IX] CORN IS APPLICABLE. 



and tall fellows, and used to stare in our eyes to 

 see if vre squinted, or were near sighted, and to 

 rummage our bodies about, having us laid down 

 upon a bench stark naked, to discover if we 

 had any latent disease ; though they were so 

 nice as this in their choice, and though the 

 average of a whole battalion in those times far 

 surpassed the round-shouldered, and frequently 

 bandy-legged, company of creatures now called 

 grenadiers ; though they culled us with such care, 

 they gave us less than half as much pay as 

 that which they give to the hundred thou- 

 sand lovely youths that they have now got to- 

 gether ! Besides which, they gave us no meat 

 at fixed prices that would have made us disre- 

 gard the sufferings of the poor people of the 

 vicinage where we might be quartered. There 

 were only about sixteen thousand of us alto- 

 gether J and those had not half as much to Iiv2 

 upon per week as the settled wages of a common 

 labouring man who had no children 3 while, at 

 present, the common foot soldier has more 

 than twice as much as the magistrates allow 

 to that labouring man. I am aware, that no 

 introduction of corn, that no management with 

 regard to the application of the flour, that no 

 prescription for the making of puddings, will re- 

 move this grievance, which cries to heaven for 

 redress ; but, as I observed in " CoTTAGfi Eco- 

 L 



