“I talked to him about the scheme of a Social Community. He said that it was mainly the project of some of his brothers, but that he quite approved of it. Their chief aims were to escape from work that was too severe, and to get complete freedom of speech. He had no doubt that they should have made it answer. They were resolved to be very frugal. I said that to most men of business the scheme would seem that of madmen. He answered that at that time there were many such projects supported by men of great weight. Owen’s plan was more or less approved of by Brougham and others. He (Sir R. Hill) and his brothers saw great merits in it, though they also saw great faults.” The following letter, which he wrote to one of his brothers in defence of the scheme before it had as yet in any way taken shape, throws much light on the objects that they had in view:— “I am very sorry, and not a little surprised, that our plan should have been so far misunderstood as to cause so much alarm on the part of mother and yourself, and I hasten to remove your fears by simply telling you what the plan is. The only plan to which I have given my consent is this:—To ascertain, in the most satisfactory manner, by enquiry and even by experiment, what is the smallest sum on which we can live with economy but comfort, avoiding all such expenses as are at present incurred, not because they are conducive to happiness, but because we are expected by others to meet them; yet at the same time indulging in some gratifications which we are at present denied. In determining this sum to allow nothing whatever for the produce of our labour, letting that stand as security against the ill-effects of any error in our calculation. Having determined this amount, to ascertain next, how much capital, secured in the fullest manner, as by mortgage on ample freehold landed property, would afford the required income, and then to continue our present undertaking till such a capital is raised.... I think you will now see that our views are by no means very dissimilar. Your wish is, I believe, to save money with the intention of retiring and living on your savings at some future time. You perhaps would wait, till you can maintain without labour the same rank you now hold, still continuing to mix with the world and to conform with the world’s notions of propriety and happiness. We are for separating from society so far as may be necessary to enable us to regulate our mode of living solely with a reference to _our own_ conceptions of comfort. We conceive that our plan promises these advantages over yours, that it will enable us to put it into execution earlier, and that we shall be more happy when it is executed than if we adopted your plan.