+-------------------------------------------------+ |Transcriber's note: | | | |Obvious typographic errors have been corrected. | | | +-------------------------------------------------+ CIVILISATION: ITS CAUSE AND CURE _AND OTHER ESSAYS_ (NEWLY-ENLARGED AND COMPLETE EDITION) BY EDWARD CARPENTER AUTHOR OF "TOWARDS DEMOCRACY," "MY DAYS AND DREAMS," ETC. [Illustration: logo] LONDON: GEORGE ALLEN & UNWIN LTD. RUSKIN HOUSE, 40 MUSEUM STREET, W.C.1 First Edition, _June 1889_; Second Edition, _December 1890_; Third Edition, _November 1893_; Fourth Edition, _July 1895_; Fifth Edition, _September 1897_; Sixth Edition, _October 1900_; Seventh Edition, _July 1902_; Eighth Edition, _March 1903_; Ninth Edition, _January 1906_; Tenth Edition, _January 1908_; Eleventh Edition, _October 1910_; Twelfth Edition, _Dec. 1912_; Thirteenth Edition, _Aug. 1914_; Fourteenth Edition, _June 1916_; Fifteenth Edition, _Sept. 1917_; Complete Edition, _Jan. 1921_ (_All rights reserved_) PREFACE TO COMPLETE EDITION (1920) In looking over this volume, first published in 1889, with a view to a final Edition, I am glad to note that after all there is not much in it requiring alteration. Considering that the original issue took place more than 30 years ago, I had thought that the great changes in scientific and philosophic thought which have taken place during that period would probably have rendered "out of date" a good deal of the book. As a matter of fact, the first paper--that on Civilisation--was given as a lecture before the Fabian Society, in 1888; and I shall not easily forget the furious attacks which were made upon it on that occasion. The book--published as a whole in 1889--came in for a very similar reception from the press-critics. They slated it to the top of their bent--except in those not unfrequent cases when they ignored it as almost beneath notice. The whole trend of the thought of the time was against its conclusions; and it is perhaps worth while to recall these facts in order to measure how far we have travelled in these 30 years. For to-day (I think we may say) these conclusions are generally admitted as correct; and the views which seemed so hazarded and precarious at the earlier date are now fairly accepted and established. The word Civilisation has undoubtedly during this period suffered an ominous change of color. It is no longer an easy term denoting all that is ideal and delightful in social life, but on the contrary, carries with it a sense of doubt and of criticism, as of something that is by no means accepted yet, but is rather on its trial--if not actually condemned!