The principle of graduated and contrasted order in series of groups is that which God has manifested in the various orders of creation, and the distribution of the Universe; and, according to the law of universal unity, this principle should be applied to the relations of humanity: the problem being to discover what this law of order is, in the creation, and the means by which it is available to practice in society. It is not a strange, then, or an unknown principle, which I propose for general consideration, but a law which God has manifested in all Nature. This alone entitles it to the respect of man, and is sufficient to protect me from the charge of arbitrary speculation There are, however, circumstances of divergency and discord in the minds of men by which I am surrounded, that oblige me to proceed with caution in developing these principles to men of different classes in society and variously trained by education; and some of my proceedings may seem strange to those who do not think of F. in such cases, or believe it unnecessary. For instance: I have adopted an imperfect title for my book, which should have been entitled,

THEORY OF UNIVERSAL UNITY,

A science that was partially commenced by Newton, who discovered the laws of material attraction or gravitation; but the French nation, in whose language I write, having been nauseated with imaginary systems of “universal unity,” would condemn the book from its very title, if it announced the discovery of a principle, regarding which they have so often been deluded. The multiplicity of false pretenders to this science has created general suspicion, which at last must fall upon the real discovery, as well as upon false pretensions: consequently, I have deemed it prudent to suppress the real title which might seem ambitious, and adopted that of an inferior branch alone, of my discovery; i.e. “Domestic and Industrial Association.”

I have also adopted the precaution of proceeding gradually through a long critical introduction to prepare the minds of different classes of readers for a due understanding of universal principles. This critical introduction is prefaced by two preliminary essays or discourses: the first being adapted to the French nation more particularly and to persons of a frivolous turn of mind, and the second to the English nation and to persons of a serious character. At the end of the First Part, I have given a Table of such parts of the work as are specially adapted to different characters of mind; the frivolous, the superficial and the serious or the trifling, the mixt and the thoughtful. This table will show the impatient readers which parts they may by at first in their hurry to arrive at the conclusion, and which parts are not to be passed over without rendering what follows more or less obscure. it is no doubt a bad habit to hurry over any part of a serious treatise, but some persons cannot control it. I have myself contracted this habit in some degree, from an impatient desire of seeing the conclusions, and with the intention of returning to the parts passed over, if the book be interesting as a whole.

The Second Part of the preliminary discourse is more especially addressed to nations of a grave and serious turn of mind, such as the English and the German, who may wish to acquire a complete knowledge of the subject. The English nation is entitled to particular attention in connexion with this subject, and for two reasons:

In the first place one of their countrymen, Sir Isaac Newton, commenced the study of universal attraction of which he discovered that portion which relates to the gravitation of matter, (one: half, only, of the material branch, which includes aromal and material attraction or expanding and contracting gravitation;) and secondly, they have lately turned their attention to practical association, which is a problem of passional attraction, or social unity and gravitation not yet thought of (in 1820) by the continental nations. For these reasons, the English are prepared for the discovery of the principles of universal attraction, and the application of these principles to moral and industrial unity, or passional gravitation in society, and it is my duty to attend to their interests especially without neglecting those of other nations. Such has been my object in the Second Part of this preliminary discourse to which I have appended some observations more particularly interesting to the English nation than to any other at the present time.

After wading through a long preliminary discourse in two parts, it may be deemed advisable by some to enter boldly and without reserve into the heart of the subject; but such a course of proceeding would not be prudent, as the reader’s mind could not be, even then, sufficiently familiar with the principles on which the theory of association is constructed. The subject is so novel and so little understood, that, as I said before, the reader who has had his mental vision darkened by the film of false philosophy, must be regarded as a person from whose eyes a cataract has been removed by surgical assistance, and whose sight must gradually be exposed to the strong light of day, as it improves in health and vigor, to support the rays directly from the sun. Graduated and preparatory doses of instruction are thus rendered necessary, that the reader may unlearn the notions of a false philosophy by which the minds of all have been in some degree deluded, and the understanding cleansed from error, that the principles of truth may be imbibed with ease and natural consistency.

Nothing is more novel and surprising to the present generation, than the idea of associating three hundred families of different rank and station in society, in one Phalanx of united interests and habitation, and the first objection that occurs to the mind of an uninitiated person is the known difficulty or impossibility of uniting even three families in one association. This objection shall be duly answered, however, and every other, in the course of our proceeding, but we cannot answer it all at once.

It is quite true, that three families could not be harmonized in unity or in association. I, who am familiar with the theory of universal unity, and with the principles of passional attraction, and association in its various degrees, from twenty years’ uninterrupted study, am able to assure my readers that the lowest possible degree of real harmony in social combination could not be realized with thirty families, much less with three; but with any number between forty and three hundred families (not individuals) associative unity is practicable. To render this fact comprehensible, by new developments of principle, I must refute the errors of philosophy which prejudice the mind against new views of truth that do not harmonize with preconceived opinions.

Would it not be unreasonable for a person who has passed a great part of his life in studying innumerable and contradictory systems of philosophy, which lead to nothing but the endless miseries of false civilization, to object to spend a day or two in reading the refutation of these errors as a means of understanding the new developments of principle, by which the human race may be emancipated from the evils of false science, and almost| immediately raised from poverty to wealth, from vice to virtue, and from falsehood to the truth of genuine refinement and religious unity? and also into a true knowledge of the laws of God and Nature, from which the mind of man has been diverted by the aberrations of a false philosophy?

The object of the first volume of this general treatise is to neutralize the errors of philosophy, and shew the sophistry by which society has been deluded and immersed in temporal and spiritual destitution; but this can only be effected as the understanding is remodeled by new views of truth, and gradually freed from prejudice and error. But how are we to destroy the idols of philosophy, without offending minds imbued with prejudice and vanity shall not be able to conciliate false pride by flexible politeness and forbearance. Nor do I reproach myself for this want of convenient pliability of temper. Had I possessed the flexibility of flattering conformity to pre-established notions, I should not have ventured from the beaten tracks of thought, and should have missed, in consequence, the discovery of those principles to which the world will owe its elevation from degrading misery to universal happiness. To discover this law of unity, the science of human destiny, hitherto concealed in mystery, an original mind was necessary—a mind which was not to be subdued by false philosophy and reigning prejudices and opinions. The reader may expect, therefore, that the style and manner of such a mind will partake of that independency of spirit which first led to the discovery.

A spirit of servility, or feigned respect for the authority of long-standing errors of opinion, would ill become a systematic refutation of delusive science and philosophy.

The art of associating several hundred families in one Phalanx of united agricultural and manufacturing industry, involves a method of proceeding so entirely different from what is known at present in society, that it will seem to those who read of it in theory, a new industrial and social world. It will be necessary, therefore, for the reader to abstain from forming hasty judgments, and to follow with docility the guide to this new world, considering first the great advantages to be obtained by this new system of associative industry; and then, the possibility of realizing such a state of things: to bear in mind that if the principle be true, the first result in practice will be triple increase, individually and collectively, of wealth and comfort, besides the numerous advantages of moral and religious elevation that will flow from unitary discipline. A property that now affords a rent of only five hundred dollars will then, produce three times that sum per annum, and the produce of a kingdom which is now but some nine or ten hundred millions yearly will become thirty hundred, millions: These results are worth the sacrifice of prejudice; and thence I hope the reader will not dwell upon asperities of style, but follow my advice, and

Study first, the general advantages to be obtained in practice from associative unity; and then,

Examine carefully the principles, in theory, to learn if they be true in all respects, and the discovery of the associative art be really complete in its details.