Ch. x. in Scotland and Ireland. 463 



" be unnecessary but hurtful, as it would tend to 

 " oppress the landholder, without bringing relief 

 " on the poor." 



These, upon the whole, appear to be the pre- 

 vailing opinions of the clergy of Scotland. There 

 are, however, some exceptions ; and the system 

 of assessments is sometimes approved, and the 

 establishment of it recommended. But this is not 

 to be wondered at. In many of these parishes the 

 experiment had never been made ; and without 

 being thoroughly aware of the principle of popu- 

 lation from theory, or having fully seen the evils 

 of poor-laws in practice, nothing seems, on a first 

 view of the subject, more natural than the pro- 

 posal of an assessment, to which the uncharitable, 

 as well as the charitable, should be made to con- 

 tribute according to their abilities, and which 

 might be increased or diminished, according to 

 the wants of the moment. 



The endemic and epidemic diseases in Scotland 

 fall chiefly, as is usual, on the poor. The scurvy 

 is in some places extremely troublesome and in- 

 veterate ; and in others it arises to a contagious 

 leprosy, the effects of which are always dreadful, 

 and not unfrequently mortal. One writer calls it 

 the scourge and bane of human nature.* It is 

 generally attributed to cold and wet situations, 

 meagre and unwholesome food, impure air from 

 damp and crowded houses, indolent habits, and 

 the want of attention to cleanliness. 



* Parishes of Forbes and Kearn, County of Aberdeen, yol. xi. 

 p. 189. 



