Establishments for the Poor. 359 



and pernicious consequences. This is want ; and a 

 most efficacious remedy it is for the evil when the 

 wisdom of man does not interfere to counteract it, and 

 prevent its sakitary effects. 



But reserving the farther investigation of this part of 

 my subject — that respecting the means to be used for 

 encouraging industry — to some future opportunity, I 

 shall now endeavour to show in a few words how, 

 under the most unfavourable circumstances, an arrange- 

 ment for putting an end to mendicity, and introducing 

 a spirit of industry among the poor, might be intro- 

 duced and carried into execution. 



If I am obliged to take a great circuit in order to 

 arrive at my object, it must be remembered that, where 

 a vast weight is to be raised by human means, a variety 

 of machinery must necessarily be provided, and th^t it 

 is only by bringing all the different powers employed 

 to act together to the same end that the purpose in 

 view can be attained. It will likewise be remembered 

 that as no mechanical power can be made to act with- 

 out a force be applied to it sufficient to overcome the 

 resistance not only of the vis inerticB^ but also of fric- 

 tion, so no moral agent can be brought to act to any 

 given end without sufficient motives ; that is to say, 

 without such motives as the person who is to act may 

 deem, sufficient not only to decide his opinion, but also 

 to overcome his indoleiice. 



The object proposed — the relief of the poor, and 

 the providing for their future comfort and happiness by 

 introducing among them a spirit of order and industry 

 — is such as cannot fail to meet with the approbation 

 of every well-disposed person. But I will suppose that 

 a bare conviction of the utility of the measure is not 



