324 Sidney on Rural Expenditure. 



will be, till they, from superior education, will no longer be 

 content, before they marry, with the prospect of the small 

 portion and the low character of the necessaries and comforts 

 which they now deem necessary. Let them acquire and act 

 on that feeling or principle which will make them fix on 

 double their present wages as absolutely indispensable ; not 

 that by means of the increase they might spend more in dis- 

 sipation, but that they might obtain for themselves and families 

 those means of improving, their minds — those comforts which 

 are at present confined to the ranks immediately above them 

 — and those increased wages they must and will obtain, and 

 be disposed and know how to employ them to the best ad- 

 vantage. But, till this period arrives, we must look to the 

 state of the present generation : they are either starving, or be- 

 come a burden to the rest of the community: in either case their 

 character must suffer ; it is suffering, and that nearly in the same 

 degree with their condition. It is this consideration that has 

 induced us to throw out hints respecting modes of employing 

 the poor, that will in some measure arrest the evil in its pro- 

 gress ; and we think we have laid down a general rule, by 

 acting in accordance with which, some portion, at least, of the 

 sum which, as poor rates, can have no other tendency but to 

 deteriorate the character and condition of the poor, may, 

 when laid out in the manner we have suggested, add to the 

 profit, or at least to the gratification, of those who pay the 

 poor rates, while at the same time it rescues the poor, by 

 giving them employment, from all the evils of idleness, and, by 

 changing what they receive into the shape of wages, arrests 

 that depravation of character which the acceptance of relief 

 as paupers must always produce. 



But though Mr. Slaney has not dwelt so much on this 

 point as we think he ought to have done, yet in the following 

 extracts our readers will perceive some valuable hints : it is 

 evident, however, that the principle we have particularly in- 

 sisted upon, paying as wages what at present is paid as poor 

 rates, has not occurred to him. 



" Giving employment to the poor* is one of the best preventive charities, 

 and by a little management this may always be provided beforehand. Some 

 of the works spoken of under the head of roads, bridges, &e. may be kept 



" * As clay burnt in kilns has been found by late experiments to be a 

 most valuable manure, a landlord who has a kiln properly situated, may 

 employ unoccupied workmen, under the superintendence of his bailiff, in 

 preparing large quantities of an excellent manure, which may subsequently 

 be disposed of to the farmers round at such prices as shall insure its recep- 

 tion and extensive use, until its merits are duly appreciated." 



