feared。 With the federation； it is not so。 The universal suffrage of the federal State is checked by the universal suffrage of the federated States； and the latter is offset in its turn by PROPERTY； the stronghold of liberty； which it tends； not to destroy； but to balance with the institutions of MUTUALISM。
All these ideas； and many others which were only hinted at in his work on 〃War and Peace；〃 were developed by Proudhon in his subsequent publications； one of which has for its motto； 〃Reforms always； Utopias never。〃 The thinker had evidently finished his evolution。
The Council of State of the canton of Vaud having offered prizes for essays on the question of taxation； previously discussed at a congress held at Lausanne； Proudhon entered the ranks and carried off the first prize。 His memoir was published in 1861 under the title of 〃The Theory of Taxation。〃
About the same time； he wrote at Brussels； in 〃L'Office de Publicite；〃 some remarkable articles on the question of literary property； which was discussed at a congress held in Belgium； These articles must not be confounded with 〃Literary Majorats；〃 a more complete work on the same subject； which was published in 1863； soon after his return to France。
Arbitrarily excepted from the amnesty in 1859； Proudhon was pardoned two years later by a special act。 He did not wish to take advantage of this favor； and seemed resolved to remain in Belgium until the 2d of June； 1863； the time when he was to acquire the privilege of prescription； when an absurd and ridiculous riot； excited in Brussels by an article published by him on federation and unity in Italy； induced him to hasten his return to France。 Stones were thrown against the house in which he lived； in the Faubourg d'Ixelles。 After having placed his wife and daughters in safety among his friends at Brussels； he arrived in Paris in September； 1862； and published there； 〃Federation and Italian Unity；〃 a pamphlet which naturally commences with the article which served as a pretext for the rioters in Brussels。
Among the works begun by Proudhon while in Belgium； which death did not allow him to finish； we ought to mention a 〃History of Poland；〃 which will be published later； and； 〃The Theory of Property；〃 which appeared in 1865； before 〃The Gospels Annotated；〃 and after the volume entitled 〃The Principle of Art and its Social Destiny。〃
The publications of Proudhon； in 1863； were： 1。 〃Literary Majorats： An Examination of a Bill having for its object the Creation of a Perpetual Monopoly for the Benefit of Authors； Inventors； and Artists；〃 2。 〃The Federative Principle and the Necessity of Re…establishing the Revolutionary party；〃 3。 〃The Sworn Democrats and the Refractories；〃 4。 〃Whether the Treaties of 1815 have ceased to exist？ Acts of the Future Congress。〃
The disease which was destined to kill him grew worse and worse； but Proudhon labored constantly！ 。 。 。 A series of articles； published in 1864 in 〃Le Messager de Paris；〃 have been collected in a pamphlet under the title of 〃New Observations on Italian Unity。〃 He hoped to publish during the same year his work on 〃The Political Capacity of the Working Classes；〃 but was unable to write the last chapter。 。 。 。 He grew weaker continually。 His doctor prescribed rest。 In the month of August he went to Franche…Comte； where he spent a month。 Having returned to Paris； he resumed his labor with difficulty。 。 。 。 From the month of December onwards； the heart disease made rapid progress； the oppression became insupportable； his legs were swollen； and he could not sleep。 。 。 。
On the 19th of January； 1865； he died； towards two o'clock in the morning； in the arms of his wife； his sister…in…law； and the friend who writes these lines。 。 。 。
The publication of his correspondence； to which his daughter Catherine is faithfully devoted； will tend； no doubt； to increase his reputation as a thinker； as a writer； and as an honest man。 J。 A。 LANGLOIS。
PREFACE。
The following letter served as a preface to the first edition of this memoir：
〃To the Members of the Academy of Besancon 〃PARIS； June 30； 1840。
〃GENTLEMEN；In the course of your debate of the 9th of May； 1833； in regard to the triennial pension established by Madame Suard； you expressed the following wish：
〃‘The Academy requests the titulary to present it annually； during the first fortnight in July； with a succinct and logical statement of the various studies which he has pursued during the year which has just expired。'
〃I now propose； gentlemen； to discharge this duty。
〃When I solicited your votes； I boldly avowed my intention to bend my efforts to the discovery of some means of AMELIORATING THE PHYSICAL； MORAL； AND INTELLECTUAL CONDITION OF THE MERE NUMEROUS AND POORER CLASSES。 This idea； foreign as it may have seemed to the object of my candidacy； you received favorably； and； by the precious distinction with which it has been your pleasure to honor me； you changed this formal offer into an inviolable and sacred obligation。 Thenceforth I understood with how worthy and honorable a society I had to deal： my regard for its enlightenment； my recognition of its benefits； my enthusiasm for its glory； were unbounded。
〃Convinced at once that； in order to break loose from the beaten paths of opinions and systems； it was necessary to proceed in my study of man and society by scientific methods； and in a rigorous manner； I devoted one year to philology and grammar； linguistics； or the natural history of speech； being； of all the sciences； that which was best suited to the character of my mind； seemed to bear the closest relation to the researches which I was about to commence。 A treatise； written at this period upon one of the most interesting questions of comparative grammar；＇1＇ if it did not reveal the astonishing success； at least bore witness to the thoroughness； of my labors。
＇1＇ 〃An Inquiry into Grammatical Classifications。〃 By P。 J。 Proudhon。 A treatise which received honorable mention from the Academy of Inscriptions； May 4； 1839。 Out of print。
〃Since that time； metaphysics and moral science have been my only studies； my perception of the fact that these sciences； though badly defined as to their object and not confined to their sphere； are； like the natural sciences； susceptible of demonstration and certainty； has already rewarded my efforts。
〃But； gentlemen； of all the masters whom I have followed； to none do I owe so much as to you。 Your co…operation； your programmes； your instructions； in agreement with my secret wishes and most cherished hopes； have at no time failed to enlighten me and to point out my road； this memoir on property is the child of your thought。
〃In 1838； the Academy of Besancon proposed the following question： TO WHAT CAUSES MUST WE ATTRIBUTE THE CONTINUALLY INCREASING NUMBER OF SUICIDES； AND WHAT ARE THE PROPER MEANS FOR ARRESTING THE EFFECTS OF THIS MORAL CONTAGION？
〃Thereby it asked； in less general terms； what was the cause of the social evil； and what was its remedy？ You admitted that yourselves； gentlemen when your committee reported that the competitors had enumerated with exactness the immediate and particular causes of suicide； as well as the means of preventing each of them； but that from this enumeration； chronicled with more or less skill； no positive information had been gained； either as to the primary cause of the evil； or as to its remedy。
〃In 1839； your programme； always original and varied in its academical expression； became more exact。 The investigations of 1838 had pointed out； as the causes or rather as the symptoms of the social malady； the neglect of the principles of religion and morality； the desire for wealth； the passion for enjoyment； and political disturbances。 All these data were embodied by you in a single proposition： THE UTILITY OF THE CELEBRATION OF SUNDAY AS REGARDS HYGIENE； MORALITY； AND SOCIAL AND POLITICAL RELATION_。
〃In a Christian tongue you asked； gentlemen； what was the true system of society。 A competitor＇1＇ dared to maintain； and believed that he had proved； that the institution of a day of rest at weekly intervals is inseparably bound up with a political system based on the equality of conditions； that without equality this institution is an anomaly and an impossibility： that equality alone can revive this ancient and mysterious keeping of the seventh day。 This argument did not meet with your approbation； since； without denying the relation pointed out by the competitor； you judged； and rightly gentlemen； that the principle of equality of conditions not being demonstrated； the ideas of the author were nothing more than hypotheses。
＇1＇ 〃The Utility of the Celebration of Sunday；〃 &c。 By P。 J。 Proudhon。 Besancon； 1839； 12mo； 2d edition； Paris； 1841； 18mo。
〃Finally； gentlemen； this fundamental principle of equality you presented for competition in the following terms： THE ECONOMICAL AND MORAL CONSEQUENCES IN FRANCE UP TO THE PRESENT TIME； AND THOSE WHICH SEEM LIKELY TO APPEAR IN FUTURE； OF THE LAW CONCERNING THE EQUAL DIVISION OF HEREDITARY PROPERTY BETWEEN THE CHILDREN。
〃Instead of confining one to common places without breadth or significance； it seems to me that your question should be developed as follows：
〃If the law has been able to render the right of heredity common to all the children of one father； can it not render it equal for all his grandchildren and great…grandchildren？
〃If the law no longer heeds the age of any member of the family； can it not； by the right of heredity； cease to heed it in the race； in the tribe； in the nation？
〃Can equality； by the right of succession； be preserved between citizens； as well as between cousins and brothers？ In a word； can the principle of succession become a principle of equality？
〃To sum up all these ideas in one inclusive question： What is the principle of heredity？ What are the foundations of inequality？ What is property？
〃Such； gentlemen； is the object of the memoir that I offer you to day。
〃If I have rightly grasped the object of your thought； if I succeed in bringing to light a truth which is indisputable； but； fro