essays-1-第23章

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orms　or　blanks　similar　to　those　made　use　of　at　Munich；　and　these　printed　forms　will　likewise　contribute　very　essentially　to　preserve　order　and　to　facilitate　business；　in　the　management　of　a　private　as　well　as　of　a　public　charity；as　also　to　prevent　the　effects　of　misrepresentation　and　partiality　on　the　part　of　those　who　must　necessarily　be　employed　in　these　details。

Convenient　forms　or　models　for　these　blanks　will　be　given　in　the　Appendix　to　this　volume。

At　this　meeting；　measures　may　be　taken　for　numbering　all　the　houses　in　the　village　or　district；　and　for　setting　on　foot　private　subscriptions　among　the　inhabitants　for　carrying　the　proposed　scheme　into　execution。

Those　who　are　invited　to　subscribed　should　be　made　acquainted；　by　a　printed　address　accompanying　the　subscription　lists；　with　the　nature；　extent；　and　tendency　of　the　measures　adopted；　and　should　be　assured　that；　as　soon　as　the　undertaking　shall　be　completed；　the　Poor　will　not　only　be　relieved；　and　their　situation　made　more　comfortable；　but　　mendicity　will　be　effectually　prevented；　and　at　the　same　time　the　Poor's　rates；　or　the　expense　to　the　public　for　the　support　of　the　Poor；　very　considerably　lessened。

These　assurances；　which　will　be　the　strongest　inducements　that　can　be　used　to　prevail　on　the　inhabitants　of　all　descriptions　to　enter　warmly　into　the　scheme；　and　assist　with　alacrity　in　carrying　it　into　execution；　should　be　expressed　in　the　strongest　terms；　and　all　persons　of　every　denomination；　young　and　old；　and　of　both　sexes；　（paupers　only　excepted；）　should　be　invited　to　put　down　their　names　in　the　subscription　lists；　and　this　even；　HOWEVER　SMALL　THE　SUMS　MAY　BE　WHICH　THEY　ARE　ABLE　TO　CONTRIBUTE。　Although　the　sums　which　day…labourers；　servants；　and　other　in　indigent　circumstances　may　be　able　to　contribute；　may　be　very　trifling；　yet　there　is　one　important　reason　why　they　ought　always　to　be　engaged　to　put　down　their　names　upon　the　lists　as　subscribers；　and　that　is　the　goods　effects　which　their　taking　an　active　part　in　the　undertaking　will　probably　produce　ON　THEMSELVES。Nothing　tends　more　to　mend　the　heart；　and　awaken　in　the　mind　a　regard　for　character；　than　acts　of　charity　and　benevolence；　and　any　person　who　has　once　felt　that　honest　pride　and　satisfaction　which　result　from　a　consciousness　of　having　been　instrumental　in　doing　good　by　relieving　the　wants　of　the　Poor；　will　be　rendered　doubly　careful　to　avoid　the　humiliation　of　becoming　himself　an　object　of　public　charity。

It　was　a　consideration　of　these　salutary　effects；　which　may　always　be　expected　to　be　produced　upon　the　minds　of　those　who　take　an　active　and　VOLUNTARY　part　in　the　measures　adopted　for　the　relief　of　the　Poor；　that　made　me　prefer　voluntary　subscriptions；　to　taxes；　in　raising　the　sums　necessary　for　the　support　of　the　Poor；　and　all　the　experience　I　have　had　in　these　matters　has　tended　to　confirm　me　in　the　opinion　I　have　always　had　of　their　superior　utility；Not　only　day…labourers　and　domestic　servants；　but　their　young　children；　and　all　the　children　of　the　nobility　and　other　inhabitants　of　Munich；　and　even　the　non…commissioned　officers　and　private　soldiers　of　the　regiments　in　garrison　in　that　city；　were　invited　to　contribute　to　the　support　of　the　institution　for　the　Poor；　and　there　are　very　few　indeed　of　any　age　or　condition　（paupers　only　excepted）　whose　names　are　not　to　be　found　on　the　lists　of　subscribers。

The　subscriptions　at　Munich　are　by　families；　as　has　elsewhere　been　observed；　and　this　method　I　would　recommend　in　the　case　under　consideration；　and　in　all　others。The　head　of　the　family　takes　the　trouble　to　collect　all　the　sums　subscribed　upon　his　family　list；　and　to　pay　them　into　the　hands　of　those　who　（on　the　part　of　the　institution）　are　sent　round　on　the　first　Sunday　morning　of　every　month　to　receive　them；　but　the　names　of　all　the　individuals　who　compose　the　family　are　entered　on　the　list　at　full　length；　with　the　sum　each　contributes。

Two　lists　of　the　same　tenor　must　be　made　out　for　each　family；　one　of　which　must　be　kept　by　the　head　of　the　family　for　his　information　and　direction；　and　the　other　sent　in　to　those　who　have　the　general　direction　of　the　Establishment。

These　subscription…lists　should　be　printed；　and　they　should　be　carried　round　and　left　with　the　heads　of　families；　either　by　the　person　himself　who　undertakes　to　form　the　Establishment；　（which　will　always　be　best；）　or　at　least　by　his　steward；　or　some　other　person　of　some　consequence　belonging　to　his　household。　Forms　or　models　for　these　lists　may　be　seen　in　the　Appendix。

When　these　lists　are　returned；　the　person　who　has　undertaken　to　form　the　Establishment　will　see　what　pecuniary　assistance　he　is　to　expect；　and　he　will　either　arrange　his　plan；　or　determine　the　sum　he　may　think　proper　to　contribute　himself；　according　to　that　amount。He　will　likewise　consider　how　far　it　will　be　possible　and　ADVISABLE　to　connect　his　scheme　with　any　Establishment　for　the　relief　of　the　Poor　already　existing；　or　to　act　in　concert　with　those　in　whose　hands　the　management　of　the　Poor　is　vested　by　the　laws。These　circumstances　are　all　important；　and　the　manner　of　proceeding　in　carrying　the　proposed　scheme　into　execution　must；　in　a　great　measure；　be　determined　by　them。　　Nothing；　however；　can　prevent　the　undertaking　from　being　finally　successful；　provided　the　means　used　for　making　it　so　are　adopted　with　caution；　and　pursued　with　perseverance。

However　adverse　those　may　be　to　the　scheme　who；　were　they　well　disposed；　could　most　effectually　contribute　to　its　successyet　no　opposition　which　can　be　given　to　it　by　INTERESTED　PERSONS；　such　as　find　means　to　derive　profit　to　themselves　in　the　administration　of　the　affairs　of　the　Poor；no　opposition；　I　say；　from　such　persons；　（and　none　surely　but　these　can　ever　be　desirous　of　opposing　it；）　can　prevent　the　success　of　a　measure　so　evidently　calculated　to　increase　the　comforts　and　enjoyments　of　the　Poor；　and　to　promote　the　general　good　of　society。

If　the　overseers　of　the　Poor；　and　other　parish　officers；　and　a　large　majority　of　the　principal　inhabitants；　could　be　made　to　enter　warmly　into　the　scheme；　it　might；　and　certainly　would；　in　many　cases；　be　possible；　even　without　any　new　laws　or　acts　of　parliament　being　necessary　to　authorize　the　undertaking；　to　substitute　the　arrangements　　proposed　in　the　place　of　the　old　method　of　providing　for　the　Poor；abolishing　entirely；　or　in　so　far　as　it　should　be　found　necessary；the　old　system；　and　carrying　the　scheme　proposed　into　execution　as　a　GENERAL　MEASURE。

In　all　cases　where　this　can　be　effected；　it　ought　certainly　to　be　preferred　to　any　private　or　less　general　institution；　and　individuals；　who；　by　their　exertions；　are　instrumental　in　bringing　about　so　useful　a　change；　will　render　a　very　essential　service　to　society：But　even　in　cases　where　it　would　not　be　possible　to　carry　the　scheme　proposed　into　execution　in　its　fullest　extent；　much　good　may　be　done　by　individuals　in　affluent　circumstances　to　the　Poor；　by　forming　PRIVATE　ESTABLISHMENTS　for　feeding　them　and　giving　them　employment。

Much　relief　may　likewise　be　afforded　them　by　laying　in　a　large　stock　of　fuel；　purchased　when　it　is　cheap；　and　retailing　it　out　to　them　in　small　quantities；　in　times　of　scarcity；　at　the　prime　cost。

It　is　hardly　to　be　believed　how　much　the　Poor　of　Munich　have　been　benefited　by　the　Establishment　of　the　Wood…magazine；　from　whence　they　are　furnished　in　winter；　during　the　severe　frosts；　with　fire…wood　at　the　price　it　costs　when　purchased　in　summer；　in　large　quantities；　and　at　the　cheapest　rate。　And　this　arrangement　may　easily　be　adopted　in　all　countries；　and　by　private　individuals　as　well　as　by　communities。　　Stores　may　likewise　be　laid　in　of　potatoes；　peas；　beans；　and　other　articles　of　food；　to　be　distributed　to　the　Poor　in　like　manner；　in　small　quantities；　and　at　low　prices；　which　will　be　a　great　relief　to　them　in　times　of　scarcity。　　It　will　hardly　be　necessary　for　me　to　observe；　that　in　administering　this　kind　of　relief　to　the　Poor　it　will　often　be　necessary　to　take　precautions　to　prevent　abuses。

Another　way　in　which　private　individuals　may　greatly　assist　the　Poor；　is；　by　showing　them　how　they　may　make　themselves　more　comfortable　in　their　dwellings。　Nothing　is　more　perfectly　miserable　and　comfortless　than　the　domestic　arrangement　of　poor　families　in　general；　they　seem　to　have　no　idea　whatever　of　order　or　economy　in　any　thing；　and　every　thing　about　them　is　dreary；　sad；　and　neglected；　in　the　extreme。　　A　little　attention　to　order　and　arrangement　would　contribute　greatly　to　their　comfort　and　conveniences；　and　also　to　economy。　　They　ought　in　particular　to　be　shown　how　to　keep　their　habitations　warm　in　winter；　and　to　economise　fuel；　as　well　in　heating　their　rooms；　as　in　cooking；　washing；　etc。

It　is　not　to　be　believed　what　the　waste　of　fuel　really　is；　in　the　various　processes　in　which　it　is　employed　in　the　economy　of　human　life；　and　in　no　case　is　this　waste　greater　than　in　the　domestic　management　of　the　Poor。　　Their　fire…places　are　in　general　constructed　upon　the　most　wretched　principles；　and　the　fuel　they　consume　in　them；　instead　of　heating　their　rooms；　not　unfrequently　renders　them　really　colder；　and　more　uncomfortable；　by　causing　strong　currents　of　cold　air　to　flow　in　from　all　the　doors　and　windows　to　the　chimney。　　This　imperfection　of　their　fire…places　may　be　effectually　remedied；these　currents　of　cold　air　prevented；above　half　their　fuel　saved；and　their　dwellings　made　infinitely　more　comfortable；　merely　by　diminishing　their　fire…places；　and　the　throats　of　their　chimnies　just　above　the　mantle…piece；　which　may　be　done　as　a　very　every　trifling　expence；　with　a　few　bricks；　or　stones；　and　a　little　mortar；　by　the　most　ordinary　bricklayer。　And　with　regard　to　the　expence　of　fuel　for　cooking；　so　simple　a　contrivance　as　an　earthen　pot；　broad　at　top；　for　receiving　a　stew…pan；　or　kettle；　and　narrow　at　bottom；　with　holes　through　its　sides　near　the　bottom；　for　letting　in　air　under　a　small　circular　iron　grate；　and　other　small　holes　near　the　top　for　letting　out　the　smoke；　may　be　introduced　with　great　advantage。　By　making　use　of　this　little　portable　furnace；　（which　is　equally　well　adapted　to　burn　wood；　or　coals。）one　eighth　part　of　the　fuel　will　be　sufficient　for　cooking；　which　would　be　required　were　the　kettle　to　be　boiled　over　an　open　fire。To　strengthen　this　portable　furnace；　it　may　be　hooped　with　iron　hoops；　or　bound　round　with　strong　iron　wire：but　I　forget　that　I　am　anticipating　the　subject　of　a　future　Essay。

Much　good　may　also　be　done　to　the　Poor　by　teaching　them　how　to　prepare　various　kinds　of　cheap　and　wholesome　food；　and　to　render　them　savoury　and　palatable。The　art　of　cookery；　notwithstanding　its　infinite　importance　to　mankind；　has　hitherto　been　little　studied；　and　among　the　more　indigent　classes　of　society；　where　it　is　most　necessary　to　cultivate　it；　it　seems　to　have　been　most　neglected。No　present　that　could　be　made　to　a　poor　family　could　be　of　more　essential　service　to　them　than　a　thin；　light　stew…pan；　with　its　cover；　made　of　wrought；　or　cast　iron；　and　fitted　to　a　portable　furnace；　or　close　fire…place；　constructed　to　save　fuel；　with　two　or　three　approved　receipts　for　making　nourishing　and　savoury　soups　and　broths　at　a　small　expence。

Such　a　present　might　alone　be　sufficient　to　relieve　a　poor　family　from　all　t