The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-07-08 00:00:00

TO T►IE EDITOR OF TAE BRITI3►I PRIM•

Si* By giving en early insertion to the tonal-
in% reply to Sawa in Tint BRITISH PAM'S yrui
will oblige a constant Wader.

TO SE I\ EX.
Sia—en reeding in TAM BRITIIIII Pacts *of the
Jose your remarks on the Letter addressed by 31r. Owen,
Lanark, to the Earl of Liverpool, I was surprised to Is..
person apparently so candid as yourself, complain that MO..
Owen has neglected to explain his object in " plain and
perpictious propositions." To me it seems that in the no.
',serous Essays published by that Gentleman on the ssittjt•it,
and still more in the reiterated appeals be has evilly deli.
vexed, his object has been rendered as dear and intelligible
as it is possible to stake it without actual experiment.
I have out therefore the presumption to think I can reader
light mime visible by any thing I may have to say ; but as
Score may not have encoded to the whole of 34r.Oweit'm dare-
lopesnent of his plait, perhaps he will be enabled to tries
out the great trollies of it by attending to the followiag
explanation
1. From eireousstanees which it would be useless to detail,
thousands of able-bullied persons within this empia. floosieh
willing to work, are destitute of employment, asd are come.
pelted to waste their time and consume their energies is
downright laziness, consequently in vice and misery.
2. When these persons are not absolutely starved, they
are supported by some fund or other, which must be is/at,
geode to that purpose.
3. This fund, which is drawn in some way or other Bite
the labours of the industrious (aad form an oppressive pure
of the public harden) is capable of being mortgaged foe's
short time, and, aided by the contribetime of the beware.
lest, might asestitote a sort of revalue Is pay the isle/allot
the capital to be employed is the astemmrlimh, peal of
Oweses project. .
4. With thecapilal *bus railed Mr. 00.10 Were"
villages foe the accommodation of Om eked ma boveaell-
timed. Each village to contain from KO be"1,1114/0
ants, according to local eircumistsoces.
S. These villages will be cuistructed on a new principle,
which conshines the most useful erieelsmic improvement's
with the most alienist application of manual labour, sad
miles the utmost possible comfort with the greatest possi-
ble economy.
0 Few individuals therefore beinfraquired to manage the
domestic concerns of each establodusieut, the bulk of the
community will be employed under the most skilful dirre.
norm, partly in spade cultivation, sod partly in the mans-
facture of such useful articles as est comports with the in.
tacos of each community.
7. After the comfortable accommodation of the villagers
has been duly provided fur the overplus of their prodactions
will be sold, awl the proceeds at lint applied to discharge
the debt incurred by erecting the village, and will after.
wards embolden a Nod fur the benefit of the villagers them-
.
selves.

8. The edecatiost of the villagers will eimaist partly of
solid instraiiiion in the most useful arts, and the best prac-
tient knowledge, bat chiefly in • demonstrative proof being
thus afforded then of the great advantage tu be derived
from mutual co.operatioa, contrasted with individual each
Sion, counteraction, and hostility.
This happy combination of personal exertions with public
utility, this identity of individual and politic interest, is
what I apprehend Mr. Owen calls " The science of the in-
decree of circuoustences," because every preens concerned
will distinctly feel and fully compiebeed the important ad.
vantages of this social system.
Mr. Owen therefore dues nut pledge himself to any ape.
cific plan of education, with respect to matters of opinion,
knowing of how little valise those distinctions •re laming
sseighbustra who know their duty, and who are placed in such
eirconastances as must convisce every member of each com-
munity, that the good of each individual consists iu the
good of all.
For proof of the advantages of the social system, Mr.
Own invites attentiou to accounts which have heels pub-
lished of its successful regalia in the village of New Har-
mony, in the establishment of Mr. rellesibourg, and above
all, is his own colony at New Laaark, which has so often
drawn forth admiration and pities from many of our en-
lightened countrymen; not that way of thew establishments
present • fair gaged of the one projected by Mr. Owen ; un
the contrary, they are one and all defective in some one or
other of the great principles of economy or of scientific, ar-
rangement, which be wishes to blend into usefulness and
'mammy.
That the selfish, the prejudiced, and the interested, should
be usable to comprehend these propositions, is not sur-
prising; the simplicity of them must be lost in the tally-
rindss of their crooked policy, and their sublime magnifi-
retie" obscured by the clouds of their sordid passions ; but
that benevolent gad unprejudiced minds should experience
the same difficulty, is not only surprising but deplorable ;
because' with all the advantages of power, wealth, haven.
andlion, and industry, which ibis nation so pre-eminently pos-
sesses over every other; there is no other way of delivering
her out of that bottomless gulf of pauperism, into which she
bas been plunged by madness and fully.
If Senrx is really in this predicanseut, I should be glad to
know kis particular objections, and, until opportunity of his
getting information from the Neiman' bead, shall be ready
to supply him with suet, explaaations as my imperfect know-
ledge esables we tu impart.
I do uo not think Mr. Owen "medium the chimerical
hope of Lela: able ea once to re-model society actualise to
his owe plan ; but Ido think it is su his power, *lib proper
aids, to exhibit inch • specimen of social happiness as would
inspire throughout the country a general wish to be places,
in similar circumstances, rather than continue is that tor-
nseuting state of anxiety and petty warfare which attends
every condition of life nuder existing systems.
This desire once excited, would accomplish its own ob-
ject, without requiring the omnipotence of Parliament, or
waiting fur the consent of posterity. The gradual change
might immediately commence, and proceed with such cele-
rity as to place even the present generation in a state of
bsppiness above their most sanguine expectation.
I think with Sews, that the Earl of Liverpool has no
more influence In guiding public opinion, with reference to
this object, than Mr. Owen has; but the Earl of Liverpool
has certainly superior means of either encouraging or of re-
pressing inquiry into the cause of our calamities ; sod it is
with this view that Mr. Owen seems to invoke his afie•-•4
tiros ; for if the public are either prevented or discourager
from examining such plans as may be proposed fur tharl
relief, bow can their understandings be informed, or lispiti
judgments satisfied. as to the leudeney, practicability, oe,
utility of the most judicious scheme that human windemi
could devise fur their bereft? OWENEE.•
_ .
The