第12章
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  SECT。XIVIamnowcometothemostarduouspartofmyundertaking。Someremedymustbefoundforthegrowingevil,andthose

  whichhavebeenhithertoproposedhavebeenfoundinadequate。Inlayingdownaplan,Ishallbeginwithestablishingthegeneralprinciplesonwhichwemustproceed。Itisevidentthen,thatnosystemcanbegoodwhichdoesnot,inthefirstplace,encourageindustry,economy,andsubordination;and,inthesecondplace,regulatepopulationbythedemandforlabour。Topromoteindustryandeconomy,itisnecessarythatthereliefwhichisgiventothepoorshouldbelimitedand

  precarious。\"Languescetindustria,intendetursocordia,sinullusexsemetusautspes;etsecuriomnesalienasubsidia

  expectabunt,sibiignavi,nobisgraves。\"Nomanwillbeaneconomistofwater,ifhecangotothewellortothebrookas

  oftenasheplease;norwillhewatchwithsolicitousattentiontokeepthebalanceevenbetweenhisincomeand

  expenditure,ifheissuretoberelievedinthetimeofneed。Thelabouringpooratpresentaregreatlydefective,bothin

  respecttoindustryandeconomy。Consideringthenumberstobemaintained,theyworktoolittle,theyspendtoomuch,

  andwhattheyspendisseldomlaidouttothebestadvantage。Whentheyreturnfromthreshingorfromplough,theymight

  card,theymightspin,ortheymightknit。Wearetold,thatonethousandpairofShetlandstockingsareannuallyimported

  intoLeith,ofwhichthepriceisfromfivetosevenpenceapair:yetlabouratLearwick,thesmallcapitalofShetland

  islands,istenpenceaday。Thesestockingsaremadeatleisurehours。Intheseislandstheyhavenodependancebutupon

  theirindustryandfrugality。Theyconsumeneithertea,norsugar,norspices,becausetheycannotaffordtopurchasethese

  uselessarticles;neitherdotheywearstockingsorshoes,tillbytheirdiligencetheyhaveacquiredsuchaffluenceastobear

  thisexpence。Howdifferentistheirsfromthedressanddietofourcommonpeople,whohavelostallideasofeconomy。

  Ifbytheirindustrytheycouldprocurethesearticlesofluxury,oriftheirlinen,theircotton,andtheirsilk,werespun,and

  wove,andknitintheirownhouses,andatleisurehours,theirdesiretoobtainthesethingswouldbeadvantageoustothe

  state:butsurely,ifinthecolderregionsoftheNorththesearenotessentialtotheirexistence,oreventotheirhappiness,

  theyshouldbeconsideredintheSouthonlyastherewardsofindustry,andshouldnever,fromthecommonfund,begiven

  promiscuouslytoall,astheywillinevitablybe,unlessthatfundshallhavesomeotherlimitsbesidesthewantsand

  expectationsofthepoor。Unlessthedegreeofpressurebeincreased,thelabouringpoorwillneveracquirehabitsof

  diligentapplication,andofseverefrugality。Toincreasethispressure,thepoor\'staxmustbegraduallyreducedincertain

  proportionsannually,thesumtoberaisedineachparishbeingfixedandcertain,notboundless,andobligedtoanswer

  unlimiteddemands。Thisenormoustaxmighteasilyinthespaceofnineyearsbereducednine—tenths;andtheremainder

  beingreservedasapermanentsupply,thepoormightsafelybelefttothefreebountyoftherich,withouttheinterposition

  ofanyotherlaw。Butifthewholesystemofcompulsivecharitywereabolished,itwouldbestillbetterforthestate。Iam

  notsingularinthisopinion。BaronMontesquieuhasgivenhisopinion,\"Quedessecourspassagesvaudroientmieuxque

  deséstabissemensperpetuels;\"(24)andourowncountryman,whohadbeenlongconversantwiththisbusiness,hastoldus,

  \"Iampersuadedthattoprovideforthepoor,whoareunabletowork,mightbesafelylefttovoluntarycharity,unenforcedbyanycompulsivelaw。\"(25)Toassisttheindustriouspoor,whohaveneithertoolsnormaterials,butmoreespeciallytotrainupthechildrenofthe

  dissoluteinusefullabour,theremightbeineachparishoneormorework—shops,wheretheymightbecertainof

  employment,andofdailypayfortheworkperformed。Intheseshopstheyshouldneitherbelodgednorfed,beingtaught

  todependeachforhimselfonhisowndiligenceandpatientapplicationtohisbusiness。Thebuilding,thetools,andthematerials,wouldbeallthatrequiredassistancefromthepublicfund。Thegrandresourcehowevershouldbefromthelabouringpoorthemselves,previoustotheirbeingincumberedwith

  families。Theyhavethroughoutthekingdomanumberoffriendlysocietiesestablished,whichhavebeenproductiveof

  goodeffects,andinsomeplaceshavereducedtherates。Butthesesocietieshavemorethanonedefect。Alltheirmembers

  contributeequallytothepublicfund,withoutrespecttotheirability,totheproportionoftheirgains,ortothenumberof

  theirchildren。Bythisregulationsomepaytoolittle,otherspaytoomuch。Thesum,whichtheydepositweekly,is

  insignificantandtriflingwhencomparedwithwhatitoughttobe。Butthegreatestmisfortuneis,thattheyarealtogether

  lefttotheirownoptiontojointhesesocietiesornot;inconsequenceofwhichliberty,manyoftheseassociationsfor

  mutualassistancearegoingtodecay。Ifthisbeindeedagoodexpedient,itshouldbepushedasfarasitwillgo:itshould

  befirmlyestablished,madeuniversal,andsubjectedtowholesomeregulations。Theunmarriedmanshouldpayonequarter

  ofhiswagesweekly,andthefatheroffouryoungchildrennotmorethanonethirtiethofhisincome,whichisnearlythe

  sumwhichallcontributetotheirpresentclubs。Todrivethemintothesesocieties,nomanshouldbeintitledtorelieffrom

  theparochialfundwhodidnotbelongtooneofthese。Thuswouldsobriety,industry,andeconomy,takeplaceofdrunkenness,idleness,andprodigality,andduesubordinationwouldbeagainrestored。Aslongasitshouldbefoundexpedienttoretainagivenproportionofthepresentpoortax,thedisposalofthisshouldbe

  whollyatthediscretionoftheminister,churchwardens,andoverseers,orthemajorityofthem,subjectonlytotheorders

  ofavestry。Bythisprovisionthesubordinationofthepoorwouldbemoreeffectuallysecured,andthecivilmagistratewouldbeatlibertytobendhiswholeattentiontothepreservationofthepeace,andtothegoodgovernmentofthepeople。Thisplanwouldbeaidedandassistedmuchbylayingasufficienttaxuponthealehousestoreducetheirnumber,thesebeingtheprincipalnurseriesfordrunkenness,idleness,andvice。Shouldthingsbeleftthustoflowintheirproperchannels,theconsequencewouldbe,that,asfarasitispossibleaccording

  tothepresentconstitutionoftheworld,ourpopulationwouldbenolongerunnaturalandforced,butwouldregulateitselfbythedemandforlabour。###第13章Thereremainsonethingmoreforthelegislaturetodo,whichistoincreasethequantityoffood。Thismaybedonewith

  ease,bylayingataxuponallhorsesusedinhusbandry,graduallyincreasingthistaxtillthefarmershavereturnedtotheuse

  ofoxen。ThischangewouldenableEnglandnotonlytomaintainherpresentpopulation,butgreatlytoincreaseit。Theland

  whichnowsupportsonehorse,inproperworkingorder,wouldbeartwooxenfordraftandfortheshambles,ifnotalso

  onecowforthepail;oranytwoofthese,withaman,hiswife,andhisthreechildren。Ifweconsiderthenumberofhorses

  atpresentusedforhusbandryinthisisland,shouldonlyhalfthatnumbergiveplacetooxen,itwouldnotbeeasyto

  calculate,oreventoconceive,allthebenefitsandadvantageswhichthepublicwouldderivefromthisvastincreaseof

  food。Inmanyparisheswheretheyhavenomanufactures,butthecultivationofthesoil,thehorsesconsumetheproduceof

  morelandthantheinhabitantsthemselvesrequire。Supposeaparishtoconsistoffourthousandacresofarableandpasture

  land;letthisbecultivatedbyonehundredandfiftyhorses,andletitfeedonethousandsouls:nowif,forthepresent,we

  allowonlytwoacresofoatsandtwoofhayforeachofthehorses,theamountwillbesixhundredproductiveacres,which

  willbemorethansufficienttofeedthegivennumberofinhabitants。Butthefactis,thatahorse,tobefullyfed,requires

  fivetonofhay,andfromthirteentothree—and—twentyquartersofoats,perannum,accordingtohiswork。Somefarmers

  allowtheformer,andthelatterisgivenbythegreatcarriersonthepublicroads,whichwouldbringthecomputationto

  abouteightacreseachforhorsesusedinhusbandry;butthenfewfarmerssuffertheirhorsestobehighlyfed。Ifweallow

  threeacresofpastureforeachoxorcow,andconsider,thatincalculatingthequantityoflandsufficienttomaintainateam

  ofhorses,theneedfulfallowsmustbecarriedtoaccount,weshallnotbeatalossforfood,whenwehavesubstitutedtwooxen,andonefamilyoffivepersons,intheplaceofeveryhorse。Itmustbeconfessed,thatthetaxonhorseswouldbeapparentlyataxonhusbandry,butinrealityitwouldonlybeataxon

  prideandprejudice。Neitherwoulditbeataxforthepurposeofrevenue,whichwouldcertainlybemostimpolitic;butit

  wouldbeataxfortheregulationoftrade,beneficialtothepublic,andhighlyadvantageoustothefarmer。InChinatheyuse

  fewcattleinthecultivationofthesoil,andthereforetheyareabletosupportamoreabundantpopulation。Byrevertingto

  theantientpracticeofploughingwithoxeninsteadofhorses,weshouldenjoythesameadvantage;andtillthepopulationofourcountryhadfounditsutmostlimits,weshouldrejoiceinaffluence。Withthesameintentions,thelegislatureshouldfacilitatethelayingcommonfieldsinseverally,leavingtheinclosureof

  theselandstoeveryman\'sdiscretion。Wherevertheseallotmentshavebeencarriedintoexecution,thevalueoflandhas

  beennearlydoubled。Yet,independentoftheexertion,thetime,andthefatigue,requisitetoprocureaprivateactof

  parliamentforthispurpose,theexpenceoftheactitself,andoftheconsequentinclosure,ismorethanmanyaretoincur。

  Thattheimproversoflandshouldbesubjecttothisexpenceisnotjust,andthatmenshouldbeobligedtoinclosethese

  landsisneitherjustnorwise;becausehedge—rowsconsumemuchland,stintthegrowthofcorn,causeittolodge,prevent

  itsdrying,andbarbourbirds。Ifmenareleftatliberty,withoutrestraint,whentheyfinditfortheirinteresttoinclose,theywillinclose。ShouldtheHouseofCommons,agreeabletotheresolutionsof1775,enterseriouslyintothisbusiness,andadoptsuch

  regulationsasmayeffectuallyrelievethepublicfromthegrievousandstillincreasingburthen,whichformorethanhalfa

  centuryhasbeenthesubjectofseriousinvestigationandofloudcomplaints;itwillbenecessaryformagistratestopay

  morethancommonattentiontothepolice,tillindustryandsubordinationshallbeoncemorerestored。Thereinshavebeen

  heldwithaloosehand,atatimewhentheidlenessandextravagance,thedrunkennessanddissipation,withtheconsequentcrimesandvicesofthelowerclassesofthepeople,calledforthemoststrenuousexertionsofthemagistrate,andthemoststrictexecutionofthelaws。Ifthelabouringpoor,inhealth,previoustomarriage,andwhilsttheirfamiliesaresmall,arecompelledtoraiseafundfor

  theirownsupport,incaseofsicknessoroldage;therecanbenodoubt,thatwhenatanytime,frompeculiar

  circumstances,thisfundshallproveinadequate,themostliberalcontributionswillbemadetorelieveanyoccasionaldistress。Noonecandoubtofthis,whohaswitnessed

  thegenerouseffortswhichwerelatelymadetoassistthewoollenmanufacturersinGloucestershireduringthestagnationof

  theirtrade。Moneywascollectedforthemfromalltheadjacentcounties,andinthemetropolis,tofeedandtoemploythem。AtMinchinHamptonin

  particular,whenthepoor\'staxwassevenshillingsinthepoundontherackrents,andtheirpoorweremorethancommonly

  distressed,twothousandtwohundredpersonswerecloathed,fed,andsettowork,byvoluntarybenefactions。Itshouldbe

  added,forthecreditofthesepoorpeople,thattheyworkedfromsixinthemorningtilleightatnight。Hadthemanufacture

  fallentorisenomore,themanufacturersmustinreasonhaveretired,ormusthaveturnedtheirhandstosomethingelse;

  becausenofund,notax,nocharitablecontributions,cansupportsuchamultitudeofpeoplewhentheirtradeisgone。In

  casesofsuddenemergencyassistancewillbeloudlycalledfor,andtheaffluentwillnotbetardyinsendingasupply。The

  Englishhaveneveryetbeenchargedwithwantofcharity。Theyneednotmanyargumentstoexcitetheirpityand

  compassion:theonlydifficultyistorestraintheimpetuosityoftheirbenevolence,andtodirecttheirbountytowardsthemostworthyobjects。Besidesthesesuddenemergencies,affectingthewholedistrictswhereextensivemanufacturesareestablished,individuals

  mustbeeversubjecttooccasionaldistress,fromvariousaccidentsandfromunexpectedlosses,which,withoutthekind

  assistanceofafriend,theyarenotabletosupport。Insuchcircumstances,wherecanthesuffererlookforhelp?Nottothe

  overseersofthepoor;fortheirauthoritydoesnotextendbeyondfoodandraiment。Tomakegoodhislosses,andto

  supporthiminhisstation,industryindistresscanfindnosufficientrefugebutinthegenerousaidofhismoreaffluentand

  charitableneighbours。Thisrefugewillneverfailhim;norwilltheyeversufferhimtowant,iftheyareabletorelievehim,andifhehasprovedhimselfworthyofcompassion。Torelievethepoorbyvoluntarydonationsisnotonlymostwise,politic,andjust;isnotonlymostagreeablebothto

  reasonandtorevelation;butitismosteffectualinpreventingmisery,andmostexcellentinitself,ascherishing,insteadof

  rancour,malice,andcontention,theoppositeandmostamiableaffectionsofthehumanbreast,pity,compassion,and

  benevolenceintherich,love,reverence,andgratitudeinthepoor。Nothinginnaturecanbemoredisgustingthanaparish

  pay—table,attendantuponwhich,inthesameobjectsofmisery,aretoooftenfoundcombined,snuff,gin,rags,vermin,

  insolence,andabusivelanguage;norinnaturecananythingbemorebeautifulthanthemildcomplacencyofbenevolence,

  hasteningtothehumblecottagetorelievethewantsofindustryandvirtue,tofeedthehungry,tocloaththenaked,andto

  sooththesorrowsofthewidowwithhertenderorphans;nothingcanbemorepleasing,unlessitbetheirsparklingeyes,

  theirburstingtears,andtheirupliftedhands,theartlessexpressionsofunfeignedgratitudeforunexpectedfayours。Such

  sceneswillfrequentlyoccurwhenevermanshallhavepowertodisposeoftheirownproperty。Whenthepoorareobliged

  tocultivatethefriendshipoftherich,therichwillneverwantinclinationtorelievethedistressesofthepoor。

  FINIS。

  NOTES:

  1。Deut。xxviii。52。

  2。Job,xxix。

  3。SirWilliamPetty,P。Arithmetic。

  4。L。ii。p。73,74。edit。Elf。

  5。Hesiod,302。

  6。Geddes,AccountoftheMoriscoes。

  7。Smith,WealthofNations。

  8。Virgil\'sComplaint。

  9。Dampier,Vol。ii。Partii。p。61。

  10。Dampier,Vol。i。Partii。p。88。

  11。Ulloa,B。ii。C。4……

  12。SketchesonMan,P。56。

  13。Deut。xv。11。

  14。Smith,WealthofNations。

  15。43Eliz。

  16。3and4W。andM。

  17。9Geo。I,c。7。

  18。8and9W。c。30。f。:2。

  19。Actsiv。32。

  20。Actsv。4。

  21。2Cor。ix。7。

  22。Matt。xxv。

  23。2Thess。iii。8—10。

  24。L。xxiii。C。29。

  25。FieldingonRobbers。

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