444 
able proportion of the public prostitutes). 
Neither would many of the younger in- 
mates be instructed with a view to the 
permanent exercise of handicraft works, 
the healthy ones of both sexes would 
he otherwise disposed of at early ages, 
and thereby make room for others. 
Neither would the degree of skill ac- 
quired at such ages enable them to exe- 
cute work to be put in competition’ with 
that of the out-adult. poor engaged in 
similar pursuits. The necessary sepa- 
ration of sexes and ages, with proper 
restraints and diligent employmeut, 
which would be exacted at the district 
manufactories would check unnecessary 
application for admission to them, as be- 
fore suggested ; and to those admitted, 
each house should be a school of mental 
discipline, as well as of bodily action, of 
cleanliness, and instruction, of useful 
occupation, and strict moral conduct.— 
The health of the inmates should be con- 
sulted in wholesomeness of diet, in airi- 
mess of apartments, and in timely re- 
missions of labour. ‘The boys, at 11, 
tn the intermissions of their other pur- 
suits, might begin and continue to Jearm 
the military manual, not as a task, but as 
@ recreation for present healthy exercise, 
and to enable them hereafter, on emer- 
gencies, to act more promptly and efiec- 
tively in the protection of their country. 
‘The girls of the same age should be 
taken by rotation inte the kitchen, wash- 
house, laundry, and be practised in all 
needful domestic work, to fit them for 
services in private families at their de- 
parture, and for their future destinations 
in life; but it is highly probable, that 
many of these of both sexes will, from 
the skill acquired by them in different 
crafts, be sought for and taken, without 
fee, as apprentices at earlier ages than 
that proposed for the ordimary term of 
their residence in the district house. 
_And thus having provided, in a way 
consonant to the spirit of the act of the 
43d Eliz. for the employment of all able 
paupers, and also for their frugal main- 
tenance, Jet us further endeavour to 
shew how that description of needy poor, 
the impotent and infants, who are una- 
ble to earn any thing in aid of their sup- 
port, may be provided for with most com- 
fort to themselves and least expence to 
the public. These paupers, in my judg. 
ment should remain in their respective 
parishes, and those who cannot be other- 
wise disposed of be maintained in parish 
-houses, houses of refuge for the aged and 
impotent ; and that these helpless people 
3 i 
~ 
Observations on the Poor-Laws, and on the most [June 1, 
might have the best chance for peace and 
quietness among themselves, and ‘con- 
sidering the fretfulness which the tempers 
of many, by age and bodhiy defects, ave 
liable to, they should be placed in small 
rather than in large communities. to 
prevent, therefore, any of these houses 
trom being overcrowded at any time, all 
those who can be boarded out with rela- 
tions, friends, or other householders, will- 
ing to take them at or under the average 
cost of their maintenance within the 
house, and others who can be lodged 
out, and dieted in the house, should 
be so disposed of; and after deduct 
ing from the elder poor cf the whole 
district, all those who might by some 
remaining ability be taken into the dis- 
trict manufactory, and such as may be 
disposed of in the ways just imenuoned, 
the inmates in these houses of refuge 
would not be inconveniently numerous, 
and might therefore be managed and pro- 
vided for with little trouble, and at mo- 
derate expence. These parish-houses 
and permanently helpless poor, as well 
as others labouring under temporary ina- 
bilities from sicknesses, should be under 
the direction and matiagement of the 
churchwardens and overseers of their re- 
spective parishes, with whom I would 
propose to associate, in the execution of 
these duties, a given number, according 
to the extent and population of each 
parish, of guardians elect, but not offi- 
ciating at the district manufactory ; form- 
ing thereby parochial weekly committees, 
to which other resident parishioners, 
magistrates, and gentlemen, qualified to 
be directors of the district manufactory, 
should be visitors. The guardians so 
chosen or selected should be permanent 
committee men, and excused, whilst se 
engaged, from serving, on committees at 
the district manufactory: they, there- 
fore, would soon be competent, from ex- 
perience, to advise the annual officers, ig- 
norant of their duty at the commence- 
ment, and often for the whole term of 
their service, in all obscure and disputed 
concerns of the parish: so protected, the 
‘office of overseer would be less invidi- 
ously thought of by the poor in general, 
who are often misled by those of the 
worst characters, not gratified with pro- 
fuse and unmerited rehef. The poor . 
would soon be led to confide in parochial 
committees so constituted, and would, 
under such protection, certainly be safe 
from any unjust denial of succour in their 
necessities. With. respect to the more 
active duties of the overseers, such as 
making 
