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Article XXV. 



A Plan for the better Maintenance and Regulation tf 

 the Parochial Poor, 



** The number of indigent perfons being greatly increafed, by 

 <* withdrawing the ahns of the monallerics, a plan was formed 

 ** in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, more humane and benefi- 

 " cial than even feeding and clothing of millions ; by affording 

 *« them the means (with proper induftry) to feed and to clothe 

 <« themfelves. And the farther any fubfequent plans for main- 

 *« taining the poor have departed from this inftitution, the 

 ** more impraftirable and even pernicious their vifionaiy at- 

 *« tempts have proved.'* Blackjione's Com, iv. 43a. 



TO THE SECRETARY. 

 SIR, 



LOOKING over the lift of premiums of your 

 refpedtable Society, I obferve one is directed 

 for the improvement of the Poor Laws. This has 

 put me on recolledling fome circumftances, which, 

 in the courfe of near twenty-five years pra6lice 

 as a juftice of the peace in the county of Hants, 

 have occurred to me as likely to conduce much 

 to the comfort of the poor, by making them more 

 induftrious than they are found to be at pre- 

 fent ', and alfo to introduce a laudable emxilation 

 and fpirit of good order among that ufeful part 

 of the community. The propofitions are but few 

 in number, but feem to me to be efFe6tual to the 

 point in view. The propofal is as follows: 



ijl. That 



