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spirited ministry! In the present course of advancement, a youth of quality who afpires to serve his country in a civil employment, has nothing to rely on but parliamentary intereft. The military education propofed, would afford him opportunity to improve his talents, and to convince the world of his merit. Honour and applause thus acquired, would intitle him to demand preferment; and he ought to be employed, not only as deferving, but as an encouragement to others. Frequent inftances of neglecting men who are patronized by the public, might perhaps prove dangerous to a British minister.

If I have not all this while been dreaming, here are difplay'd illuftrious advantages of the military education proposed. Fondness for the subject excites me to prolong the entertainment; and I add the following reflection on the education of fuch men as are difpofed to ferve in a public ftation. The fciences are mutually connected: a man cannot be perfect in any one, without being in fome degree acquainted with every one. The fcience of politics in particular, being not a little intricate, cannot be acquired in perfection by

any

Na

any one whofe ftudies have been confined to a fingle branch, whether relative to peace or to war. The Duke of Marlborough made an eminent figure in the cabinet, as well as in the field; and fo did equally the illuftrious Sully, who may ferve as a model to all ministers. The great aim in modern politics is, to split government into the greatest number poffible of departments, trufting nothing to genius. China affords fuch a government in perfection. tional affairs are there fo fimplified by divifion, as to require fcarce any capacity in the mandarines. Thefe officers, having little occafion for activity either of mind or of body, fink down into floth and fenfuality: motives of ambition or of fame make no impreffion: they have not even the delicacy to blush when they err: and as no punishment is regarded but what touches the perfon or the purse, it is not unufual to fee a mandarine beaten with many stripes, fometimes for a very flight tranfgreffion. Let arts be fubdivided into many parts: the more fubdivifions the better. But I venture to pronounce, that no man ever did, nor ever will, make a capital figure in the government of a state, whether

whether as a judge, a general, or a minifter, whose education is rigidly confined to one science *

Senfible I am that the foregoing plan is in feveral respects imperfect; but if it be found at bottom, polish and improvement are easy operations. My capital aim has been, to obviate the objections that prefs hard against every military plan, hitherto embraced or propofed. A ftanding army in its prefent form, is dangerous to liberty; and but a feeble bulwark against fuperior force. On the other hand, a nation in which every fubject is a foldier, must not indulge any hopes of becoming powerful by manufactures and commerce : it is indeed vigorously defended, but is fcarce worthy of being defended. The golden mean of rotation and conftant labour in a standing army, would discipline multitudes for peace as well as for war. And a nation fo defended would be invincible.

* Phocion is praised by ancient writers, for struggling against an abuse that had crept into his country of Attica, that of making war and politics different profeffions. In imitation of Ariftides and of Pericles, he ftudied both equally.

VOL. III.

I

SKETCH

SKETCH

X.

Public Police with respect to the Poor.

A Mong the industrious nations of Europe, regulations for the poor make a confiderable branch of public police. These regulations are fo multiplied and fo anxiously framed, as to move one to think, that there cannot remain a fingle perfon under a neceffity to beg. It is however a fad truth, that the disease of poverty, instead of being eradicated, has become more and more inveterate. England in particular overflows with beggars, tho' in no other country are the indigent fo amply provided for. Some radical defect there must be in these regulations, when, after endless attempts to perfect them, they prove abortive. Every writer, diffatisfied with former plans, fails not to produce one of his own; which, in its turn, meets with as little approbation as any of the foregoing.

The first regulation of the states of Holland

land concerning the poor, was in the

8

year

1614 prohibiting all begging. The next "It is enacted,

was in the year 1649. "That every town, village, or parish, "shall maintain its poor out of the in66 come of its charitable foundations and "collections. And in cafe thefe means “fall short, the magistrates shall maintain "them at the general expence of the in"habitants, as can moft conveniently be "done: Provided always, that the poor "be obliged to work either to merchants, 66 farmers, or others, for reasonable wages, "in order that they may, as far as pof

fible, be supported that way; provided "alfo, that they be indulged in no idle"nefs nor infolence." The advice or instruction here given to magistrates, is fenfible; but falls fhort of what may be termed a law, the execution of which can be enforc'd in a court of justice.

In France, the precarious charity of monafteries proving ineffectual, a hofpital was erected in the city of Paris anno 1656, having different apartments; one for the innocent poor, one for putting vagabonds to hard labour, one for foundlings, and one for the fick and maimed; with cer

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