Ch. vi. Of Poor-Laws, continued. ^3 



this stimulus, however benevolent its intention, 

 will always defeat its own purpose. If men be 

 induced to marry from the mere prospect of 

 parish provision, they are not only unjustly 

 tempted to bring unhappiness and dependence 

 upon themselves and children, but they are 

 tempted, without knowing it, to injure all in the 

 same class with themselves. 



The poor-laws of England appear to have con- 

 tributed to raise the price of provisions, and to 

 lower the real price of labour. They have there- 

 fore contributed to impoverish that class of people 

 whose only possession is their labour. It is also 

 difficult to suppose that they have not powerfully 

 contributed to generate that carelessness and 

 want of frugality observable among the poor, so 

 contrary to the disposition generally to be re- 

 marked among petty tradesmen and small farmers. 

 The labouring poor, to use a vulgar expression, 

 seem always to live from hand to mouth. Their 

 present wants employ their whole attention; and 

 they seldom think of the future. Even when they 

 have an opportunity of saving, they seldom exer- 

 cise it; but all that they earn beyond their pre- 

 sent necessities goes, generally speaking, to the 

 ale-house. The poor-laws may therefore be said 

 to diminish both the power and the will to save, 

 among the common people ; and thus to weaken 

 one of the strongest incentives to sobriety and 

 industry, and consequently to happiness. 



It is a general complaint among master manu- 

 facturers, that high wages ruin all their workmen ; 



g2 



