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“ Let the average of the poor-rates in every parish in thekingdom be taken for the last seven years; let each parish besaddled for ever with the payment of that average; let the poorbe considered as the poor of the public at large, and be everywhere maintained out of the fund thus arising: if the fund shouldbe more than sufficient for this purpose, let the surplus gotowards the reduction of the national debt; if it should be less,let the deficiency be made up from the public grants.

“ By these means the expenses attending litigations concern-ing settlements and removals of the poor would be at an end:vagrancy also would be at an end; for wherever an idle fellowappeared, he might be set to work either in an house of correctionor in a school of industry.

“ I need not dilate on this subject, your penetration will see atonce whether the thought can be of service. ~

“ I am, &c.

“ R. Landaff.”

Mr. Pitt, soon after this, introduced a Bill into the House of Commons , relative to the maintenance and the management ofthe poor; he sent me a copy of the bill, which I returned to him,with observations upon it; but it came to nothing, and, indeed, itdid not appear to me to have been well considered. Humanityimpels us as men, and our religion lays an additional obligationon us as Christians, to relieve the wants of the poor; but theyoblige us to do this in such a way as to afford no encouragementto idleness, no temptation to profligacy, no excuse for in consider-ation. The present state of our poor is a disgrace to our polity.He would be a statesman, really worthy of a statue, who could

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