week, during his occupation of such and to improve it he has recourse to ilholds." I believe such an Act as this, legal practices, into which bis whole famaking the penalty 10l. per week, would mily is imitiated, going on progressively tend to relieve the poor's rate, and re- from beating hedges and fences for fuel, duce the price of provisions, with more and pilfering loose articles, to stealing certainty than can ever be expected from poultry and corn ; poaching and smugthe well-meant endeavours of all our gling; and if, by these aids, a little exprime breeders and speculative agricultu- cess of money be gotten, it is commonly rists.

spent at the alehouse, where congenial Relief of the Poor.—That the company and tippling soon confirm his poor-laws, in respect of relief, had disgust of regular labour. A few instances their commencement in wisdoin and of this sort occuring in our parishes, and, bumanity, is certain; the helpless I am sure, a great many such cases are young and old, unprovided for and un. continually occurring in most country protected, bave a natural claim on the parishes of any extent, must divert great community, of which they are members, numbers of the poor, yearly, out of the for succour in their necessities; a claim regular pursuit of industry, into those of to be fulfilled, and not trusted to the trespass and outrage on the community. chance of private benevolence. But If we look back to the statute 43 Eliz. though the extremes of age, as well as we shall find no provision made for pecasual infirmity, be fair claimants of help cuniary relief, but to such of the in their distress, it becomes a question of poor as are lame, impotent, blind, soine moment, how much further paro- ' and unable to work;' for all others who chial relief should be allowed: it cer- cannot maintain themselves and famitainly should not be extended so far as to lies, it commands the overseer to find damp the actual exertion of the poor, by employment, and thereby enable them holding out indiscriminately to all the to earn their living. The legislature by able and unable, willing and unwilling, a this statute meant to discourage all idlesure provision under all circumstances of ness among the able poor, both chilapparent want; for if so, the able will be dren and adults, and that the unable less solicitous to procure work, and the should be relieved according to their neunwilling will, if possible, decline it when cessities, and provided, as far as human offered; both induced, by this very pro- foresight could do, against any failure vision for their support in cases of real in the execution of the provisions of the need, to prefer indolence to labour, a act, by 1st, subjecting the churchsubsistence on the dole of public charity, wardens and overseers of parishes to a or rather of public contribution, given penalty, for neglecting this duty of setwith reluctance, and often with rebuke, ting the poor to work ;-2dly, by enabling to that obtained by the well earned justices of the peace to tax other pawages of their own active efforts. "" The rishes of the hundred; or, if those of parochial fund should be rendered a sti- the hundred were unable, of the county, mulus to industry, not a boon for the en- in aid of any parish whose inhabitants couragement of idleness.”

But it is could not levy sufficient sums among most certain, that a compulsory. allow themselves ;-and 3dly, by authorising a ance of relief to the able poor, in all in- commitment to the house of correction, stances of temporary privation of work, or common goal, of such poor as would acts as a discouragement to their laying not employ themselves to work being up something in store against a time of appointed thereto. All the means, thereextremity, as a premium to idleness with fore, which power and money could give all its evil consequences. Hence it has were placed by this act in proper hands, been said, that the very law that pro- for carrying a general plan of industry vides for the poor increases their num- among the necessitous poor into effect. ber.

It might seem wonderful with such a The able pauper out of work, who gets straight line of duty before parish officers, an allowance of money, for the support that this important part of the statute of himself and family, from his parish of- should have become almost a dead letficers, and which, if they cannot employ ter; and yet, owing to the causes before. him, they dare not refuse, is almost stated, as every overseer can confirm, compelled to a misemployment of his the requisite employment, notwithstanda time, and of course of becoming an ex- the ample power given by this act, canample to his neighbourhood of idleness not with certainty be found, and advanand mischief. Ilis allowance must needs tageously exercised in single parishes; be in the lowest proportion to his wants, and, in consequence of it, the abuse of

granting

granting relief contrary to the statute is now become a general practice; but if, by a combination of parishes, one central place were established, where a convenient stock of flax, hemp, wool, thread, iron, and other necessary ware, and stuff as directed by the statute, were always at haud, for setting to work all the able poor children and adults, of the surrounding parishes, who apply for relief, we should soon get rid of a prodigious number of trespassers on the poor's fund. Money relief would then cease, but to those lawfully entitled to it, the sick, blind, cripples, &c. and want of work would no longer be a pretence for asking it.

Workhouses. The difficulty of fulfilling the Act of Eliz. in respect of finding employment for the able paupers, seems to have given rise to the Act 9 Geo. 1. c. 7, whereby it was enacted, that parish workhouses might be established in sin. gle or united parishes, and their poor be maintained under contract; and that where such workhouses are established, the parish-officers may contract for the maintenance of the poor of other parishes. But what has been the consequence? The generality of these work houses, 3765 in number, have no means of regular employment; in others, the works carried on appear to have produced no profit worthy of notice. Of this we have sufficient evidence from the abstract of returns, where the net earnings of all the workhouse poor, in number 83,468, are stated at a sum which, on an average, amounts to about a farthing per head daily; but if we reject the unable part of them, we shall have, at the least, 50,000 able, in a greater or less degree, who, if provided with proper means of work, and buckled to it, as Lord Bacon says, would have earned individually from 4d 6d. in the same time, more than eight times as much as appears to have been earned by such reduced number; and when we consider that the earnings of the in-poor of incorporated parishes, and of the better regulated single ones (of which one of the best examples may be found in that of Boldre, Hants*, where children, even of four and five years of age are employed), produced the greatest part of these earnings, we inust conclude, that the inmates of very many of our common workhouses are kept in a state of positive idleness. The earnings

to

* See Gilpin's Account of the New Workhouse at Boldre, Hampshire. MONTHLY MAG, No. 184.

of those poor, who are maintained under contract (those of 293 parishes) go to the contractor, and therefore are not brought to account. Were these earnings faithfully reported, it would enable us to judge, pretty accurately, what profit may be expected from a general and diligent employment of our able paupers; for, without doubt, these contractors exacted the full condition of their bond.

It was certainly never intended by the Act of the 43d of Eliz. that the able poor should be placed among the unable, in places like our parish-houses. The able pauper, in need of relief, was to be found in fit materials by the overseer, and set to work, and the impotent poor were to be relieved according to their necessity; neither did it intend, that many of the latter should be crowded together in large workhouses, in towns; but if they were furnished with a parish abode, it was directed to be “ in cottages, convenient houses of dwelling, to be built on wastes and commons, parcel of the parish, with consent of the lord of the manor, at the parish expence;" and although two or more families were allowed to be placed in one cottage, yet it could never be neant,

that many of these impo

tent people should be associated there together, though this would be, perhaps, less irksome to them, than being intermixed with an equal or greater num ber of younger inmates. It is certain, that one great cause which some elderly people have expressed against going into our present workhouses, has been on account of the diversity of ages and characters of the inmates, from some of whom they are led to apprehend mockery and ill-usage, and therefore often endure the rigors of nakedness, hunger, and cold, rather than submit to be so illassociated. If we contrast with this antient mode of disposing of the aged and impotent poor, who required a parish residence, our modern workhouse plan of huddling them into a contracted house of confinement, with others of all ages and both sexes, mingled promiscuously together, and maintained in idleness, we certainly cannot compliment the wisdom of our own times, as superior to that exhibited, in this respect, in the 43d year of Elizabeth; nor even in the houses of industry of incorporated parishes, which are, in general, conducted in an exemplary manner, can we see any mark of prudence or propriety in combining with those, who are properly placed there, such ЗА

as

as can exert no industry, who not only only about 144,829 of the adults (allow. occupy space, and render the air less ing 20,000 such among the in-poor), and pure, but engage the time and attention the children under five years of age, were of many who would be otherwise advan. disabled from labour, leaving 386,248 tageously einployed. In truth, those adults and children, of which two-thirds, workhouses, with inmates of all ages, or perhaps three-fourths, may be deemand ali unemployed, can be deemed lit- ed able to get their living, if properly tie better than seminaries of sloth, filth, employed, and the remainder to earn and mischief: in such places vice must something in aid of it, on permanent rebe prevalent; the old of' buth sexes have lief. Why they were intitled to this, is leisure, and too often inclination, to difficult to be comprehended. It could corrupt the young; and the latter, not be for want of work; for that, like unused to work, will never readily take to casual sickness, and accidents, is the it after a certain time; they will prefer plea of the occasional poor for tena porary sloth and casual subsistence by craft, relief. In short, it serves to demonstrate, through life, to regular subsistence that an institution is indispensable, whereby labour. Neither does any plan of by all pretences for relief may be brought employment, if it could be carried on to the test of truth, and the public cease with some profit, in our ordinary parish to be mposed on by the cunning and audahouses, seem likely to save the younger city of paupers, or by the weakness or residents from the contagion of ill exam- partiality of overseers; such an institution ple, since it would divide these small as would enable every parish-officer in communities into too many parts, were the kingdom to say to its able paupers, those of different ages and sexes com

clamourous for relief for themselves or pletely separated. The regulation, how. their able children, There is work for you, ever is indispensable to the well-doing the relief which you require must be oband well-being of associated paupers, and tained by labour, wholly or in part; but has been so ordained in all our best-con- for relief in money, you are not intitled ducted houses of united parishes; but if, to it by law, nor am I by law authorized with the disadvantages enumerated, we to grant it, you must work, or starve. take into account the annual expenditure on these workhouse poor, which, For the Monthly Magazine. according to the abstract in the year on the NATURAL and ARTIFICIAL CHA1802--3, amounted to the

of RACTER of the TEA•TREE. 1,016,445l. or at the average rate of 121. 3s. 6d. per head, what shall we say

RESPECT botany; I love it: and I

according to my leisure I study it. to the present system of management, as At the same tine that leisure is little far as it applies to the houses so wretch- and interrupted. And I am not a buedly conducted? It were certainly bet- tanist, but a botanophilist, a lover of ter to allow the inmates the same amount botany and of plants. It may be said, of money, as out-poor, than expend it só why then propose to remove a plant improvidently on them in places miscalled into another genus? Had I been a workhouses.

botanist, I might have made the removal Of The Out-Poor.--The number of out- at my peril, it is true, if not justified by poor, or those maintained out of work- the principles of the art: as a lover of houses, is, according to the abstract, botany, I merely proposed it to those classed as follows:

qualified to judge. Those on permanent relief

I shall not much urge that the distincAdults, 336,199

tion to which your correspondent adverts, From 5 to 14 years, 194,914

is not always very clear, conspicuous, and Under 5 years,

120,236--651,349 certain ; nor that I do not think that it On occasional relief 305,899 is very obviously apparent in the tea

tree; though I might say both. Total number of out-poor 957,248 I shall not urge that the 12th and

Of these 166,829 are stated to be dis- 13th classes, which depend on this disabled from labour by old age, perma- tinction, the icosandra and the polynent illness, or other infirmity.

andra, are of such near kindred, that This body of out-paupers cost for their botanists of no mean estimation were, I relief and maintenance 3,042,0411. per believe, not long since inclined to throw annum, on an average 31. 3s. 7{d. per down the barrier, and unite them into head; a very large sum, considering that one class. But I shall say this, that I am

sum

MEMOIRS AND REMAINS OF EMINENT PERSONS.

ACCOUNT OF THE LATE MRS. HANNAII COWLEY. N the 11th of last March, died at Tiverton, Devonshire, the place of her nativity, in the 66th year of her age, Mrs. Hannah Cowley, an authoress, who may be justly said to have been celebrated in every walk of the drama, and in every measure of poetry.

This lady was the daughter of the late Mr. Parkhurst, also of Tiverton; a gentleman as universally respected and esteemed, for his learning and probity, as for a peculiar flow of humour, which enlivened his conversation: Mrs. Cowley's genius, may in some respects be considered as hereditary, her grandmother by the father's side having been first cousin to the celebrated poet Gay, by whom she was held in such high estimation, that he passed a considerable portion of his time, at her house in Barnstaple.

In addition to his other qualifications, Mr. Parkhurst had attained a proficiency in classical literature, which gained him the reputation of having been an excel lent scholar.

Under such a tutor, was the genius of our authoress inspired and cultivated; and she presented him in return with the first fruits of her Muse, by prefixing his name to the poem of the Maid of Arragon, in a dedication, which evinced at once the fire of youthful genius, and the genuine effusions of filial gratitude.

Mrs. Cowley's first dramatic Coup d'Essai, was the comedy of the Run away: this play, produced in March, 1776, was the last new piece brought out by Mr. Garrick, previous to his resigning the management of Drury-lane theatre.

The first act of this play, verbatim, as it now stands, is said to have been produced one morning before dinner; it met the encouragement of her husband, who wished to see it finishcd: it was accordingly completed in a fortnight, and transmitted to Mr. Garrick, at his then residence, at Hampton-court.

This comedy which was so favourably received, that it first introduced the practice, of what in dramatic phraseology, is termed "" Running Plays:" was performed a successive number of nights, with distinguished applause, and we may judge what must have been the receipts of the treasury of the theatre, when it

produced to the fair authoress eight hundred guineas.

Her next effort in the drama, in point of composition (though not of representation), was the tragedy of Albina, which was brought out by Mr. Colman, at his summer tlicatre in the Haymarket, on the 30th of July, 1779: the farce of "Who's the Dupe," was performed at Drury-lane, in the month of April preceding, and it was received with that applause, which whenever performed, it now never fails to obtain.

The Belles Stratagem, came out at Covent-garden, in February, 1780, and it was received with such loud and boundless acclamation, that it had the honour of being patronized by the queen, before whom it was performed once every season, for twenty years after its first appearance.

This Play, when published, was by express permission dedicated to her Majesty.

Stimulated by her favourable reception with the public, Mrs. Cowley continued to cultivate her acquaintance with the dramatic Muses, and the Beltes Stratagem was successively followed by the comedies of "Which is the Man,' A Bold Stroke for a Husband,” &c.

99.66

The limits of this article will not permit us to dwell upon the merits of several beautiful pieces of fugitive poetry; such as her specimens in imitation of Cowley, Monologue on the Death of Chatterton, the verses occasioned by Lady Manners's Ode to Solitude, (which produced an intimacy between the two ladies), her poem, entitled, Edwina, inserted in a late His tory of Cumberland, with some beautiful little poems, which appeared in the newspapers of the day, and which raised newspaper poetry to an eminence it had never before attained; we proceed to notice her flights in the higher regions of epic poetry.

Her productions in this line, which have yet been published, are the Maid of Arragon, the Scottish Village, and the Siege of Acre.

The poems, which we have above alluded to abound with beautiful and glowing imagery; but in critical justice it must here be admitted, that amidst the most luxuriant descriptions, and the most smooth and elegant numbers, we find inequalities, which prove that our fair authoress had

been