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well; but it is time that the means were supplied from the profits of their own labour, and not from the bounty of the community.

In suggesting a plan for effecting the object in question, I take it for granted that it is possible to employ our population in objects of useful industry, the contrary supposition appearing to me to be a mere opinion, without proof or likelihood to support it.

I propose, that in every county (or district of two or more counties, where these are small, or not populous), one or more large manufactories, of that sort which will give the greatest employment to human labour, be erected at the public expense, and that these be surrounded by buildings fit to accommodate, on a medium, from 2000 to 4000 persons, besides children; and that in these establishments every proper measure be taken to separate the young from the old, that the former may be kept from the contamination of vicious habits, and carefully instructed.

I apprehend that fifty-two for England and Wales (or at the rate of one for each county), and three for Scotland, will be sufficient. These, at the medium rate of 3000 persons for each, will accommodate 165,000 persons, besides children,—a number which, there is reason to believe, will exceed the whole working poor of the kingdom, who, in ordinary times, cannot otherwise be employed. But to accommodate any increase of number, cheap temporary buildings of wood could be erected, as occasion required.

Without entering into details, I compute that the whole expense of each of these establishments would not exceed £160,000, or £8,800,000 in all; and that temporary buildings, with the necessary furniture, to accommodate 100,000 persons more, could be erected for £1,200,000; making a total expense of ten millions sterling.

Thus far might the suggestion of Mr Owen be adopted. Land in the neighbourhood might be rented, and laid out for garden-ground, to be cultivated, according to certain rules, by the members of the establishment, and the produce sold to defray the rent and expenses. This system, however, as I have said, would need to be limited by the extent of the mart for the produce, and the means of procuring manures.

Every person, male or female, young or old, should be entitled to demand work in these establishments, and to be immediately accommodated with a lodging. Every family should obtain one apartment; and all the children above the age of three should be received into lodging-houses fitted for their reception. The number of unmarried grown-up persons to be put into one apartment should not exceed three.

The rate of labour should be fixed by statute, at a sum which should be merely sufficient to procure the necessaries of life; but a cheap and regular supply of those necessaries should be secured, proper market-places being provided, and contracts entered into with butchers, bakers, dairymen, and others, for the supply of the requisite provisions: these provisions the inhabitants should be suffered to purchase for themselves, no farther interference being made with their manner of living than would be were they living in towns, and employed in the manufactories of individuals. In short, the inhabitants should be freemen, and not slaves,-labourers for their own support, and not dependants on alms. They should live as they might at home, subject only to such regulations as should be necessary to secure the peace of the society, and to preserve, as far as possible, their own morals, and those of their children.

In order that every one might be paid in proportion to the time his strength or his wishes kept him at work, the rate of labour should be fixed by the hour. If that of the men were fixed at 1⁠1/2⁠d., of the women at 1⁠1/4⁠d., of boys and girls below a certain age at 1d.—each, by labouring a sufficient number of hours, might earn a support. The man who worked ten hours a-day would receive 15d.; his wife might earn in proportion to the time she could spare from her domestic duties; and the children would contribute to their own maintenance. They should be paid weekly, and should be at entire liberty, with their families, to quit the society when they chose, and to seek elsewhere for more profitable or more agreeable employment.

All care should be employed in watching over the conduct of the