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LXII. On employing the Poor in Parish IFbrkhouses 

 By the late Benjamin Prycr, Esq.* 



TSIR, 

 HE Bath and West of England Society having thought 

 proper to ot^'cr a premium " for the best accoimt, for pub- 

 lication, of the most practicable and profitable manner of 

 employing the poor in parish workhouses/' I beg leave to 

 submit to their consideration such thoughts as have occurred 

 to me; and which, however imperfect, are the result of 

 much laborious investigation on this subject. 



At a time when every necessary of life is uncommonly 

 dear, the poor increasing, and the rates collected for their 

 maintenance bear so hard on the industrious part of the 

 community, every reasonable and humane exertion should 

 be made to render their labour in some measure product! ver 

 For this purpose various schemes have in dift'erent work- 

 houses been adopted, most of which have ended in disap- 

 pointment and loss. In order to ensure better success in 

 future, let us take a view of the persons to be employed, and 

 we shall find that the greatest part of them are widows, and 

 children too young to be apprenticed, persons labouring 

 under some infirmity, and those who are rendered incapable 

 by old age. The robust and healthy poor who are able to 

 maintain themselves, should be admitted into workhouses 

 with great caution, and be considered as lemporarv guests 

 only, to be removed as soon as thev can find employment 

 elsewhere. The employment to be provided for the inha- 

 bitants of these receptacles of poverty and imbecility should 

 be such as is suited to their strength and capacity : it should 

 be something easy to learn, and in which they could in- 

 struct or assist each other. The articles should not be in 

 much danger of being spoiled by the inattentive or unskil- 

 ful ; and they should also, as far as circumstances will ad- 

 mit, (for such poor at least as are not likely to remain in 

 the workhouse,) be something in whicli, after their discharge, 

 they can be employed with advantage to themselves in their 



• from Letters and Pajjur.i of the Balk and 11 est of En^lufidSvcicti/, vol. x. 



Z 4 own 



