legislature, or communicates his ideas to thofe, who are more likely to carry them into effect; deferves well of a class of the community so numerous, that their happiness makes no inconfiderable part of the whole. The study and activity thus employed is charity, in the most meritorious fenfe of the word.

2. The application of parochial relief is entrufted in the firft inftance to overfeers and contractors, who have an interest in opposition to that of the poor, inafmuch as whatever they allow them comes in part out of their own pocket. For this reason, the law has depofited with juftices of the peace, a power of fuperintendence and control; and the judicious interpofition of this power is a moft ufeful exertion of charity, and oft-times within the ability of those, who have no other way of ferving their generation. A country gentleman of very moderate education, and who has little to fpare from his fortune, by learning so much of the poor law as is to be found in Dr. Burn's Juftice, and by furnishing himself with a knowledge of the prices of labour and provifion, fo as to be able to eftimate the exigencies of a family, and what is to be expected from their indufiry, may, in this way,

way, place out the one talent committed to him, to great account.

3. Of all private profeffions, that of medicine puts it in a man's power to do the most good at the leaft expence. Health, which is precious to all, is to the poor invaluable; and their complaints, as agues, rheumatisms, &c. are often fuch as yield to medicine. And with respect to the expence, drugs at first hand cost little, and advice cofts nothing, where it is only bestowed upon those who could not afford to pay for it.

4. The rights of the poor are not fo important or intricate as their contentions are violent and ruinous. A Lawyer or Attorney, of tolerable knowledge in his profeffion, has commonly judgment enough to adjust thefe difputes, with all the effect, and without the expence, of a law-fuit; and he may be faid to give a poor man twenty pounds, who prevents his throwing it away upon law. A legal man, whether of the profeffion or not, who, together with a spirit of conciliation, poffeffes the confidence of his neighbourhood, will be much resorted to for this purpose, especially fince the great increase of cofts has produced a general dread of going to law.

Nor is this line of beneficence confined to arbitration. Seafonable counfel, coming with the weight which the reputation of the adviser gives it, will often keep or extricate the rafh and uninformed out of great difficulties.

I know not a more exalted charity than that which presents a fhield against the rapacity or perfecution of a tyrant.

5. Betwixt argument and authority (I mean that authority which flows from voluntary refpect, and attends upon fanity and difintereftedness of character, fomething may be done amongst the lower orders of mankind, towards the regulation of their conduct, and the fatisfaction of their thoughts. This office belongs to the ministers of religion; or rather whoever undertakes it becomes a minifter of religion. The inferior clergy, who are nearly upon a level with the common fort of their parishioners, and who on that account gain an easier admiffion to their fociety and confidence, have in this refpect more in their power than their fuperiors: the difcreet ufe of this power conftitutes one of the moft refpectable functions of human nature.

CHAP.

СНАР. V.

CHARIT Y.

PECUNIARY BOUNTY.

I. The obligation to beflow relief upon the poor. II. The manner of beftowing it.

III. The pretences by which men excuse them felves from it,

1. The obligation to bestow relief upon

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the poor.

HEY who rank pity amongst the origi

nal impulses of our nature, rightly contend, that, when it prompts us to the relief of human mifery, it indicates fufficiently the divine intention, and our duty. Indeed the fame conclufion is deducible from the existence of the paffion, whatever account be given of its origin. Whether it be an instinct or a habit, it is in fact a property of our nature, which God appointed: and the final caufe, for which it was appointed,

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is

is to afford to the miferable, in the compaffion of their fellow-creatures, a remedy for thofe inequalities and diftreffes which God forefaw that many must be expofed to, under every general rule for the diftribution of property.

Befide this, the poor have a claim founded in the law of nature, which may be thus explained. All things were originally common. No one being able to produce a charter from heaven, had any better title to a particular poffeffion than his next neighbour. There were reafons for mankind's agreeing upon a feparation of this common fund; and God for thefe reafons is prefumed to have ratified it. But this feparation was made and confented to, upon the expectation and condition, that every one fhould have left a fufficiency for his fubfiftence, or the means of procuring it: and as no fixed laws for the regulation of property can be fo contrived, as to provide for the relief of every cafe and diftrefs which may arise, these cases and diftreffes, when their right and share in the common stock was given up or taken from them, were fuppofed to be left to the voluntary bounty of thofe, who might be acquainted with the exigencies of their fituation, and in the way of affording affiftance. And therefore, when the

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