Page:The Works of H G Wells Volume 9.pdf/189

 snubbed. I become breathless with indignation. We walk along side by side, but now profoundly estranged.

I regard the façade of the Utopian public offices of Lucerne—I had meant to call his attention to some of the architectural features of these—with a changed eye, with all the spirit gone out of my vision. I wish I had never brought this introspective carcass, this mental ingrate, with me.

I incline to fatalistic submission. I suppose I had no power to leave him behind I wonder and I wonder. The old Utopists never had to encumber themselves with this sort of man.

How would things be "different" in the Modern Utopia? After all it is time we faced the riddle of the problems of marriage and motherhood

The Modern Utopia is not only to be a sound and happy World State, but it is to be one progressing from good to better. But as Malthus demonstrated for all time, a State whose population continues to increase in obedience to unchecked instinct, can progress only from bad to worse. From the view of human comfort and happiness, the increase of population that occurs at each advance in human security is the greatest evil of life. The way of Nature is for every species to increase nearly to its possible maximum of numbers, and then to improve through the pressure of that maximum against its limiting con-