essays-1-第27部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

an　injudicious　distributions　of　alms；　individuals　must　be　very　cautious　in　bestowing　their　private　charities；　and　in　forming　schemes　for　giving　assistance　to　the　distressed；　otherwise　they　will　most　certainly　do　more　harm　than　good。　The　evil　tendency　of　giving　alms　indiscriminately　to　beggars　is　universally　acknowledged；　but　it　is　not；　I　believe；　so　generally　known　how　much　harm　is　done　by　what　are　called　the　PRIVATE　CHARITIES　of　individuals。Far　be　it　from　me　to　wish　to　discourage　private　charities；　I　am　only　anxious　that　they　should　be　better　applied。

Without　taking　up　time　in　analyzing　the　different　motives　by　which　persons　of　various　character　are　induced　to　give　alms　to　the　Poor；　or　of　showing　the　consequences　of　their　injudicious　or　careless　donations；　which　would　be　an　unprofitable　as　well　as　a　disagreeable　investigation；　I　shall　briefly　point　out　what　appear　to　me　to　be　the　most　effectual　means　which　individuals　in　affluent　circumstances　can　employ　for　the　assistance　of　the　Poor　in　their　neighbourhood。

The　most　certain　and　efficacious　relief　that　can　be　given　to　the　Poor　is　that　which　would　be　afforded　them　by　forming　a　general　Establishment　for　giving　them　useful　employment；　and　furnishing　them　with　the　necessaries　of　life　at　a　cheap　rate；　in　short；　forming　a　Public　Establishment　similar　in　all　respects　to　that　already　recommended；　and　making　it　as　extensive　as　circumstances　will　permit。

An　experiment　might　first　be　made　in　a　single　village；　or　in　a　single　parish；　a　small　house；　or　two　or　three　rooms　only；　might　be　fitted　up　for　the　reception　of　the　Poor；　and　particularly　of　the　children　of　the　Poor；　and　to　prevent　the　bad　impressions　which　are　sometimes　made　by　names　which　have　been　become　odious；　instead　of　calling　it　a　　Work…house；　it　might　be　called　〃A　School　of　Industry；〃　or；　perhaps；　Asylum　would　be　a　better　name　for　it。One　of　these　rooms　should　be　fitted　up　as　a　kitchen　for　cooking　for　the　Poor；　and　a　middle…aged　women　of　respectable　character；　and　above　all　of　a　gentle　and　humane　disposition；　should　be　placed　at　the　head　of　this　Establishment；　and　lodged　in　the　house。As　she　should　serve　at　the　same　time　as　chief　cook；　and　as　steward　of　the　institution；　it　would　be　necessary　that　she　should　be　able　to　write　and　keep　accounts；　and　in　cases　where　the　business　of　superintending　the　various　details　of　the　Establishment　would　be　too　extensive　to　be　performed　by　one　person；　one　or　more　assistants　may　be　given　her。

In　large　Establishments　it　might；　perhaps；　be　best　to　place　a　married　couple；　rather　advanced　in　life；　and　without　children；　at　the　head　of　the　institution；　but；　whoever　are　employed　in　that　situation；　care　should　be　taken　that　they　should　be　persons　of　irreproachable　character；　and　such　as　the　Poor　can　have　no　reason　to　suspect　of　partiality。

As　nothing　would　tend　more　effectually　to　ruin　an　Establishment　of　this　kind；　and　prevent　the　good　intended　to　be　produced　by　it；　than　the　personal　dislikes　of　the　Poor　to　those　put　over　them；　and　more　especially　such　dislikes　as　are　founded　on　their　suspicions　of　their　partiality；　the　greatest　caution　in　the　choice　of　these　persons　will　always　be　necessary：　and　in　general　it　will　be　best　not　to　take　them　from　among　the　Poor；　or　at　least　not　from　among　those　of　the　neighbourhood；　nor　such　as　have　relations；　acquaintances；　or　other　connexions　among　them。

Another　point　to　be　attended　to　in　the　choice　of　a　person　to　be　placed　at　the　head　of　such　an　Establishment；　（and　it　is　a　point　of　more　importance　than　can　well　be　imagined　by　those　who　have　not　considered　the　matter　with　some　attention）　is　the　looks　or　EXTERNAL　APPEARANCE　of　the　person　destined　for　this　employment。

All　those　who　have　studied　human　nature；　or　have　taken　notice　of　what　passes　in　themselves　when　they　approach　for　the　first　time　a　person　who　has　any　thing　very　strongly　marked　in　his　countenance；　will　feel　how　very　important　it　is　that　a　person　placed　at　the　head　of　an　asylum　for　the　reception　of　the　Poor　and　the　unfortunate　should　have　an　open；　pleasing　countenance；　such　as　inspires　confidence　and　conciliates　affection　and　esteem。

Those　who　are　in　distress；　are　apt　to　be　fearful　and　apprehensive；　and　nothing　would　be　so　likely　to　intimidate　and　discourage　them　as　the　forbidding　aspect　of　a　stern　and　austere　countenance　in　the　person　they　were　taught　to　look　up　to　for　assistance　and　protection。

The　external　appearance　of　those　who　are　destined　to　command　others　is　always　a　matter　of　real　importance；　but　it　is　peculiarly　so　when　those　to　be　commanded　and　directed　are　objects　of　pity　and　commiseration。

Where　there　are　several　gentlemen　who　live　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　same　town　or　village　where　an　Establishment；　or　Asylum；　（as　I　would　wish　it　might　be　called；）　for　the　Poor　is　to　be　formed；　they　should　all　unite　to　form　ONE　ESTABLISHMENT；　instead　of　each　forming　a　separate　one；　and　it　will　likewise　be　very　useful　in　all　cases　to　invite　all　ranks　of　people　resident　within　the　limits　of　the　district　in　which　an　Establishment　is　formed；　except　those　who　are　actually　in　need　of　assistance　themselves；　to　contribute　to　carry　into　execution　such　a　public　undertaking；　for　though　the　sums　the　more　indigent　and　necessitous　of　the　inhabitants　may　be　able　to　spare　may　be　trifling；　yet　their　being　invited　to　take　part　in　so　laudable　an　undertaking　will　be　flattering　to　them；　and　the　sums　they　contribute；　however　small　they　may　be；　will　give　them　a　sort　of　property　in　the　Establishment；　and　will　effectually　engage　their　good　wishes　at　least；　（which　are　of　more　importance　in　such　cases　than　is　generally　imagined；）　for　its　success。

How　far　the　relief　which　the　Poor　would　receive　from　the　execution　of　a　scheme　like　that　here　proposed　ought　to　preclude　them　from　a　participation　of　other　public　charities；　（in　the　distribution　of　the　sums　levied　upon　the　inhabitants　in　Poor's　taxes；　for　instance；　where　such　exist；）　must　be　determined　in　each　particular　case　according　to　the　existing　circumstances。　It　will；　however；　always　be　indispensably　necessary　where　the　same　poor　person　receives　charitable　assistance　from　two　or　more　separate　institutions；　or　from　two　or　more　private　individuals；　at　the　same　time；　for　each　to　know　exactly　the　amount　of　what　the　others　give；　otherwise　too　much　or　too　little　may　be　given；　and　both　tend　to　discourage　INDUSTRY；　the　only　source　of　effectual　relief　to　the　distresses　and　the　misery　of　the　Poor。And　hence　may　again　be　seen　the　great　importance　of　what　I　have　so　often　insisted　on；　the　rendering　of　measures　for　the　relief　of　the　Poor　as　general　as　possible。

To　illustrate　in　the　clearest　manner；　and　in　as　few　words　as　possible；　the　plan　I　would　recommend　for　forming　an　Establishment　for　the　Poor　on　a　small　scalesuch　as　any　individual　even　of　moderate　property；　might　easily　execute；　I　will　suppose　that　a　gentleman；　resident　in　the　country　upon　his　own　estate；　has　come　to　a　resolution　to　form　such　an　Establishment　in　a　village　near　his　house；　and　will　endeavour　briefly　to　point　out　the　various　steps　he　would　probably　find　it　necessary　to　take　in　the　execution　of　this　benevolent　and　most　useful　undertaking。

He　would　begin　by　calling　together　at　his　house　the　clergyman　of　the　parish；　overseers　of　the　Poor；　and　other　parish　officers；　to　acquaint　them　with　his　intentions；　and　ask　their　assistance　and　friendly　co…operation　in　the　prosecution　of　the　plan；　the　details　of　which　he　would　communicate　to　them　as　far　as　he　should　think　it　prudent　and　necessary　at　the　first　outset　to　entrust　them　indiscriminately　with　that　information。The　characters　of　the　persons；　and　the　private　interest　they　might　have　to　promote　or　oppose　the　measures　intended　to　be　pursued；　would　decide　upon　the　degree　of　confidence　which　ought　to　be　given　them。

At　this　meeting；　measures　should　be　taken　for　forming　the　most　complete　and　most　accurate　lists　of　all　the　Poor　resident　within　the　limits　proposed　to　be　given　to　the　Establishment；　with　a　detailed　account　of　every　circumstance；　relative　to　their　situation；　and　their　wants。Much　time　and　trouble　will　be　saved　in　making　out　these　lists；　by　using　printed　forms　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