Ghap. XVI. ArPENDix, No. 1.

243

The same for 1760.

Ships.

'ions.

Men.

Foreign trade, -

454

35,067

3709

Coasting ditto, - - - -

432

15,004

1557

Fishing ditto, ....

113

3,842

677

Totals, -

999

53,913

5943

Sect. V.

Of tiie Poor.

One considerable proportion of the human species will ever hefound in a state of helpless indigence, from total incapacity torelieve their own wants by their own exertion—and that is theportion who are in the sate of infancy or nonage. A kind pro-vision is made for the relief of this dependent portion, by theAuthor of Nature, in implanting the strong instinctive afFectionof parental love ; which, when ascertained of its appropriateobject, by the laws of chastity and of marriage, (institutions co-eval and coexistent, in a prevailing degree, with the human race)*leads the parent to identify the child with himself, and to attendto its concerns with all the zeal of a personal interest. Filial af-fection may also constitute a like provision for relief of that un-happy but less numerous portion, who are reduced to the samecondition of dependent indigence, through the failure of activepowers, the concomitant of old age. In Conformity, however*with the general system of Providence, in which one thing isset over against another in due measure and proportion, ascend-ing affection is experienced to be of considerably less intensitythan when it descends; * because there ought to be less demandupon it in this direction, if due use were made of those powers°f foresight, through which, in the season of mature vigour andhealth, provision ought to have been laid up against the seasonof decay and failure.

While men, in a savage state, subsist upon mere natural pro-duce, neither augmented nor ameliorated by the industry of cul-ture, and where, of Course, the utmost exertion and fatigue ofthose arrived at the full maturity of their powers, is often barelysufficient to procure their own mere personal subsistence. Theprovision even for the first mentioned portion is but precarious ;children are often deserted and left to perish, in seasons of un-

* Succession by inheritance follows the course of natural affection ; and theaw maxim, Herceditas, sicul psnderosum quid, descendit semper linea direciaoblique, rare vel numouam ascendit, may be considered as marking llie cur-rent of affection.

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