256 Public Establishment for 



those who had the administration of them ; and I 

 therefore judged it most prudent not to meddle with 

 them, avoiding by that means a great deal of opposi- 

 tion to the execution of my plan. 



CHAPTER III. 



Preparations made for giving Employment to the 

 Poor. Difficulties attending that Undertaking. 

 The Measures adopted completely successful. The 

 Poor reclaimed to Habits of useful Industry. 

 Description of the House of Industry at Munich. 



BUT, before I proceed to give a more particular 

 account of the funds of this institution and of the 

 application of them, it will be necessary to mention the 

 preparations which were made for furnishing employ- 

 ment to the poor, and the means which were used for 

 reclaiming them from their vicious habits and render- 

 ing them industrious and useful subjects. And this 

 was certainly the most difficult as well as the most 

 curious and interesting part of the undertaking. To 

 trust raw materials in the hands of common beggars 

 certainly required great caution and management ; but 

 to produce so total and radical a change in the morals, 

 manners, and customs of this debauched and abandoned 

 race, as was necessary to render them orderly and use- 

 ful members of society, will naturally be considered as 

 an arduous, if not impossible, enterprise. In this I 



