Cli, iii. improving the Cofulition of the Poor. 289 



" port of a family in such circumstances re- 

 " quires."* Tiiat it is always the duty of a state 

 to use every exertion likely to be effectual in dis- 

 couraging vice and promoting virtue, and that no 

 temporary circumstances ought to cause any re- 

 laxation in these exertions, is certainly true. The 

 means therefore proposed are alvi^ays good ; but 

 the particular end in view in this case appears to 

 be absolutely criminal. We wish to force people 

 into marriage, when from the acknowledged scar- 

 city of subsistence they will have little chance of 

 being able to support their children. We might 

 as well force people into the water who are miable 

 to swim. In both cases we rashly tempt Provi- 

 dence. Nor have we more reason to believe that 

 a miracle will be worked to save us from the 

 misery and mortality resulting from our conduct 

 in the one case than in the other. 



The object of those who really wish to better 

 the condition of the lower classes of society, must 

 be to raise the relative proportion between the 

 price of labour and the price of provisions, so as 

 to enable the labourer to command a larger share 

 of the necessaries and comforts of life. We have 

 hitherto principally attempted to attain this end 

 by encouraging the married poor, and conse- 

 quently increasing the number of labourers, and 

 overstocking the market with a commodity which 

 we still say that we wish to be dear. It would 

 seem to have required no great spirit of divination 



* \'ol. ii. c. xi, p. 352. 

 VOL. ir. U 



