arks
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. Webb had at that time
started for a three months' visit to the United States, in which I
accompanied him. Mr. Headlam was the chairman throughout the course,
except on one occasion, and the lectures continued fortnightly to the
21st December. It does not appear that any special effort was made to
advertise them. Each lecture was discussed by members of the Society and
of the S.D.F., and with the exception of the Rev. Philip Wicksteed there
is no evidence of the presence of any persons outside the movement then
or subsequently known to fame.

* * * * *

The preparation of "Fabian Essays" for publication occupied nearly a
year, and before dealing with it we must follow the history of the
Society during that period.

The first lecture in 1889 was by Edward Carpenter, whose paper,
"Civilisation: Its Cause and Cure," gives the title to perhaps his best
known volume of essays. Another interesting lecture was by William
Morris, entitled "How Shall We Live Then?" and at the Annual Meeting in
April Sydney Olivier became the first historian of the Society with an
address on "The Origin and Early History of the Fabian Society," for
which he made the pencil notes on the minute book already mentioned.

The seven Essayists were re-elected to the Executive, and in the record
of proceedings at the meeting there is no mention of the proposed volume
of essays.

It is, however, possible to give some account of the organisation and
activities for the year ending in March, 1889, since the first printed
Annual Report covers that period. It is a four-page quarto document,
only a few copies of which are preserved. Of the Society itself but
little is recorded--a list of lectures and the bare statement that the
autumn series were to be published: the fact that 6500 Fabian Tracts had
been distributed and a second edition of 5000 "Facts for Socialists"
printed: that 32 members had been elected and 6 had withdrawn--