2 40 Some Remedies againfi the Evils of G IN and TEA. 
mentation of their number, would render them of ufe to the 
public. What occurs to me at prefent, regards only the boys 
who may be bred in the foundling hospital. In this ho- 
spital there is but a fmall number at prefent ; but for the fu- 
ture one would imagine a quarter part of them might be an- 
nually fent to fea, equally to the advantage of the boys and 
the public : they would foon become capable of fighting our 
battles beyond the ftouteft land-man who is fea-fick, or who, 
falling ill of a fever, infeds a whole fhip’s company. If fome 
fcheme of this fort were properly condu&ed, we fhould foon 
fee the happy eflfeds of it. 
But the remedy will not depend on the encouragement of 
this or any other fchool or hofpital alone : the rich, in private 
life, muft be more watchful of the poor ; the fortunate of the 
unfortunate ; and the virtuous of the vicious, who are not yet 
thrown on the public. If the wicked father, or abandoned 
mother, know that the public has provided for all their chil- 
dren, the difficulty of bringing them to a fenfe of humanity 
and parental affedion, may increafe. But let them be affifted 
with good advice, occafional charities, and, above all, with the 
means of getting their bread by their labor, the talk, tho’ ar- 
duous, will be found pradicable. Endevor to find them con- 
ftant employment, and they will have the lefs time to drink 
tea or gin : keep them out of idlenefs, and half the bufinefs is 
done. 
But forafmuch as the evil is grown to an enormous height, 
and in either cafe we muft fuffer, it may be the leaft dange- 
rous 
