第26章

That these dwellings，with the privileges of the public walks，etc.shall become the property of those individuals who，without compulsion，shall subscribe each equitable sums monthly，as，in a given number of years will be equal to the purchase，and to create a fund from which，when these individuals become occupiers of their new residences they may receive weekly，monthly，or quarterly payments，sufficient for their support；the expenses of which may be reduced to a very low rate individually，by arrangements which may be easily formed to supply all their wants with little trouble to themselves；and by their previous instruction they will be enabled to afford the small additional subion which will be required for these purposes.

This part of the arrangement would always present a prospect of rest，comfort，and happiness to those employed；in consequence，their daily occupations would be performed with more spirit and cheerfulness，and their labour would appear comparatively light and easy.Those still engaged in active operations would，of course，frequently visit their former companions and friends，who，after having spent their years of toil，were in the actual enjoyment of this simple retreat；and from this intercourse each party would naturally derive pleasure.

The reflections of each would be most gratifying.The old would rejoice that they had been trained in habits of industry，temperance，and foresight，to enable them to receive and enjoy in their declining years every reasonable comfort which the present state of society will admit；the young and middle-aged，that they were pursuing the same course，and that they had not been trained to waste their.money，time，and health，in idleness and intemperance.These and many similar reflections could not fail often to arise in their minds；and those who could look forward with confident hopes to such certain comfort and independence would，in part，enjoy by anticipation these advantages.In short，when this part of the arrangement is well considered，it will be found to be the most important to the community and to the proprietors；indeed，the extensively good effects of it will be experienced in such a variety of ways，that to describe them even below the truth would appear an extravagant exaggeration.They will not，however，prove the less true because mankind are yet ignorant of the practice，and of the principles on which it has been founded.

These，then，are the plans which are in progress or intended for the further improvement of the inhabitants of New Lanark.

They have uniformly proceeded from the principles which have been developed through these Essays，restrained，however，hitherto，in their operations，by the local sentiments and unfounded notions of the community and neighbourhood，and by the peculiar circumstances of the establishment.

In every measure to be introduced at the place in question，for the comfort and happiness of man，the existing errors of the country were always to be considered；and as the establishment belonged to parties whose views were various，it became also necessary to devise means to create pecuniary gains from each improvement，sufficient to satisfy the spirit of commerce.

All，therefore，which has been done for the happiness of this community，which consists of between two and three thousand individuals，is far short of what might have been easily effected in practice had not mankind been previously trained in error.

Hence，in devising these plans，the sole consideration was not，what were the measures dictated by these principles，which would produce the greatest happiness to man；but what could be effected in practice under the present irrational systems by which these proceedings were surrounded？