And over fields where scatter'd hamlets rose, In barren solitary pomp repose! In a nation like England, where commercial speculations are carried on to such an extent, it must naturally be expected that all classes would not be successful in their affairs, and that some would be unfortunate, and rendered incapable of supporting themselves and families; but it is impossible that the wit and ingenuity of man could have invented a worse plan than the laws in question, for the relief of the poorer classes, for they are a degradation to man, and ultimately tend, instead of upholding and supporting him, to render him a slave and an outcast in society. A political writer, in a pamphlet which was published in the year 1758, makes the following excellent remark on these Penal Laws:-"The present method for every parish to maintain its own poor, is in a great measure, the cause of the many difficulties and hardships they labour under. The laws made for their relief are consulted by parish officers only to know how to get rid of them—not give them bread. To understand settlements, certificates, removals, put out apprentices, and jockey or overreach a neighbouring parish, are all deemed necessary qualifications, and procure so much work for lawyers, that the money spent upon them is sufficient to maintain a great part of their poor. So that laws relating to the poor, instead of being calculated for their relief, seem rather to be framed for the extinguishing of charity." It is not right, nor consistent with sound policy, that such a system of injustice should be suffered to exist, for these and other laws are the means of causing all the best artizans and men of talent to leave a country where such an abominable code is in force. What a fallacy and a contradiction in terms, for a set of placemen and pensioners to talk about the wealth, the prosperity, and the " glorious Constitution" of Old England, while thousands, aye, tens of thousands of its inhabitants (men, women, and children) are immured within the pestilential atmosphere of workhouses in its capital; what a libel upon this "glorious Constitution" to countenance and authorise such injustice; what glaring inhumanity thus to trample upon the rights and liberties of mankind, for it is contrary to the spirit or intention of all wise and equitable laws to confine any persons unless they have committed some crime that might render them dangerous to be at large; and this is consonant to that grand political axiom," Men are born, and actually continue free and equal in respect of their rights." Thomas Paine makes the following philosophical remark, which is admirably adapted to this part of the subject under consideration:-"The Mosaic account of the creation, whether taken as divine authority, or merely historical, is fully up to this point-the unity or equality of man. The expressions admit of no controversy. And God said, Let us make man in our own image. In the image of God created he him: male and female created he them.' The distinction of sexes is pointed out, but no other distinction is even implied. If this be not divine authority, it is at least historical authority; and shows that the equality of man, so far from being a modern doctrine, is the oldest upon record." This certainly is only his natural rights, but it shows how unjust the Poor Laws are, to make a distinction between the natural and civil rights of man, because all civil institutions ought to be founded upon the first principles of nature. Now, in this case, what dangerous circumstances are likely to occur from the pauper's exercise of this liberty; and what body of reasonable and honest men would ever think of checking him from the enjoyment of it? But this unnatural and tyrannical power is used most rigidly by the whole junta of churchwardens and overseers in all the parishes in England, and the wretched inmates of a workhouse are only permitted to inhale the fresh air on a Saturday afternoon, and on Sunday, and then if they should happen to get inebriated, they are generally locked up in what is called the dark hole for a day or two, as a punishment. It may be said there are Acts of Parliament that confer this power on parish officers; but this is no valid defence of the measure, because it is well known that very few acts which emanate from our corrupt and self-elected legislature are founded either on reason or common sense. Dr. Franklin observes, with his usual sagacity, "We assemble Parliaments and Councils to have the benefit of their collected wisdom; but we necessarily have, at the same time, the inconvenience of their collected passions, prejudices, and private interests. By the help of these, artful men overpower their wisdom, and dupe its possessors; and if we may judge by the acts, assets, and edicts, all the world over, an assembly of great men is the greatest fool upon earth." It is unjust in a nation that boasts of its liberal institutions that were intended to protect and enlighten the people, to enact laws, the evident tendency of which is to make them slaves and dependents. It is a wanton inhumanity by confinement in a workhouse to accelerate the death of any human being; and is unnecessary, as it cannot be of any benefit to the parish, as by having their liberty they would be more likely to have an opportunity of getting ⚫ assistance from their friends and acquaintances, and perhaps a little work, according to their strength, which would ultimately be a saving to the parish. Most of the writers of the Tory journals appear to be shocked and petrified with horror at the bare recital of the ecclesiastical tortures and murders by the monks and friars in Spain and Portugal-but they do not scruple for a moment in defending these parish Inquisitions at home, as I think they may be justly called; for though the transactions may not appear so diabolical, I cannot see any difference between slow and direct murder, in a moral point of view, for all medical men have been positive in their opinion, of the dangerous consequences of confinement for any length of time, especially to old age. Can any thing be more disgraceful, and tend more to lessen him in the estimation of his fellow-men, than the practice of clothing the pauper in an old suit of livery, very frequently comprising all the colours of the rainbow. I should think by this plan it was intended to hold him up to the world as a fit object of ridicule and scorn; for there are too many proud and ignorant men in the world, who, if they happen to meet with any man in company who has got unfortunately the garb of poverty on his back, they treat him with the utmost contumely or indifference, whereas, if the pauper was clothed differently, the pain and anguish to his feelings would be spared, because he would not be rendered so conspicuously poor. Why not give him clothes according to the costume of this country? Why send him into the streets dressed up like a certain effigy that is exhibited by the boys in London every 5th of November? O, how thoughtless and cruel is this! Thoughtless, because this method of clothing them is, in many cases, like a punishment, as it operates as a check upon that freedom of behaviour which it is every man's liberty to exercise, notwithstanding his poverty and no body of men who had a clear knowledge of the motives and actions of the human mind, would ever adopt such an illiberal line of conduct: and it is inhuman also, because, if a man is sent out like a Merry-Andrew, and he meets with any inconvenience therefrom, such as arises from ridicule, sarcasm, contempt, and the tricks of boys in the streets, then his life must be a burthen to him, and, of course, it is a cruelty, and ought not to be done. Some men, it is true, are careless about these things, and would as soon go along the streets accoutred like a Harlequin or Punchinello, as in any other dress; but this is not the case with the majority of men, especially those in question, because they suffer quite enough within the walls of a workhouse, without being put to inconveniences when they are outside. I consider that when a pauper is offered such clothes as these, he ought to refuse to put them on; and if he was taken before a magistrate there would be no other alternative, certainly, than complying with his decision, which is in general, in favour of the parish officers; but it might ultimately, be productive of much good, by exposing this nefarious and villainous system, and give the public an idea of what is going on in this Aristocratical Bastile! The food that is supplied is insufficient to give that nourishment to the body which is so necessary to persons in an advanced stage of life, for in most workhouses it does not amount to above a pound of beef weekly, and that frequently of an inferior quality, besides soup, (or hog-wash) sour table-beer, cheese of rather a flinty nature-instead of which it ought to be good and wholesome, as confinement and want of exercise about the town, must make their constitutions weak, and their stomachs cannot be capable of digesting coarse provisions. What a shocking contrast is this to contemplate, that while the rich man is living in a style of eastern magnificence, the pauper is doomed to spin out his wretched life on food that is barely sufficient to support him, which renders his wan and meagre appearance something like that of the half-starved apothecary in Shakspeare's tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, of whom Romeo delivers the following animated description : "Art thou so base, and full of wretchedness, And fears't to die? Famine is in thy cheeks, Act V. Scene II. This is a correct account of the internal management of a workhouse, as far as I have been able to collect information. If there is any circumstance stated which is not true, it must be of such trivial import, that it would not militate against the truth of the above dismal picture. What a pity it is that man is so forgetful of his own true interests, as, when he is invested with a little power, given him to dispense justice and comfort to his fellow beings, he should use it to oppress, to tyrannise, aud goad them to despair! But it is so, beyond a doubt, for we need only refer to the conduct of parish-officers in general, and we shall find it proved to a demonstration. 66 Have you put off All sense of human nature? Keep a little, A little pity to distinguish mankind; Lest other men, tho' cruel, should disclaim you, And judge you to be numbered with the brutes."-RowE. In most nations of the universe, the strictest attention and respect has always been paid to old age, both among civilized and barbarous people. Among the Egyptians, this virtue was considered a paramount and sacred duty, the dereliction of which was attended with danger to the transgressor. This awful respect and reverence to years was rigidly observed by the old heathens : "Exedebant hoc grande, nefas, et morte piandum, It is related of the Athenians and Lacedæmonians, that during a public representation of some play in honour of the commonwealth, an old man happening to come too late for a place suitable to his age, the Athenians, taking advantage of his advanced years, were inclined to play their jokes upon him, and whenever he went forwards to take a seat, their plan was to sit close and prevent him; at last he walked to the boxes occupied by the Lacedæmonians, when that honest people, more virtuous than polite, rose up all to a man, and with the greatest respect received him among them. The Athenians being suddenly touched with a sense of the Spartan virtue, and their own degeneracy, gave a thunder of applause, and the old man cried out, "The Athenians understand what is good, but the Lacedæmonians practice it." How disgraceful then for a nation calling itself Christian, and vauntingly boasting of its philanthropic institutions, to carry on such a diabolical and barbarous crusade against old age. "Shake not his hour-glass, when his hasty sand Is ebbing to the last: A little longer, yet a little longer, And Nature drops him down, without your sin. Like mellow fruit, without a winter storm."-DRYDEN. Is it not a part of your inspired law, that "Thou rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God." And to be excelled in this noble trait of humanity by the heathens, too, those that you have stigmatised as idolators and worshippers of Mammon! O, what hypocrisy and inconsistency in your professions and zeal for the interests of your religion! Besides, after a man has passed the early days of his life in contributing to the welfare of a nation, he has a claim for protection and support in his old age, as an inherent right as a citizen, or else, why in the full vigour of his life was he called upon to pay taxes, either to the Government or to the parish, for it little matters which relieves him, his claim for protection is unalterable by any circumstances. Why trepan or impress him to fight your battles both by sea and land, to explore your mines, to erect your splendid buildings, and to undergo perilous voyages for the promotion of trade and science-if, after a long life spent in these laborious pursuits, he is to be consigned to the cabal of petty tyrants of a workhouse, there to end his days in loathsome misery. Of the policy pursued towards those who want relief without wishing to enter this lazar-house, it is only necessary to remark, that it is on a level with the other transactions of these sapient arbiters of the fate of their miserable fellow-creatures; for if a man applies for relief, they think it a proper time to insult and brow-beat him, to doubt his just claim, and lascerate his feelings, until he is ready to drop before them, forgetting, that no man possessed of common sense, or one who had throughout his life been industrious, or even one who had not altogether been very frugal, would ever think of applying, to experience such brutal behaviour, to receive such a pittance as they generally give after waiting on them several times. If a more humane, more impartial, and more just plan was adopted, it would be less burthensome to the parish, for the poor would be better satisfied, and more inclined to do their best to support themselves, if they possibly could do so. Under the present system there is nothing but discontent and murmuring, because the inmates of a workhouse are well convinced, that they have not their share of necessaries given them, and that a great part of the money collected for their subsistence is squandered in useless buildings, parish dinners, lawyers' bills for unnecessary litigations, and the dishonest contracts of the butcher, baker, and other honourable tradesmen. And the situations of churchwarden and overseer, that require a thorough knowledge of human life, the most acute penetration, and the humanity of a Howard, as the requisite qualifications of a man to fulfil them with advantage, are generally conferred upon the most ignorant, the most illiterate, and the most hard-hearted of mankind, who are totally incapable by nature to act in any superior situation of life, and much more so in this. I know such a man, who, without education sufficient to enable him to resolve the plainest proposition in a school-boy's spelling-book, and not sense enough to deliver a dozen words at a vestry meeting without making the most egregious blunders (which excites both contempt and ridicule at his presumption), has had the ambition and effrontery to get himself elected to all the principal situations in a parish on the south of Islington. And now he is a daily attendant at the workhouse in the parish, from ten o'clock in the morning till ten at night, driving the poor inmates from one part to another, and exercising the most unwarrantable and uncontrollable authority wherever he goes. In fact, he does all the dirty work of the parish, and is the infernal instrument by which this Draconian code of laws is enforced there; for it is no uncommon occurrence to see him strutting in all the pride and insolence of his pitiful office, with a dozen half-starved fellow-creatures at his heels, to Hatton-garden Police Office, to raise quibbles, or to dispute their claim to relief or settlement. But strange to say, this ignoramus is possessed of great property, which came to him on being married to his present wife, and, of course, has no occasion thus to disgrace himself by this unmanly and ridiculous line of conduct. But alas! such is his ambition and hobby-horse! O tempore! O mores! The only way to account for it is, that wishing adulation to be paid to him, (the natural concomitant of pride and ignorance) and not being capable of commanding it among honest and well-bred men, he knows that a workhouse is the only place where he can ensure anything like homage or attention, because the poor do it from fear or policy, not from their free will: for if the men do not doff their hats, nor the women drop a curtsey when he appears among them, or show some other mark of subserviency to this august personage, he will take the first opportunity to annoy them, by abridging the little liberty they have, or by any other tyrannical act which may be in his power to inflict. In fact, he is the all in all in the parish, which, I think, shows a great want of discrimination in the parishioners in allowing this foolish and infatuated man to govern their affairs : "Est modus in rebus, sunt certi denique fines, Quos ultra, citsaq; nequit consistere rectum."-HORACE. It is high time that the poorer classes of the parish were relieved from this and other burthens, and then, and not till then, will they be reckoned SCOTT-free. What a stigma upon the age in which we live for such a man as this to have an uncontrolled power over the destinies of thousands of human beings. How much better would it be, whilst these shameful laws are in operation, to confer the situations of churchwarden and overseer upon men of liberal minds, and who have received a liberal education; who have got even a small drop of the milk of human kindness in their hearts, and who would make it their study to render their fellow-beings as happy and comfortable as these injurious laws would permit. What a fine opportunity this for men of such benevolent hearts and enlightened understandings, to prove, by example, the truth of that excellent moral axiom by Sallust, who says, in his proem to Catiline, "All our acquisitions by labour or |