essays-1-第9章

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ns　in　all　the　butchers'　shops　in　the　town。　　In　doing　this；　two　objects　were　had　in　view；　first　the　convenience　of　the　butchers；　that　in　cutting　up　their　meat　they　might　have　a　convenient　place　to　lay　by　that　which　they　should　destine　for　the　poor　till　it　should　be　called　for；　and　secondly；　to　give　an　opportunity　to　those　who　bought　meat　in　their　shops　to　throw　in　any　odd　scraps；　or　bones；　they　might　receive；　and　which　they　might　not　think　worth　the　trouble　of　carrying　home。

These　odd　pieces　are　more　frequently　to　be　met　with　in　the　lots　which　are　sold　in　the　butchers'　shops　in　Munich　than　in　almost　any　other　town；　for　the　price　of　meat　is　fixed　by　authority；　the　butchers　have　a　right　to　sell　the　whole　carcase；　the　bad　pieces　with　the　good；　so　that　with　each　good　lot　there　is　what　in　this　country　is　called　the　zugewicht；　that　is　to　say；　an　indifferent　scrap　of　offal　meat；　or　piece　of　bone；　to　make　up　the　weight；　and　these　refuse　pieces　were　very　often　thrown　into　the　poor's　tub；　and　after　being　properly　cleaned　and　boiled；　served　to　make　their　soup　much　more　savoury　and　nourishing。

In　the　collection　of　the　daily　donations　of　bread；　as　that　article　is　more　valuable；　and　more　easily　concealed　and　disposed　of；　more　precautions　were　used　to　prevent　frauds　on　the　parts　of　the　servants　who　were　sent　round　to　make　the　collection。

The　cart　which　was　employed　for　this　purpose　was　furnished　with　a　large　wooden　chest；　firmly　nailed　down　upon　it；　and　provided　with　a　good　lock　and　key；　and　this　chest；　which　was　neatly　painted；　and　embellished　with　a　inscription；　was　so　contrived；　by　means　of　an　opening　in　the　top　of　a　large　vertical　wooden　tube　fixed　in　its　lid；　and　made　in　the　form　of　a　mouse…trap；　that　when　it　was　locked；　（as　it　always　was　when　it　was　sent　round　for　the　donations　of　bread；）　a　loaf　of　bread；　or　any　thing　of　that　size；　could　be　put　into　it；　but　nothing　could　be　taken　out　of　it　by　the　same　opening。　　Upon　the　return　of　the　cart；　the　bread…chest　was　opened　by　the　steward；　who　keeps　the　key　of　it；　and　its　contents；　after　being　entered　in　a　register　kept　for　that　purpose；　were　delivered　over　to　the　care　of　the　store…keeper。

The　bread　collected　was　commonly　such　as　not　having　been　sold　in　time；　had　become　too　old；　hard；　and　stale　for　the　market；　but　which；　being　cut　fine；　a　handful　of　it　put　into　a　basin　of　good　pease…soup；　was　a　great　addition　to　it。

The　amount　of　these　charitable　donations　in　kind；　may　be　seen　in　the　transactions　of　the　original　returns；　which　are　annexed　in　the　Appendix；　No。　III。

The　collections　of　soup　were　not　long　continued；　it　being　found　to　be　in　general　of　much　too　inferior　a　quality　to　be　mixed　with　the　soup　made　in　the　kitchen　of　the　poor…house；　but　the　collections　of　bread；　and　of　meat；　continue　to　this　time；　and　are　still　very　productive。

But　the　greatest　resource　in　feeding　the　poor；　is　one　which　I　am　but　just　beginning　to　avail　myself　of；the　use　of　potatoes＇10＇。　Of　this　subject；　however；　I　shall　treat　more　largely　hereafter。

The　above…mentioned　precautions　used　in　making　collections　in　kind；　may　perhaps　appear　trifling；　and　superfluous；　they　were　nevertheless　very　　necessary。　　It　was　also　found　necessary　to　change　all　the　poor's…boxes　in　the　churches；　to　prevent　their　being　robbed；　for　though　in　those　which　were　first　put　up；　the　openings　were　not　only　small；　but　ended　in　a　curved　tube；　so　that　it　appeared　almost　impossible　to　get　any　of　the　money　out　of　the　box　by　the　same　opening　by　which　it　was　put　into　it；　yet　means　were　found；　by　introducing　into　the　opening　thin　pieces　of　elastic　wood；　covered　with　bird…lime；　to　rob　the　boxes。　　This　was　prevented　in　the　new　boxes；　by　causing　the　money　to　descend　through　a　sort　of　bag；　with　a　hold　in　the　bottom　of　it；　or　rather　a　flexible　tube；　made　of　chain…work；　with　iron　wire；　suspended　in　the　middle　of　the　box。


CHAPTER。　VI。

　Apology　for　the　want　of　method　in　treating　the　subject　under　　　　consideration。　　Of　the　various　means　used　for　encouraging　industry　among　the　poor。　　Of　the　internal　arrangement　and　government　of　the　house　of　industry。　　Why　called　the　military　work…house。　　Of　the　manner　in　which　the　business　is　carried　on　there。　　Of　the　various　means　used　for　preventing　frauds　in　carrying　on　the　　　　business　in　the　different　manufactures。　　Of　the　flourishing　state　of　those　manufactures。

Though　all　the　different　parts　of　a　well　arranged　establishment　go　on　together；　and　harmonize；　like　the　parts　of　a　piece　of　music　in　full　score；　yet；　in　describing　　such　an　establishment；　it　is　impossible　to　write　like　the　musician；　in　score；　and　to　make　all　the　parts　of　the　narrative　advance　together。　Various　movements；　which　exist　together；　and　which　have　the　most　intimate　connection　and　dependence　upon　each　other；　must　nevertheless　be　described　separately；　and　the　greatest　care　and　attention；　and　frequently　no　small　share　of　address；　are　necessary　in　the　management　of　such　descriptions；　to　render　the　details　intelligible；　and　to　give　the　whole　its　full　effect　of　order；dependence；　connection；and　harmony。　　And　in　no　case　can　these　difficulties　be　greater；　than　in　descriptions　like　those　in　which　I　am　now　engaged；　where　the　number　of　the　objects；　and　of　the　details；　is　so　great；　that　it　is　difficult　to　determine　which　should　be　attended　to　first；　and　how　far　it　may　safely　be　pursued；　without　danger　of　the　others　being　too　far　removed　from　their　proper　places；or　excluded；　or　forgotten。

The　various　measures　adopted；　and　precautions　taken；　in　arresting　the　beggars；in　collecting　and　distributing　alms；in　establishing　order　and　police　among　them；in　feeding　and　clothing　the　poor；　and　in　establishing　various　manufactures　for　giving　them　employment；　are　all　subjects　which　deserve；　and　require；　the　most　particular　explanation；　yet　those　are　not　only　operations　which　were　begun　at　the　same　time；　and　carried　on　together；　but　they　are　so　dependent　upon　each　other；　that　it　is　almost　impossible　to　have　a　complete　idea　of　the　one；　without　being　acquainted　with　the　others；　or　of　treating　of　the　one；　without　mentioning　the　others　at　the　same　time。This；　therefore；　must　be　my　excuse；　if　I　am　taxed　with　want　of　method；　or　of　perspicuity　in　the　descriptions；　and　this　being　premised；　I　shall　proceed　to　give　an　account　of　the　various　objects　and　operations　which　yet　remain　to　be　described。

I　have　already　observed　how　necessary　it　was　to　encourage；　by　every　possible　means；　a　spirit　of　industry　and　emulation　among　those；　who；　from　leading　a　life　of　indolence　and　debauchery；　were　to　be　made　useful　members　of　society；　and　I　have　mentioned　some　of　the　measures　which　were　adopted　for　that　purpose。　　It　remains　for　me　to　pursue　this　interesting　subject；　and　to　treat　it；　in　all　its　details；　with　that　care　and　attention　which　its　importance　so　justly　demands。

Though　a　very　generous　price　was　paid　for　labour；　in　the　different　manufactures　in　which　the　poor　were　employed；　yet；　that　alone　was　not　enough　to　interest　them　sufficiently　in　the　occupations　in　which　they　were　engaged。　　To　excite　their　activity；　and　inspire　them　with　a　true　spirit　of　persevering　industry；　it　was　necessary　to　fire　them　with　emulation；to　awaken　in　them　a　dormant　passion；　whose　influence　they　had　never　felt；the　love　of　honest　fame；　and　ardent　desire　to　excel；the　love　of　glory；or　by　what　other　more　humble　or　pompous　name　this　passion；　the　most　noble；　and　most　beneficent　that　warms　the　human　heart；　can　be　distinguished。

To　excite　emulation；praise；distinctions；rewards　are　necessary；　and　these　were　all　employed。　Those　who　distinguished　themselves　by　their　application；by　their　industry；by　their　address；were　publicly　praised　and　encouraged；brought　forward；　and　placed　in　the　most　conspicuous　situations；pointed　out　to　strangers　who　visited　the　establishment；　and　particularly　named　and　proposed　as　models　for　others　to　copy。　　A　particular　dress；　a　sort　of　uniform　for　the　establishment；　which；　though　very　economical；　as　may　be　seen　by　the　details　which　will　be　given　of　it　in　another　place；　was　nevertheless　elegant；　was　provided；　and　this　dress；　as　it　was　given　out　gratis；　and　only　bestowed　upon　those　who　particularly　distinguished　themselves；　was　soon　looked　upon　as　an　honourable　mark　of　approved　merit；　and　served　very　powerfully　to　excite　emulation　among　the　competitors；　I　doubt　whether　vanity；　in　any　instance；　ever　surveyed　itself　with　more　self…gratification；　than　did　some　of　these　poor　people　when　they　first　put　on　their　new　dress。

How　necessary　is　it　to　be　acquainted　with　the　secret　springs　of　action　in　the　human　heart；　to　direct　even　the　lowest　and　most　unfeeling　class　of　mankind！The　machine　is　intrinsically　the　same　in　all　situations；the　great　secret　is；　FIRST　TO　PUT　IT　IN　TUNE；　before　an　attempt　is　made　to　play　upon　it。　　The　jarring　sounds　of　former　vibrations　must　first　be　stilled；　otherwise　no　harmony　can　be　produced；　but　when　the　instrument　is　in　order；　the　notes　CANNOT　FAIL　to　answer　to　the　touch　of　a　skilful　master。

Though　every　thing　was　done　that　could　be　devised　to　impress　the　minds　of　all　those；　old　and　young；　who　frequented　this　establishment；　with　such　sentiments　as　were　necessary　in　order　to　their　becoming　good　and　useful　members　of　society；　（and　in　these　attempts　I　was　certainly　successful；　much　　beyond　my　most　sanguine　expectations；）　yet　my　hopes　were　chiefly　placed　on　the　rising　generation。

The　children；　therefore；　of　the　poor；　were　objects　of　my　peculiar　care　and　attention。　　To　induce　their　parents　to　send　them　to　the　establishment；　even　before　they　were　old　enough　to　do　any　kind　of　work；　when　they　attended　at　the　regular　hours；　they　not　only　received　their　dinner　gratis；　but　each　of　them　was　paid　THREE　CREUTZERS　a　day　for　doing　nothing；　but　merely　being　present　where　others　worked。

I　have　already　mentioned　that　these　children；　who　were　too　young　to　work；　were　placed　upon　seats　built　round　the　halls　where　other　children　worked。　　This　was　done　in　order　to　inspire　them　with　a　desire　to　do　that；　which　other　children；　apparently　more　favoured；　more　caressed；and　more　praised　than　themselves；　were　permitted　to　do；　and　of　which　they　were　obliged　to　be　idle　spectators；　and　this　had　the　desired　effect。

As　nothing　is　so　tedious　to　a　child　as　being　obliged　to　sit　still　in　the　same　place　for　a　considerable　time；　and　as　the　work　which　the　other　more　favoured　children　were　engaged　in；　was　light　and　easy；　and　appeared　rather　amusing　than　otherwise；　being　the　spinning　of　hemp　and　flax；　with　small　light　wheels；　turned　with　the　foot；　these　children；　who　were　obliged　to　be　spectators　of　this　busy　and　entertaining　scene；　became　so　uneasy　in　their　situations；　and　so　jealous　of　those　who　were　permitted　to　be　more　active；　that　they　frequently　solicited　with　the　greatest　importunity　to　be　permitted　to　work；　and　often　cried　most　heartily　if　this　favour　was　not　instantly　granted　them。

How　sweet　these　tears　were　to　me；　can　easily　be　imagined！

The　joy　they　showed　upon　being　permitted　to　descend　from　their　benches；　and　mix　with　the　working　children　below；　was　equal　to　the　solicitude　with　which　　they　had　demanded　that　favour。

They　were　at　first　merely　furnished　with　a　wheel；　which　they　turned　for　several　days　with　the　foot；　without　being　permitted　to　attempt　any　thing　further。　As　soon　as　they　were　beco