Trulyiftherebenotsomethinginarticulateamongus，notyetutteredbutpressingtowardsutterance，whichismuchwiserthananythingwehavelatelyarticulatedorbroughtintowordoraction，ouroutlooksareratherlamentable。Thegreatmajorityofthepowerfulandactive-minded，sunkinegoisticscepticisms，busiedinchaseoflucre，pleasure，andmerevulgarobjects，lookingwithindifferenceontheworld’swoes，andpassingcarelesslybyontheotherside；andtheselectminority，ofwhombettermighthavebeenexpected，bendingalltheirstrengthtocurethembymethodswhichcanonlymakebadworse，andintheendrendercurehopeless。AblindloquaciouspruriencyofindiscriminatePhilanthropismsubstitutingitself，withmuchself-laudation，forthesilentdivinelyawfulsenseofRightandWrong；——testifyingtooclearlythathereisnolongeradivinesenseofRightandWrong；that，inthesmokeofthisuniversal，andalasinevitableandindispensablerevolutionaryfire，andburningupofworn-outragsofwhichtheworldisfull，ourlife-atmospherehasforthetimebecomeonevileLondonfog，andtheeternalloadstarsaregoneoutforus！Goneout；——yetveryvisibleifyoucangetabovethefog；stillthereintheirplace，andquitethesameastheyalwayswere！Towhoeverdoesstillknowofloadstars，theproceedings，whichexpandthemselvesdaily，ofthesesublimephilanthropicassociations，and“universalsluggard-and-scoundrelprotection-societies，“areaperpetualaffliction。Withtheiremancipationsandabolitionprinciples，andreignsofbrotherhoodandnewmethodsoflove，theyhavedonegreatthingsintheWhiteandintheBlackWorld，duringlateyears；andarepreparingforgreater。
Intheinterestofhumanreform，ifthereisevertobeanyreform，andreturntoprosperityortothepossibilityofprospering，itisurgentthatthenonsenseofallthisanditismostlynonsense，butnotquiteshouldbesentaboutitsbusinessstraightway，andforbiddentodeceivethewell-meaningsoulsamongusanymore。Reform，ifwewillunderstandthatdivineword，cannotbegintillthen。Oneday，Idoknow，this，asisthedoomofallnonsense，willbedrummedoutoftheworld，withdueplacardstuckonitsback，andthepopulaceflingingdeadcatsatit：butwhethersoonornot，isbynomeanssocertain。
Iratherguess，_not_atpresent，notquitesoon。Fraternity，inothercountries，hasgoneon，tillitfounditselfunexpectedlymanipulatingguillotinesbyitschosenRobespierres，andbecomeafraternitylikeCain’s。Muchtoitsamazement！Forinfactitisnotallnonsense；thereisaninfinitesimalfractionofsenseinitwithal；whichissodifficulttodisengage；——whichmustbedisengaged，andlaidholdof，beforeFraternitycanvanish。
Buttooursubject，——theModelPrison，andthestrangetheoryoflifenowinactionthere。That，forthepresent，ismyshareinthewideadventureofPhilanthropism；theworld’sshare，andhowandwhenitistobeliquidatedandended，restswiththeSupremeDestinies。
Severalmonthsago，somefriendstookmewiththemtoseeoneoftheLondonPrisons；aPrisonoftheexemplaryormodelkind。Animmensecircuitofbuildings；cutout，girtwithahighring-wall，fromthelanesandstreetsofthequarter，whichisadimandcrowdedone。Gatewayastoafortifiedplace；thenaspaciouscourt，likethesquareofacity；broadstaircases，passagestointeriorcourts；frontsofstatelyarchitectureallround。Itlodgessomethousandortwelvehundredprisoners，besidestheofficersoftheestablishment。Surelyoneofthemostperfectbuildings，withinthecompassofLondon。Welookedattheapartments，sleeping-cells，dining-rooms，working-rooms，generalcourtsorspecialandprivate：excellentall，thene-plus-ultraofhumancareandingenuity；inmylifeIneversawsocleanabuilding；probablynoDukeinEnglandlivesinamansionofsuchperfectandthoroughcleanness。