essays-1-第31部分

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　and　consequently　of　the　most　heinous　nature；　and　every　means　should　be　used　to　discountenance；　punish；　and　prevent　it。

And　we　see　that　Providence；　ever　attentive　to　provide　remedies　for　the　disorders　which　the　　progress　of　society　occasions　in　the　world；　has　provided　for　idlenessas　soon　as　the　condition　of　society　renders　it　a　vice；　but　not　beforea　punishment　every　way　suited　to　its　nature；　and　calculated　to　prevent　its　prevalency　and　pernicious　consequences：This　is　WANT；and　a　most　efficacious　remedy　it　is　for　the　evil；when　the　WISDOM　OF　MAN　does　not　interfere　to　counteract　it；　and　prevent　its　salutary　effects。

But　reserving　the　father　investigation　of　this　part　of　my　subject　that　respecting　the　means　to　be　used　for　encouraging　industry　to　some　future　opportunity；　I　shall　now　endeavour　to　show；　in　a　few　words；　how；　under　the　most　unfavourable　circumstances；　an　arrangement　for　putting　an　end　to　mendicity；　and　introducing　a　spirit　of　industry　among　the　Poor；　might　be　introduced　and　carried　into　execution。

If　I　am　obliged　to　take　a　great　circuit；　in　order　to　arrive　at　my　object；　it　must　be　remembered；　that　where　a　vast　weight　is　to　be　raised　by　human　means；　a　variety　of　machinery　must　necessarily　be　provided；　and　that　it　is　only　by　bringing　all　the　different　powers　employed　to　act　together　to　the　same　end；　that　the　purpose　in　view　can　be　attained。　　It　will　likewise　be　remembered；　that　as　no　mechanical　power　can　be　made　to　act　without　a　force　be　applied　to　it　sufficient　to　overcome　the　resistance；　not　only　of　the　vis　inertia；　but　also　of　friction；　so　no　moral　agent　can　be　brought　to　act　to　any　given　end　without　sufficient　motives；　that　is　to　say；　without　such　motives　as　THE　PERSON　WHO　IS　TO　ACT　may　deem　sufficient；　not　only　to　decide　his　opinion；　but　also　to　OVERCOME　HIS　INDOLENCE。

The　object　proposed；the　relief　of　the　Poor；　and　the　providing　for　their　future　comfort　and　happiness；　by　introducing　among　them　a　spirit　of　order　and　industry；　is　such　as　cannot　fail　to　meet　with　the　approbation　of　every　well…disposed　person。But　I　will　suppose；　that　a　bare　conviction　of　the　　UTILITY　of　the　measure　is　not　sufficient　alone　to　overcome　the　indolence　of　the　Public；　and　induce　them　to　engage　ACTIVELY　in　the　undertaking；yet　as　people　are　at　all　times；　and　in　all　situations；　ready　enough　to　do　what　they　FEEL　to　be　their　interest；　if；　in　bringing　forward　a　scheme　of　public　utility；　the　proper　means　be　used　to　render　it　so　interesting　as　to　awaken　the　CURIOSITY；　and　fix　the　attention　of　the　Public；　no　doubts　can　be　entertained　of　the　possibility　of　carrying　it　into　effect。

In　arranging　such　a　plan；　and　laying　it　before　　the　Public；　no　small　degree　of　knowledge　of　mankind；　and　particularly　of　the　various　means　of　acting　on　them；　which　are　peculiarly　adapted　to　the　different　stages　of　civilization；　or　rather　of　the　political　refinement　and　corruption　of　society；　would；　in　most　cases；　be　indispensably　necessary；　but　with　that　knowledge；　and　a　good　share　of　zeal；　address；　prudence；　and　perseverance；　there　are　few　schemes；　in　which　an　honest　man　would　wish　to　be　concerned；　that　might　not　be　carried　into　execution　in　any　country。

In　such　a　city　as　London；　where　there　is　great　wealth；public　spirit；enterprize；and　zeal　for　improvement；　little　more；　I　flatter　myself；　would　be　necessary　to　engage　all　ranks　to　unite　in　carrying　into　effect　such　a　scheme；　than　to　show　its　public　utility；　and；　above　all；　to　prove　that　there　IS　NO　JOB　at　the　bottom　of　it。

It　would；　however；　be　advisable；　in　submitting　to　the　Public；　Proposals　for　forming　such　an　Establishment；　to　show　that　those　who　are　invited　to　assist　in　carrying　it　into　execution；　would　not　only　derive　from　it　much　pleasure　and　satisfaction；　but　also　many　real　advantages；　for　too　much　pains　can　never　be　taken　to　interest　the　Public　individually；　and　directly；　in　the　success　of　measures　tending　to　promote　the　general　good　of　society。

The　following　Proposals；　which　I　will　suppose　to　be　made　by　some　person　of　known　and　respectable　character；　who　has　courage　enough　to　engage　　in　so　arduous　an　undertaking；　will　show　my　ideas　upon　this　subject　in　the　clearest　manner。Whether　they　are　well　founded；　must　be　left　to　the　reader　to　determine。As　to　myself；　I　am　so　much　persuaded　that　the　scheme　here　proposed；　by　way　of　example；　and　merely　for　illustration；　might　be　executed；　that；　had　I　time　for　the　undertaking；　（which　I　have　not；）　I　should　not　hesitate　to　engage　in　it。

　　PROPOSALS　for　forming　by　private　subscription；　an　ESTABLISHMENT　　　for　feeding　the　Poor；　and　giving　them　useful　Employment；

And　also　for　furnishing　Food　at　a　cheap　Rate　to　others　who　may　stand　in　need　of　such　Assistance。　　Connected　with　an　INSTITUTION　for　introducing；　and　bringing　forward　into　general　Use；　new　Inventions　and　Improvements；　particularly　such　as　relate　to　the　Management　of　Heat　and　the　saving　of　Fuel；　and　to　various　other　mechanical　Contrivances　by　which　DOMESTIC　COMFORT　and　ECONOMY　may　be　promoted。　　Submitted　to　the　Public；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　By　A。　　B。

The　Author　of　these　Proposals　declares　solemnly；　in　the　face　of　the　whole　world；　that　he　has　no　interested　view　whatever　in　making　these　Proposals；　but　is　actuated　merely　and　simply　by　a　desire　to　do　good；　and　promote　the　happiness　and　prosperity　of　society；　and　the　honour　and　reputation　of　his　country。That　he　never　will　demand；　accept；　or　receive　any　pay　or　other　recompence　or　reward　of　any　kind　whatever　from　any　person　or　persons；　for　his　services　or　trouble；　in　carrying　into　execution　the　proposed　scheme；　or　any　part　thereof；　or　for　anything　he　may　do　or　perform　in　future　relating　to　it；　or　to　any　of　its　details　or　concerns。

And；　moreover；　that　he　never　will　avail　himself　of　any　opportunities　that　may　offer　in　the　execution　of　the　plan　proposed；　for　deriving　profit；　emolument；　or　advantage　of　any　kind；　either　for　himself；　his　friends；　or　connections；but　that；　on　the　contrary；　he　will　take　upon　himself　to　be　personally　responsible　to　the　Public；　and　more　immediately　to　the　Subscribers　to　this　Undertaking；　that　NO　PERSON　shall　FIND　MEANS　to　make　a　job　of　the　proposed　Establishment；　or　of　any　of　the　details　of　its　execution；　or　of　its　management；　as　long　as　the　Author　of　these　Proposals　remains　charged　with　its　direction。

With　respect　to　the　particular　objects　and　extent　of　the　proposed　Establishment；　these　may　be　seen　by　the　account　which　is　given　of　them　at　the　head　of　these　Proposals；　and　as　to　their　utility；　there　can　be　no　doubts。　　They　certainly　must　tend　very　powerfully　to　promote　the　comfort；　happiness；　and　prosperity　of　society；　and　will　do　honour　to　the　nation；　as　well　as　to　those　individuals　who　may　contribute　to　carry　them　into　execution。

With　the　regard　to　the　possibility　of　carrying　into　effect　the　proposed　scheme；the　facility　with　which　this　may　be　done；　will　be　evident　when　the　method　of　doing　it；　which　will　now　be　pointed　out；　is　duly　considered。

As　soon　as　a　sum　shall　be　subscribed　sufficient　for　the　purposes　intended；　the　Author　of　these　Proposals　will；　by　letters；　request　a　meeting　of　the　TWENTY…FIVE　persons　who　shall　stand　highest　on　the　list　of　subscribers；　for　the　purpose　of　examining　the　subscription…lists；　and　o