Establishments for the Poor. 331 



derstood to be inseparable from such an undertaking, 

 and endeavour to show that they are by no means in- 

 surmountable. 



That degree of poverty which involves in it the 

 inability to procure the necessaries of life without 

 the charitable assistance of the public is, doubtless, 

 the heaviest of all misfortunes, as it not only brings 

 along with it the greatest physical evils, pain and dis- 

 ease, but is attended by the most mortifying humiliation 

 and hopeless despondency. It is, moreover, an incura- 

 ble evil ; and is rather irritated than alleviated by the 

 remedies commonly applied to remove it. The only 

 alleviation of which it is capable must be derived from 

 the kind and soothing attentions of the truly benev- 

 olent. This is the only balm that can soothe the an- 

 guish of a wounded heart, or allay the agitations of a 

 mind irritated by disappointment and rendered fero- 

 cious by despair. 



And hence it evidently appears that no body of laws, 

 however wisely framed, can, in any country, effectually 

 provide for the relief of the poor without the voluntary 

 assistance of individuals ; for though taxes may be levied 

 by authority of the laws for the support of the poor, 

 yet those kind attentions which are so necessary in the 

 management of the poor, as well to reclaim the vicious 

 as to comfort and encourage the despondent, — those 

 demonstrations of concern which are always so great a 

 consolation to persons in distress, — cannot be com- 

 manded by force. On the contrary, every attempt to 

 use force in such cases seldom fails to produce conse- 

 quences directly contrary to those intended.* 



* The only step which, in my opinion, it would be either necessary or pru- 

 dent for the legislature to take in any country where an establishment for the 

 poor is to be formed, is to recommend to the public a good plan for such an 



