eased to
more than double.

There is no relief at home in their own houses, no help, no aid, for the
indigent, which might produce so admirable an effect, by
counteracting the ruin brought on by heavy taxes and high prices; no,
the family must support itself, or go wholesale to the workhouse. This
is one of those clumsy rude modes of proceeding that a wealthy
people, not overburthened with knowledge, naturally takes to
overcome a difficulty, but without care or tenderness for the feelings
of those relieved, or that regard for public interest, which ought to go
hand in hand. For this it would be well to search a remedy.

A father and mother, and six children, will cost, at least, fifty pounds a
year in a workhouse; but, perhaps, the aid of twelve or fifteen pounds
would keep them from going there, and by that means save the
greatest part of the money, while the country, which loses their
industry, would be doubly a gainer.

There is a sort of rough, vulgar, and unfeeling character, prevalent
amongst the parish-officers, that is a disgrace to the country and to the
character of Englishmen. It is highly prejudicial to the nation; and, if
there were no moral evil attending it, if the feelings of the poor were
no object, =sic= the rich ought to attend to it for self-interest. If they
will not, the government of the country is interested, both in honour
and in interest, to do so.

Exemption from taxes will do little or nothing, the lower orders [end
of page #249] are nearly all exempt, but that general dearness, that is
the consequence of a general weight of taxes, is severely felt by them,
and from that they cannot be exempted. They must get relief by
assistance, and that assistance ought to be given in a manner that will
not throw them altogether a burthen on the public. {195}

It is impossible to tax the people of a nation so highly, as they can all
bear, because, before some will feel, others will be crushed; before the
bachelor feels the tax, the father of a large family is obliged to starve
his innocent offspring. Before he who has only two children feels the
hard pressure, the family of twelve will be reduced to want; and so in
proportion. The mode, then, to raise the most money possible, would
be to tax the whole nearly as high as the bachelor can bear, and then to
give a drawback in favour of the man with the children, they would
then be on a perfect equality as to taxation, and the highest sum
possible might b