lary is due to him, if any beggar be found. frolling 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 themselves.

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 parith 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 circumftances of the poor are not fo well known as in country-parishes, the following variation is propofed. Inftead of landholders, who are proper in country-parifhes; let there be in each town-parish a ftanding committee chofen by the proprictors of houfes, the third part to be changed annually. This committee with the

minifter,

minifter, make up a lift of fuch as deferve charity, adding an eftimate 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 promised by each householder, must be affixed on the principal door of the parifh-church, to honour the contributors, and to inform the poor of the provision made for them. Some fuch mode may probably be effectual, without tranfgreffing the bounds of voluntary charity. But if any one obstinately refuse to contribute after several applications, the committee at their difcretion may tax him. If it be the poffeffor who declines contributing, the tax must be laid upon him, reserving relief against his landlord.

In great towns, the poor, who ought to be prohibited from begging, are less known than in country-parifhes: 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-pa

rishes.

rishes. Both defects would be remedied by the plan above proposed: it will bring to light, in great cities, the poor who deserve charity; and it will bring to light every person who with-holds charity.

In every regulation for the poor, English and Scotch, it is taken for granted, that the poor are to be maintained in their own houfes. Parochial 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-houfes in every part of England. Yet whether they ought to be preferred to the accustomed mode, deferves ferious confideration. The erection and management of a poor-house are expensive 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 lefs 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

But the cafes are not parallel. Soldiers, having the management of their pay, can club for a bit of meat. But as the inhabitants of a poor-house are maintained by the public, the fame quantity of provisions must be allotted to each; as there can be no good rule for feparating those who eat much from thofe who eat little. The confequence is what may be expected: the bulk of them reserve 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 seriously, where the profit accrues to the public, not to themselves. Hunger is the only effectual means for compelling fuch persons to work.

Where the poor are fupported in their own houses, 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, because they work for themfelves; and a weekly fum of charity under their own management, will turn to better account, than in a poor-house, under the direction of mercenaries.

cenaries. The quantity of food for health depends greatly on cuftom. Bufb quius obferves, that the Turks eat very little flefl-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 higheft 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 easy. Negroes are maintained in the West Indies at a very small expence. A bit of ground is allotted to them for railing vegetables, which they cultivate on Sunday, being employed all the rest of the week in labouring for their masters. They receive a weekly allowance of dry'd fish, about a pound and a half; and their only drink is water. Yet by vegetables and water with a morfel of dry'd fish, these 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 fup

ported