624 
these, the countries of the world in which 
the pay of the labourer is. most liberal, -the- 
number of the paupers is large. “They are, 
happily, the only foreign countries in 
which our example has been imitated. 
On the continent of Europe the public in- 
stitutions afford protection only against in- 
firmity and extreme penury: even Hol- 
land, so long noted for its hospitals and 
charities, has not a poor-rate on the com- 
prehensive plan of England. 
Our records of the distribution of relief 
to the poor during the seventeenth century 
are very imperfect: its amount, however, 
must have been considerable in the first 
half of the century, in consequence of the 
continued rise of corn during the reign of 
James I., and part of that of Charles I. 
But during the thirty years that intervened 
from 1660 to 1690, the price of corn was 
on the decline, and the country expe- 
rienced in no great degree either the visi- 
tation of inclement seasons or the burden 
of military expenditure. In the reigns of 
William and Anne the case was far dif- 
ferent; an enhancement of corn conse- 
quent on bad seasons, on war, and inter 
rupted navigation, concurred with the dis- 
order in our currency to render a state of 
suffering general among the lower orders, 
and to give a melancholy corroboration to 
their claims for parochial relief, Thenum- 
ber of persons receiving such aid is said 
(Clarkson on Pauperism) to have amounted 
towards the close of the seventeenth cen- 
tury, to as large a portion of our popula- 
tion as at present, viz. a tenth part of the 
inhabitants of England and Wales. The 
amount of money collected for this pur- 
pose has not been put on record: it is said 
somewhat loosely, but without much ap- 
pearance’ of exaggeration, to have ap- 
abort at the period in question toa mil- 
ion sterling; a burden heavily felt in 
these days of limited rental, and produc- 
tive Consequently of great complaints. 
Thelong peace and reduced price of pro- 
visions which followed the treaty of 
Utrecht, were both conducive to the de- 
crease of poor-rate, and, notwithstanding 
an increase in our population, we find that 
in the middle of the century, viz. in the 
three years ending with 1750, its amount 
did not'( Reports on the Poor Laws in 1817 
and 1821) excéed an average 
Of -oerrons sos - 700,0002. 
After 1760, the charge for the poor par- 
ticipated in the general charge which took 
Lowe on the State of England. 
and in the state of New York; for even in’: 
place in the state of prices, and amounted’ 
in that year to. 965,000/., while at a subse- 
sequent date, in-1770y---- 
it was carried to - - 1,306,000/.;. 
so much. did the effect of indifferent sea- 
sons and the enhancement. of corn coun- 
terbalance the otherwise favourable cireum- 
stances of the periodthe enjoyment of 
peace, the!extension of our manufactures. 
Next came the contest with our colonies, 
along with the various losses attendant on 
interrupted export, and the suspension of 
undertakings dependent on a low inte- 
rest of money, the result of which, in 'con- 
currence with other causes,’ carried the 
charge of poor-rate in 1780 to 1,774,000/. 
The peace of 1783, though favourable 
in the main, was not unaccompanied by’ 
the evils of transition. Our productive in- 
dustry partook at first of the discourage- 
ment excited by the loss of our colonies ; 
and though it soon exhibited symptoms of 
vigour, and even of prosperity, the price of 
bread was kept up by the indifferent har- 
vests of 1788 and 1789. When to this 
we add the increase of our population, and 
make allowance for the progressive imtro-. 
duction of abuse into a system subject to’ 
so little check or controul, we need not be: 
surprised that in 1790, the sum collected 
for the poor amounted, when joined to the 
minor rates for highways, church, and 
county charges, to -  - 2,067,0004.! 
Such was the state of our poor-ratevat 
the beginning of the French Revolution, 
the time when we entered on a course of 
circumstances productive of a rap.d change 
in the value of money. Hitherto the aug- 
mentation of our rates had been gradual, a 
century elapsing before they doubled,..a 
ratio of increase little greater than that of | 
our population, But after 1793, the con-_ 
current effect of war and indifferent sea-_ 
sons rendered the price of bread so dis- 
eee to the wages of country la- 
our, that in 1800 the poor-rate, exclusive 
of the highway, church, and county-rate, 
amounted to’ - - - 3,861,000¢, 
In 1810 to = - 5,407,000/. 
And in 1812to - - 6,680,0002. 
The peace of 1814 was followed, as is 
well known, by a rapid fall in the price of 
corn, which continued during two years, 
and had, notwithstanding the many new 
claims for parish relief arising from want of 
work, the effect, on the whole, of a par- 
tial reduction of the poor-rate. This is ap- 
parent from the subjoined table. 
RETURNS 
