Slaney on Rural Expenditure. 177 



xvii. Savings Banks; Wages of the Peasantry; — xviii. on Infir- 

 maries and Fever Hospitals ; — xix. on Loans to the Poor ; — 

 xx. on providing Employment for those in Want of it ; — xxi. on 

 Places of Amusement and Exercise for the Labouring Classes ; — 

 xxii. on the Advantages derived from Public Walks and Gardens. 

 — Appendix, i. on Productive Investments for Capital during 

 Peace; — ii. Progressive Increase in the Size of Trees ; — iii. Agri- 

 cultural Kiln for burning Clay. 



Our readers, on the perusal of these contents will, we are 

 sure, be convinced of the justice of our criticism, that the 

 volume wants method and arrangement. There are likewise 

 too many subjects treated of: they are all, undoubtedly 

 connected more or less intimately with the main object of the 

 volume. But to secure that main object, greater fullness and 

 minuteness are requisite than could possibly be given to it, in 

 such a small volume as this; frittered down, as the main 

 topic is, into so many parts. 



The faults of this work therefore, are, first, that his maxims 

 are borrowed too much from metaphysical, abstruse, and 

 often erroneous writers on political economy ; words and 

 not things are attended to. The most safe, sound, and per- 

 manent practice, that which is most likely not only to extend, 

 but to improve, ought certainly to rest on first principles, 

 but these should be clear, undoubted, and really principles, 

 not merely principles in words. A few of these would have 

 done Mr. Slaney more service than all he has borrowed and 

 quoted from Malthus, &c. The second fault, touching upon 

 too many points ; and not going with sufficient minuteness 

 into any. Where the object of a writer is to benefit, espe- 

 cially to benefit by removing what is detrimental, either to 

 the condition or character of the great mass of the people, 

 the advice, directions, and reasoning can hardly be too direct, 

 full, and particular. There should be no excuse left for 

 unwillingness, that it knows not how to proceed ; no cause 

 for perplexity and doubt to those, who sincerely wish to 

 further the object Mr. Slaney has in view. After all, and on 

 the whole, a good object, good intentions, and the result of 

 considerable thought, observation, experience, and reading; 

 at one, with us, for much more serious faults than we find in 

 Mr. Slaney's work, and justify us in recommending it to our 

 readers, and in thanking him for his contribution to the com- 

 mon weal. 



We shall now proceed to our own topic : in discussing 

 this, we shall avail ourselves occasionally of the contents of 

 Mr. Slaney's volume ; and thus enable our readers to gain a 

 clearer insight into the nature and quality of its contents. 



