essays-1-第21章

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ork…house　at　Manheim。　　It　was　set　on　fire；　and　burnt　to　the　ground；　during　the　last　siege　of　that　city　by　the　Austrian　troops。

＇13＇　Above　18；000　pounds　sterling。

＇14＇　The　committee；　at　the　head　of　the　establishment；　has　been　enabled　to　make　this　purchase；　by　legacies　made　to　the　institution。　These　legacies　have　been　numerous；　and　are　increasing　every　day；　which　clearly　shows；　that　the　measures　adopted　with　regard　to　the　Poor　have　met　with　the　approbation　of　the　public。

＇15＇　I　found　upon　examining　the　famous　kitchen　of　the　great　hospital　at　Florence；　that　the　waste　of　fuel　there　is　still　greater。


CONTENTS　of　ESSAY　II。

of　the　FUNDAMENTAL　PRINCIPLES　on　which　GENERAL　ESTABLISHMENTS　for　the　RELIEF　of　the　POOR　may　be　formed　in　all　Countries。

CHAPTER。　I。　　General　View　of　the　Subject。　　Deplorable　State　of　those　who　are　reduced　to　Poverty。　　No　Body　of　Laws　can　be　so　framed　as　to　provide　effectually　for　　　　their　Wants。　　Only　adequate　Relief　that　can　be　afforded　them　must　be　derived　　　　from　the　voluntary　Assistance　of　the　Humane　and　Benevolent；　　How　that　Assistance　is　to　be　secured。　　Objections　to　the　Expense　of　taking　care　of　the　Poor　answered。　　Of　the　Means　of　introducing　a　Scheme　for　the　Relief　of　the　Poor。

CHAPTER。　II。　　Of　the　Extent　of　an　Establishment　for　the　Poor。　　Of　the　Division　of　a　Town　or　City　into　Districts。　　Of　the　Manner　of　carrying　on　the　Business　of　a　public　　　　Establishment　for　the　Poor。　　Of　the　Necessity　of　numbering　all　the　Houses　in　a　Town　where　an　　　　Establishment　for　the　Poor　is　formed。

CHAPTER。　III。　　General　Direction　of　the　Affairs　of　an　Institution　for　the　Poor　　　　attended　with　no　great　Trouble。　　Of　the　best　Method　of　carrying　on　the　current　Business；　and　of　　　　the　great　Use　of　printed　Forms；　or　Blanks。　　Of　the　necessary　Qualifications　of　those　who　are　placed　at　the　　　　Head　of　an　Establishment　for　the　Relief　of　the　Poor。　　Great　Importance　of　this　Subject。　　Cruelty　and　Impolicy　of　putting　the　Poor　into　the　Hands　of　　　　Persons　they　cannot　respect　and　love。　　The　Persons　pointed　out　who　are　more　immediately　called　upon　to　　　　come　forward　with　Schemes　for　the　Relief　of　the　Poor；　and　to　　　　give　their　active　Assistance　in　carrying　them　into　Effect。

CHAPTER。　IV。　　Of　the　Necessity　of　effectual　Measures　for　introducing　a　Spirit　　　　of　Industry　among　the　Poor　in　forming　an　Establishment　for　　　　their　Relief　and　Support。　　Of　the　Means　which　may　be　used　for　that　Purpose；　and　for　setting　　　　on　foot　a　Scheme　for　forming　an　Establishment　for　feeding　the　　　　Poor。

CHAPTER。　V。　　Of　the　Means　which　may　be　used　by　Individuals　in　affluent　　　　Circumstances　for　the　Relief　of　the　Poor　in　their　Neighbourhood。


ESSAY　II。

CHAPTER。　I。

　General　View　of　the　Subject。　　Deplorable　State　of　those　who　are　reduced　to　Poverty。　　No　Body　of　Laws　can　be　so　framed　as　to　provide　efficaciously　for　　　　their　Wants。　　Only　adequate　Relief　that　can　be　afforded　them　must　be　derived　　　　from　the　voluntary　Assistance　of　the　Humane　and　Benevolent。　　How　that　Assistance　is　to　be　secured。　　Objections　to　the　Expence　of　taking　care　of　the　Poor　answered　　Of　the　Means　of　introducing　a　Scheme　for　the　Relief　of　the　Poor。

Though　the　fundamental　principles　upon　which　the　Establishment　for　the　Poor　at　Munich　is　founded；　are　such　as　I　can　venture　to　recommend；　and　notwithstanding　the　fullest　information　relative　to　every　part　of　that　Establishment　may；　I　believe；　be　collected　from　the　account　of　it　which　is　given　in　the　foregoing　Essay；　yet；　as　this　information　is　so　dispersed　in　different　parts　of　the　work；　and　so　blended　with　a　variety　of　other　particulars；　that　the　reader　would　find　some　difficulty　in　bringing　the　whole　into　one　view；　and　arranging　it　systematically　in　a　complete　whole；　I　shall　endeavour　briefly　to　resume　the　subject；　and　give　the　result　of　all　my　enquiries　relative　to　it；　in　a　more　concise；　methodical；　and　useful　form：　and　as　from　the　experience；　I　have　had　in　providing　for　the　wants　of　the　Poor；　and　reclaiming　the　indolent　and　vicious　to　habits　of　useful　industry；　I　may　venture　to　consider　myself　authorised　to　speak　with　some　degree　of　confidence　upon　the　subject；　instead　of　merely　recapitulating　what　has　been　said　of　the　Establishment　for　the　Poor　at　Munich；　（which　would　be　at　best　but　a　tiresome　repetition；）　I　shall　now　allow　myself　a　greater　range　in　these　investigations；　and　shall　give　my　opinions　without　restraint　which　may　come　under　consideration。　　And　though　the　system　I　shall　propose；　is　founded　upon　the　successful　experiments　made　at　Munich；　as　may　be　seen　by　comparing　it　with　the　details　of　that　Establishment；　yet；　as　a　difference　in　the　local　circumstances　under　which　an　operation　is　performed；　must　necessarily　require　certain　modifications　of　the　plan；　I　shall　endeavour　to　take　due　notice　of　every　modification　which　may　appear　to　me　to　be　necessary＇1＇。

Before　I　enter　upon　those　details；　it　may　be　proper　to　take　a　more　extensive　survey　of　the　subject；　and　investigate　the　general　and　fundamental　Principles　on　which　an　Establishment　for　the　Relief　of　the　Poor；　in　every　country；　ought　to　be　founded。　At　the　same　time　I　shall　consider　the　difficulties　which　are　generally　understood　to　be　inseparable　from　such　an　undertaking；　and　endeavour　to　show　that　they　are　by　no　means　insurmountable。

That　degree　of　poverty　which　involves　in　it　the　inability　to　procure　the　necessaries　of　life　without　the　charitable　assistance　of　the　Public；　is；　doubtless；　the　heaviest　of　all　misfortunes；　as　it　not　only　brings　along　with　it　the　greatest　physical　evils；　pain；and　disease；　but　is　attended　by　the　most　mortifying　humiliation；　and　hopeless　despondency。　　It　is；　moreover；　an　incurable　evil；　and　is　rather　irritated　than　alleviated　by　the　remedies　commonly　applied　to　remove　it。　　The　only　alleviation；　of　which　it　is　capable；　must　be　derived　from　the　kind　and　soothing　attentions　of　the　truly　benevolent。　This　is　the　only　balm　which　can　sooth　the　anguish　of　a　wounded　heart；　or　allay　the　agitations　of　a　mind　irritated　by　disappointment；　and　rendered　ferocious　by　despair。

And　hence　it　evidently　appears　that　no　body　of　laws；　however　wisely　framed；　can；　in　any　country；　effectually　provide　for　the　relief　of　the　Poor；　without　the　voluntary　assistance　of　individuals；　for　though　taxes　may　be　levied　by　authority　of　the　laws　for　the　support　of　the　Poor；　yet；　those　kind　attentions　which　are　so　necessary　in　the　management　of　the　Poor；　as　well　to　reclaim　the　vicious；　as　to　comfort　and　encourage　the　despondentthose　demonstrations　of　concern　which　are　always　so　great　a　consolation　to　persons　in　distresscannot　be　COMMANDED　BY　FORCE。　　On　the　contrary；　every　attempt　to　use　FORCE　in　such　cases；　seldom　fails　to　produce　consequences　directly　contrary　to　those　intended＇2＇。

But　if　the　only　effectual　relief　for　the　distress　of　the　Poor；　and　the　sovereign　remedy　for　the　numerous　evils　to　society　which　arise　from　the　　prevalence　of　mendicity；　indolence；　poverty；　and　misery；　among　the　lower　classes　of　society；　must　be　derived　from　the　charitable　and　voluntary　exertions　of　individuals；　as　the　assistance　of　the　Public　cannot　be　expected；　unless　the　most　unlimited　confidence　can　be　placed；　not　only　in　the　wisdom　of　the　measures　proposed；　but　also；　and　MORE　ESPECIALLY；　in　the　UPRIGHTNESS；　ZEAL；　and　PERFECT　DISINTERESTEDNESS　of　the　persons　appointed　to　carry　them　into　execution；　it　is　evident　that　the　first　object　to　be　attended　to；　in　forming　a　plan　of　providing　for　the　Poor；　is　to　make　such　arrangements　as　will　COMMAND　THE　CONFIDENCE　OF　THE　PUBLIC；　and　fix　it　upon　the　most　solid　and　durable　foundation。

This　can　most　certainly；　and　most　effectually　be　done；　first　by　engaging　persons　of　high　rank　and　　　the　most　respectable　character　to　place　themselves　　　at　the　head　of　the　Establishment：　secondly；　by　joining；　in　the　general　administration　of　the　　　affairs　of　the　Establishment；　a　certain　number　of　persons　chosen　　　from　the　middling　class　of　society；　reputable　tradesmen；　in　easy　　　circumstances；heads　of　families；and　others　of　known　integrity　　　and　of　humane　dispositions＇3＇：　thirdly；　by　engaging　all　those　who　are　employed　in　the　　　administration　of　the　affairs　of　the　Poor；　to　serve　without　fee　　　or　reward：　fourthly；　by　publishing；　at　stated　periods；　such　particula