1797-] 
To the Editor sf ihe Monthly Magaxine. 
SIR, ie 
rPHE Jate amazing advance of the 
poor-rates is a fubjeét of very 2e- 
neral complaint. The &agnation of tran 
and manufaétures occafioied by this war 
mutt be one principal caufe of this evil, 
in large trading places: but I am over- 
feer of the poor of a parifh, where there 
never has been any manufacture, pro- 
perly fo called; nor any. trade, which 
can be very materially affeéted by peace 
or war. All the inhabitants are either 
farmers, labourers, menial fervants, or 
fuch mechanics as always find employ: 
Ment in a country parifh. We have no 
paupers reduced by loffes in trade, none 
troublefome for want of work in their 
refpective lines. There never has been 
a veftry dinner in the parifh, nor has 
there been much money fquandered in 
an improper way by the officers. The 
weekly allowance of our paupers is very 
little more than it was in the year 1770; 
yet the rates are double. It is true, that 
we have a few wives, with their chil- 
dren, whofe hufbands have been taken 
into the militia, or zmprefféd for the navy. 
The late levy of foldiers and failors has 
alfo preatly added to our burdens; but it 
is devoutly to be hoped, that there may 
be no occafion to repeat this expedient. 
‘There is, however, fir, one other caufe 
of the inereafe of the poor-rates, which 
I with any of your correfpondents may 
have the wifdom and power to remove. 
It is the number of legitimate children 
thrown on the parifhes. This has been 
increaling during the laft fifty years, and 
is now grown to a diltreffing height. My 
father often told me, with fuch a degree 
of pleafure as always brightened his 
countenance, that when he was firft over- 
feer of the poor, in 1738, there was not 
one baftard on the book. When a fer- 
vant-gitl had this misfortune, fo great 
was her difgrace, that fhe could not faow 
herfelf at church for twelve months af- 
ter; nor could fhe get a place without 
the greateft difficulty. It was very fel- 
dom that a bride went pregnant to 
church. But, tempora mutantur ! out of 
the fifteen laft marriages, there were but 
two brides of unfpotted characters ; and 
we have feventeen baftards onthe book, 
under three years of age! Some of 
thefe are the children of the principal 
men in the parifh, thrown upon us by 
fuch dextrous jockeythip, as is often 
practifed in this country, but the know- 
ledge of which, I do not choofe to ex- 
tend. ‘Fhe others belong tofervant-boys, 
MaontHLY Mac. No. XVII, 
Cinufe of the Incregje of Peor- Rates. 
34 
who, as foon as they find themfelves 
likely to be involved in this{pecies of 
trouble, enter into the navy, where they 
find complete protection and impunity 5 
fo that the whole burden falls on the 
parifh. : : 
The general depravity of the age 1s, 
certainly, one caufe’ of this evil. The 
contagion of vice is not now. confined to 
the higher claffes, nor to populous cities 5 
its maligylamt influence has reached the 
mot remove country parifh. Modefty 
and chaftity, which have long found an 
afylum here, hay’e been, at latt, obliged 
to emigrate, God knows whither. 
The' diferace whit) 4s. wont. fo -3e~ 
company this misfortune, 1 NOW entirely 
removed. sl he’ vibtingss. 2° Pol mes 
nent ftain to her reputation 3 ae eal 
cluded from no fociety which Sumitted 
her before ; nor does fhe find any nei 
tional difficulty in obtaining a place.—« 
Girls of this defcription, are, indeed, 
eagerly fought for, under the appellation 
of. gra/s-nimjes, to fupply the place of 
thofe unnatural mothers, who will not 
nurfe their own children, becaufe, for- 
footh, they can afford to pay another, 
This flip is, therefore, frequently, the 
very means of their advancement. From 
the cot, they are taken into the gentle- 
man’s houfe, where they flourifh in finer 
clothes than they ever wore before. This 
circumftance makes them forget their 
crime, and renders their companions lefs 
tenacious of their virtue. 
The marriage Jaws are chargeable with 
occafioning’ this evil. Were a boy and 
girl allowed to marry, without delay, 
whenever they pleafed, on application to 
the parfon of the parifh, in the ardour 
of their affections, they would not fail 
to feek the church. But, as the laws 
now ftand, they cannot be married with- 
out being publicly expofed from the 
pulpit, three fucceffive Sundays, to all 
the boys and girls of two parifhes. They 
muft wait three weeks, muft obtain a 
certificate of the banns, and be married 
in the middle of the day. What difcou- 
ragements are here! What time for 
confideration!’ Their fears. will be 
rouzed—their courage will fail—their 
ardour will ceafe, or produce an addition 
to the burdens of the parifh. It will be 
‘alleged, thar thefe laws prevent ra/e 
mariiages. This may be very well for 
the rich; but,.if they prevent all raf 
marriages among the poor, they will, it 
is to be feared, prevent a// marriages, 
When the wages are folow, when every 
neceflary is fo dear, muft not that la- 
xy r boures 
