OF NORFOLK. 1 79 



11 no means admit of this trifling dedu&ion, therefore an alte- 

 " ration mull take place previous to its adoption ; in the inte- 

 " rim, I would recommend a fund to be eftablifhed, by means 

 M of the rich, for this purpofe. The inequality of the poor- 

 " rates has long been a fubjeft of complaint— fuppofe all the 

 *« poor were to be confolidated, and every parifh, by means 

 " of ovcrfcers, chofen annually from among them, but fub- 

 "je&to the controul of fome fuperior board, was to take 

 «' into its care their own refpettively — the means of their 

 M maintenance to be furnifhed by Government, who, in or- 

 M der to be enabled, might impofe a fmall addition to the 

 * ; land-tax, or a per centage upon the afleffed taxes." 



Upon thefe different remarks I have but little to fay ; Sir 

 Thomas's firft obfervation appears to me manly and juft, but 

 I could have wifhed, that in his fecond remark, he had not 

 been of the fame opinion with Mr. Dann. It feems to me a 

 bad argument, that a man is to have a comfort with-held from 

 him, left it fhould have a tendency to make him difhoneft. — 

 We may as well fay, that they ought not to have a chimney 

 in their cottage, left it fhould be an inducemeut to them to 

 fteal wood to burn in it, 



Mr. Boys's remark is of the fame caft : he is not willing to 

 allow a poor man the greatcft blcffing that can be given him, 

 left the farmer fhould be liable to fuftain fome little inconve- 

 nience by it. 



Mr. Hewlett is for confidcring this as an indulgence to the 

 labourer, if it be granted, and by no means incumbent on the 

 great farmer : but in this I muft totally difagree with him, for 

 1 think it is a pofitive duty, which the law of humanity and 

 the duty of a chriftian ftrongly prompt him to comply with." 



Z 2 



