at such
Times, when it should be expected to see all Men unite in one common
Endeavour, to moderate the publick Misery; quite otherwise, they grow
regardless of each other, and Barbarities are often practised, unknown
at other Times. Accordingly =Diemerbroek= informs us, that he himself
had often seen these =Hospitals= committed to the Charge of Villains,
whose Inhumanity has suffered great Numbers to perish by Neglect, and
that sometimes they have even smothered such as have been very weak, or
have had nauseous Ulcers difficult to cure. Insomuch, that in many
Places the Sick have chose to lay themselves in Fields, in the open
Air, under the slightest Coverings, rather than to fall into the
barbarous Hands of those who have had the Management of these
Hospitals[12].

THE rigorous Restraints observed at their =Lines=, are attended also
with the like Inconveniences. For by absolutely denying a Passage to
People from =infected= Places, they subject to the same common Ruin,
both from the Disease, and from the Disorders committed in such Places,
those, whom their Fortunes would otherwise furnish with Means of
escaping: and this, no doubt, in every free Country, must be looked upon
as an unjust =Infringement of Liberty=, and a Diminution of Mens natural
Rights, not to be allowed.

NOW, under all these Difficulties, I cannot but with the greatest
Satisfaction observe, that my =Precepts= are well nigh, nay altogether
free from them; and yet a proper Regard is had to the Disease. As soon
as ever the =Sick= are grown numerous, I advise, that they be left in
their Houses, without any of those unmerciful Restraints heretofore put
upon them and the Families they belonged to. I might, perhaps, have
justly directed, that whenever those, who frequent or dwell in an
=infected= House, go abroad, they should be obliged to carry about them
=a long Stick= of some remarkable Colour, or other =visible Token=, by
which People may be warned from holding too free Converse with them:
this being the Practice on these Occasions, as I have heard, in some
Places. The =Removal of the Sick= from their Houses, I advise only at
the beginning, when it will be attended with none of the forementioned
Inconveniences: but is what, for the most Part, those Sick should
themselves desire. It has hardly ever been known, when the Disease did
not first begin among the =Poor=. Such therefore only will be subject to
this Regulation, whose Habitations by the Closen