My life : a record of events and opinions - Wallace-online.org

LONDON WORKERS, SECULARISTS, ETC. 49manager of the New Lanark cotton-mills, andmarried the daughter of Mr. Dale, the formerproprietor. Gradually, for many years, he had beenelaborating his theory of human nature, and longingfor an opportunity of putting his ideas in practice.And now he had got his opportunity. He had anextensive factory and workshops, with a village ofabout two thousand inhabitants all employed in theworks, which, with about two hundred acres of surroundingland, belonged to the company. Thecharacter of the workers at New Lanark is thusdescribed by Mr. W. L. Sargant, in his work " RobertOwen and his Social Philosophy," when describingthe establishment of the mills about fifteeen yearsbefore Owen acquired them :" To obtain a supply ofadult labourers a village was built round the works,and the houses were let at a low rent ; but thebusiness was so unpopular that few, except thebad,the unemployed, and the destitute, would settle there.Even of such ragged labourers the numbers wereinsufficient ; and these, when they had learned theirtrade and become valuable, were self-willedand insubordinate."Besides these, there were about fivehundred children, chiefly obtained from the workhousesof Edinburgh and other large towns, whowere apprenticed for seven years from the age of sixto eight, and were lodged and boarded in a largebuilding erected for the purpose by the former owner,Mr. Dale, and were well attended to. But these poorchildren had to work from six in the morning to sevenin the evening (with an hour and three-quarters formeals) ;and it was only after this task was over thatinstruction began. The children hated their slavery ;many absconded ; some were stunted, and evendwarfed in stature ; and when their apprenticeshipE