views of the present degraded state of the
lower orders of -the people of these islands, but we en.
tertaiii 4rong. doubts of the efficacy of his plans for
amelidr4ing their conditition.
The principle with which Mr- Owen sets out, is
that, " Any .general character, from the best to the .
worst, from the most ignorant to the most enlightene,l,
may be given to any community, even to the world at
large, by the applicaion of proper means; which meens
are to a great extent at the command and under the
controul of those who have influence. in the. affairs of
men."

Proceeding- upon this principle, Mr. Owen conceives
that there is only one effectua/ plan, by which the
world at large can he redeemed-from the state of ig-. -
norance and vice in which it .now it, and that is by
dividing every nation into " communities of" from
500 to 1500 persons ; founded on the principle of
united lidxsir and e.-pondiLwe, and having their basis
in agriculture." All the individuals of each of these
communities will be lodged in the same building, which
building will be surrounded by n quantity of land, pro-
portioned to the number of persons of which the com-
munity may consist ; the provisions fix the whale •
community will be cooked in the same kitchen,
he consumed in one common mess-room ! And all
children abOvu three years of age will be taken 9.
their parents, lodged ttigeth‘r,.'aisirtled together,
instructed together !
Such is the outline of Mr. Oureat's plan so far
respects the Countiy. How the reform is to be
complished in towus, where land is not to Ise had;
do not so well comprehend, nor do we believe
Owen himself has made up his mind on that peh
and yet he tells us, if the whole of the rising genera.-
tion are not instructed in the principles, which he lava •
down, tit;adopt*uf them willlug
t_

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