the expence of maintenance, are increafing daily; proprietors of land, in order to be relieved of a burden fo grievous, drive the poor out of the parish, and prevent all perfons from fettling in it who are likely to become a burden: cottages are demolifhed, and marriage obftructed. Influenced by the prefent evil, they look not forward to depopulation, nor to the downfall of husbandry and manufactures by fcarcity of hands. Every parifh is in a state of war with every other parish, concerning pauper fettlements and removals *.

* In an address by Mr Greaves to both Houfes of Parliament there is the following paffage: "It happens to be the mistaken policy of moft of our 66 very wife parish-officers, that as foon as a young 66 man is married, a ftate of life which is the moft

likely to make him a good member of fociety, to "endeavour to get him removed to the place of "his legal fettlement, out of pretence that he may "foon have a family, which may poffibly bring a "charge upon the parish. Young men, intimidated "by frequent examples of fuch cruel treatment, are "unwilling to marry; and this leads them fre"quently to debauch young women, and then leave "them with child in a very helpless condition. "Thus they get into an unfettled and debauched "way of life, acquire a habit of idleness, and be་ come a burden upon the public."

VOL. III.

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At

At an average, England by its various products can maintain more than its prefent inhabitants. How comes it then that it is not more populous, according to the noted obfervation, that where-ever there is food men will be found? I can difcover no caufe but the poor's rates, which make the people thoughtlefs and idle. Idleness begets profligacy; and the profligate avoid loading themselves with wives and children.

In

The price of labour is generally the fame in the different fhires of Scotland, and in the different parifhes. A few exceptions are occafioned by the neighbourhood of a great town, or by fome extensive manufacture that requires many hands. Scotland, the price of labour resembles water, which always levels itfelf: if high in any one corner, an influx of hands brings it down. The price of labour varies in every parish of England: a labourer who has gain'd a fettlement in a parifh, on which he depends for bread when he inclines to be idle, dares not remove to another parish where wages are higher, fearing to be cut out of a fettlement altogether. England is in the fame condition

with refpect to labour, that France lately was with refpect to corn; which, however plentiful in one province, could not be exported to fupply the wants of another. The pernicious effect of the latter with respect to food, are not more obvious, than of the former with refpect to manufac

tures.

English manufactures labour under a still greater hardship than inequality of wages. In a country where there is no fund for the poor but what nature provides, the labourer must be fatisfied with fuch wages as are cuftomary: he has no refource; for pity is not moved by idlenefs. In England, the labourers command the market: if not fatisfied with customary wages, they have a tempting refource; which is, to abandon work altogether, and to put themfelves on the parifh. Labour is much cheaper in France than in England: feveral plaufible reasons have been affigned; but in my judgement, the difference arifes from the poor-laws. In England, every man is entitled to be idle; because every idler is entitled to a maintenance. In France, the fund allotted for the poor, yield the fame fum annually:

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nually that fum is always preoccupied; and France, with refpect to all but thofe on the lift, is a nation that has no fund provided by law for the poor.

Depopulation, inequality in the price of labour, and extravagant wages, are deplorable evils. But the English poor laws are productive of evils ftill more deplo rable: they are fubverfive both of morality and industry. This is a heavy charge, but no lefs true than heavy. Fear of want is the only effectual motive to industry with the labouring poor: remove that fear, and they ceafe to be induftrious. The ruling paffion of thofe who live by bodily labour, is to fave a pittance for their children, and for fupporting themfelves in old age: ftimulated by defire of accomplishing thefe ends, they are frugal and industrious; and the profpect of fuccefs is to them a continual feaft. Now, what worfe can malice invent against such a man, under colour of friendship, than to fecure bread to him and his children whenever he takes a diflike to work; which effectually deadens his fole ambition, and with his honeft induftry? Relying on the certainty of a provifion against want,

he

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he relaxes gradually till he finks into idlenefs: idleness leads to profligacy: profligacy begets difeafes: and the wretch becomes an object of public charity before he has run half his courfe. Such are the genuine effects of the English tax for the poor, under a mistaken notion of charity. There never was known in any country, a fcheme for the poor more contradictory to found policy. Might it not have been foreseen, that to a groveling creature, who has no sense of honour and scarce any of flame, the certainty of maintenance would prove an irresistible temptation to idleness and debauchery? The poor-house at Lyons contained originally but forty beds, of which twenty only were occupied. The eight hundred beds it contains at present, are not fufficient for thofe who demand admittance. A premium is not more fuccessful in any cafe, than where given to promote idleness*. A house for the poor

was

* A London alderman named Harper, who was cotemporary with James I. or his fon Charles, bequeathed ten or twelve acres of meadow-ground in the parish of St Andrew's, Holborn, London, for the benefit of the poor in the town of Bedford.