486 
poor’s rate may appear at the pre- 
fent time, its rife has not kept pace 
with other branches of national ex- 
penditure, or even with our in- 
creafed ability to pay it.” 
In the fecond book, Sir F. Eden 
proceeds to difcufs the various ar- 
guments for national provifion for 
the poor; the author then paffes to 
the oppofite fide of the queftion, 
to which he feems himfelf toincline. 
On feveral topics (particularly 
apprenticefhips) legiflative inter- 
ference feems to meet his difappro- 
bation, as will appear from the fol- 
lowing animated paffage : 
“ It feems very problematical 
whether a government ever at- 
tempied directly to regulate the 
courfe of induftry without produ- 
cing confiderable mifchief. The ex- 
cellence of legiflation may, per- 
haps, be beft eftimated according 
as it leaves the individual exertion 
more or lefs unfhackled. It is this 
exertion (and not the fuperintend- 
ing power of the ftate which is fo 
often, unthinkingly, extolled as the 
immediate caufe of focial good, and 
as often unjuftifiably condemned 
as the immediate caufe of focial 
evil) which, by its patient plod- 
ding labours, ereéts the edifice 
of nationat grandeur: it, however, 
works but by flow and impercep- 
‘tible degrees; and, like the genial 
dew from heaven, which, drop by 
drop, invigorates and matures all 
vegetable nature, exhibits, at length, 
-that happy order of fociety, which 
is felt to be 
¥6 not the hafty produtt of the day, 
But the well-ripen’d frujt.of wife delay.” 
: Nor does it follow from this that 
a government is excluded froma ac- 
tive duties. To prevent the {trong 
from oppreffing the weak; to pro- 
‘tect the acquifilions of induftry, 
and to check the progrefs of vice 
ANNUAL’ REGISTER, 1797: 
and immorality, by pointing out 
and encouraging the inftruétion of 
the rifing generation in the focial 
and religious duties; to maintain 
the relations which commerce has 
created with foreign countries, are 
duties which require that delegated 
authority fhould be exerted by pub- 
lic force and the vindicatory dif- 
penfations of pains and penalties. 
“« Beyond this, all interference 
of the ftate in the condué and pur- 
fuits of fociety, feems of very 
doubtful advantage.” 
In. chapter ii. of book 2, are 
many original details concerning 
the relative advantages enjoyed by 
the labouring claffes in different 
parts of the kingdom, in the ims 
portant articles of diet, drefs, fuel, 
and habitation; and in his laft 
chapter of the firft volume we find 
a very interefting detail of the rife, 
progrefs, and prefent ftate of 
friendly focieties, or benefit clubs, 
concluding with the following ju- 
dicious remarks on the danger of par- 
liamentary interference with them. 
“‘ If any farther regulation of 
them is attempted, the inclination 
of the labouring claffes to enter into 
them will be greatly damped, if 
not entirely repreffled. The acts 
already pafled, although they are 
known, and generally underftood 
to have been framed with the moft 
benevolent intentions, and do really 
confer fubftantial benefits on thefe 
inftitutions, have created much 
alarm. Nay, they have certainly 
annihilated many focieties. At the- 
fame time, it is but fair to confefs 
that they may have raifed others. 
This, however, is more difficult to 
afcertain. Any farther favours from 
parliament would irretrievably leffen 
the confidence which is {till enter- 
tained by the members of moft 
benefit clubs, that the legiflature 
will 
