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lave and massacre its miserable inhabitants； so with us； much of the misery of those whose lot we are considering arises from their own habits。 Drunkenness and all manner of uncleanness； moral and physical； abound。 Have you ever watched by the bedside of a man in delirium tremens？ Multiply the sufferings of that one drunkard by the hundred thousand； and you have some idea of what scenes are being witnessed in all our great cities at this moment。 As in Africa streams intersect the forest in every direction； so the gin…shop stands at every corner with its River of the Water of Death flowing seventeen hours out of the twenty…four for the destruction of the people。 A population sodden with drink； steeped in vice； eaten up by every social and physical malady； these are the denizens of Darkest England amidst whom my life has been spent； and to whose rescue I would now summon all that is best in the manhood and womanhood of our land。
But this book is no mere lamentation of despair。 For Darkest England； as for Darkest Africa； there is a light beyond。 I think I see my way out； a way by which these wretched ones may escape from the gloom of their miserable existence into a higher and happier life。 Long wandering in the Forest of the Shadow of Death at out doors； has familiarised me with its horrors； but while the realisation is a vigorous spur to action it has never been so oppressive as to extinguish hope。 Mr。 Stanley never succumbed to the terrors which oppressed his followers。 He had lived in a larger life； and knew that the forest； though long； was not interminable。 Every step forward brought him nearer his destined goal； nearer to the light of the sun； the clear sky； and the rolling uplands of the grazing land。 Therefore he did not despair。 The Equatorial Forest was； after all； a mere corner of one quarter of the world。 In the knowledge of the light outside； in the confidence begotten by past experience of successful endeavour； he pressed forward； and when the 160 days' struggle was over； he and his men came out into a pleasant place where the land smiled with peace and plenty； and their hardships and hunger were forgotten in the joy of a great deliverance。
So I venture to believe it will be with us。 But the end is not yet。 We are still in the depths of the depressing gloom。 It is in no spirit of light…heartedness that this book is sent forth into the world as if it was written some ten years ago。
If this were the first time that this wail of hopeless misery had sounded on our ears the matter would have been less serious。 It is because we have heard it so often that the case is so desperate。 The exceeding bitter cry of the disinherited has become to be as familiar in the ears of men as the dull roar of the streets or as the moaning of the wind through the trees。 And so it rises unceasing； year in and year out； and we are too busy or too idle； too indifferent or too selfish； to spare it a thought。 Only now and then； on rare occasions； when some clear voice is heard giving more articulate utterance to the miseries of the miserable men； do we pause in the regular routine of our daily duties； and shudder as we realise for one brief moment what life means to the inmates of the Slums。 But one of the grimmest social problems of our time should be sternly faced； not with a view to the generation of profitless emotion； but with a view to its solution。
Is it not time？ There is； it is true； an audacity in the mere suggestion that the problem is not insoluble that is enough to take away the breath。 But can nothing be done？ If； after full and exhaustive consideration； we come to the deliberate conclusion that nothing can be done； and that it is the inevitable and inexorable destiny of thousands of Englishmen to be brutalised into worse than beasts by the condition of their environment； so be it。 But if； on the contrary； we are unable to believe that this 〃awful slough；〃 which engulfs the manhood and womanhood of generation after generation is incapable of removal； and if the heart and intellect of mankind alike revolt against the fatalism of despair； then； indeed； it is time； and high time； that the question were faced in no mere dilettante spirit； but with a resolute determination to make an end of the crying scandal of our age。
What a satire it is upon our Christianity and our civilisation that the existence of these colonies of heathens and savages in the heart of our capital should attract so little attention！ It is no better than a ghastly mockerytheologians might use a stronger wordto call by the name of One who came to seek and to save that which was lost those Churches which in the midst of lost multitudes either sleep in apathy or display a fitful interest in a chasuble。 Why all this apparatus of temples and meeting…houses to save men from perdition in a world which is to come； while never a helping hand is stretched out to save them from the inferno of their present life？ Is it not time that； forgetting for a moment their wranglings about the infinitely little or infinitely obscure； they should concentrate all their energies on a united effort to break this terrible perpetuity of perdition； and to rescue some at least of those for whom they profess to believe their Founder came to die？
Before venturing to define the remedy； I begin by describing the malady。 But even when presenting the dreary picture of our social ills； and describing the difficulties which confront us； I speak not in despondency but in hope。 〃I know in whom I have believed。〃 I know； therefore do I speak。 Darker England is but a fractional part of 〃Greater England。〃 There is wealth enough abundantly to minister to its social regeneration so far as wealth can； if there be but heart enough to set about the work in earnest。 And I hope and believe that the heart will not be lacking when once the problem is manfully faced； and the method of its solution plainly pointed out。
CHAPTER II。 THE SUBMERGED TENTH。
In setting forth the difficulties which have to be grappled with； I shall endeavour in all things to understate rather than overstate my case。 I do this for two reasons： first； any exaggeration would create a reaction； and secondly； as my object is to demonstrate the practicability of solving the problem； I do not wish to magnify its dimensions。 In this and in subsequent chapters I hope to convince those who read them that there is no overstraining in the representation of the facts； and nothing Utopian in the presentation of remedies。 I appeal neither to hysterical emotionalists nor headlong enthusiasts； but having tried to approach the examination of this question in a spirit of scientific investigation； I put forth my proposals with the view of securing the support and co…operation of the sober； serious； practical men and women who constitute the saving strength and moral backbone of the country。 I fully admit that them is much that is lacking in the diagnosis of the disease； and； no doubt； in this first draft of the prescription there is much room for improvement； which will come when we have the light of fuller experience。 But with all its drawbacks and defects； I do not hesitate to submit my proposals to the impartial judgment of all who are interested in the solution of the social question as an immediate and practical mode of dealing with this； the greatest problem of our time。
The first duty of an investigator in approaching the study of any question is to eliminate all that is foreign to the inquiry； and to concentrate his attention upon the subject to be dealt with。 Here I may remark that I make no attempt in this book to deal with Society as a whole。 I leave to others the formulation of ambitious programmes for the reconstruction of our entire social system； not because I may not desire its reconstruction； but because the elaboration of any plans which are more or less visionary and incapable of realisation for many years would stand in the way of the consideration of this Scheme for dealing with the most urgently pressing aspect of the question； which I hope may be put into operation at once。
In taking this course I am aware that I cut myself off from a wide and attractive field； but as a practical man； dealing with sternly prosaic facts； I must confine my attention to that particular section of the problem which clamours most pressingly for a solution。 Only one thing I may say in passing。 Then is nothing in my scheme which will bring it into collision either with Socialists of the State； or Socialists of the Municipality； with Individualists or Nationalists； or any of the various schools of though in the great field of social economics excepting only those anti…christian economists who hold that it is an offence against the doctrine of the survival of the fittest to try to save the weakest from going to the wall； and who believe that when once a man is down the supreme duty of a self…regarding Society is to jump upon him。 Such economists will naturally be disappointed with this book I venture to believe that all others will find nothing in it to offend their favourite theories； but perhaps something of helpful suggestion which they may utilise hereafter。 What； then； is Darkest England？ For whom do