III.] POOR MAN'S FRIEND. 45 



reign of Jubilee. Q,uite soon enough to applaud, that 

 is, for the sensible people of STOCKPORT to applaud, 

 the Ministers, when those Ministers have proposed 

 to repeal these laws, and, also, to repeal the malt tax, 

 and those other taxes, which take, even from the 

 pauper, one half of what the parish gives him to 

 keep the breath warm in his body. Quite soon enough 

 to applaud the Ministers, when they have done these 

 things ; and when in addition to all these, they shall 

 have openly proposed a radical reform of the Com- 

 mons House of Parliament. Leaving them to do 

 this as soon as they like, and trusting, that you will 

 never, on any account, applaud them until they do it, 

 1, expressing here my best thanks to Mr. BLACKSHAW, 

 who defeated the slavish scheme at Stockport, remain. 

 Your faithful friend, 



and most obedient servant, 



WM. COBBETT. 



NUMBER III. 



Ilurstbourne T arrant (called Uphusband,) 

 Hants, 13th October, 1826. 



MY EXCELLENT FRIENDS, 



54. In the foregoing Numbers, I have shown, that 

 men can never be so poor as to have no rights at all : 

 and that, in England, they have a legal, as well as a 

 natural, right to be maintained, if they be destitute 

 of other means, out of the lands, or other property, 

 of the rich. But, it is an interesting question, HOW 

 THERE CAME TO BE SO MUCH POVERTY 

 AND MISERY IN ENGLAND. This is a very^ 

 interesting question ; for, though it is the doom of 

 man, that he shall never be certain of any-thing, and 

 that he shall never be beyond the reach of calamity; 

 though there always has been, and always will be, 

 poor people in every nation ; though this circumstance 

 of poverty is inseparable from the means which up- 



