ABSTRACT
Forty years ago the minds of vast numbers of the thinking portion of the working classes throughout the most highly-civilized countries of the world were filled with ideas of the perfectibility of human nature and the reconstruction of society upon the basis of universal liberty, equality, and fraternity. The author was about sixteen years of age, and knew nothing of the Owenian ethics and social economy, when author was attracted to a gathering of Owen's South London disciples at the Tivoli Gardens, a respectably-conducted place of recreation at Norwood, partly by curiosity as to what Socialists were like, and partly by the announcement of a brilliant display of fireworks. The Socialists proved to be persons whose appearance and manners did not render them in the slightest degree remarkable, and their founder a little, benevolent-looking, quiet-mannered gentleman in an ordinary suit of black.
