3 o8 NATURAL HISTORY 
Another and no inconflderable corruption to which our inhabitants 
of the lower clafs are fubjeCt, may in part be attributed to the fame 
caufe (I mean their occupation), but can neither be juftified by that, or 
any other plea; that is, fpending much time and money in publick- 
houfes, which defrauds the matter of the labour he pays for, deprives 
the family of that fubttftence which is their natural right ; but above 
all, prompts the tipler to cheat and overcharge, not to fay deal, in order 
to pay for the excettes he has been guilty of. If thefe extrava- 
gancies were only committed by thofe who had wherewithal to pay 
for them, the vice of excettive drinking would not be altogether fo 
fhameful ; but the misfortune is, that the pooreft working-tinner 
fhall be credited by the ale-drawer till his account becomes confl- 
derable, then perfecuted by bailiffs till he pays cotts as well as 
fcores. There is no part of England which has more reafon to 
complain of this kind of debauchery than Cornwall, and I have 
heard it hinted, with fome Shew of reafon, that fince the prefent 
laws againft drinking to excefs are ineffectual, and the nature of a 
tinner’s employ fecretes him from his matter’s eye, ’tis great pity 
that fome farther reftraints fhould not be laid upon the keepers of 
publick-houfes, and retailers of fpirituous liquors, who might de- 
servedly be reftrained by law from fuing any man, who had neither 
freehold or leafe eftate, for any fum exceeding one or two {killings, 
and not be at liberty even to Sue for that but before a juftice of the 
peace, or after the Space of fix months from the contraction of the 
debt. This would prevent the idle from {pending what they have 
not ; for if they had no credit, the ready-money they get comes in 
Seldom, and mutt go in neceflaries, and confequently would not 
be Sufficient for the purpofes of idlenefs. However that may be, 
this is certain, that to credit a poor labourer for Superfluities, much 
more for excettive drinking, is to encourage and tempt him to 
negleCt and tranfgrefs every Serious duty of life. 
Nor does this low luxury and great evil prevail only in the mining 
part of the county, but in towns and villages, which Surely is to be 
attributed to the prefent too general ( but it is to be hoped Short- 
lived ) corruption of our boroughs at the electing Members of Par- 
liament. This fatal, infamous traffic begins with intemperance and 
riot; thefe diffipate every generous Sentiment of freedom, love of 
our country, and inclination to induftry : Venality naturally Suc- 
ceeds, and is followed by extravagance and idlenefs ; thefe by po- 
verty, and poverty ( Such is the round ! ) by abandoning themfelves 
to intemperance again on the firft opportunity, and repeating the 
bafeft proftitution of the higheft privilege. A corruption this both 
of principle and practice, of patriotifm and morality, infefting more 
counties than one ; but lo much the more to be lamented in 
Cornwall, 
