»79I' LITERARy INTELLIGENCER. 243 



failure, why not make inquiry ? and if that is found 

 out, ought he not to be expelled fociety by the unani- 

 mous voice of honeft men ? We are told, Ihame a<Ss more 

 powerfully than principle ; and I am perfuaded, a man 

 will often hear general furmifes with a deaf ear, who 

 would ftart at the thoughts of open reprobation. This 

 mull, however be prudently and carefully examined j 

 but may be done after due inveftigation. On the other 

 hand, could not an inftitution be made to bring forward the 

 unfortunate, and fuccour the didrtfl'ed citizen. The rich 

 who fear not the hour of adverfit^, may perhaps fpurn 

 at the propofal ; but the fober thinking man would ap- 

 prove. Suppofe an inflitution was formed for the ex- 

 prefs purpofe of relieving decayed merchants, after the 

 circumftances attending their failure were duly infpeft- 

 ed by a comittee; I dare fay it would meet with encou- 

 ragement ; and a fmall annual contribution too trifling 

 to be regarded by the opulent, would do the bulinefs, and 

 it is too ufeful a I'cheme to be difregarded by the humble. 

 "Were this propofed by fome patriotic gentleman, I dare 

 -Day it would meet with encouragement : and, furely to be 

 the means of depreffing and affronting the villain, and 

 encouraging the honell and virtuous, is an undertaking 

 worthy of man. 



If this is thought worth inferting in your work, it 

 may perhaps bring forward fome more able arguments, 

 and be the means of at leaft making the villain bluih, 

 while the honell cannot but commend. 



I am, indeed, of opinion, that had this inftitution 

 Tjeen formed for fome years paft;, the payments to 

 real objedls would have been very few ; but in all pro- 

 bability, the evil will increafe, till the public talj.e the 

 alarm, and by fome mark of odium, alTume that au- 

 thority, whiuli our laws, in their prefent fitua,tion, can- 

 not impart. 



Qi D. C. 



•,* In our next, will be offered to the public fome hints, tending to 

 f^mcdy tlie evil here complained of. 



«h 2 



