312 Public Establishment for 



vited and encouraged to make known their wants to the 

 committee placed at the head of the institution ; and 

 in no case was the necessary assistance refused. That 

 this rehef was generously bestowed, will not be doubted 

 by those who are informed that the sums distributed 

 in alms, in ready money, to the poor of Munich in five 

 years, exclusive of the expenses incurred in feeding and 

 clothing them, amounted to above two hundred thou- 

 sand fiorins* 



But the sums of money distributed among the poor 

 in alms was not the only, and perhaps not the most 

 important, assistance that was given them. They were 

 taught and encouraged to be industrious ; and they 

 probably derived more essential advantages from the 

 fruits of their industry than from all the charitable 

 donations they received. 



All who are able to earn any thing by their labour 

 were furnished with work, and effectual measures taken 

 to excite them to be industrious. In fixing the amount 

 of the sums in money, which they receive weekly upon 

 stated days, care was always taken to find out how much 

 the person applying for relief was in a condition to earn ; 

 and only just so much was granted as, when added 

 to these earnings, would be sufficient to provide the 

 necessaries of life, or such of them as were not other- 

 wise furnished by the institution. But even this pre- 

 caution would not alone have been sufficient to have 

 obliged those who were disposed to be idle to become 

 industrious ; for, with the assistance of the small allow- 

 ances which were granted, they might have found 

 means, by stealing or other fraudulent practices, to have 

 subsisted without working, and the sums allowed them 



* Above 18,000 pounds sterling. 



