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way to despair！ Even to attempt to save a tithe of this host requires that we should put much more force and fire into our work than has hitherto been exhibited by anyone。 There must be no more philanthropic tinkering； as if this vast sea of human misery were contained in the limits of a garden pond。
Fourthly： Not only must the Scheme be large enough； but it must be permanent。 That is to say； it must not be merely a spasmodic effort coping with the misery of to…day； it must be established on a durable footing； so as to go on dealing with the misery of tomorrow and the day after； so long as there is misery left in the world with which to grapple。
Fifthly： But while it must be permanent； it must also be immediately practicable。 Any Scheme； to be of use； must be capable of being brought into instant operation with beneficial results。
Sixthly： The indirect features of the Scheme must not be such as to produce injury to the persons whom we seek to benefit。 Mere charity； for instance； while relieving the pinch of hunger； demoralises the recipient； and whatever the remedy is that we employ； it must be of such a nature as to do good without doing evil at the same time。 It is no use conferring sixpennyworth of benefit on a man if； at the same time； we do him a shilling'sworth of harm。
Seventhly： While assisting one class of the community； it must not seriously interfere with the interests of another。 In raising one section of the fallen； we must not thereby endanger the safety of those who with difficulty are keeping on their feet。
These are the conditions by which I ask you to test the Scheme I am about to unfold。 They are formidable enough； possibly； to deter many from even attempting to do anything。 They are not of my making。 They are obvious to anyone who looks into the matter。 They are the laws which govern the work of the philanthropic reformer； just as the laws of gravitation； of wind and of weather； govern the operations of the engineer。 It is no use saying we could build a bridge across the Tay if the wind did not blow； or that we could build a railway across a bog if the quagmire would afford us a solid foundation。 The engineer has to take into account the difficulties； and make them his starting point。 The wind will blow； therefore the bridge must be made strong enough to resist it。 Chat Moss will shake； therefore we must construct a foundation in the very bowels of the bog on which to build our railway。 So it is with the social difficulties which confront us。 If we act in harmony with these laws we shall triumph； but if we ignore them they will overwhelm us with destruction and cover us with disgrace。
But； difficult as the task may be； it is not one which we can neglect。 When Napoleon was compelled to retreat under circumstances which rendered it impossible for him to carry off his sick and wounded； he ordered his doctors to poison every man in the hospital。 A general has before now massacred his prisoners rather than allow them to escape。 These Lost ones are the Prisoners of Society； they are the Sick and Wounded in our Hospitals。 What a shriek would arise from the civilised world if it were proposed to administer to…night to every one of these millions such a dose of morphine that they would sleep to wake no more。 But so far as they are concerned； would it not be much less cruel thus to end their life than to allow them to drag on day after day； year after year； in misery； anguish； and despair； driven into vice and hunted into crime； until at last disease harries them into the grave？
I am under no delusion as to the possibility of inaugurating a millennium by my Scheme； but the triumphs of science deal so much with the utilisation of waste material； that I do not despair of something effectual being accomplished in the utilisation of this waste human product。 The refuse which was a drug and a curse to our manufacturers； when treated under the hands of the chemist； has been the means of supplying us with dyes rivalling in loveliness and variety the hues of the rainbow。 If the alchemy of science can extract beautiful colours from coal tar； cannot Divine alchemy enable us to evolve gladness and brightness out of the agonised hearts and dark； dreary； loveless lives of these doomed myriads？ Is it too much to hope that in God's world God's children may be able to do something； if they set to work with a will； to carry out a plan of campaign against these great evils which are the nightmare of our existence？
The remedy； it may be； is simpler than some imagine。 The key to the enigma may lie closer to our hands than we have any idea of。 Many devices have been tried； and many have failed； no doubt； it is only stubborn； reckless perseverance that can hope to succeed； it is well that we recognise this。 How many ages did men try to make gunpowder and never succeeded？ They would put saltpetre to charcoal； or charcoal to sulphur； or saltpetre to sulphur； and so were ever unable to make the compound explode。 But it has only been discovered within the last few hundred years that all three were needed。 Before that gunpowder was a mere imagination； a phantasy of the alchemists。 How easy it is to make gunpowder； now the secret of its manufacture is known！
But take a simpler illustration； one which lies even within the memory of some that read these pages。 From the beginning of the world down to the beginning of this century； mankind had not found out； with all its striving after cheap and easy transport； the miraculous difference that would be brought about by laying down two parallel lines of metal。 All the great men and the wise men of the past lived and died oblivious of that fact。 The greatest mechanicians and engineers of antiquity； the men who bridged all the rivers of Europe； the architects who built the cathedrals which are still the wonder of the world； failed to discern what seems to us so obviously simple a proposition； that two parallel lines of rail would diminish the cost and difficulty of transport to a minimum。 Without that discovery the steam engine； which has itself been an invention of quite recent years； would have failed to transform civilisation。
What we have to do in the philanthropic sphere is to find something analogous to the engineers' parallel bars。 This discovery think I have made； and hence have I written this book。
SECTION 2MY SCHEME
What； then； is my Scheme？ It is a very simple one； although in its ramifications and extensions it embraces the whole world。 In this book I profess to do no more than to merely outline； as plainly and as simply as I can； the fundamental features of my proposals。 I propose to devote the bulk of this volume to setting forth what can practically be done with one of the most pressing parts of the problem； namely； that relating to those who are out of work； and who； as the result； are more or less destitute。 I have many ideas of what might be done with those who are at present cared for in some measure by the State； but I will leave these ideas for the present。
It is not urgent that I should explain how our Poor Law system could be reformed； or what I should like to see done for the Lunatics in Asylums； or the Cri