786 Letter to Dr. Majendie. 



powerful tendency to diminish the consumption of those 

 articles of food the scarcity of which is most sensibly 

 felt by society at large. 



To this we may add that the habit which the poor 

 will acquire, in being fed from a public kitchen, of using 

 good and palatable and very cheap food, such as may 

 at any time be prepared by themselves in their own 

 dwellings at a much less expense than the victuals to 

 which they are accustomed can be provided, may lead 

 to a very important improvement in their system of 

 cookery. 



I verily believe that the inhabitants of Great Britain 

 might be well nourished, their hunger perfectly satisfied, 

 their health and strength preserved, and the pleasure 

 they enjoy in eating increased, with two thirds of the 

 food they now consume, were the art of cookery better 

 understood. 



I would beg leave to observe that I would by no 

 means propose to furnish the victuals from the public 

 kitchens to all poor persons gratis. The aged and 

 infirm, and young children, cannot earn by their labour 

 enough to defray the expenses of their subsistence ; but 

 those who are able to work should not be maintained 

 in idleness at the public expense, and most certainly 

 not in times of general distress. All that they can 

 reasonably expect is that they and their families be 

 enabled to subsist for as small a sum of money, or for 

 the same quantity of labour, in times of scarcity, as 

 their subsistence usually costs them in times of plenty. 

 To do more for them at any time would be unwise, and 

 in a time of general alarm would be productive of the 

 most fatal evils. It would have a tendency to make 

 them careless, idle, and profligate ; and, instead of being 



