第27章

Imperfect，however，as these proceedings must yet be，in consequence of the formidable obstructions enumerated，they will yet appear，upon a full minute investigation by minds equal to the comprehension of such a system，to combine a greater degree of substantial comfort to the individuals employed in the manufactory，and of pecuniary profit to the proprietors，than has hitherto been found attainable.

But to whom can such arrangements be submitted？Not to the mere commercial character，in whose estimation to forsake the path of immediate individual gain would be to show symptoms of a disordered imagination；for the children of commerce have been trained to direct all their faculties to buy cheap and sell dear；

and consequently，those who are the most expert and successful in this wise and noble art，are，in the commercial world，deemed to possess foresight and superior acquirements；while such as attempt to improve the moral habits and increase the comforts of those whom they employ，are termed wild enthusiasts.

Nor yet are they to be submitted to the mere men of the law；

for these are necessarily trained to endeavour to make wrong appear right，or to involve both in a maze of intricacies，and to legalize injustice.

Nor to mere political leaders or their partisans；for they are embarrassed by the trammels of party，which mislead their judgement，and often constrain them to sacrifice the real well-being of the community and of themselves，to an apparent but most mistaken self-interest.

Nor to those termed heroes and conquerors，or to their followers；for their minds have been trained to consider the infliction of human misery，and the commission of military murders，a glorious duty，almost beyond reward.

Nor yet to the fashionable or splendid in their appearance；

for these are from infancy trained to deceive and to be deceived，to accept shadows for substances，and to live a life of insincerity，and of consequent discontent and misery.

Still less are they to be exclusively submitted to the official expounders and defenders of the various opposing religious systems throughout the world；for many of these are actively engaged in propagating imaginary notions，which cannot fail to vitiate the rational powers of man，and to perpetuate his misery.

These principles，therefore，and the practical systems which they recommend，are not to be submitted to the judgement of those who have been trained under，and continue in，any of these unhappy combinations of circumstances.But they are to be submitted to the dispassionate and patient investigation and decision of those individuals of every rank and class and denomination of society，who have become in some degree conscious of the errors in which they exist；who have felt the thick mental darkness by which they are surrounded；who are ardently desirous of discovering and following truth wherever it may lead；and who can perceive the inseparable connection which exists between individual and general，between private and public good！

It has been said，and it is now repeated，that these principles，thus combined，will prove themselves unerringly true against the most insidious or open attack；and，ere long，they will，by their irresistible truth，pervade society to the utmost bounds of the earth；for 'silence will not retard their progress，and opposition will give increased celerity to their movements'.

When they shall have dissipated in some degree，as they speedily will dissipate，the thick darkness in which the human mind has been and is still enveloped，the endless beneficial consequences which must follow the general introduction of them into practice may then be explained in greater detail，and urged upon minds to which they will then appear less questionable.

In the meantime we shall proceed to state，in a Fourth Essay，of what improvements the present state of the British population is susceptible in practice.