Warrington district it is stated that nearly
three-fourths of the children can read; but the Sub-Commissioner reports
that of this number nine-tenths can only give the sound of a few
monosyllables; that they have just acquired so much knowledge in the
Sunday-schools, and that they will probably attain to little more during
their lives. (Austin, Report: App. Pt. II. p. M 19, ss. 125 _et
seq._)

_Report on the Physical and Moral Condition of the Children and young
Persons employed in Mines and Manufactures_.

II. AN ESSAY ON THE MEANS OF IMPROVING THE HEALTH AND INCREASING THE
COMFORT OF THE LABOURING CLASSES.

This Essay is chiefly based on evidence respecting the condition of the
labouring classes in towns. It is not, however, necessary, on that
account, to consider the subject as applying to those classes only.
There is good reason to believe that the state of the agricultural
labourers does not differ much, at least in kind, from that of the
working people in towns. The remedies for the evils in both are of the
same nature; and whatever results are arrived at with respect to the
health of towns may generally be adapted, without much difficulty, to the
wants of the rural population.

London,
Feb. 6, 1845.

CHAP. I.
DISTRESS AMONGST THE LABOURING CLASSES.

Knowing that there is an element of decay in any over-statement, I was
very anxious, in the former Essay, to avoid even the least exaggeration
in describing the distressed state of the labouring people. This anxiety
was, in that case, needless. An elaborate Report has since been
published by the Health of Towns Commission; and the evidence there given
more than bears out the statements which I then made.

Indeed, the condition of a large part of the labouring classes, as seen
in this Report, is evidently one which endangers the existence amongst
them of economy, decency, or morality. You may there see how more than
savage is savage life led in a great city. Dr. Southwood Smith in his
evidence says,

"The experiment has been long tried on a large scale with a dreadful
success, affording the demonstration that if, from early infancy, you
allow human beings to live like brutes, you can degrade them down to
their level, leaving them scarcely more intellect, and no feelings
and affections pr