390 Fundamental Principles of 



dom, as, by the inscription over the entrance into a vast 

 hospital begun, but not finished, at Naples, it would 

 appear was once the intention of the government in 

 that country, yet I am clearly of opinion that an institu- 

 tion for givi7ig employment to the poor can hardly be 

 too extensive. 



But to return to the subject to which this chapter was 

 more particularly appropriated, — the relief that may be 

 afforded by private individuals to the poor in their 

 neighbourhood, — in case it should not be possible to 

 get over all the difficulties that may be in the way 

 to prevent the forming of a general establishment for 

 the benefit of the poor, individuals must content them- 

 selves with making such private arrangements for that 

 purpose as they may be able, with such assistance as 

 they can command, to carry into execution. 



The most simple and least expensive measure that 

 can be adopted for the assistance of the poor will be 

 that of furnishing them with raw materials for working, — 

 flax, hemp, or wool, for instance, for spinning, — and 

 paying them in money, at the market price, for the yarn 

 spun. This yarn may afterwards be sent to weavers to be 

 manufactured into cloth, or may be sent to some good 

 market and sold. The details of these mercantile 

 transactions will be neither complicated nor trouble- 

 some, and might easily be managed by a steward or 

 housekeeper; particularly if the printed tickets and 

 tables I have so often had occasion to recommend are 

 used. 



The flax, hemp, or wool, as soon as it is purchased, 

 should be weighed out into bundles of one or two pounds 

 each, and lodged in a store-room ; and, when one of 

 these bundles is delivered out to a poor person to be 



