44 THE PHILOSOPHY OF POVERTY. 



there are two or more workers in every household, and that children 

 are employed from nine years of age upwards. 



This is a rate of wages decidedly sufficient to furnish the labourers 

 with every comfort, and with many of the luxuries of life ; and yet Mr. 

 Ashworth states that vast numbers of these are destitute of clothes, 

 bedding, furniture, and frequently in want of provisions ; and the 

 same evidence is afforded by the other writers. Thus we see that 

 the philosophy of poverty is to be poor, and to waste their means in 

 drunkenness. 



The houses of the majority of this class of people appear to be 

 destitute not only of every comfort and convenience, but all their 

 social and religious duties are apparently badly performed. " The 

 fact is," says the Enquiry, " that the licentiousness which prevails 

 amongst the dense population of manufacturing towns, is carried to 

 a degree which it is appalling to contemplate. In addition to overt 

 acts of vice, there is a coarseness and grossness of feeling, and an 

 habitual indecency of conversation, which we would fain hope are 

 not the prevailing characteristics of our country. The effect of this 

 upon the minds of the young will readily be conceived ; and is it 

 likely that any instruction, or education, or Sunday-schools, or ser- 

 mons, can counteract the baneful influence of the moral depravity 

 which reigns around them ? 



V'Jt^L.lO t*l W14.1AV4 t/X.J.V'AXA . 



* Nil dictu visuque foedum haec limine tang at 

 Intra quae puer est/ " 



In corroboration of this, Mr. Ashworth says, " that the depravity 

 of great numbers in Manchester exceeds aught I ever saw." And 

 the " Analysis," an apology in fact for the operatives, states that fac- 

 tory girls make good wives to factory men, only they are ignorant of 

 domestic economy." We would beg leave to hint to the compilers 

 of this Analysis, that without " domestic economy" there can be 

 little virtue in a wife, and that she is sure to drive her husband and 

 herself into vice and recklessness. 



Such being the social condition of these people, it can, perhaps, be 

 hardly needful to say, that their religious duties are neglected, and that 

 vast numbers among them have never sought, or have ceased to seek, 

 opportunities of moral and religious instruction. One of the books 

 before us says " With unfeigned regret we are, therefore, compelled 

 to add, that the standard of morality is exceedingly debased, and 

 that religious observances amongst the operative population of Man- 

 chester are neglected. With rare exception, the adults in a popula- 

 tion of nearly one hundred thousand either spend the Sabbath in 

 supine sloth, in sensuality, or in listless inactivity." 



It is very commonly and very strongly urged, that the mal- 

 administration of the poor laws has been one leading cause of the 

 immorality of our labouring population. It is very true that a vast 

 amount of social evils have attended upon a want of correct data in 

 administering relief to the helpless and indigent ; and in some cases 

 it would almost appear that immorality has proceeded pan passu 

 with this mal-practice. This, too, has been aided in rural districts by 

 the breaking up of small farms, and the consequent loss of a large 



