"
It should be added that Mr. Standring did net become a member of the
Society until five years later.
By the summer of 1888 the leaders of the Society realised that they had
a message for the world, and they decided that the autumn should be
devoted to a connected series of lectures on the "Basis and Prospects of
Socialism" which should subsequently be published.
There is no evidence, however, that the Essayists supposed that they
were about to make an epoch in the history of Socialism. The meetings in
the summer had been occupied with lectures by Professor D.G. Ritchie on
the "Evolution of Society," subsequently published as his well-known
volume "Darwinism and Politics." Walter Crane on "The Prospects of Art
under Socialism," Graham Wallas on "The Co-operative Movement," and Miss
Clementina Black on "Female Labour." At the last-named meeting, on June
15th, a resolution was moved by H.H. Champion and seconded by Herbert
Burrows (neither of them members) calling on the public to boycott
Bryant and May's matches on account of the low wages paid. This marks
the beginning of the period of Labour Unrest, which culminated in the
Dock Strike of the following year.
The first meeting of the autumn was held at Willis's Rooms on September
21st, with the Rev. S.D. Headlam in the chair. The Secretary read a
statement indicating the scope of the course of the seven lectures
arranged for the Society's meetings during the autumn, after which the
first paper, written by Sidney Webb on "The Historical Aspect of the
Basis of Socialism," was read by Hubert Bland.
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