essays-1-第27部分

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r　cafes　in　the　management　of　the　Poor。

With　regard　to　the　manner　in　which　the　supreme　and　parochial　committees　should　be　formed；　however　they　may　be　composed；　it　will　be　indispensably　requisite；　for　the　preservation　of　order　and　harmony　in　all　the　different　parts　of　the　Establishment；　that　one　member　at　least　of　each　parochial　committee　be　present；　and　have　a　seat；　and　voice；　as　a　member　of　the　supreme　committee。　And；　that　all　the　members　of　each　parochial　committee　may　be　equally　well　informed　with　regard　to　the　general　affairs　of　the　Establishment；　it　may　perhaps　be　proper　that　those　members　attended　the　meetings　of　the　supreme　committee　in　rotation。

For　similar　reasons　it　may　be　proper　to　invite　the　commissaries　of　districts　to　be　present　in　rotation　at　the　meetings　of　the　committees　of　their　respective　parishes；　where　there　are　parochial　committees　established；　or　otherwise；　at　the　　meetings　of　the　supreme　committee＇4＇。

It　is；　however；　only　in　very　large　cities　that　I　would　recommend　the　forming　parochial　committees。　In　all　towns　where　the　inhabitants　do　not　amount　to　more　than　100；000　souls；　I　am　clearly　of　opinion　that　it　would　be　best　merely　to　divide　the　town　into　districts；　without　regard　to　the　limits　of　parishes；　and　to　direct　all　the　affairs　of　the　institution　by　one　simple　committee。　　This　mode　was　adopted　at　Munich；　and　found　to　be　easy　in　practice；　and　successful；　and　it　is　not　without　some　degree　of　diffidence；　I　own；　that　I　have　ventured　to　propose　a　deviation　from　a　plan；　which　has　not　yet　been　justified　by　experience。

But　however　a　town　may　be　divided　into　districts；　it　will　be　absolutely　necessary　that　ALL　the　houses　be　regularly　numbered；　and　an　accurate　list　made　out　of　all　the　persons　who　inhabit　them。　The　propriety　of　this　measure　is　too　apparent　to　require　any　particular　explanation。　　It　is　one　of　the　very　first　steps　that　ought　to　be　taken　in　carrying　into　execution　any　plan　for　forming　an　Establishment　for　the　Poor；　it　being　as　necessary　to　know　the　names　and　places　of　abode　of　those；　who；　by　voluntary　subscription；　or　otherwise；　assist　in　relieving　the　Poor；　as　to　be　acquainted　with　the　dwellings　of　the　objects　themselves；　and　this　measure　is　as　indispensable　necessary　when　an　institution　for　the　Poor　is　formed　in　a　small　country…town　or　village；　as　when　it　is　formed　in　the　largest　capital。

In　many　cases；　it　is　probable；　the　established　laws　of　the　country　in　which　an　institution　for　the　Poor　may　be　formed；　and　certain　usages；　the　influence　of　which　may　perhaps　be　still　more　powerful　than　the　laws；　may　render　modifications　necessary；　which　it　is　utterly　impossible　for　me　to　foresee；　still　the　great　fundamental　principles　upon　which　every　sensible　plan　for　such　an　Establishment　must　be　founded；　appear　to　me　to　be　certain　and　immutable；　and　when　rightly　understood；　there　can　be　no　great　difficulty　in　accommodating　the　plan　to　all　those　particular　circumstances　under　which　it　may　be　carried　into　execution；　without　making　any　essential　alteration。


CHAPTER。　III。

　General　Direction　of　the　Affairs　of　an　Institution　for　　　　the　Poor　attended　with　no　great　Trouble。　　Of　the　best　Method　of　carrying　on　the　current　Business；　　　　and　the　great　Use　of　printed　Forms；　or　Blanks。　　Of　the　necessary　qualifications　of　those　who　are　placed　at　the　　　　Head　of　an　Establishment　for　the　Relief　of　the　Poor。　　Great　Importance　of　this　Subject。　　Cruelty　and　Impolicy　of　putting　the　Poor　into　the　Hands　of　　　　Persons　they　cannot　respect　and　love。　　The　Persons　pointed　out　who　are　more　immediately　called　upon　to　　　　come　forward　with　Schemes　for　the　Relief　of　the　Poor；　and　to　　　　give　their　active　Assistance　in　carrying　them　into　Effect。

Whatever　the　number　of　districts　into　which　a　city　is　divided；　may　be；　or　the　number　of　committees　employed　in　the　management　of　a　public　Establishment　for　the　relief　of　the　Poor；　it　is　indispensably　necessary　that　all　individuals　who　are　employed　in　the　undertaking　be　persons　of　known　integrity；for　courage　is　not　more　necessary　in　the　character　of　a　general；　than　unshaken　integrity　in　the　character　of　a　governor　of　a　public　charity。　I　insist　the　more　upon　this　point　as　the　whole　scheme　is　founded　upon　the　voluntary　assistance　of　individuals；　and　therefore　to　ensure　its　success　the　most　unlimited　confidence　of　the　public　must　be　reposed　in　those　who　are　to　carry　it　into　execution；　besides；　I　may　add；　that　the　manner　in　which　the　funds　of　the　various　public　Establishments　for　the　relief　of　the　Poor　already　instituted　have　been　commonly　been　administered　in　most　countries；　does　not　tend　to　render　superfluous　the　precautions　I　propose　for　securing　the　confidence　of　the　public。

The　preceding　observations　respecting　the　　importance　of　employing　none　but　persons　of　known　integrity　at　the　head　of　an　institution　for　the　relief　of　the　Poor；　relates　chiefly　to　the　necessity　of　encouraging　people　in　affluent　circumstances；　and　the　public　at　large；　to　unite　in　the　support　of　such　an　Establishment。There　is　also　another　reason；　perhaps　equally　important；　which　renders　it　expedient　to　employ　persons　of　the　most　respectable　character　in　the　details　of　an　institution　of　public　charity；the　good　effects　such　a　choice　must　have　upon　the　minds　and　morals　of　the　Poor。

Persons　who　are　reduced　to　indigent　circumstances；　and　become　objects　of　public　charity；　come　under　the　direction　of　those　who　are　appointed　to　take　care　of　them　with　minds　weakened　by　adversity；　and　soured　by　disappointment；　and　finding　themselves　separated　from　the　rest　of　mankind；　and　cut　off　from　all　hope　of　seeing　better　days；　they　naturally　grow　peevish；　and　discontented；　suspicious　of　those　set　over　them；　and　of　one　another；　and　the　kindest　treatment；　and　most　careful　attention　to　every　circumstance　that　can　render　their　situation　supportable；　are　therefore　required；　to　prevent　their　being　very　unhappy。　And　nothing　surely　can　contribute　more　powerfully　to　soothe　the　minds　of　persons　in　such　unfortunate　and　hopeless　circumstances；　than　to　find　themselves　under　the　care　and　protection　of　persons　of　gentle　manners；humane　dispositions；and　known　probity　and　integrity；　such　as　even　THEY；with　all　their　　suspicions　about　them；　may　venture　to　love　and　respect；

Whoever　has　taken　the　pains　to　investigate　the　nature　of　the　human　mind；　and　examine　attentively　those　circumstances　upon　which　human　happiness　depends；　must　know　how　necessary　it　is　to　happiness；　that　the　mind　should　have　some　object　upon　which　to　place　its　more　tender　affectionssomething　to　love；to　cherish；　to　esteem；to　respect；and　to　venerate；　and　these　resources　are　never　so　necessary　as　in　the　hour　of　adversity　and　discouragement；　where　no　ray　of　hope　is　left　to　cheer　the　prospect；　and　stimulate　to　fresh　exertion。

The　lot　of　the　Poor；　particularly　of　those　who；　from　easy　circumstances　and　a　reputable　station　in　society；　are　reduced　by　misfortunes；　or　oppression；　to　become　a　burthen　on　the　Public；　is　truly　deplorable；　after　all　that　can　be　done　for　them：　and　were　we　seriously　to　consider　their　situation；　I　am　sure　we　should　think　that　we　could　never　do　too　much　to　alleviate　their　sufferings；　and　soothe　the　anguish　of　wounds　which　can　never　be　healed。

For　the　common　mis