314 Public Establishment for 



the signature of the commissary of the district to which 

 the poor person belongs. But if the certificate be not 

 marked either by the stamp of the House of Industry, 

 or by the signature of the commissary of the district, 

 the allowance for the week in question is not issued. 



It is easy to be imagined how effectually this arrange- 

 ment must operate as a check to idleness. But, not 

 satisfied with discouraging and punishing idleness, we 

 have endeavoured, by all the means in our power, and 

 more especially by rewards and honourable distinctions 

 of every kind, to encourage extraordinary exertions of 

 industry. Such of the poor who earn more in the week 

 than the sum imposed on them are rewarded by ex- 

 traordinary presents in money, or in some useful and 

 valuable article of clothing, or they are particularly 

 remembered at the next public distribution of money, 

 which is made twice a year to the poor, to assist them in 

 paying their house-rent ; and so far is this from being 

 made a pretext for diminishing their weekly allowance 

 of alms, that it is rather considered as a reason for auQ^- 

 menting them. 



There are great numbers of persons, of various de- 

 scriptions, in all places, and particularly in great towns, 

 who, though they find means just to support life, and 

 have too much feeling ever to submit to the disgrace of 

 becoming a burthen upon the public, are yet very un- 

 happy, and consequently objects highly deserving of the 

 commiseration and friendly aid of the humane and 

 generous. It is hardly possible to imagine a situation 

 more truly deplorable than that of a person born to 

 better prospects, reduced by unmerited misfortunes to 

 poverty, and doomed to pass his whole life in one con- 

 tinued and hopeless struggle with want, shame, and 

 despair. 



