essays-1-第35部分

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res　confidence　and　conciliates　affection　and　esteem。

Those　who　are　in　distress；　are　apt　to　be　fearful　and　apprehensive；　and　nothing　would　be　so　likely　to　intimidate　and　discourage　them　as　the　forbidding　aspect　of　a　stern　and　austere　countenance　in　the　person　they　were　taught　to　look　up　to　for　assistance　and　protection。

The　external　appearance　of　those　who　are　destined　to　command　others　is　always　a　matter　of　real　importance；　but　it　is　peculiarly　so　when　those　to　be　commanded　and　directed　are　objects　of　pity　and　commiseration。

Where　there　are　several　gentlemen　who　live　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　same　town　or　village　where　an　Establishment；　or　Asylum；　（as　I　would　wish　it　might　be　called；）　for　the　Poor　is　to　be　formed；　they　should　all　unite　to　form　ONE　ESTABLISHMENT；　instead　of　each　forming　a　separate　one；　and　it　will　likewise　be　very　useful　in　all　cases　to　invite　all　ranks　of　people　resident　within　the　limits　of　the　district　in　which　an　Establishment　is　formed；　except　those　who　are　actually　in　need　of　assistance　themselves；　to　contribute　to　carry　into　execution　such　a　public　undertaking；　for　though　the　sums　the　more　indigent　and　necessitous　of　the　inhabitants　may　be　able　to　spare　may　be　trifling；　yet　their　being　invited　to　take　part　in　so　laudable　an　undertaking　will　be　flattering　to　them；　and　the　sums　they　contribute；　however　small　they　may　be；　will　give　them　a　sort　of　property　in　the　Establishment；　and　will　effectually　engage　their　good　wishes　at　least；　（which　are　of　more　importance　in　such　cases　than　is　generally　imagined；）　for　its　success。

How　far　the　relief　which　the　Poor　would　receive　from　the　execution　of　a　scheme　like　that　here　proposed　ought　to　preclude　them　from　a　participation　of　other　public　charities；　（in　the　distribution　of　the　sums　levied　upon　the　inhabitants　in　Poor's　taxes；　for　instance；　where　such　exist；）　must　be　determined　in　each　particular　case　according　to　the　existing　circumstances。　It　will；　however；　always　be　indispensably　necessary　where　the　same　poor　person　receives　charitable　assistance　from　two　or　more　separate　institutions；　or　from　two　or　more　private　individuals；　at　the　same　time；　for　each　to　know　exactly　the　amount　of　what　the　others　give；　otherwise　too　much　or　too　little　may　be　given；　and　both　tend　to　discourage　INDUSTRY；　the　only　source　of　effectual　relief　to　the　distresses　and　the　misery　of　the　Poor。And　hence　may　again　be　seen　the　great　importance　of　what　I　have　so　often　insisted　on；　the　rendering　of　measures　for　the　relief　of　the　Poor　as　general　as　possible。

To　illustrate　in　the　clearest　manner；　and　in　as　few　words　as　possible；　the　plan　I　would　recommend　for　forming　an　Establishment　for　the　Poor　on　a　small　scalesuch　as　any　individual　even　of　moderate　property；　might　easily　execute；　I　will　suppose　that　a　gentleman；　resident　in　the　country　upon　his　own　estate；　has　come　to　a　resolution　to　form　such　an　Establishment　in　a　village　near　his　house；　and　will　endeavour　briefly　to　point　out　the　various　steps　he　would　probably　find　it　necessary　to　take　in　the　execution　of　this　benevolent　and　most　useful　undertaking。

He　would　begin　by　calling　together　at　his　house　the　clergyman　of　the　parish；　overseers　of　the　Poor；　and　other　parish　officers；　to　acquaint　them　with　his　intentions；　and　ask　their　assistance　and　friendly　co…operation　in　the　prosecution　of　the　plan；　the　details　of　which　he　would　communicate　to　them　as　far　as　he　should　think　it　prudent　and　necessary　at　the　first　outset　to　entrust　them　indiscriminately　with　that　information。The　characters　of　the　persons；　and　the　private　interest　they　might　have　to　promote　or　oppose　the　measures　intended　to　be　pursued；　would　decide　upon　the　degree　of　confidence　which　ought　to　be　given　them。

At　this　meeting；　measures　should　be　taken　for　forming　the　most　complete　and　most　accurate　lists　of　all　the　Poor　resident　within　the　limits　proposed　to　be　given　to　the　Establishment；　with　a　detailed　account　of　every　circumstance；　relative　to　their　situation；　and　their　wants。Much　time　and　trouble　will　be　saved　in　making　out　these　lists；　by　using　printed　forms　or　blanks　similar　to　those　made　use　of　at　Munich；　and　these　printed　forms　will　likewise　contribute　very　essentially　to　preserve　order　and　to　facilitate　business；　in　the　management　of　a　private　as　well　as　of　a　public　charity；as　also　to　prevent　the　effects　of　misrepresentation　and　partiality　on　the　part　of　those　who　must　necessarily　be　employed　in　these　details。

Convenient　forms　or　models　for　these　blanks　will　be　given　in　the　Appendix　to　this　volume。

At　this　meeting；　measures　may　be　taken　for　numbering　all　the　houses　in　the　village　or　district；　and　for　setting　on　foot　private　subscriptions　among　the　inhabitants　for　carrying　the　proposed　scheme　into　execution。

Those　who　are　invited　to　subscribed　should　be　made　acquainted；　by　a　printed　address　accompanying　the　subscription　lists；　with　the　nature；　extent；　and　tendency　of　the　measures　adopted；　and　should　be　assured　that；　as　soon　as　the　undertaking　shall　be　completed；　the　Poor　will　not　only　be　relieved；　and　their　situation　made　more　comfortable；　but　　mendicity　will　be　effectually　prevented；　and　at　the　same　time　the　Poor's　rates；　or　the　expense　to　the　public　for　the　support　of　the　Poor；　very　considerably　lessened。

These　assurances；　which　will　be　the　strongest　inducements　that　can　be　used　to　prevail　on　the　inhabitants　of　all　descriptions　to　enter　warmly　into　the　scheme；　and　assist　with　alacrity　in　carrying　it　into　execution；　should　be　expressed　in　the　strongest　terms；　and　all　persons　of　every　denomination；　young　and　old；　and　of　both　sexes；　（paupers　only　excepted；）　should　be　invited　to　put　down　their　names　in　the　subscription　lists；　and　this　even；　HOWEVER　SMALL　THE　SUMS　MAY　BE　WHICH　THEY　ARE　ABLE　TO　CONTRIBUTE。　Although　the　sums　which　day…labourers；　servants；　and　other　in　indigent　circumstances　may　be　able　to　contribute；　may　be　very　trifling；　yet　there　is　one　important　reason　why　they　ought　always　to　be　engaged　to　put　down　their　names　upon　the　lists　as　subscribers；　and　that　is　the　goods　effects　which　their　taking　an　active　part　in　the　undertaking　will　probably　produce　ON　THEMSELVES。Nothing　tends　more　to　mend　the　heart；　and　awaken　in　the　mind　a　regard　for　character；　than　acts　of　charity　and　benevolence；　and　any　person　who　has　once　felt　that　honest　pride　and　satisfaction　which　result　from　a　consciousness　of　having　been　instrumental　in　doing　good　by　relieving　the　wants　of　the　Poor；　will　be　rendered　doubly　careful　to　avoid　the　humiliation　of　becoming　himself　an　object　of　public　charity。

It　was　a　consideration　of　these　salutary　effects；　which　may　always　be　expected　to　be　produced　upon　the　minds　of　those　who　take　an　active　and　VOLUNTARY　part　in　the　measures　adopted　for　the　relief　of　the　Poor；　that　made　me　prefer　voluntary　subscriptions；　to　taxes；　in　raising　the　sums　necessary　for　the　support　of　the　Poor；　and　all　the　experience　I　have　had　in　these　matters　has　tended　to　confirm　me　in　the　opinion　I　have　always　had　of　their　superior　utility；Not　only　day…labourers　and　domestic　servants；　but　their　young　children；　and　all　the　children　of　the　nobility　and　other　inhabitants　of　Munich；　and　even　the　non…commissioned　officers　and　private　soldiers　of　the　regiments　in　garris