essays-1-第2章

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。　　When　they　did　their　duty　in　their　regiments；　by　mounting　guard　regularly　according　to　their　tour　（which　commonly　was　every　fourth　day；）　and　only　worked　those　days　they　happened　to　be　off　guard；　in　that　case；　they　received　their　full　pay；　but　when　they　were　excused　from　regimental　duty；　and　permitted　to　work　every　day　for　their　own　emolument；　their　pay　（at　five　creutzers　per　day；）　was　stopped；　but　they　were　still　permitted　to　receive　their　bread；　and　to　lodge　in　the　barracks。

In　all　public　works；　such　as　making　and　repairing　highways；　draining　marshes；repairing　the　banks　of　rivers；　etc。　soldiers　were　employed　as　labourers；　and　in　all　such　cases；　the　greatest　care　was　taken　to　provide　for　their　comfortable　subsistence；　and　even　for　their　amusement。　　Good　lodgings　were　prepared　for　them；　and　good　and　wholesome　food；　at　a　reasonable　price；　and　the　greatest　care　was　taken　of　them　when　they　happened　to　fall　sick。

Frequently；　when　considerable　numbers　of　them　were　at　work　together；　a　band　of　music　was　ordered　to　play　to　them　while　at　work；　and　on　holidays　they　were　permitted；　and　even　encouraged；　to　make　merry；　with　dancing　and　other　innocent　sports　and　amusements。

To　preserve　good　order　and　harmony　among　those　who　were　detached　upon　these　working　parties；　a　certain　proportion　of　officers　and　non…commissioned　officers　were　always　sent　with　them；　and　those　commonly　served　as　overseers　of　the　works；　and　as　such　were　paid。

Besides　this　permission　to　work　for　hire　in　the　garrison　towns；　and　upon　detached　working　parties；　which　was　readily　granted　to　all　those　who　desired　it；　or　at　least　to　as　many　as　could　possibly　be　spared　from　the　necessary　service　of　the　garrison；　every　facility　and　encouragement　was　given　to　the　soldier　who　was　a　native　of　the　country；　and　who　had　a　family　of　friends　to　go　to；　or　private　concerns　to　take　care　of；　to　go　home　on　furlough；　and　to　remain　absent　from　his　regiment　from　one　annual　exercise　to　the　other；　that　is　to　say；　ten　months　and　a　half　each　year。　This　arrangement　was　very　advantageous　to　the　agriculture　and　manufactures；　and　even　to　the　population　of　the　country；　（for　the　soldiers　were　allowed　to　marry；）　and　served　not　a　little　to　the　establishment　of　harmony　and　a　friendly　intercourse　between　the　soldiers　and　the　peasantry；　and　to　facilitate　recruiting。

Another　measure　which　tended　much　to　render　the　situation　of　the　soldier　pleasant　and　agreeable；　and　to　facilitate　the　recruiting　service；　was　the　rendering　the　garrisons　of　the　regiments　permanent。　This　measure　might　not　be　advisable　in　a　despotic；　or　odious　government；　for　where　the　authority　of　the　Sovereign　must　be　supported　by　the　terror　of　arms；　all　habits　of　social　intercourse　and　friendship　between　the　soldiers　and　the　subjects　must　be　dangerous；　but　in　all　well…regulated　governments；　such　friendly　intercourse　is　attended　with　many　advantages。

A　peasant　would　more　readily　consent　to　his　son's　engaging　himself　to　serve　as　a　soldier　in　a　regiment　permanently　stationed　in　his　neighbourhood；　than　in　one　at　a　great　distance；　or　whose　destination　was　uncertain；　and　when　the　station　of　a　regiment　is　permanent；　and　it　receives　its　recruits　from　the　district　of　country　immediately　surrounding　its　head…quarters；　the　men　who　go　home　on　furlough　have　but　a　short　journey　to　make；　and　are　easily　assembled　in　case　of　any　emergency；　and　it　was　the　more　necessary　to　give　every　facility　to　the　soldiers　to　go　home　on　furlough　in　Bavaria；　as　labourers　are　so　very　scarce　in　that　country　that　the　husbandman　would　not　be　able　without　them　to　cultivate　his　ground。

The　habits　of　industry　and　of　order　which　the　soldier　acquired　when　in　garrison；　rendered　him　so　much　the　more　useful　as　a　labourer　when　on　furlough；　but　not　contented　with　merely　furnishing　labours　for　the　assistance　of　the　husbandman；　I　was　desirous　of　making　use　of　the　army；　as　a　means　of　introducing　useful　improvements　into　the　country。

Though　agriculture　is　carried　to　the　highest　perfection　in　some　parts　of　the　Elector's　dominions；　yet　in　others；　and　particularly　in　Bavaria；　it　is　still　much　behind…hand。　　Very　few　of　the　new　improvements　in　that　art；　such　as　the　introduction　of　new　and　useful　plantsthe　cultivation　of　clover　and　of　turnipsthe　regular　succession　of　crops；　etc。　　have　yet　found　their　way　into　general　practice　in　that　country；　and　even　the　potatoe；　that　most　useful　of　all　the　products　of　the　ground；　is　scarcely　known　there。

It　was　principally　with　a　view　to　introduce　the　culture　of　potatoes　in　that　country　that　the　military　gardens　were　formed。　These　gardens　（of　which　there　is　one　in　every　garrison　belonging　to　the　Elector's　dominion；　Dusseldorf　and　Amberg　only　excepted＇3＇）　are　pieces　of　ground；　in；　or　adjoining　to　the　garrison　towns；　which　are　regularly　laid　out；　and　exclusively　appropriated　to　the　use　of　the　non…commissioned　officers　and　private　soldiers　belonging　to　the　regiments　in　garrison。　The　ground　is　regularly　divided　into　districts　of　regiments；　battalions；　companies；　and　corporalities　（corporalschafts；）　of　which　last　divisions　there　are　four　to　each　company；　and　the　quantity　of　ground　allotted　to　each　corporality　is　such　that　each　man　belonging　to　it；　whether　non…commissioned　officer　or　private；　has　a　bed　365　square　feet　in　superficies。

This　piece　of　ground　remains　his　sole　property　as　long　as　he　continues　to　serve　in　the　regiment；　and　he　is　at　full　liberty　to　cultivate　it　in　any　way；　and　to　dispose　of　the　produce　of　it　in　any　manner　he　may　think　proper。　　He　must　however　cultivate　it；　and　plant　it；　and　keep　it　neat　and　free　from　weeds；　otherwise；　if　he　should　be　idle；　and　neglect　it；　it　would　be　taken　from　him　and　given　to　one　of　his　more　industrious　comrades。

The　divisions　of　these　military　gardens　are　marked　by　broader　and　smaller　alleys；　covered　with　gravel；　and　neatly　kept；　and　in　order　that　every　one　who　chooses　it；　may　be　a　spectator　of　this　interesting　scene　of　industry；　all　the　principal　alleys；　which　are　made　large　for　that　purpose；　are　always　open　as　a　public　walk。　　The　effect　which　this　establishment　has　already　produced　in　the　short　time　（little　more　than　five　years）　since　it　was　begun；　is　very　striking；　and　much　greater　and　more　important　than　I　could　have　expected。

The　soldiers；　from　being　the　most　indolent　of　mortals；　and　from　having　very　little　knowledge　of　gardening；　or　of　the　produce　of　a　garden；　for　use；　are　now　becoming　industrious　and　skilful　cultivators；　and　they　are　grown　so　fond　of　vegetables；　particularly　of　potatoes；　which　they　raise　in　great　quantities；　that　these　useful　and　wholesome　productions　now　constitutes　a　very　essential　part　of　their　daily　food。　　And　these　improvements　are　also　spreading　very　fast　among　the　farmers　and　peasants；　throughout　the　whole　country。　　There　is　hardly　a　soldier　that　goes　on　furlough；　or　that　returns　home　at　the　expiration　of　his　time　of　service；　that　does　not　carry　with　him　a　few　potatoes　for　planting；　and　a　little　collection　of　garden…seeds；　and　I　have　no　doubt　but　in　a　very　few　years　we　shall　see　potatoes　as　much　cultivated　in　Bavaria　as　in　other　countries；　and　that　the　use　of　vegetables　for　food　will　be　generally　introduced　among　the　common　people。　　I　have　already　had　the　satisfaction　to　see　little　gardens　here　and　there　making　their　appearance；　in　different　parts　of　the　country；　and　I　hope　that　very　soon　no　farmer's　house　will　be　found　without　one。

To　assist　the　soldiers　in　the　cultivation　of　their　gardens；　they　are　furnished　with　garden　utensils　gratis；　they　are　likewise　furnished　from　time　to　time　with　a　certain　quantity　of　manure；　and　with　an　assortment　of　garden…feeds；　but　they　do　not　rely　solely　upon　these　supplies；　those　who　are　industrious　collect　materials　in　their　barracks；　and　in　the　streets；　for　making　manure；　and　even　sometimes　purchase　it；　and　they　raise　in　their　own　gardens　most　of　the　garden…seeds　they　stand　in　need　of。　To　enable　them　to　avail　themselves　of　their　gardens　as　early　in　the　spring　as　possible；　in　supplying　their　tables　with　green　vegetables；　each　company　is　furnished　with　a　hot…bed　for　raising　early　plants。

To　attach　the　soldiers　more　strongly　to　these　their　little　possessions；　by　increasing　their　comfort　and　convenience　in　the　cultivation　and　enjoyment　of　them；　a　number　of　little　summer…houses；　or　rather　huts；　one　to　each　company；　have　been　erected　for　the　purpose　of　shelter；　where　they　can　retire　when　it　rains；　or　when　they　are　fatigued。

All　the　officers　of　the　regiments；　from　the　highest　to　the　lowest；　are　ordered　to　give　the　men　every　assistance　in　the　cultivation　of　these　their　gardens；　but　they　are　forbidden；　upon　pain　of　the　severest　punishment；　to　appropriate　to　themselves　any　part　of　the　produce　of　them；　or　even　to　receive　any　part　of　it　in　presents。


CHAPTER。　I。

　Of　the　prevalence　of　mendicity　in　Bavaria　at　the　time　when　the　　　　measures　for　putting　an　end　to　it　were　adopted。

Among　the　various　measures　that　occurred　to　me　by　which　the　military　establishment　of　the　country　might　be　made　subservient　to　the　public　good　in　time　of　peace；　none　appeared　to　be　of　so　much　importance　as　that　of　employing　the　army　in　clearing　the　country　of　beggers；　thieves　and　other　vagabonds；　and　in　watching　over　the　public　tranquillity。

But　in　order　to　clear　the　country　of　beggers；　（the　number　of　whom　in　Bavaria　had　become　quite　intolerable；）　it　was　necessary　to　adopt　general　and　efficacious　measures　for　maintaining　and　supporting　the　Poor。　　Laws　were　not　wanting　to　oblige　each　community　in　the　country　to　provide　for　its　own　Poor；　but　these　laws　had　been　so　long　neglected；　and　beggary　had　become　so　general；　that　extraordinary　measures；　and　the　most　indefatigable　exertions；　were　necessary　to　put　a　stop　to　this　evil。　　The　number　of　itinerant　beggars；　of　both　sexes；　and　all　ages；　as　well　foreigners　as　natives；　who　strolled　about　the　country　in　all　directions。　　levying　contributions　from　the　industrious　inhabitants；　stealing　and　robbing；　and　leading　a　life　of　indolence；　and　the　most　shameless　debauchery；　was　quite　incredible；　and　so　numerous　were　the　swarms　of　beggars　in　all　the　great　towns；　and　particularly　in　the　capital；　so　great　their　impudence；　and　so　persevering　their　importunity；　that　it　was　almost　impossible　to　cross　the　streets　without　being　attacked；　and　absolutely　forced　to　satisfy　their　clamorous　demands。　And　these　beggars　were　in　general　by　no　means　such　as　from　age　or　bodily　infirmities　were　unable　by　their　labour　to　earn　their　livelihood；　but　they　were　for　the　most　part；　stout；　strong；　healthy；　　sturdy　beggars；　who；　lost　to　every　sense　of　shame；　had　embraced　the　profession　from　choice；　not　necessity；　and　who；　not　unfrequently；　added　insolence　and　threats　to　their　importunity；　and　extorted　that　from　fear；　which　they　could　not　procure　by　their　arts　of　dissimulation。

These　beggars　not　only　infested　all　the　streets；　public　walks；　and　public　places；　but　they　even　made　a　practice　of　going　into　private　houses；　where　they　never　failed　to　steal　whatever　fell　in　their　way；　if　they　found　the　doors　open；　and　nobody　at　home；　and　the　churches　were　so　full　of　them　that　it　was　quite　a　nuisance；　and　a　public　scandal　during　the　performance　of　divine　service。　People　at　their　devotions　were　continually　interrupted　by　them；　and　were　frequently　obliged　to　satisfy　their　de