The Poor

From the expedients adopted for the improvement of land and the increase of its product, the transition is natural to the means of amending the condition of those who are employed in cultivating it. The distress of the poor, their gradual depravation, and the enormous and still increasing burthen of the rates for their relief, have engaged the attention of several able writers on public economy. But they appear not to have paid due regard to the cause of the evil, nor to have adapted their remedies to it. Much has been done by government, and several plans have been devised, for the relief of distress, but nothing has been done to prevent it.

It is obvious that the root of the evil is the loss of that spirit of independency which prevailed among the labouring orders in former periods: a degree of reproach was then attached to the receiving parochial relief, and few men submitted to ask it without a struggle to maintain their independency; whereas at present it is demanded as a right, and the number of receivers is so great that it is not considered as affixing any stigma.

If this be admitted, the question then will be, what was the origin of that spirit of independency, and whether it be possible to recover it.

The chief foundation of it, beside the innate love of independency, will be found to be property. In past ages, a considerable part of the cottages were the property of the inhabitants. They were of course actuated by the motives derived from property. The owner of a cottage felt a sense of importance, and a value for himself, which became a principle of action: he was industrious to preserve his property: knowing that he could not receive parochial relief, even should he deign to ask it, without selling. his cottage, he was economical and provident to avoid the occasion of it: instead of looking forward to the relief which he should ask, or demand, he looked to the kindness and assistance which he should merit: he endeavoured to merit the kind offices of his master by his diligence, his attachment, and his fidelity. Moreover, the interest which he felt in his property, by attaching him to his country, made him a loyal subject of the state.

If all this be admitted, the next question will be, whether the evil be not capable of alleviation, at least, if not of a complete remedy: whether such encouragement might not be held out to industry and providence as might counteract the ill effects of the premium which, under the present

2Q 2

system

system of parochial relief, is indirectly offered to idleness and improvidence: whether it be not possible gradually to get the cottages back again into the hands of the inhabitants, and, by that means, to revive the spirit of independency.

In questions which are not capable of demonstrative proof, we ought to speak with diffidence: and the writer submits it to the judgment of those who are more conversant in matters relating to public economy than himself, whether such a design be not feasible by the combined exertions of the principal land owners in the kingdom. This he will take upon him to say, and he has no doubt of being supported by the opinion of the whole nation, that no undertaking can be more deserving their regard than that of relieving their own estates and the national property from a grievous and increasing burthen, of enlarging the national resources, and redeeming thousands of their fellow subjects from dependence, misery, and profligacy.

The writer is aware how apt men are to be visionaries with regard to matters about which they are sanguine: and he would suspect himself of being such in his sentiments respecting the beneficial effects of property had he not seen them uniformly supported by facts.-But however confident he may be in his theory, he is far from being so with respect to any particular scheme for reducing it to practice. This he leaves to more able persons; contenting himself with suggesting, whether a national institution for the encouragement of industry and for promoting any subordinate plan for the same purpose, empowered to grant premiums to persons recommended by certain descriptions of merit, might not be adopted with a fair prospect of success.

ARTS, MANUFACTURES, AND COMMERCE.

Our superior skill in almost every branch of the useful arts, the highly improved state of our manufactures, and the vast extent of our commerce, are owing to a variety of natural and political causes, of which the following appear to be the chief.-The insular situation of the British dominions; whence it arises that no part of them is at a great distance from some port: an extensive and indented coast, affording excellent

harbours:

harbours: a climate favourable to exertion: the active, patient, persevering temper of the people, which will not suffer them to leave any work till they have brought it to a high degree of perfection. A powerful navy to protect our merchantmen: and, above all, a constitution which affords men perfect security of person and property, and enables them to attend to their several pursuits at their ease.

The English government, moreover, has been very attentive to the interests of trade and manufactures in every age, as being one of the chief means of national prosperity and one of the grand sources of revenue. The state pays, directly, greater attention to these objects than to agriculture, because they need it more. But here we may observe, that while it pays a direct attention to them, it indirectly promotes the interests of the farmer by adding to population, and consequently to consumption.

There has scarcely been a session of parliament, in the course of this period, when something has not been done for the benefit or encouragement of trade and manufactures. As the acts of the legislature, measures of government, and statements relating to them have little connection, they will be given in order of time, as they occur.

66

In 1753, "a petition was presented to parliament, for laying open our Turkey trade; representing, as a reason for it, the superiority which "the French had gained in that trade.-Upon these considerations, the legislature passed an act for enlarging and regulating the trade to the "Levant seas, by which it was laid open, as far as appeared compatible "with the future advancement of it and the interests of those who em"ployed their capitals in it."▾

(1754). This year is memorable" for the establishment of a society, " which does signal honour to its founders, for the advancement of arts, "manufactures, and commerce. It was projected by Mr. Shipley, and

was set on foot under the auspices of the lords Folkstone and Romney, " and doctor Stephen Hales.-So generally was the design approved that, "in a short time, above a thousand persons had become subscribers."Premiums were immediately proposed to encourage improvements in the liberal and useful arts, and other things which were objects of the "institution.

V Anderson.

"institution. It consists of a president, eight vice-presidents, a secretary, "and a register annually elected."*

From a statement at this time ‡ given of the Irish linen manufacture, it is seen to be declining, while that of Scotland is increasing; notwithstanding the former was encouraged by the royal bounty and parliamentary sanction; notwithstanding persons of the first distinction had been appointed trustees to direct the means for its improvement; and a linen hall had been erected at Dublin in 1750 for its advancement, which was well conducted.-The exports in 1758-9 were 14,093,431 yards, value £.939,562; and those of the ensuing year only 13,375,456 yards, value £.891,697.-The same statement sets forth that the best arable land "in immense tracts are wantonly suffered to be enjoyed by the cattle "of a few petulent individuals, at the same time that their highways "and streets were crowded with shoals of mendicant fellow-creatures, "reduced, through want of proper sustenance, to the utmost distress."y

It may be hoped that the union will gradually produce a remedy for these evils: that, when that kingdom shall be in a composed state, the comparative cheapness of provisions will induce English capitalists to establish manufactures in Ireland: that when fortunes shall be acquired by manufactures, the great non-resident proprietors will be tempted to dispose of their lands to smaller proprietors; who, being resident, may pay greater attention to their improvement.-This, we may suppose, was what the bishop of Landaff had in view when he prophecied, as the happy consequence of the union, that their bogs would be converted into well-cultivated lands."

That government was not inattentive to the improvement of Ireland appears from a statement in Anderson's History of Commerce, by which it is seen that above £.80,000 was granted by the Irish house of comcons in the year 1763 for the improvement of inland navigation and harbours, building bridges, and other public works. From the same it appears that the sum of £.3,735 had been expended in one year for the encouragement of the land-carriage fishery, carried on under the auspices of the patriotic Mr. Blake, its projector and indefatigable conductor."

The

The Scotch linen manufacture was at this time rapidly increasing. During the year 1759 there were stamped for sale, beside a very considerable quantity manufactured by private families for their own use, 10,830,707 yards, value £.451,390. And in the ensuing year 11,747,728 yards, value £.522,153.b

In the year 1763 Mr. Josiah Wedgwood, who afterwards rendered his country such signal services by the number of hands and the great capital that he employed, and produced employment for, "invented a species of earthen ware, for the table, quite new in its appearance, covered with a rich and brilliant glaze, bearing sudden alterations of "heat and cold, manufactured with ease and expedition, and consequently cheap; and having every requisite for the purpose intended. "To this new manufacture the queen was pleased to give her name and patronage, commanding it to be called queen's ware, and honouring "the inventor by appointing him her majesty's potter..

"To the same person we owe the invention of the following kinds "of earthen ware and porcelain, viz.

A terra cotta, resembling porphery, granite, Egyptian pebble, "and other beautiful stones, of the ciliceous or crystaline order.

66

6.6 2.

Basaltes; a fine black porcelain bisqué, of nearly the same properties with the natural stone.

3.

White porcelain bisqué, of a smooth wax-like surface.

"4. Jasper; a white porcelain bisqué, of exquisite beauty and "delicacy.

66

"5. Bamboo, or cane-coloured bisqué porcelain, of the same nature as number 3.

66 6. A porcelain bisqué, remarkable for great hardness, little inferior "to that of agate.

"These six distinct species, together with the queen's ware already mentioned, expanded into a thousand different forms, for ornament as "well as use, variously painted and embellished, constitute nearly the "whole of the present fine English earthen wares and porcelains, which are now become the source of an immense trade; and which, considered

66

a Anderson. 3. 321...

" as