vantageous would such a hospital prove to husbandry in particular! But I confine this hofpital to fervants who are fingle. Men who have a family will be better provided separately.

Of all the mifchiefs that have been engendered by over-anxiety about the poor, none have proved more fatal than a foundling-hofpital. They tend to cool affection for children, ftill more effectually than the English parish-charity. At every occafional pinch for food, away goes a child to the hofpital; and parental affection among the lower fort turns fo languid, that many who are in no pinch, relieve themfelves of trouble by the fame means. It is affirmed, that of the children born annually in Paris, about a third part are fent to the foundling-hofpital. The Paris almanack for the year 1768, mentions, that there were baptifed 18,576 infants, of whom the foundling - hofpital received 6025. The fame almanack for the year 1773 bears, that of 18518 children born and baptifed, 5989 were fent to the foundling-hofpital. The proportion originally was much lefs; but vice advances with a fwift pace. How enormous must be the degeneracy

degeneracy of the Parifian populace, and their want of parental affection!

Let us next turn to infants fhut. up in this hofpital. Of all animals, infants of the human race are the weakest: they require a mother's affection to guard them against numberlefs diseases and accidents; a wife appointment of Providence to connect parents and children in the stricteft union. In a foundling-hospital, there is no fond mother to watch over her tender babe; and the hireling nurse has no fondnefs but for her own little profit. Need we any other caufe for the deftruction of infants in a foundling - hofpital, much greater in proportion than of those under the care of a mother? And yet there is another caufe equally potent, which is corrupted air. What Mr Hanway obferves upon parish-workhoufes, is equally applicable to a foundling-hofpital. "To at

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tempt," fays he, " to nourish an infant "in a workhouse, where a number of "nurfes are congregated into one room, "and confequently the air become putrid, "I will pronounce, from intimate knowledge of the fubject, to be but a finall દ remove from flaughter; for the child 66 muft

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muft die." It is computed, that of the children in the London foundling-hofpital, the half do not live a year. It appears by an account given in to parliament, that the money bestow'd on that hofpital from its commencement till December 1757 amounted to L.166,000; and yet during that period, 105 perfons only were put out to do for themselves. Down then with foundling-hofpitals, more noxious than peftilence or famine. An infant exposed at the door of a dwelling-house, must be taken up but in that cafe, which feldom happens, the infant has a better chance for life with a hired nurse than in a hospital; and a chance perhaps little worse, bad as it is, than with an unnatural mother. I approve not indeed of a quarterly payment to fuch a nurse: would it not do better to furnish her bare maintenance for three years; and if the child be alive at the end of that time, to give her a handfome addition?

A house of correction is neceffary for good order; but belongs not to the prefent effay, which concerns maintenance of the poor, not punishment of vagrants. I fhall only by the way borrow a thought VOL. III. M from

Pu

from Fielding, that fafting is the proper punishment of profligacy, not any punishment that is attended with fhame. nishment, he obferves, that deprives a man of all fenfe of honour, never will contribute to make him virtuous.

Charity-fchools may have been
have been proper,

when few could read, and fewer write; but these arts are now fo common, that in most families children may be taught to read at home, and to write in a private school at little expence. Charity-schools at prefent are more hurtful than beneficial young perfons who continue there fo long as to read and write fluently, become too delicate for hard labour, and too proud for ordinary labour. Knowledge is a dangerous acquifition to the labouring poor the more of it that is poffeffed by a fhepherd, a ploughman, or any drudge, the less fatisfaction he will have in labour. The only plaufible argument for a charity-fchool, is, "That children

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of the labouring poor are taught there

હે the principles of religion and of mora

lity, which they cannot acquire at "home." The argument would be invincible, if without regular education we could

could have no knowledge of these principles. But Providence has not left man in a ftate fo imperfect: religion and morality are ftamped on his heart; and none can be ignorant of them, who attend to their own perceptions. Education is indeed of ufe to ripen fuch perceptions; and it is of fingular ufe to those who have time for reading and thinking; but education in a charity-school is fo flight, as to render it doubtful, whether it be not more hurtful by fostering laziness, than advantageous by conveying inftruction. The natural impreffions of religion and morality, if not obfcured by vitious habits, are fufficient for good conduct: preferve a man from vice by conftant labour, and he will not be deficient in his duty either to God or to man. Hefiod, an ancient and refpectable poet, fays, that God hath placed labour as a guard to virtue. More integrity accordingly will be found among a number of industrious poor, taken at random, than among the fame number in

any other clafs.

I heartily approve every regulation that tends to prevent idlenefs. Chief Justice Hale fays, "That prevention of poverty M 2

" and