40 COBBETT'^ [No. 



same human nature that tells me that I am not to cut 

 my neighbour's throat, and drink his blood, tells me 

 that I am not to make him die at my feet by keeping 

 from him food or raiment of which I have more than 

 I want for my own preservation. 



48. Talk of barbarians, indeed; Talk of" the dark 

 and barbarous ages." Why, even in the days of the 

 DRUIDS, such barbarity as that of putting men to death, 

 or of punishing them for taking to relieve their hun- 

 ger, was never thought of. In the year 1811, the 

 REV. PETER ROBERTS, A. M. published a book, enti- 

 tled COLLECTANEA CAMERICA. In the first volume of 

 that book, there is an account of the laws of the AN- 

 CIENT BRITONS. Hume, and other Scotchmen, would 

 make us believe, that the ancient inhabitants of this 

 country were a set of savages, clothed in skins and 

 the like. The laws of this people were collected and 

 put into writing, in the year 694 before Christ. The 

 following extract from these laws shows, that the 

 moment civil society began to exist, that moment 

 the law took care that people should not be starved 

 to death. That moment it took care, that provision 

 should be made for the destitute, or that, in cases of 

 extreme necessity, men were to preserve themselves 

 from death by taking from those who had to spare. 

 The words of these laws (as applicable to our case) 

 given by Mr. ROBERTS, are as follows : " There are 

 three distinct kinds of personal individual property, 

 which cannot be shared with another, or surrendered 

 in payment of fine ; viz., a wife, a child, and argy- 

 frew. By the word argyfrew is meant, clothes, arms, 

 or the implements of a lawful calling. For without 

 these a man has not the means of support, and it 

 would be unjust in the law to unman a man, or to 

 uncoil a man as to his calling." TRIAD 53d. "Three 

 kinds of THIEVES are not to be punished with DEATH. 

 1. A wife, who joins with her husband in theft. 2. 

 A youth under age. And 3. One who, after he has 

 asked, in vain, for support, in three towns, and at 

 nine houses in each town." TRIAD 137. 



49. There were, then, houses and towns, it seems; 



