his folly. The delay which has taken place is unfortunate, but could not be avoided. Another Mr. Owen started up at the very moment and commenced a vigorous assault upon the Christian Remembrancer and its correspondents. The labour and

space which were devoted to that controversy, compelled us to divert our attention from the spade and the spinning wheel; and we feared also that distressing misapprehensions might occur, if we were engaged at the same time with two gentlemen of the same name.—Mr. Owen of Lanark might find himself detected, in saying that he had consulted a book which does not exist, and Mr. Owen of Fulham, might suppose himself accused of denying the propriety of rewards and punishments, and dividing the country into parallelograms.

We were aware that there already

another chance. London has had the benefit of another meeting and speech; and parliament is about to be favoured with another petition and debate. These are convincing proofs that the Lanarkers are yet alive-and as in default of these symptoms, a contrary opinion would have prevailed; our observations will be more interesting now than they could have been three months ago. It is cowardly and idle to trample upon the fallen-and many of our readers may have considered Mr. Owen* to be in that situation. But he is now once more alive and stirring, and that fact must be our apology for condescending to notice the ludicrous trash which follows:

Mr. Owen's Principles of Political

Economy.

"To understand the subject on which your Reporter is now about to enter, re

quires much profound study of the whole circle of political economy. A knowledge of some of its parts, with ignorance of the remainder, will be found to be most injurious to the practical statesman; and it is owing to this cause, perhaps, more than to any other, that the world has been this science is to direct how the powers of so wretchedly governed; for the object of

existed a little confusion in the minds of their respective admirers, and that the merits and failings of each were occasionally ascribed to the other. We suspected also that one of the parties was desirous of continuing the equivoque-and that suspicion is now confirmed-for Mr. Owen of Lanark has just instituted a "British and Foreign Philanthropic Society," and it will be next to impossible, for the time to come, to distinguish one British and Foreign which, his practice, without a single ex

from the other. But in our own case, we trust that no mistakes have been made. We hope that neither ourselves, nor our correspondents, nor our compositors have overlooked the individuality of the namesakes; we have endeavoured to give to each of them his own just due, and we have waited patiently till Dr. Luscombe could forward his able and concluding reply to the flippant personalities of Mr. Owen No. 1., before we ventured upon publishing our own brief remarks upon the wakingdreams of Mr. Owen No. 2.

The delay has not been without its advantages, as the distress of the Irish peasantry has given Lanark

men in community may be the most advantageously applied, whereas those powers have been combined, hitherto, chiefly to retard the improvements of society. Your Reporter, then, after deeply studying these subjects, practically and theoretically, for a period exceeding thirty years, and during

ception, has confirmed the theory which practice first suggested, now ventures to state, as one of the results of this study and experience, that the natural standard of value is, in principle, human labour, or the combined manual and mental powers of men called into action; and that it would be highly beneficial, and has now become absolutely necessary, to reduce this principle into immediate practice.

"It will be said by those who have taken a superficial or mere partial view of the question, that human labour or power is so unequal in individuals, that its average amount cannot be estimated. Already, however, the average physical power of men as well as of horses (equally varied in the individuals) has been calculated for

* Of Lanark.

scientific purposes, and both now serve to measure inanimate powers. On the same principle, the average of human labour or power may be ascertained; and as it formis the essence of all wealth, its value in every article of produce may be also ascertained, and its exchangeable value with all other values fixed accordingly; the whole to be permanent for a given period. Human labour would thus acquire its natural or intrinsic value, which would increase as science advanced; and this is, in fact, the only really useful object of science. The demand for human labour would be no longer subject to caprice, nor would the support of human life be made, as at present, a perpetually varying article of commerce, and the working classes made the slaves of an artificial system of wages, more cruel in its effects than any slavery ever practised by society, either barbarous or civilized. This change in the standard of value would immediately open the most advantageous domestic markets, until the wants of all were amply supplied, nor while this standard continued, could any evil arise in future from the want of markets. It would secure the means for the most unlimited and advantageous intercourse and exchange with other nations, without compromising national interests, and enable all Governments to withdraw every existing injurious commercial restriction. It would render unnecessary and entirely useless the present demoralizing system of bargaining between individuals, and no practice perhaps tends more than this to deteriorate and degrade the human character. It would speedily remove pauperism and ignorance from society, by furnishing time and means for the adequate instruction of the working classes, who might be rendered of far more commercial value to themselves and to society, than they have yet been, at any period of the world. It would supply the means of gradually improving the condition of all ranks to an extent not yet to be estimated. And as it would materially improve human na

an intermediate and temporary one, to put a stop to the increasing pecuniary distress of the working classes, will be to relieve the country from the ruinous effects which have been produced by the various attempts to compel a return to cash payments; a longer perseverance in which is calculated to derange the whole of the existing social system. The attempt will prove as vain, as to try to restore a full grown bird to the shell in which it was hatched, or to make the clothes of an infant cover a giant; for the improvements of society have equally outgrown the late system of cash payments. Should the attempt be persevered in, no more wealth will be created, and much of that which is now considered wealth will be destroyed. A perseverance in such a course will compel the working classes to starve or emigrate, while the present higher orders will be left an easy prey to their enemies and to poverty. No real benefit could arise to any party from a return to cash payments, if such a measure were practicable."— Report to the County of Lanark, P. 6.

This is Mr. Owen's economy-and we defy the ingenuity of man to produce any thing more solemnly ridiculous. The common-sense part of it is not his. Every one knows that the labourer is benefited by high wages; and that when a nation flourishes labour is dear. Mr. Owen merely makes the trifling mistake of supposing that wages never ought to vary. Translate his theory into common language and it is this.One day's labour will on an average produce two day's subsistencetherefore every man who does or might work is to receive that quantity of subsistence, or an equivalent for it daily; and this is the grand arcanum which will renovate the world. The man thus handsomely ture, and raise all in the scale of well-paid will always apply his wages being and happiness, none could be injured

or oppressed.

"These are some of the important advantages which would arise (when due preparation shall be made for the change) from introducing the natural standard of value, and abandoning au artificial one, which can no longer serve the purpose.

"It now remains to be considered how this change can be effected without creating temporary confusion. To accomplish this desirable object, several legislative measures will be necessary. The first, as

in the most judicious manner. He will never hoard them-he will never get drunk with them—he will never bargain them away to individualsthough he knows that they will be paid, whether he earns them or not, and that the most exemplary diligence will not increase their amount, he will always work for them steadily and honestly, and never grumble at being as poor as the

most good for nothing loiterer. And when he carries* his bank-note to the granary and demands his corn and wool, the granary undertakes to be always prepared with the article and to deliver it without equivocation or delay. Famine, vice, and idleness are to be banished by act of Parliament, and Mr. Owen prepared to pledge himself that they shall instantly obey.

The value of all commodities is thus fixed by the legislature-labour is in every instance to become amusing and agreeable-more especially in coal-mines, and other under ground departments.-" Before he is 12 years old, every child may with ease, be trained to acquire a correct view of the outline of all the knowledge which men have yet obtained. By this means he will early learn what he is in relation to past ages to the period in which he lives-to the circumstances in which he is placed-to the individuals around him and to future events. He will then only have any pretension to the name of a rational being. His physical powers may be equally en. larged, &c. &c. (p. 45.)

It is difficult to go further in absurdity than this; but we submit one more passage to the consideration of our readers, in the confident expectation of hearing it pronounced sillier than the rest.

"The peculiar mode of governing these establishments will depend on the parties who form them. Those founded by land

"A paper representative of the value of labour, manufactured on the principle of the new notes of the Bank of England, will serve for every purpose of their domestic commerce or exchanges, and will be issued only for intrinsic value received and in store, It has been mentioned already, that all motives to deception will be effectually removed from the minds of the inhabitants of these new villages, and of course forgeries, though not guarded against by this new improvement, would not have any existence among them; and as this representative would be of no use in old society, no injury could come from that quarter." P. 52.

owners and capitalists, public companies, parishes or counties, will be under the direction of the individuals whom these powers may appoint to superintend them, and will of course be subject to the rules and regulations laid down by their founders. Those formed by the middle and working classes, upon a complete reciprocity of interests, should be governed by themselves upon principles that will prevent divisions, opposition of interests, jealousies, or any of the common and vulgar passions which a contention for power is certain to generate. Their affairs should be conducted by a committee composed of all the members of the association between certain ages-for instance, of those between 35 and 45-or between 40 and 50. Perhaps the former will unite more of the activity of youth with the expe rience of age than the latter; but it is of little moment which period of life may be fixed upon. In a short time, the ease withi which these associations will proceed in all their operations will be such as to rencreation; and as the parties who govern, der the business of governing a mere rewill, in a few years, again become the governed, they must always be conscious that at a future period they will experience the good or evil effects of the measures of their administration. By this equitable and natural arrangement, all the numberless evils of elections and electioneering will be avoided. As all are to be trained and educated together, and without distinction, they will be delightful companions and associates, intimately acquainted with each others inmost thoughts. There will be no foundation for disguise or deceit of any kind; all will be as open as the hearts and feelings of young children before they are trained (as they necessarily are under the present system) in compli cated arts of deception. At the same time, their whole conduct will be reguJated by a sound and rational discretion, and intelligence, such as human beings trained and placed as they have hitherto been, will deem it visionary to expect, and impossible to attain, in every day practice.

"The superior advantages which these associators will speedily possess, and the still greater superiority of knowledge which they will rapidly acquire, will preclude ou their parts the smallest desire for what are now called honours and peculiar privileges. They will have minds so well informedtheir power of accurately tracing cause and effect will be so much increased, that they must clearly perceive, that to be raised to one of the privileged orders,

would be to themselves a serious evil, and
to their posterity would certainly occasion

an incalculable loss of intellect and en-
joyment, equally injurious to themselves
and to society. They will, therefore, have
every motive not to interfere with the ho-
nours and privileges of the existing higher
orders, but remain well satisfied with their
own station in life. The only distinction
which can be found, of the least utility,
in these associations, is that of age or ex-
perience. It is the only just and natural
distinction; and any other would be in-
consistent with the enlarged and superior
acquirements of the individuals who would
The defe-
compose these associations.
rence to age or experience will be na-
tural, and readily given; and many advan-
tageous regulations may be formed in con-
sequence, for apportioning the proper em-
ployments to the period of life best calcu-
lated for them, diminishing the labour of
the individual, as age advances beyond
the term when the period of governing is
concluded." P. 48.

This is a fair specimen of the style of Mr. Owen of Lanark, and we must confess, that he surpasses Mr. Owen of Fulham. The latter only prophesies that his British and Foreign will regenerate the world as soon as the clergy are permitted to avow their attachment to it. (See Postscript to Letters to the Editor of the Christian Remembrancer.) The former makes no reserve of this or any other sort; but promises to make all men happy, rich and good, if they will renounce their belief in rewards and punishments, and trust for the future to Robert Owen. How the mighty change is to be produced R. O. has not yet ascertained, but we have his solemn word and promise, that so it shall be, and Mr. Maxwell, Sir William De Crespigny, and Mr. Brougham believe

him.

Since these remarks were printed, the new British and Foreign has been ushered into the world with considerable eclat; and the name of another Christian minister, in addition to those of Dr. Rudge and Dr. Collier, has appeared in the list of Mr. Owen's committee. This gentleman is the Rev. Isaac Saunders,

who was not totally unconcerned with the recent proceedings against Mr. Hatchard in the Ecclesiastical Court, and who might be expected to make some better amends for his Westminster canvass and contest than by patronizing a philanthropist, who has declared rewards and punishments are the invention of savages, and are altogether unworthy of civilized man.

To the Editor of the Remembrancer.
SIR,

IT has often struck me as a surprising defect in our otherwise complete and admirable Liturgy that it confor the use of families, or of indivi tains no prayers expressly calculated duals. Amidst the numerous private and unauthorized forms of this kind which are abroad, (however excellent many of them may be) it would be a peculiar gratification to me in leading the devotions of my own family to have some public and authorized Manual to resort to. By this means both the evil of private interpretation would be avoided, and as a friend of established order, I should have the satisfaction of offering up the petitions of my domestic congregation in the words or according to the spirit of the Church itself, which is the pillar and ground of the truth.

I am the more disposed to wonder that the above omission should exist, as in the editions of the Common Prayer published prior to the last revision in 1661, at least in the two I have, viz. that of Christopher Barker in 1587, and that of Bonham Norton and John Bill in 1626, some prayers are affixed, which appear to me to be in strict accordance with the doctrine of our Church, and to breathe the very soul of elevated yet sober piety. The phraseology, it is true, is in some places uncouth, and many words occur which are either fallen into complete disuse, or whose signification has undergone a consider