essays-1-第24章

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　at　a　small　expence。

Such　a　present　might　alone　be　sufficient　to　relieve　a　poor　family　from　all　their　distresses；　and　make　them　permanently　comfortable；　for　the　expences　of　a　poor　family　for　food　might；　I　am　persuaded；　in　most　cases　be　diminished　ONE　HALF　by　a　proper　attention　to　cookery；　and　to　the　economy　of　fuel；　and　the　change　in　the　circumstances　of　such　a　family；　which　would　be　produced　by　reducing　their　expenses　for　food　to　one　half　what　it　was　before；　is　easier　to　be　conceived　than　described。

It　would　hardly　fail　to　re…animate　the　courage　of　the　most　desponding；to　cheer　their　drooping　spirits；　and　stimulate　them　to　fresh　exertions　in　the　pursuits　of　useful　industry。

As　the　only　effectual　means　of　putting　an　end　to　the　sufferings　of　the　Poor　is　the　introduction　of　a　spirit　of　industry　among　them；　individuals　should　never　lose　sight　of　that　great　and　important　object；　in　all　the　measures　they　may　adopt　to　relieve　them。But　in　endeavouring　to　make　the　Poor　industrious；　the　utmost　caution　will　be　necessary　to　prevent　their　being　disgusted。Their　minds　are　commonly　in　a　state　of　great　irritation；　the　natural　consequences　of　their　sufferings；　and　of　their　hopeless　situation；　and　their　suspicions　of　every　body　about　them；　and　particularly　of　those　who　are　set　over　them；　are　so　deeply　rooted　that　it　is　sometimes　extremely　difficult　to　sooth　and　calm　the　agitation　of　their　minds；　and　gain　their　confidence。　This　can　be　soonest　and　most　effectually　done　by　kind　and　gentle　usage；　and　I　am　clearly　of　opinion　that　no　other　means　should　ever　be　used；　except　it　be　with　such　hardened　and　incorrigible　wretches　as　are　not　to　be　reclaimed　by　any　means；　but　of　these；　I　believe；　there　are　very　few　indeed。I　have　never　yet　found　one；　in　all　the　course　of　my　experience　in　taking　care　of　the　Poor。

We　have　sometimes　been　obliged　to　threaten　the　most　idle　and　profligate　with　the　house　of　correction；　but　these　threats；　added　to　the　fear　of　being　banished　from　the　House　of　Industry；　which　has　always　been　held　up　and　considered　as　the　greatest　punishment；　have　commonly　been　sufficient　for　keeping　the　unruly　in　order。

If　the　force　of　example　is　irresistible　in　debauching　men's　minds；　and　leading　them　into　profligate　and　vicious　courses；　it　is　not　less　so　in　reclaiming　them；　and　rendering　them　orderly；　docile；　and　　industrious；　and　hence　the　infinite　importance　of　collecting　the　Poor　together　in　Public　Establishments；　where　every　thing　about　them　is　animated　by　unaffected　cheerfulness；　and　by　that　pleasing　gaiety；　and　air　of　content　and　satisfaction；　which　always　enliven　the　busy　scenes　of　useful　industry。

I　do　not　believe　it　would　be　possible　for　any　person　to　be　idle　in　the　House　of　Industry　at　Munich。　　I　never　saw　any　one　idle；　often　as　I　have　passed　through　the　working…rooms；　nor　did　I　ever　see　any　one　to　whom　the　employments　of　industry　seemed　to　be　painful　or　irksome。

Those　who　are　collected　together　in　the　public　rooms　destined　for　the　reception　and　accommodation　of　the　Poor　in　the　day…time；　will　not　need　to　be　forced；　nor　even　urged　to　work；if　there　are　in　the　room　several　persons　who　are　busily　employed　in　the　cheerful　occupations　of　industry；　and　if　implements　and　materials　for　working　are　at　hand；　all　the　others　present　will　not　fail　to　be　soon　drawn　into　the　vortex；　and　joining　with　alacrity　in　the　active　scene；　their　dislike　to　labour　will　be　forgotten；　and　they　will　become　by　habit　truly　and　permanently　industrious。

Such　is　the　irresistible　power　of　example！Those　who　know　how　to　manage　this　mighty　engine　and　have　opportunities　of　employing　it　with　effect；　may　produce　the　most　miraculous　changes；　in　the　manners；　disposition；　and　character；　even　of　whole　nations。

In　furnishing　raw　materials　to　the　Poor　to　work；　it　will　be　necessary　to　use　many　precautions　to　prevent　frauds　and　abuses；　not　only　on　the　part　of　the　Poor；　who　are　often　but　too　much　disposed　to　cheat　and　deceive　whenever　they　find　opportunities；　but　also　on　the　part　of　those　employed　in　the　details　of　this　business：but　the　fullest　　information　having　already　been　given　in　my　First　Essay；　of　all　the　various　precautions　it　had　been　found　necessary　to　take　for　the　purposes　in　question　in　the　House　of　Industry　at　Munich；　it　is　not　necessary　for　me　to　enlarge　upon　the　subject　in　this　place；　or　to　repeat　what　has　already　been　said　upon　it　elsewhere。

With　regard　to　the　manner　in　which　good　and　wholesome　food　for　feeding　the　Poor　may　be　prepared　in　a　public　kitchen；　at　a　cheap　rate；　I　must　refer　my　reader　to　my　Essay　on　Food；　where　he　will　find　all　the　information　on　that　subject　which　he　can　require。　In　my　Essay　on　Clothing；　he　will　see　how　good　and　comfortable　clothing　　may　be　furnished　to　the　Poor　at　a　very　moderate　expence；　and　in　that　on　the　Management　of　Heat；　he　will　find　particular　directions　for　the　Poor　for　saving　fuel。

I　cannot　finish　this　Essay；　without　taking　notice　of　a　difficulty　which　frequently　occur　in　giving　employment　to　the　Poor；　that　of　disposing　to　advantage　of　the　produce　of　their　labour：This　is　in　all　cases　a　very　important　object；　and　too　much　attention　cannot　be　paid　to　it。A　spirit　of　industry　cannot　be　kept　up　by　making　it　advantageous　to　individuals　to　be　industrious；　but　where　the　wages　which　the　labourer　has　a　right　to　expect　are　refused；　it　will　not　be　possible　to　prevent　his　being　discouraged　and　disgusted。He　may　perhaps　be　forced　for　a　certain　time　to　work　for　small　wages；　to　prevent　starving；　if　he　has　not　the　resource　of　throwing　himself　upon　the　parish；　which　he　most　probably　would　prefer　doing；　should　it　be　in　his　option；　but　he　will　infallibly　conceive　such　a　thorough　dislike　to　labour；　that　he　will　become　idle　and　vicious；　and　a　permanent　and　heavy　burden　on　the　public。

If　〃a　labourer　is　worthy　of　his　hire；〃　he　is　peculiarly　so；　where　that　labourer　is　a　poor　person；　who；　with　all　his　exertions；　can　barely　procure　the　first　necessaries　of　life；　and　whose　hard　lot　renders　him　an　object　of　pity　and　compassion。

The　deplorable　situation　of　a　poor　family；　struggling　with　poverty　and　want；deprived　of　all　the　comforts　and　conveniences　of　lifedeprived　even　of　hope；　and　suffering　at　the　same　time　from　hunger；　disease；　and　mortifying　and　cruel　disappointment；　is　seldom　considered　with　that　attention　which　it　deserves；　by　those　who　have　never　felt　these　distresses；　and　who　are　not　in　danger　of　being　exposed　to　them。　　My　reader　must　pardon　me；　if　I　frequently　recall　his　attention　to　these　scenes　of　misery　and　wretchedness。　　He　must　be　made　acquainted　with　the　real　situation　of　the　Poorwith　the　extent　and　magnitude　of　their　misfortunes　and　sufferings；　before　it　can　be　expected　that　he　should　enter　warmly　into　measures　calculated　for　their　relief。　In　forming　Establishments；　public　or　private；　for　giving　employment　to　the　Poor；　it　will　always　be　indispensably　necessary　to　make　such　arrangements　as　will　secure　to　them　a　fair　price　for　all　the　labour　they　perform。　　They　should　not　be　OVER…PAID；　for　that　would　be　opening　a　door　for　abuse；but　they　ought　to　be　generously　paid　for　their　work；　and；　above　all；　they　ought　never　to　be　allowed　to　be　idle　for　the　want　of　employment。　　The　kind　of　employment　it　may　be　proper　to　give　them　will　depend　much　on　local　circumstances。　　It　will　depend　on　the　habits　of　the　Poor；　the　kinds　of　work　they　are　acquainted　with；and　the　facility　with　which　the　articles　they　can　manufacture　may　be　disposed　of　at　a　good　price。

In　very　extensive　Establishments；　there　will　be　little　difficulty　in　finding　useful　employment　for　the　Poor；　for　where　the　number　of　persons　to　be　employed　is　very　great；　a　great　variety　of　different　manufactures　may　be　carried　on　with　advantage；　and　all　the　articles　manufactured；　or　prepared　to　be　employed　in　the　manufactures；　may　be　turned　to　a　good　account。

In　a　small　Establishment；　circumscribed　and　confined　to　the　limits　of　a　single　village　or　parish；　it　might　perhaps　be　difficult　to　find　a　good　market　for　the　yarn　spun　by　the　Poor；　but　in　a　general　Establishment；　extending　over　a　whole　country；　or　large　city；　as　the　quantity　of　yarn　spun　by　all　the　Poor　within　the　extensive　limits　of　the　institution　will　be　sufficient　to　employ　constantly　a　number　of　weavers　of　different　kinds　of　cloth　and　stuff；　the　market　for　all　the　various　kinds　of　yarn　the　Poor　may　spin　will　always　be　certain。　　The　same　reasoning　will　hold　with　regard　to　various　other　articles　used　in　great　manufactories；　upon　which　the　Poor　might　be　very　usefully　employed；　and　hence　the　great　advantage　of　making　Establishments　for　giving　employment　to　the　Poor　as　extensive　as　possible。　It　is　what　I　have　often　insisted　on；　and　what　I　　cannot　too　strongly　recommend　to　all　those　who　engage　in　forming　such　Establishments。

Although　I　certainly　should　not　propose　to　BRING　TOGETHER；　under　one　roof；　all　the　Poor　of　a　whole　kingdom；　as；　by　the　inscription　over　the　entrance　into　a　vast　hospital　began；　but　not　finished；　at　Naples；　it　would　appear　was　once　the　intention　of　the　government　in　that　country；　yet　I　am　clearly　of　opinion　that　an　institution　for　GIVING　EMPLOYMENT　TO　THE　POOR　can　hardly　be　too　extensive。

But　to　return　to　the　subject　to　which　this　Chapter　was　more　particularly　appropriated；　the　relief　that　may　be　afforded　by　private　individuals　to　the　Poor　in　their　neighbourhood；　in　case　it　should　not　be　possible　to　get　over　all　the　difficulties　that　may　be　in　the　way　to　prevent　the　forming　of　a　general　Establishment　for　the　benefit　of　the　Poor；　individuals　must　content　themselves　with　making　such　private　arrangements　for　that　purpose　as　they　may　be　able；　WITH　SUCH　ASSISTANCE　AS　THEY　CAN　COMMAND；　to　carry　into　execution。

The　most　simple；　and　least　expensive　measure　that　can　be　adopted　for　the　assistance　of　the　Poor　will　be　that　of　furnishing　them　with　raw　materials　for　working。　　Flax；　hemp；　or　wool；　for　instance；　for　spinning；　and　paying　them　in　money；　at　the　market　price；　for　the　yarn　spun。　　This　yarn　may　afterwards　be　sent　to　weavers　to　be　manufactured　into　cloth；　or　may　be　sent　to　some　good　market　and　sold。　　The　details　of　these　mercantile　transactions　will　be　neither　complicated　nor　troublesome；　and　might　easily　be　managed　by　a　steward　of　house…keeper；　particularly　if　the　printed　tickets；　and　tables；　I　have　so　often　had　occasion　to　recommend；　are　used。

The　flax；　hemp；　or　wool；　as　soon　as　it　is　purchased；　should　be　weighed　out　into　bundles　of　one　or　two　pounds　each；　and　lodged　in　a　store…room；　and　when　one　of　these　bundles　is　delivered　out　to　a　poor　person　to　be　spun；　it　should　be　accompanied　with　a　printed　spin…ticket；　and　entered　in　a　table　to　be　kept　for　that　purpose；　and　when　it　is　returned　spun；　an　abstract　of　the　spin…ticket　itself；　should　be　bound　up　with　the　bundle　of　yarn；　in　order　that　any　frauds　committed　by　the　spinner；　in　reeling；　or　in　any　other　way；　which　may　be　discovered　upon　winding　off　the　yarn；　may　be　brought　home　to　the　person　who　committed　them。　　When　it　is　known　that　such　effectual　precautions　to　detect　frauds　are　used；　no　farther　attempts　will　be　made　to　defraud；　and　a　most　important　point　indeed　will　be　gained；　and　one　which　will　most　powerfully　tend　to　mend　the　morals　of　the　Poor；　and　restore　peace　to　their　minds。　　When；　by　rendering　it　evidently　impossible　for　them　to　escape　detection；　they　are　broug