ft gaz. 4 
ARTICLE XV. 
A Plan for the General Prevention of Poverty. 
{In a letter addreffed to GeorGE Ross, efq.] 
Nullum Numen habes fi fit prudentia; fed te 
Nos facimus Fortuna! Deam. 
SIR, 
BSERVING by the publick prints that, exclu- 
five of your official duties, you were actively en- 
gaged in parliament on various important fubjects, 
I did not prefume to acknowledge the receipt of 
your letter, 8c. until now that the feffion is clofed. 
I have perufed the bill you did me the honour 
to fend me (for the fecurity of friendly focieties) 
with much pleafure; the refpective claufes appear 
to me highly judicious; the aét, /o far as it goes, can- 
not fail to produce very beneficial effects, and, in my 
opinion, intitles you to the warmeft thanks of your 
country: I fay /o far as it goes, becaufe it is evident, 
on the infpection of our refpeétive plans, that whilft 
yours extends only to the foftering care of focieties 
already exifting, mine (as far as refpects this ifland) 
goes to the comprehenfion of the whole human /pecies. 
If the collection of a /mall but voluntary tax, upon 
the fober and indufirious citizen, for his own ufe when 
in diftrefs, be in ome degree beneficial, I conceive 
that the collection of a ftill /maller, though compul- 
Jory 
