Glasgow, April, 1817. By Ralph Wardlaw. Longman and Co. &c. THE well-known name of the author is a sufficient ground for the assurance, that this excellent essay proceeds from a clear head, and from a Christian; therefore a benevolent heart. In both respects, we cannot too highly recommend it to our readers. | poor are proper objects of relief, although their poverty be not attended with sickness, age, or blindness, one would imagine could never have been denied. It has, however, been denied; and Mr. Wardlaw thus defends it. "When times of general embarrassment and affliction, then, do, in the course of Providence, occur;-when the staff of bread is broken; when the outlets of Its objects are, to enforce the mercantile speculation and industry are Christian virtue of relieving the in-blocked up; when glutted markets, and digent, whether that indigence arise the cessation of demand, produce deprefrom sickness, age, blindness, &c.— ciation in the value of all descriptions of or whether, from want of employ-manufacture; when the wages of labour ment, the inadequate price of wages, are proportionally reduced, and many or other unavoidable causes;-to hands are deprived of profitable employ inquire into the best mode of admi- ment; when a low price of labour unites nistering relief;—and to defend this with a high price of provisions; and when the working classes are necessarily virtue from the inferences, which involved in deep and accumulated dis many persons have drawn from the tress-in these circumstances, (and exprinciples in Mr. Malthus's celeperience, alas! has taught us that they brated Essay on Population; inferare not imaginary,) what can industry, ences which Mr. Malthus himself and economy, and independence do?— rejects with detestation, and which Suppose the virtues of activity and of the principles themselves by no saving put upon their utmost stretch;means warrant. Mr. Malthus is so if the compensation of labour be so defar from opposing the relief of the in- pressed, that all the bodily powers must be tasked and strained, and nature must nocently necessitous poor, that he recommends to our beneficence even be exhausted by rising early and sitting the idle and improvident. "When up late, to earn the miserable pittance of a shilling a-day, on which a young and (says he) this first claim on our benevolence was satisfied, we might and educated:-if corporeal toil is to be numerous family is to be fed, and clothed, then turn our attention to the idle most fatiguing, and mental anxiety most and improvident. But the interests distracting and wearing out, just at the of human happiness most clearly revery time when there exists an unavoida quire, that the relief which we af-ble want of that nourishment which is ford them, should be scanty. We requisite to supply the waste of the animay, perhaps, take upon ourselves, mal frame, and to recruit and invigorate with great caution, to mitigate the the enervated mind:-what can the poor punishments which they are suffering man then make of his spirit of manly in from the laws of nature, but on no dependence, and of active and honouraaccount to remove them entirely.ble industy? The spirit of independence They are deservedly at the bottom, in the scale of society; and if we raise them from this situation, we not only palpably defeat the ends of benevolence, but commit a most glaring injustice, to those who are above them. They should, on no account, be enabled to command so much of the necessaries of life, as can be obtained by the worst paid common labour. The brownest bread, with the coarsest and scantiest apparel, is the utmost which they very grounds on which our pity is due should have the means of purchas-relief?-Is there no possibility of our be made the reasons for withholding our ing." Essay, vol. ii. p. 61. That the innocently necessitous family; and of what avail is the spirit of will not satisfy the cravings of a hungry industry, unless it has some field of profitable exertion? These principles, it is true, must always render him respecta ble; and in such circumstances, respect may justly rise even to veneration:-but has not the poor man, on this very account, the more imperious claim on our compassion and sympathy, that he is reluctant to stoop from his independence, and anxious to push his way through, and to weather the storm? And shall the urging this principle of independence to an extreme?-of making it assume, for | example, the form of a stubborn and un- and, in this direction of our charity, But what is the best mode of re treme? Is there no danger of winding up the spring, till it is snapped asunder by a bursting heart?--Whilst we admire and venerate the principle, that will suffer, and suffer much and long, before it will complain; yet surely some caution and delicacy should be observed, in subjecting it to experiment,-in trying how far it will go, what degree of pressure it will bear;-unless we are willing to stand by, and to see fellow-creatures, under its overstrained exercise, sink into the grave, the victims of starvation and heart-break, rather than utter a complaint, or present an application for aid ; and to have the pleasing reflection on pur consciences, of having been art and part in this description of honourable suicide. wise and good men, in disapproving Mr. Wardlaw concurs with many the English system of maintaining the poor by legal assessment. He does not say that there is any abstract ground, on which it can be at once pronounced improper, for a humane government to make the concerns of the poor, one of the objects of its benignant regard; or that should render the relief of the dis tressed and the destitute a more ob jectionable purpose of taxation than many others that might be named.— But he endeavours to prove, and in our opinion successfully, that the poor laws are inefficient, unneces sary, and oppressive; and that they increase the misery of the poor, instead of diminishing it. Are the necessitous poor then to be neglected entirely?—or are they to be left to the exclusive care and attention of private personal benevo lence? "I dismiss (says Mr. Wardlaw,) the first supposition, as one from which every mind that is informed by the Bible, and every heart that is influenced by its mer ciful principles, or that is at all alive to the common sensibilities of humanity, must alike revolt:-and request your at tention to some of the consequences which appear naturally to result from the practical adoption of the second ;-that is, from leaving the poor to the operation of personal charity alone. "In pleading for the relief of labourers, who have been reduced to indigence, by circumstances over which they could exercise no preventive control, and who are, on this ground, as fairly entitled to sympathy, as the sick, the old, the blind, or the casually disabled, I am happy in "In the first place: Ninety-nine in the being supported by the high authority of hundred of those who give, either would Mr. Malthus himself:In the great not have leisure, or would not take it, to course of human events, (says he,) the examiné carefully into the circumstances, best founded expectations will sometimes and characters, and habits, of those to be disappointed; and industry, prudence, whom they administered relief. Every and virtue, not only fail of their just.re- day's observation of the general exercise ward, but be involved in unmerited ca-of individual charity may suffice to satislamities. Those who are thus suffering fy us of the truth of this. in spite of the best-directed efforts to avoid it, and from causes which they could not be expected to foresee, are the genuine objects of charity. In relieving these, we exercise the appropriate office of benevolence, that of mitigating the partial evils arising from general laws; "Secondly: The most truly necessitous and deserving would be most in danger of neglect and oversight, because less clamorous and important than others. "Thirdly: It would frequently hap pen, that the same case of distress would be relieved by the bounty of twenty, or of the individual, become wrong and blame-worthy, in the case of the number of individuals? Is it not still, neither more nor less, than private benevolence, pursuing the attainment of its end in a discreet and secure way? "Yet this is A BENEVOLENT SOCIETY. And what more, then, are such institutions, than simple channels, in which the streams of individual bounty may most effectually, (that is, with the largest measure of real blessing, and the smallest portion of accompanying evil,) arrive at their destination;-to cheer and to fertilize the barren and parched wastes of penury and wretchedness ?” Mr. Wardlaw defends these societies from objections which have been brought against them. But we must draw to a close. Neither have wa room for inserting a beautiful quotation, upon the same subject, from a sermon by Dr. Chalmers. We conclude, with exhorting the pious poor, though their condition should be as mean as that of Laza For these reasons, Mr. Wardlaw wishes to turn part of the stream of private benevolence into a different channel. "Let me now suppose, (says he,) a benevolent individual, whose feeling heart melts over the sufferings of the poor, and whose hand and purse are as open as his heart, but who is sensible of the great importance of administering his charity with proper discrimination."Under the strength of this impression, he says to a friend, in whose sagacity and. prudence, as well as fidelity and kindly dispositions, herus, to rejoice in that they are exhas found reason to place confidence: "I find, my friend, that I am quite unable to command the leisure, necessary for making that inquiry into the circumstances of the poor, which is indispensable to their judicious supply. I feel myself, in multitudes of cases, in danger of being imposed upon, and, consequently, of doing more harm than good. You have time and opportunity, humanity, prudence, and zeal. Take this small sum;-be my almoner; and let me know when it is exhausted." Would this be wrong? Would it not be only personal benevolence, adopting a 66 alted; inasmuch as they have God' for their father, the Lord Jesus Christ for their brother, angels for their ministering spirits, and a kingdom in reversion;—and the rich in that they are made low; because as the flower of the grass they shall pass away and with reminding the latter, that pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep themselves unspotted from the world. prudent and effectual method of at LITERARY INTELLIGENCE once effecting the good which it wishes to do, and shunning the evil which it justly apprehends? So far from being reprehensible, would not such procedure be rather laudable and deserving of imitation? In the Press. Scripture Parables, in Verse, with Exthe most Part, from the admired Exposiplanations and Reflections; drawn, for tion of Dr. Doddridge, by the Rev. J. Cobbin, M. A. To which are added, amusing and instructive Notes, in Prose; chiefly designed for the Use of young Persons. "Let me, then, extend the same supposition a little further. Suppose not one only, but a number of generous givers, influenced by the very same consideration, should intrust their bounty The Book of Common Prayer, and Adnot to me only, but to a number of faith-ministration of the Sacraments, and other ful distributors, who are disposed to spare the necessary time, and to bestow the necessary labour. Does this at all alter the nature of the thing? Does that which was right and praise-worthy, in the case Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, according to the Use of the United Church. of England and Ireland; with Transla tions into the Greek, Latin, Italian, Spa nish, French, and German Languages. 232 Missionary Retrospect and Foreign Intelligence. Account of Moneys received by the Treasurer of the Baptist Missionary Society, for the Mission, from February 1, to May 1, 1818; not including Individual Subscriptions. £ s. d. Legacy of Mr. Joseph Gleanes, late of Stockport, by Mr. H. Pope, of Manchester .... ... 266 15 000220. 930210 103 12 ...... 20 1 Leicester, Collection and Subscriptions, by the Rev. R. Hall. St. Neot's Auxiliary Missionary Society, by the Rev. T. Morell.. .... Bristol, Juvenile Branch Society, 2 Payments, by the Rev. Dr. Ryland Morgan, Rev. Benjamin, late of Bridgewater, a Bequest.. Clipstone, Collection, by the Rev. W. Mack a Friend at, Donation by ditto.. Oakham, Collection, by the Rev. W. Miller 10 16 4 2 0 0 12 10 10 7 0 14 11 10 0 0000 5 12 6 2 18 0 10 10 19 0 6 Shutwood, Collection & Subscriptions, by the Rev. W. Winterbotham Biggar (Scotland) Association, for the diffusion of Christianity, by the Rev. C. Anderson ...... ditto ..... ..... Dumfries, Mrs. B. and Friends, for a native Preacher, ditto ditto ........ Morningside, Auxiliary Missionary Society, by the Rev. D. Dickson, 3 0 6 10 2 6 8 15 3 1 2 10 3000076 050 5 5 551 do. 23 5 Juvenile Missionary Society, for a native ditto For the Translations and Schools. Suffolk Association of Independent Congregations for the purpose of promoting Translations, &c. by Mr. Burls... 820041 20000 00000 Ο 8 18 7 5 0 J. B. Wilson, Esq. Clapham, a Donation Thomas Key, Esq. Water Fulford, near York, Native Schools 100l. Paisley Female Auxiliary Society, by Mr. W. Ferguson ......... ditto ... 501. § Calton and Bridgton Association for Religious Purposes, by Mr. W. Collins ......... ......... York and Lancaster Assistant Society, by W. Hope, Esq. Treasurer Painswick, Friends at, by the Rev. W. Winterbotham ......... 40 0 Norwich, Friends at, for Native Schools, by the Rev. Joseph Kinghorn 106 05005 Domestic Religious Intelligence. ANNIVERSARIES OF His Royal Highness having stated in a few words the object of the Meeting. the Report was read by the Secretary. RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS. It stated, that their Royal Highnesses SOCIETY FOR PROPAGATING CHRISTIANITY AMONG THE JEWS. On Friday, May 8, the Tenth Anniversary of this Society was held, .as usual, in the Free Masons' Hall. Sir Thomas Baring in the Chair. The Rev.Mr.Hawtrey read the Report. The funds last year had very much increased, amounting in the whole to 9,284l. 17s. 6d. and the Society was free from all debt. When the Meeting broke up, a very liberal collection was received at the door of the hall. The hall was crowded to excess, and many were obliged to retire from want of room to stand even at the door. NAVAL AND MILITARY BIBLE SOCIETY. ON Tuesday, May 12, the Anniversary of this Institution was held in the King's Concert Room, Haymarket. At twelve o'clock the Chair was taken by His Royal Highness the Duke of York, attended by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, the Bishops of London and Gloucester, the Earl of Harrowby, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and a number of other characters of the first respectability. VOL. X. the office of Vice Presidents. 2 H |