INTRODUCTION. XXXV 



father of the colony, by his ^ge, capacity, and fuperior vir- 

 tue, would be pleafed with the office of collefting the money, 

 and keeping the fimple account — or it might be retained, 

 with the weekly rent, out of the weekly pay, by the perfons 

 paying them their wages. This plan may not only be con- 

 fidered as a rational mode of preventing cottagers from be- 

 coming burdenfome to the manor or diftriJt in which they 

 refide, but it would be fetting a practical example of that 

 mode of altering the general condition and profpefts of the 

 poor — which are now truly alarming — and which the enor- 

 mous burden and increafe of the poor's rate proclaim aloud 

 muft be altered, or the growing confequences will be infup- 



portable to the middling clafles. It has been contended,' 



with the ftrongeft appearance of truth, by feveral ingenious 

 writers, — it has been proved by the writings and pradlice of 

 others, — and particularly by that able writer and moft be- 

 nevolent man, Mr. Pew, of Shaftefbury, that the plan of 

 fuch contribution, aided by the friendly care and affiftance 

 of a few perfons of fteady difcretion, in the different diftri£ls 

 through the nation, would totally change the face of the 

 country, and redeem the whole mafs of poor from that 

 wretchednefs in which they too generally live, and to which 

 the prefent fyftem of fupport naturally tends ! 



The late dear feafons, to which we have already alluded, 

 fuggefted the neceflity, as moft of our readers will remember, 

 of finding temporary fubftitutes for wheat-fiour in making 

 bread. Under thofe circumftances, fo much the fubje£t of 

 alarm through the country, it was to be expefted that this 

 Society Hiould give its attention to fuch topicKs of ceconomy. 

 The mixture of equal parts of good barley and wheat, of 

 good wheat, barley, and rye, and even in fome cafes with a 

 Itnall mixture of bean-flour, it has been long known, 



would 



