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ng　their　importunity；　that　it　was　almost　impossible　to　cross　the　streets　without　being　attacked；　and　absolutely　forced　to　satisfy　their　clamorous　demands。　And　these　beggars　were　in　general　by　no　means　such　as　from　age　or　bodily　infirmities　were　unable　by　their　labour　to　earn　their　livelihood；　but　they　were　for　the　most　part；　stout；　strong；　healthy；　　sturdy　beggars；　who；　lost　to　every　sense　of　shame；　had　embraced　the　profession　from　choice；　not　necessity；　and　who；　not　unfrequently；　added　insolence　and　threats　to　their　importunity；　and　extorted　that　from　fear；　which　they　could　not　procure　by　their　arts　of　dissimulation。

These　beggars　not　only　infested　all　the　streets；　public　walks；　and　public　places；　but　they　even　made　a　practice　of　going　into　private　houses；　where　they　never　failed　to　steal　whatever　fell　in　their　way；　if　they　found　the　doors　open；　and　nobody　at　home；　and　the　churches　were　so　full　of　them　that　it　was　quite　a　nuisance；　and　a　public　scandal　during　the　performance　of　divine　service。　People　at　their　devotions　were　continually　interrupted　by　them；　and　were　frequently　obliged　to　satisfy　their　demands　in　order　to　be　permitted　to　finish　their　prayers　in　peace　and　quite。

In　short；　these　detestable　vermin　swarmed　every　where；　and　not　only　their　impudence　and　clamorous　importunity　were　without　any　bounds；　but　they　had　recourse　to　the　most　diabolical　arts；　and　most　horrid　crimes；　in　the　prosecution　of　their　infamous　trade。　Young　children　were　stolen　from　their　parents　by　these　wretches；　and　their　eyes　put　out；　or　their　tender　limbs　broken　and　distorted；　in　order；　by　exposing　them　thus　maimed；　to　excite　the　pity　and　commiseration　of　the　public；　and　every　species　of　artifice　was　made　use　of　to　agitate　the　sensibility；　and　to　extort　the　contributions　of　the　humane　and　charitable。

Some　of　these　monsters　were　so　void　of　all　feeling　as　to　expose　even　their　own　children；　naked；　and　almost　starved；　in　the　streets；　in　order　that；　by　their　cries　and　unaffected　expressions　of　distress；　they　might　move　those　who　passed　by　to　pity　and　relieve　them；　and　in　order　to　make　them　act　their　part　more　naturally；　they　were　unmercifully　beaten　when　they　came　home；　by　their　inhuman　parents；　if　they　did　not　bring　with　them　a　certain　sum；　which　they　were　ordered　to　collect。

I　have　frequently　seen　a　poor　child　of　five　or　six　years　of　age；　late　at　night；　in　the　most　inclement　season；　sitting　down　almost　naked　at　the　corner　of　a　street；　and　crying　most　bitterly；　if　he　were　asked　what　was　the　matter　with　him；　he　would　answer；　〃I　am　cold　and　hungry；　and　afraid　to　go　home；　my　mother　told　me　to　bring　home　twelve　creutzers；　and　I　have　only　been　able　to　beg　five。　　My　mother　will　certainly　beat　me　if　I　don't　carry　home　twelve　creutzers。〃　　Who　could　refuse　so　small　a　sum　to　relieve　so　much　unaffected　distress？But　what　horrid　arts　are　these；　to　work　upon　the　feelings　of　the　public；　and　levy　involuntary　contributions　for　the　support　of　idleness　and　debauchery！

But　the　evils　arising　from　the　prevalence　of　mendicity　did　not　stop　here。　　The　public；　worn　out　and　vanquished　by　the　numbers　and　persevering　importunity　of　the　beggars；　and　frequently　disappointed　in　their　hopes　of　being　relieved　from　their　depredations；　by　the　failure　of　the　numberless　schemes　that　were　formed　and　set　on　foot　for　that　purpose；　began　at　last　to　consider　the　case　as　quite　desperate；　and　to　submit　patiently　to　an　evil　for　which　they　saw　no　remedy。　　The　consequences　of　this　submission　are　easy　to　be　conceived；　the　beggars；　encouraged　by　their　success；　were　　attached　still　more　strongly　to　their　infamous　profession；　and　others；　allured　by　their　indolent　lives；　encouraged　by　their　successful　frauds；　and　emboldened　by　their　impunity；　joined　them。　　The　habit　of　submission　on　the　part　of　the　public；　gave　them　a　sort　of　right　to　pursue　their　depredations；　their　growing　numbers　and　their　success　gave　a　kind　of　eclat　to　their　profession；　and　the　habit　of　begging　became　so　general；　that　it　ceased　to　be　considered　as　infamous；　and　was　by　degrees　in　a　manner　interwoven　with　the　internal　regulations　of　society。　　Herdsmen　and　shepherds；　who　attended　their　flocks　by　the　road…side；　were　known　to　derive　considerable　advantage　from　the　contributions　which　their　situation　enabled　them　to　levy　from　passengers；　and　I　have　been　assured；　that　the　wages　they　received　from　their　employers　were　often　regulated　accordingly。　　The　children　in　every　country　village；　and　those　even　of　the　best　farmers；　made　a　constant　practice　of　begging　from　all　strangers　who　passed；　and　one　hardly　ever　met　a　person　on　foot　upon　the　road；　particularly　a　woman；　who　did　not　hold　out　her　hand　and　ask　for　charity。

In　the　great　towns；　besides　the　children　of　the　poorer　sort；　who　almost　all　made　a　custom　of　begging；　the　professional　beggars　formed　a　distinct　class；　or　cast；　among　the　inhabitants；　and　in　general　a　very　numerous　one。　　There　was　even　a　kind　of　political　connection　between　the　members　　of　this　formidable　body；　and　certain　general　maxims　were　adopted；　and　regulations　observed；　in　the　warfare　they　carried　on　against　the　public。　Each　beggar　had　his　particular　beat；　or　district；　in　the　possession　of　which　it　was　not　thought　lawful　to　disturb　him；　and　certain　rules　were　observed　in　disposing　of　the　districts　in　case　of　vacancies　by　deaths　or　resignations；　promotions　or　removals。　A　battle；　it　is　true；　frequently　decided　the　contest　between　the　candidates；　but　when　the　possession　was　once　obtained；　whether　by　force　of　arms；　or　by　any　other　means；　the　right　was　ever　after　considered　as　indisputable。　　Alliances　by　marriage　were　by　no　means　uncommon　in　this　community；　and；　strange　as　it　may　appear；　means　were　found　to　procure　legal　permission　from　the　civil　magistrates　for　the　celebration　of　these　nuptials！　The　children　were　of　course　trained　up　in　the　profession　of　their　parents；　and　having　the　advantage　of　an　early　education；　were　commonly　great　proficients　in　their　trade。

As　there　is　no　very　essential　difference　between　depriving　a　person　of　his　property　by　stealth；　and　extorting　it　from　him　against　his　will；　by　dint　of　clamorous　importunity；　or　under　false　pretence　of　feigned　distress　and　misfortune；　so　the　transition　from　begging　to　stealing　is　not　only　easy；　but　perfectly　natural。　　That　total　insensibility　to　shame；　and　all　those　other　qualifications　which　are　necessary　in　the　profession　of　a　beggar；　are　likewise　essential　to　form　an　accomplished　thief；　and　both　these　professions　derive　very　considerable　advantages　from　their　union。　　A　beggar　who　goes　about　from　house　to　house　to　ask　for　alms；　has　many　opportunities　to　steal；　which　another　would　not　so　easily　find；　and　his　profession　as　a　beggar　gives　him　a　great　facility　in　disposing　of　what　he　steals；　for　he　can　always　say　it　was　given　him　in　charity。　No　wonder　then　that　thieving　and　robbing　should　be　prevalent　where　beggars　are　numerous。

That　this　was　the　case　in　Bavaria　will　not　be　doubted　by　those　who　are　informed　that　in　the　four　years　immediately　succeeding　the　introduction　of　the　measures　adopted　for　putting　an　end　to　mendicity；　and　clearing　the　country　of　beggars；　thieves；　robbers；　etc。　above　TEN　THOUSAND　of　these　vagabonds；　foreigners　and　natives；　were　a