3^6 



nary fteps have been even taken, for carrying into effeft, a national efta- 

 blilhment, for the inftruftion of the poor. It was plainly feen, that 

 to this alone, we could look with certainty, for improvement in public 

 morals and induftry, and of confequence, in public profperity. It could 

 not be denied, that there were funds, which, if well employed, would 

 be more than fuiEcient, for the atchievement of this great work, 

 funds, which, at prefent, produce little, if any advantage to the com- 

 munity. It was fuppofed, that the meafure had the warm wiflies, and 

 entire fupport of government, and a copious review of the fubjeft,' was 

 drawn up, by a diftinguiflied perfonage, then, high in fituation, in this, 

 and now flill higher, in fituation and confidence, in a neighbouring 

 country. It is not eafy to explain, why no further progrefs has been 

 made, in this great aiid neceffary work, a work, which, if properly 

 planned, and duly executed, would contribute more to the profperity 

 and improvement of the manufoftures of the country, than any other 

 meafure, which could be fuggelled. Jique pauperibus prodeft, lociipk- 

 tibus aque. 



In countries, where habits of induflry prevail ; children, inftead of 

 being a burthen, are a fource of wealth, to their parents. In Holland, 

 a child is very foon able to procure his own fubfiftence, by his little 

 labours. Mofl; of the toys, that amufe the children of other coun- 

 tries, are made, by their induftrious cotemporaries, in Holland. Chil- 

 dren of a very tender age, indeed, under the care of judicious and 

 humane infpeftors, may be mofl; profitably employed in various branches 

 of the linen, the hempen, the woollen, and cotton manufaftures, as 

 alfo in different branches of that of hardware. This is the great ad- 

 vantage of extenfive capital, and confequent divifion of labour; that it 

 ailigns to fex and age taiks, appropriated and adapted, to the powers 

 and talents, of the individual. We fee inftances of this, in the num- 

 bers of children, employed in the hardware manufaftures, at Birming- 

 ham and Sheffield, and in the different cotton manufa<^ories5 in Great 

 Britain and Ireland. 



Much 



