fident I am, that every gentleman would confider it as honourable to contribute largely. This agreeable work must be blended with fome degree of severity, that of excluding from the roll every profligate, male or female. If that rule be ftrictly followed out, the innocent poor will diminish daily; fo as in time to be fafely left upon voluntary charity, without neceflity of any tax.

But muft miferable wretches reduced to poverty by idleness or intemperance, be, in a Chriftian country, abandoned to difeafes and famine? This is the argument, fhallow as it is, that has corrupted the industry of England, and reduced multitudes to diseases and famine. Those who are able to work, may be locked up in a houfe of correction, to be fed with bread and water; but with liberty of working for themfelvés. And as for the remainder, their cafe is not defperate, when they have access to fuch tender-hearted perfons as are more eminent for pity than for principle. If by neglect or overfight any happen to die of want, the example will tend more to reformation, than the most pathetic difcourfe from the pulpit."

Even at the hazard of lofing a few lives by neglect or oversight, common begging ought ab folutely to be prohibited. The moft profligate are the moft impudent, and the moft expect at feigning diftrefs. If begging be indulged to any, all will rush into the public: idlers are fond of that wandering and indolent fort of life; and there is no temptation to idleness more fuccefsful, than liberty to beg. In order to be relieved from common beggars, it has been proposed, to fine thofe who give them alms. Little penetration muft they have, to whom the infufficiency of fuch a remedy is not palpable. It is eafy to give alms without being feen; and compaffion will extort alms, even at the hazard of fuffering for it; not to mention, that every one in fuch a cafe would avoid

the odious character of an informer. The following remedy is fuggefted, as what probably may anfwer. An officer must be appointed in every parish, with a competent falary, for apprehending and carrying to the work-houfe every ftrolling beggar; under the penalty of lofing his office, with what falary is due to him, if any beggar be found ftrolling four and twenty hours after the fact comes to his knowledge. In the workhoufe fuch beggars fhall be fed with bread and water for a year, but with liberty of working for themfelves.

I declare refolutely against a perpetual tax for the poor. But if there must be fuch a tax, I know of none lefs fubverfive of industry and morals than that established in Scotland, obliging the landholders in every parish to meet at ftated times, in order to provide a fund for the poor; but leaving the objects of their charity, and the measure, to their own humanity and difcretion. In this plan, there is no encroachment on the natural duty of charity, but only that the minority muft fubmit to the opinion of the majority.

In large towns, where the character and circumstances of the poor are not fo well known as in country-parifhes, the following variation is propofed. Inftead of land-holders, who are proper in country parishes: let there be in each town-parifh a ftanding committee chofen by the proprietors of houfes, the third part to be changed annually. This committee with the minifter, make up a lift of fuch as deferve charity, adding an estimate of what, with their own labour, may be fufficient for each of them. The minifter, with one or two of the committee, carry about this lift to every family that can afford charity, fuggefting what may be proper for each to contribute. This lift, with an addition of the fum contributed or promifed by each householder, must be affixed on the principal door of the parish-church, to honour the contributors, and

to

to inform the poor of the provifion made for them. Some fuch mode may probably be effectual, without tranfgreffing the bounds of voluntary charity. But if any one obftinately refuse to contribute after feveral applications, the committee at their difcretion may tax him. If it be the poffeffor who declines contributing, the tax must be laid upon him, referving relief against his landlord.

In great towns, the poor who ought to be prohibited from begging, are lefs known than in' country-parishes and among a croud of inhabitants, it is easier for an individual to escape the public eye when he with-holds charity, than in country-parifhes. Both defects would be remedied by the plan above propofed it will bring to light, in great cities, the poor who deferve charity; and it will bring to light every perfon who with-holds charity.

Pa

In every regulation for the poor, English and Scotch, it is taken for granted, that the poor are to be maintained in their own houses. rochial poor-houfes are creeping into fashion: a few are already erected both in England and Scotland; and there is depending in parliament a plan for establishing poor-houses in every part of England. Yet whether they ought to be preferred to the accuf tomed mode, deferves ferious confideration. The erection and management of a poor-house are expenfive articles; and if they do not upon the whole appear clearly beneficial, it is better to ftop

fhort in time.

Economy is the great motive that inclines people to this new mode of providing for the poor. It is imagined, that numbers collected at a common table, can be maintained at léfs expence than in feparate houses, and foot-foldiers are given for an example, who could not live on their pay if they did not mefs together. But the cafes are not parallel. Soldiers, having the management of

But as

their pay, can club for a bit of meat. the inhabitants of a poor-houfe are maintained by the public, the fame quantity of provifions must be allotted to each; as there can be no good rule for feparating those who, eat much from those who eat little. The confequence is what may be expected: the bulk of them referve part of their victuals for purchafing ale or fpirits. It is vain to expect work from them: poor wretches void of fhame will never work feriously, where the profit accrues to the public, not to themfelves. Hunger is the only effectual means for compelling fuch perfons to work.

Where the poor are fupported in their own houfes, the first thing that is done, or ought to be done, is to estimate what each can earn by their own labour; and as far only as that falls fhort of maintenance, is there place for charity. They will be as induftrious as poffible, becaufe they work for themselves; and a weekly fun of charity under their own management, will turn to better account, than in a poor-house, under the direction of mercenaries. The quantity of food for health depends greatly on cuftom. Bufbequius obferves, that the Turks eat very little flesh-meat; and that the Janizaries in particular, at that time a moft formidable infantry, were maintained at an expence far below that of a German. Wafers, cakes, boiled rice, with fmall bits of mutton or pullet, were their highest entertainment, fermented liquors being abfolutely prohibited. The famous Montecuculi fays, that the Janizaries eat but once a day, about fun-fet; and that cuftom makes it eafy. Negroes are maintained in the Weft-Indies at a very fmall expence. A bit of ground is allotted to them for raifing vegetables, which they cultivate on Sunday, being employed all the reft of the week in labouring for their mafters. They receive a week

ly

ly allowance of dried fish, about a pound and a half; and their only drink is water. Yet by vegetables and water with a morfel of dried fish, thefe people are fufficiently nourished to perform the hardest labour in a moft enervating climate. I would not have the poor to be pampered, which might prove a bad example to the induftrious: if they be fupported in the most frugal manner, the duty of charity is fulfilled. And in no other manner can they be fupported fo frugally, as to leave to their own difpofal what they receive in charity. Not a penny will be laid out on fermented liquors, unless perhaps as a medicine in fickness. Nor does their low fare call for pity. Ale makes no part of the maintenance of those in Scotland who live by the fweat of their brows. Water is their only drink; and yet they live comfortably, without ever thinking of pitying themfelves. Many gentlemen drink nothing but water; who feel no decay either in health or vigour. The perfon however who fhould propose to banish ale from a poor-house, would be exclaimed against as hard-hearted and void of charity. The difference indeed is great between what is done voluntarily, and what is done by compulfion. It is provoking to hear of the petulance and even luxury of the English poor. Not a perfon in London who lives by the parish-charity will deign to eat brown bread; and in feveral parts of England, many who receive large fums from that fund are in the conftant cuftom of drinking tea twice a-day. Will one incline to labour where idlenefs and beggary are fo much encouraged?

But what objection, it will be urged lies against adopting in a poor-house the plan mentioned, giving to no perfon in money more than what his work, juftly estimated, falls fhort of maintenance? It is eafy to forefee, that this plan can VOL. II.

F

never