button-holes of his coat. It would give occafion for fentiments and emulations of the moft ufeful and honorable kind, in behalf of the poor.

It is recorded of a Roman Emperor, remarkable for his goodness, that he called himself to account every night for what he had done in the day, and fet that day down as loft, wherein no action afforded him a particular fatisfaction, so as to denote it good. What a golden rule is this! how agreeable to chriftian philofophy! how worthy of a prince! how much within the power of every private man, and particularly of a parish officer!

Such a day's work as the General's, which I have juft mentioned, cannot be fuppofed to happen often; but the welfare of mankind lies open to every man, every day, and every hour; and as a focial Being, every one is bound to take care of it. This fhould be a ruling principle: the head and the heart are equally interested in it, and the most abject person is not without his object. "He lent to mifery-'twas all he had,

"A tear."

This is prettily conceived in the poetical strain, but not the less characteristical of human nature, unpolluted by perverted paffions or pernicious customs.

Yours, &c.

The Application of the preceding Anecdotes to Parish Officers.

WE understand the value of subjects in a much

fuperior view to that of the ancient Romans.

Their firft object was conqueft, and defence; ours com

merce

merce and opulency, and the military power which grows out of these, where a natural martial genius is cherished by liberty. Would the guardians of the Roman people in the meridian of their glory, when their being called citizens of Rome was prized fo highly, have bartered away the blood of an infant for drachmas, and given a life for a roafted pig, or a loin of beef? And fhall we who live within the circle of the effulgent rays of the Sun of righteousness, surrounded by all the glories of this world, and the hopes of a blissful immortality, leave even the paths of common sense, and common humanity with regard to the lives of the children of the poor? Shall we neglect the only fubjects which can be ftrictly called the children of the public, and for whom the laws have made an ample public provision?

If office creates fome degree of obduracy in the heart, and cuftom reconciles us to the most abominable practices, the guilt lies in the habit, which renders the heart impenetrable. In the mean while, office has this good effect; it establishes order, form, and knowledge of the most approved methods of proceeding.

If we apply these general remarks to the particular cafe of guardians of the poor, under every denomination, we shall find the poor's law defective in the inftance of the fhort time officers are in place; however this defect is generally supplied by the continuance of fome of them, and the affiftance of fome of their fervants. The great point is a hearty intention to do good. The parish officer is fo much the inftrument of the mercies of heaven, that every judicious smile, or admonition re

specting

specting the objects under his care, is pregnant with life; every indulgence of indolence, every corrupt or narrow view, or act of ill-applied parfimony, operates as a ftab in the breaft of the poor. If he will exercife himfelf with propriety in his function, the fault will rest entirely on the parishioners if there is not all due respect and countenance fhown him.

Befides the grateful mark proposed for the good parish officer when out of place, would it not be right to give fome mark of honorable diftinction to the officer, be he ever fo poor a man, to wear during the time of his actual fervice? It would probably be attended with fome happy effects in regard to the refpect which is due from his fellow-fubjects in general, and particularly from the poor themselves, over whom he is placed, and who are fometimes very unruly.

On the other hand, to check any degree of arrogance that might arife in his heart, a fmall book of inftructions (a) fhould be given him, defcriptive of the rules of office, and explaining his duty both as a man and a christian, as well as an officer, în the judicious, moral, and religious exercife of his authority.

If men of ability and leifure, would direct the courfe of their ftudies to things fubftantially useful, and adapt them to the circumftances of times, perfons, and places, we might eafily fee judicious productions of this kind, which would be of infinite fervice to the officer and to the poor. Those parifhes which have any thing peculiar to themfelves, might easily reduce it into a proper fize,

(a) See Letter LIII. in Vol. I.

fize, to bind with any such general book as I have mentioned. This, among other things, the discipline and circumstances of the affair requires; but may not for the fame reafon be found.

Whatever part a man undertakes, the applaufe of his own heart is of infinitely greater confequence to him than gold medals, or loud huzzas: yet if thefe are confidered as incentives to a greater attention to the effential service of his country, their value may be afcertained; and this confideration only can give them weight, in gratifying the natural longings of the breast, to enjoy the pleasure of beholding the happiness of fellow-crea

tures.

If we cannot eat of five dishes, let us be contented with one or two; but let not the second or the third confift of a slaughtered infant. Nor let us drink the blood of the poor, as if we were reduced, in a literal fenfe, to feed on each other. The real phrase in parishes, is eating a child. In this inftance we have been in the next degree to the anthropophagite. If you gain a feast or pecuniary emolument by the death of a child, whofe life you took no care to preferve, fo far you eat the child. Rather forego a hundred scenes of jollity, than offer up the life of a child to Ceres, Bacchus, or Venus. Remember that you are a christian, and fhould triumph in that appellation!

It is difficult to fpeak of things of this kind in direct and literal terms. Negligence in most concerns of life punishes itself; here the tender objects of it can only leave their caufe to heaven. Nor doth it appear in the

great view of national welfare, that we can cure the wound without probing it to the bottom.

Where the digeftion is corrupted or impeded, food will not answer its true end. We who live in the feat of empire, and diffufe nutrition to the limbs of the body politic, fhould be cautious left the whole mafs be tainted by our folly or iniquity. Let us try if we can preferve difcipline where it exifts, or recover it where it is loft, and particularly in domeftic 'life in the care of our children, and the regulation of our expences. Adverfity humbles; riches feed pride and prefumption. Remember that moral prudence is effential to obedience to divine as well as human laws; and that the moft opulent are in more danger of tranfgreffing fuch laws than the most indigent.

Yours, &c.

The Advantages of a proper Education of the Poor.

LETTER VIII.

F we have an important work to do, and but a little

time to perform it in, let us the more speedily and the more seriously examine, what task Heaven has af figned us; we fhall then furely find that nothing can be of greater importance with refpect to this world, than the preservation of each others lives; and the lives of the poor are not lefs precious in the eye of human and divine laws, than the lives of the rich. Nay, we see the whole law and gospel is comprised in

charity;