[ 103 J 
But can it be obtained by no means but arbitrary 
compulfion? This has been the point to which I 
have directed my thoughts. How far I may have 
fucceeded in my purfuit, you will be enabled to 
_ judge by the inclofed paper. The purport of 
which I communicated, in the year 1788, to a no- 
ble friend of mine, who was well pleafed with it, 
and who, “ after confulting fome fenfible people,” 
thought it worth putting into the hands of Mr. 
Wilberforce, who was fo kind as to keep it fome 
time to fhew to Mr. Pitt at his leifure; but re- 
turned it during the King’s illnefs, without fpecify- 
ing any _particular objection, but “ that it did not | 
upon the whole appear to Mr. Pitt proper to be 
adopted.” My noble friend complimented me 
with keeping the paper, in cafe of a future oppor- 
tunity of bringing forward any parts of it. 
I have long intended to fubmit my {cheme to the 
difcuffion of the Bath Society, my refpectable friend 
[Dr. Lettfom] having given me his opinion that 
adopting it would annihilate the poor’s rates in 
fixty years. ‘That it muft do it, ultimately, feems 
evident. ‘The time muft depend on the fums col- 
lected. The period of the fociety’s publithing an- 
other volume being at a diftance, and wifhing to 
_ put my thoughts in the beft light I could, have 
made me, perhaps, too tardy in fending them to 
you; but an unexpected opportunity has arifen of 
putting my fcheme in a fair way of being reviled 
by 
