essays-1-第52章

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shment　of　permanent　military　stations；　on　all　the　high　roads；　for　the　preservation　of　order　and　public　tranquillity。

It　is　a　great　hardship　upon　the　inhabitants　in　any　country　to　be　obliged　to　leave　their　own　domestic　affairs；　and　turn　out　with　their　cattle　and　servants；　when　called　upon；　to　work　upon　the　public　roads；　but　this　was　peculiarly　grievous　in　Bavaria；　where　labourers　are　so　scarce　that　the　farmers　are　　frequently　obliged　to　leave　a　great　part　of　their　grounds　uncultivated　for　want　of　hands。

My　plan　was　to　measure　all　the　public　roads　from　the　capital　cities　in　the　Elector's　dominions　to　the　frontiers；　and　all　cross　country　roads；　placing　mile…stones　regularly　numbered　upon　each　road；　at　regular　distances　of　one　hour；　or　half　a　German　mile　from　each　other；to　divide　each　road　into　as　many　stations　as　it　contained　mile…stones；　each　station　extending　from　one　mile…stone　to　another；　and　to　erect　in　the　middle　of　each　station；　by　the　road…side；　a　small　house；　with　stabling　for　three　or　four　horses；　and　with　a　small　garden　adjoining　to　it；to　place　in　each　of　these　houses；　a　small　detachment　of　cavalry　of　three　or　four　men；　a　soldier　on　furlough；　employed　to　take　care　of　the　road　and　keep　it　in　repair　within　the　limits　of　the　station；an　invalid　soldier　to　take　care　of　the　house；　and　to　receive　orders　and　messages　in　the　　absence　of　the　others；to　take　care　of　the　garden；　to　provide　provisions；　and　cook　for　the　family。

If　any　of　the　soldiers　should　happen　to　be　married；　his　wife　might　have　been　allowed　to　lodge　in　the　house；　upon　condition　of　her　assisting　the　invalid　soldier　in　this　service；　or　a　pensioned　soldier's　widow　might　have　been　employed　for　the　same　purpose。

To　preserve　order　and　discipline　in　these　establishments；　it　was　proposed　to　employ　active　and　　intelligent　non…commissioned　officers　as　overseers　of　the　highways；　and　to　place　these　under　the　orders　of　superior　officers　appointed　to　preside　over　more　extensive　districts。

It　was　proposed　likewise　to　plant　rows　of　useful　trees　by　the　road…side　from　one　station　to　another　throughout　the　whole　country；　and　it　was　calculated　that　after　a　certain　number　of　years　the　produce　of　those　trees　would　have　been　nearly　sufficient　to　　defray　all　the　expences　of　repairing　the　roads。

Such　an　arrangement；　with　the　striking　appearance　of　order　and　regularity　that　would　accompany　it；　could　not　have　failed　to　interest　every　person　of　feeling　who　saw　it；　and　I　am　persuaded　that　such　a　scheme　might　be　carried　into　execution　with　great　advantage　in　most　countries　where　standing　armies　are　kept　up　in　time　of　peace。　　The　reasons　why　this　plan　was　not　executed　in　Bavaria　at　the　time　it　was　proposed　are　too　long；　and　too　foreign　to　my　present　purpose　to　be　here　related。　　Perhaps　a　time　may　come　when　they　will　cease　to　exist。


APPENDIX。　　No　I。

　　ADDRESS　and　PETITION　to　all　the　Inhabitants　and　Citizens　of　　　MUNICH；　in　the　Name　of　the　real　Poor　and　Distressed。

（Translated　from　the　German）。

Too　long　have　the　public　honour　and　safety；　morality　and　religion；　called　aloud　for　the　extirpation　of　an　evil；　which；　though　habit　has　rendered　it　familiar　to　us；　always　appears　in　all　its　horrid　and　disgusting　shapes；　and　whose　dangerous　effects　show　themselves　every　where；　and　are　　increasing　every　day。

Too　long　already　have　the　virtuous　citizens　of　this　metropolis　seen　with　concern　the　growing　numbers　of　the　Beggars；　their　impudence；　and　their　open　and　shameless　debaucheries；　yet　idleness　and　mendicity　（those　pests　of　society）　have　been　so　feebly　counteracted；　that；　instead　of　being　checked　and　suppressed；　they　have　triumphed　over　those　weak　attempts　to　restrain　them　and　acquiring　fresh　vigour　and　activity　from　success；　have　spread　their　baleful　influence　far　and　wide。

What　well…affected　citizen　can　be　indifferent　to　the　shame　that　devolves　upon　himself　and　upon　his　country；　when　whole　swarms　of　dissolute　rabble；　covered　with　filthy　rags；　parade　the　streets；　and　by　tales　of　real　or　of　fictitious　distressby　clamorous　importunity；　insolence；　and　rudeness；　extort　involuntary　contributions　from　every　traveller？　　When　no　retreat　is　to　be　found；　no　retirement　where　　poverty；　misery；　and　impudent　hypocrisy；　in　all　their　disgusting　and　hideous　forms；　do　not　continually　intrude；　when　no　one　is　permitted　to　enjoy　a　peaceful　moment；　free　from　their　importunity；　either　in　the　churches　or　in　public　places；　at　the　tombs　of　the　dead；　or　at　the　places　of　amusement？　What　avail　the　marks　of　affluence　and　prosperity　which　appear　in　the　dress　and　equipage　of　individuals；　in　the　elegance　of　their　dwellings；　and　in　the　magnificence　and　splendid　ornaments　of　our　churches；　while　the　voice　of　woe　is　heard　in　every　corner；　proceeding　from　the　lips　of　hoary　age　worn　out　with　labour；　from　strong　and　healthy　men　capable　of　labour；　from　young　infants　and　their　shameless　and　abandoned　parents？　　What　　reputable　citizen　would　not　blush；　if　among　the　inmates　of　his　house　should　be　found　a　miserable　wretch；　who　by　tales　of　real　or　fictitious　distress　should　attempt　to　extort　charitable　donations　from　his　friends　and　visitors？　　What　opinion　would　he　expect　would　be　formed　of　his　understandingof　his　heartof　his　circumstances？　What　then　must　the　foreigner　and　traveller　think；　who；　after　having　seen　no　vestige　of　Beggary　in　the　neighbouring　countries；　should；　upon　his　arrival　at　Munich；　find　himself　suddenly　surrounded　by　a　swarm　of　groaning　winching　wretches；　besieging　and　following　his　carriage？

THE　PUBLIC　HONOUR　calls　aloud　to　have　a　stop　put　to　this　disgraceful　evil。

THE　PUBLIC　SAFETY　also　demands　it。　　The　dreadful　consequences　are　obvious；　which　must　ensue　when　great　numbers　of　healthy　individuals；　and　whole　families；　live　in　idleness；　without　any　settled　abode；　concluding　every　day　with　schemes　for　defrauding　the　public　of　their　subsistence　for　the　next：　where　the　children　belonging　to　this　numerous　society　are　made　use　of　to　impose　on　the　credulity　of　the　benevolent；　and　where　they　are　regularly　trained；　from　their　earliest　infancy；　in　all　those　infamous　practices；　which　are　carried　on　systematically；　and　to　such　an　alarming　extent　among　us。

Great　numbers　of　these　children　grow　up　to　die　under　the　hands　of　the　executioner。　　The　only　　instruction　they　receive　from　their　parents　is　how　to　cheat　and　deceive；　and　daily　practice　in　lying　and　stealing　from　their　very　infancy；　renders　them　　uncommonly　expert　in　their　infamous　trade。　　The　records　of　the　courts　of　justice　show　in　innumerable　instances；　that　early　habits　of　Idleness　and　Beggary　are　a　preparation　for　the　gallows；　and　among　the　numerous　thefts　that　are　daily　committed　in　this　capital；　there　are　very　few　that　are　not　committed　by　persons　who　get　into　the　houses　under　the　pretext　of　asking　for　charity。

What　person　is　ignorant　of　these　facts？　and　who　can　demand　further　proofs　of　the　necessity　of　a　solid　and　durable　institution；　for　the　relief　and　support　of　the　Poor？

The　reader　would　be　seized　with　horror；　were　we　to　unveil　all　the　secret　abominations　of　these　abandoned　wretches。　　They　laugh　alike　at　the　laws　of　God　and　of　man。　　No　crime　is　too　horrible　and　shocking　for　them；　nothing　in　heaven　or　on　the　earth　too　holy　not　to　be　profaned　by　them　without　scruple；　and　employed　with　consummate　hyprocrisy　to　their　wicked　purposes＇3＇。

Whence　is　it　that　this　evil　proceeds？　not　from　the　inability　of　this　great　capital　to　provide　for　its　Poor；　for　no　city　in　the　world；　of　equal　extent　and　population；　has　so　many　hospitals　for　the　sick　and　infirm；　and　other　institutions　of　public　charity。　Neither　is　it　owing　to　the　hard…heartedness　of　the　inhabitants；　for　a　more　feeling　and　charitable　　people　cannot　be　found。　Even　the　uncommonly　great　and　increasing　numbers　of　the　Beggars　show　the　kindness　and　liberality　of　the　inhabitants；　for　these　vagabonds　naturally　collect　together　in　the　greatest　numbers；　where　their　trade　can　be　carried　on　to　the　greatest　advantage。

THE　INJUDICIOUS　DISPENSATION　OF　ALMS　is　the　real　and　only　source　of　this　evil。

In　every　community　there　are　certainly　to　be　found　a　greater　or　less　number　of　poor　and　distressed　persons；　who　have　just　claims　on　the　public　charity。　　This　is　also　the　case　at　Munich；　and　nature　dictates　to　us　the　duty　of　administering　relief　to　suffering　humanity；　and　more　especially　to　our　poor　and　distressed　fellow…citizens；　and　our　Holy　Religion　promises　eternal　rewards　to　him　who　　supports　and　relieves　the　poor　and　needy；　and　threatens　everlasting　damnation　to　him　who　sends　them　away　without　relief。

The　Holy　Fathers　teach；　that　when　there　are　no　other　means　left　for　the　relief　and　support　of　the　Poor；　the　superfluous　ornaments　of　the　churches　may　be　disposed　of；　and　even　the　sacred　vessels　melted　down　and　sold　for　that　purpose。

But　what　shall　we　think；　when　we　see　those　very　persons；　who　profess　to　live　after　the　rules　and　precepts　laid　down　in　the　word　of　God；　act　diametrically　contrary　to　them？

Such；　doubtless；　is　the　fatal　conduct　of　those　who　are　induced　by　mistaken　compassion　to　lavish　their　alms　upon　Beggars；　and　obstruct　the　relief　of　the　really　indigent。Alms　that　frustrate　a　good　and　useful　institution　cannot　be　meritorious；　or　acceptable　to　God：　and　no　maxim　is　less　founded　in　truth；　than　that　the　merit　of　the　giver　is　undiminished　by　the　unworthiness　of　the　object。　The　truly　distressed　are　too　bashful　to　mix　with　the　herd　of　common　Beggars；　necessity；　it　is　true；　will　sometimes　conquer　their　timidity；　and　compel　them　publicity　to　solicit　charity；　but　their　modest　appeal　is　unheard　or　unnoticed；　whilst　a　dissolute　vagabond；　who　exhibits　an　hypocritical　picture　of　distress；a　drunken　wretch；　who　pretends　to　have　a　numerous　family　and　to　be　persecuted　by　misfortune；or　an　impudent　unfeeling　women；　who　excites　pity　by　the　tears　and　cries　of　a　poor　child　whom　she　has　hired　perhaps　for　the　purpose；　and　tortured　into　suffering；　steps　daringly　forward　to　intercept　the　alms　of　the　charitable；　and　the　well…intentioned　gift　which　should　relieve　the　indigent　is　the　prize　of　impudence　and　imposition；　and　the　support　of　vice　and　idleness。What　then　is　left　for　the　modest　object　of　real　　distress；　but　to　retire　dispirited　and　hide　himself　in　the　obscurity　of　his　cottage；　there　to　languish　in　misery；　whilst　the　bolder　Beggar　consumes　the　ill…bestowed　gift　in　mirth　and　riot？　And；　yet；　the　charitable　donor　flatters　himself　that　he　has　performed　an　exemplary　duty！

We　earnestly　entreat　every　citizen　and　inhabitant　of　this　capital；　each　in　his　respective　station；　no　longer　to　countenance　mendicity　by　such　a　misapplication　of　their　well…meant　charity；　contributing　thus　to　augment　the　fatal　consequences　of　the　evil　itself；　as　well　as　to　impede　the　relief　of　the　real　necessitous。

We　are　firmly　persuaded；　that　by　pointing　out　to　our　fellow…citizens　a　method　by　which　they　may　　exercise　their　benevolence　towards　the　indigent　and　distressed　in　a　meritorious　manner；　we　shall　gratify　their　pious　zeal　and　humanity；　and　at　the　same　time　essentially　promote　the　honour　and　safety　of　the　state；　and　the　interests　of　sound　morality　and　religion。

And　this　is　the　sole　object　of　the　Military　Workhouse；　which　has　been　instituted　by　the　command　of　his　Electoral　Highness；　where；　from　this　time　forward；　all　who　are　able　to　work　may