[ 3 2 9 1 



becaufe provifions rife a farthing and a half- 

 penny per lb. Were only the price of bread 

 taken, thefe and feveral other inftances would 

 appear more extraordinary ; but the average 

 of feveral articles is more fatisfaclory, as it 

 includes the general rife in the prices of 

 commodities; for although butchers meat 

 does not form any great part of the houie- 

 keeping of the poor, yet as they confume 

 other articles that have rifen in price of late 

 years, fuch rife is taken into our account, by 

 giving the average of feveral articles. 



The caufe of the ftrong erTecl: that here 

 appears, I take to be this ; poor rates are 

 never nicely proportioned to the prices of 

 provifions and the neceffities of the poor; 

 but depend on the temper of individuals, the 

 caprice of parifli officers and juftices of the 

 peace : They are as often railed by clamour, 

 as by real neceffity. Now a fmall rife in 

 prices is much noifed about, and never fails 

 of fending many of the poor to the parifh ; 

 not becaufe they really are in want, but be- 

 caufe they have an argument to ufe to officers 

 and juftices ; and they gain by fuch means 

 advances out of proportion to their increafe 

 of neceffity. This fomewhat accounts for a 

 difproportion between rates and prices ; but 

 I muft confefs, by no means, for fuch a vaft 

 one as we fee in the preceding tables. 



In 



