essays-1-第28部分

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　their　sufferings；　and　soothe　the　anguish　of　wounds　which　can　never　be　healed。

For　the　common　misfortunes　of　life；　HOPE　is　a　　sovereign　remedy。　But　what　remedy　can　be　applied　to　evils；　which　involve　even　the　loss　of　hope　itself？　and　what　can　those　have　to　hope；　who　are　separated　and　cut　off　from　society；　and　for　ever　excluded　from　all　share　in　the　affairs　of　men？　　To　them；　honours；distinctions；　praise；and　even　property　itself；all　those　objects　of　laudable　ambition　which　so　powerfully　excite　the　activity　of　man　in　civil　society；　and　contribute　so　essentially　to　happiness；　by　filling　the　mind　with　pleasing　prospects　of　future　enjoyments；　are　but　empty　names；　or　rather；　they　are　subjects　of　never…ceasing　regret　and　discontent。

That　gloom　must　indeed　be　dreadful；　which　overspreads　the　mind；　when　HOPE；　that　bright　luminary　of　the　soul；　which　enlightens　and　cheers　it；　and　excites　and　calls　forth　into　action　all　its　best　faculties；　has　disappeared！

There　are　many；　it　is　true；　who；　from　their　indolence　or　extravagance；　or　other　vicious　habits；　fall　into　poverty　and　distress；　and　become　a　burthen　on　the　public；　who　are　so　vile　and　degenerate　as　not　to　feel　the　wretchedness　of　their　situation。　But　these　are　miserable　objects；　which　the　truly　benevolent　will　regard　with　an　eye　of　peculiar　compassion；they　must　be　very　unhappy；　for　they　are　very　vicious；　and　nothing　should　be　omitted；　that　can　tend　to　reclaim　them；but　nothing　will　tend　so　powerfully　to　reform　them；　as　kind　usage　from　the　hands　of　persons　they　must　learn　to　love　and　to　respect　at　the　same　time。

If　I　am　too　prolix　upon　this　head；　I　am　sorry　for　it。　　It　is　a　strong　conviction　of　the　great　importance　of　the　subject；　which　carries　me　away；　and　makes　me；　perhaps；　tiresome；　where　I　would　wish　most　to　avoid　it。　　The　care　of　the　Poor；　however；　I　must　consider　as　a　matter　of　very　serious　importance。　It　appears　to　me　to　be　one　of　the　most　sacred　duties　imposed　upon　men　in　a　state　of　civil　society；one　of　those　duties　imposed　immediately　　by　the　hand　of　God　himself；　and　of　which　the　neglect　never　goes　unpunished。

What　I　have　said　respecting　the　necessary　qualifications　of　those　employed　in　taking　care　of　the　Poor；　I　hope　will　not　deter　well…disposed　persons；　who　are　willing　to　assist　in　so　useful　an　undertaking；　from　coming　forward　with　propositions　for　the　institution　of　public　Establishments　for　that　purpose；　or　from　offering　themselves　candidates　for　employments　in　the　management　of　such　Establishments。　　The　qualifications　pointed　out；　integrity；　and　a　gentle　and　humane　disposition；honesty；　and　a　good　heart；　are　such　as　any　one　may　boldly　lay　claim　to；　without　fear　of　being　taxed　with　vanity　or　ostentation。And　if　individuals　in　private　stations；　on　any　occasion　are　called　upon　to　lay　aside　their　bashfulness　and　modest　dissidence；　and　come　forward　into　public　view；　it　must　surely　be；　when　by　their　exertions　they　can　essentially　contribute　to　promote　measures　which　are　calculated　to　increase　the　happiness　and　prosperity　of　society。

It　is　a　vulgar　saying；　that；　what　is　everybody's　business；　is　nobody's　business；　and　it　is　very　certain　that　many　schemes；　evidently　intended　for　the　public　good；　have　been　neglected；　merely　because　nobody　could　be　prevailed　on　to　stand　forward　and　be　the　first　to　adopt　them。　　This　doubtless　has　been　the　case　in　regard　to　many　judicious　and　well　arranged　proposals　for　providing　for　the　Poor；　and　will　probably　be　so　again。　　I　shall　endeavour；　however；　to　show；　that　though　in　undertakings　in　which　the　general　welfare　of　society　is　concerned；　persons　of　all　ranks　and　conditions　are　called　upon　to　give　them　their　support；　yet；　in　the　INTRODUCTION　of　such　measures　as　are　here　recommended；　a　scheme　of　providing　for　the　Poor；there　are　many　who；　by　their　rank　and　peculiar　situations；　are　clearly　pointed　out　as　the　most　proper　to　take　up　the　business　at　its　commencement；　and　bring　it　forward　to　maturity；　as　well　as　to　take　an　active　part　in　the　direction　and　management　of　such　an　institution　after　it　has　been　established：　and　it　appears　to　me；　that　the　nature　and　the　end　of　the　　undertaking　evidently　point　out　the　persons　who　are　more　particularly　called　upon　to　set　an　example　on　such　an　occasion。

If　the　care　of　the　Poor　be　an　object　of　great　national　importance；　if　it　be　inseparably　connected　with　the　peace　and　tranquillity　of　society；　and　with　the　glory　and　prosperity　of　the　state；　if　the　advantages　which　individuals　share　in　the　public　welfare　are　in　proportion　to　the　capital　they　have　at　stake　in　this　great　national　fundthat　is　to　say；　in　proportion　to　their　rank；　property；　and　connexions；　or　general　influence；as　it　is　just　that　every　one　should　contribute　in　proportion　to　the　advantages　he　receives；　it　is　evident　who　ought　to　be　the　first　to　come　forward　upon　such　an　occasion。

But　it　is　not　merely　on　account　of　the　superior　interest　they　have　in　the　public　welfare；　that　persons　of　high　rank　and　great　property；　and　such　as　occupy　places　of　importance　in　the　government；　are　bound　to　support　measures　calculated　to　relieve　the　distresses　of　the　Poor；there　is　still　another　circumstance　which　renders　it　indispensably　necessary　that　they　should　take　an　active　part　in　such　measures；　and　that　is；　the　influence　which　their　example　must　have　upon　others。

It　is　impossible　to　prevent　the　bulk　of　mankind　from　being　swayed　by　the　example　of　those　to　whom　they　are　taught　to　look　up　as　their　superiors；　it　behoves；　therefore；　all　who　enjoy　such　high　privileges；　to　employ　all　the　influence　which　their　rank　and　fortune　give　them；　to　promote　the　public　good。　　And　this　may　justly　be　considered　as　a　duty　of　a　peculiar　kind；a　PERSONAL　service　attached　to　the　station　they　hold　in　society；　and　which　cannot　be　commuted。

But　if　the　obligations　which　persons　of　rank　and　property　are　under；　to　support　measures　　designed　for　the　relief　of　the　Poor；　are　so　binding；　how　much　more　so　must　they　be　upon　those　who　have　taken　upon　themselves　the　sacred　office　of　public　teachers　of　virtue　and　morality；the　Ministers　of　a　most　holy　religion；　a　religion　whose　first　precepts　inculcate　charity　and　universal　benevolence；　and　whose　great　object　is；　unquestionably；　the　peace；　order；　and　happiness　of　society。

If　there　be　any　whose　peculiar　province　it　is　to　seek　for　objects　in　distress　and　want；　and　administer　to　them　relief；if　there　be　any　who　are　bound　by　the　indispensable　duties　of　their　profession　to　encourage　by　every　means　in　their　power；　and　more　especially　by　EXAMPLE；　the　general　practice　of　charity；　it　is；　doubtless；　the　Ministers　of　the　gospel。　And　such　is　their　influence　in　society；　arising　from　the　nature　of　their　office；　that　their　example　is　a　matter　of　VERY　SERIOUS　IMPORTANCE。

Little　persuasion；　I　should　hope；　would　be　necessary　to　induce　the　clergy；　in　any　country；　to　give　their　cordial　and　active　assistance　in　relieving　the　distresses　of　the　Poor；　and　providing　for　their　comfort　and　happiness；　by　introducing　order　and　useful　industry　among　them。

Another　class　of　men；　who　from　the　station　they　hold　in　society；　and　their　knowledge　of　the　laws　of　the　country；　may　be　highly　useful　in　carrying　into　effect　such　an　undertaking；　are　the　civil　magistrates；　and；　howe