POVERTY AND IGNORANCE;

BY MR. J. J. LEES.

[Delivered at the Mechanics' Institute, Stretford, Manchester, November 27th, 1856.-being the second Lecture of the Winter Course for 1856-7.-J. T. Hibbert, Esq., President of the Institute, in the Chair.

If I were required to name the most promising characteristics of the age, my unhesitating reply would be the increasing desire for mental culture, and the practical application of intellectual power to social, political, and philanthropic purposes. Cotemporaneously with the rise and growth of this desire in our young men for intellectual culture, have Mechanics' Institutions, Athenæums, Discussion Classes, and Improvement Societies, sprung into existence throughout the kingdom; in which the intelligence and educational advantages of individual members are cast into the common treasury, for the benefit of the whole. And thus the thirst for knowledge excited in the young men by the peripatetic philosophers of ancient Greece, finds in our northern isles a worthy counterpart and suitable arena, in the ninteenth century of the Christian

era.

The title of this society conveys a correct indication of its objects, namely, "mutual improvement;' comprising improvement of the corporeal man, by cultivating a knowledge of those physical and sanitary laws, which appertain to the health of the body, and of the mental powers, studying the laws to which the mind is subject, and the acquisition of useful knowledge; and in morals, by the adoption of the

highest and truest ethics, and thus by improving themselves, helping materially to improve the condition of society around them. The title also indicates, that its advantages are for young men, and here we have cause for rejoicing in its success. Students of history and social philosophy know well, that the mutual and social improvement of a people depend upon "training up children in the way they should go," and educating the youths of the country for a purer life, and a nobler destiny.

The schools of Greece, in training the youth to develope his physical powers by suitable discipline, and his mental and moral being, by familiarising his mind with the history of the great, and wise, and good, were, doubtless, instrumental in educing that nobility, intelligence, patriotism, and courage; that advancement in art, science, and philosophy, which made the Grecians the admiration of all subsequent ages, and the teachers of all civilized nations. And we may surely hope, under a higher civilization, with increased light and liberty, a more truthful, humanising, and hallowing religion; when the study of literature, art, science, philosophy, and languages, are possibilities within the reach of young men of all classes; and the printing press has superseded the tardy operations of the scribe; and paper, the papyrus scroll, enabling us to disseminate knowledge, as on the wings of Minerva; and when books have become necessary furniture, alike for the palace and the cot, that a brighter and better day is dawning upon our country, and the world at large.

We also confidently hope that in "the good time coming," light and knowledge will chase away ignorance and its concomitant vices, and that a superior race of moral, robust, and intelligent men, will diffuse an influence for good, calculated to hasten the "consummation devoutly to be wished," when immortal beings will live, and act, worthy of their

glorious destiny, and peace and brotherhood prevail throughout the world.

Having thus far spoken of the purposes and prospects of this and kindred institutions, let me suggest, by way of caution, that knowledge or mental culture can only be valuable to the individual and to society, when applied to useful and philanthropic purposes.

The mental culture and attainments of a Sheridan, or Byron, bright and sparkling as they were, shed but a dubious ray of light or hope upon their fellow citizens, "who sat in darkness, and in the shadow of death;" while in the happy combination of intellect with philanthropy and moral goodness of Milton and Howard, Raikes and Wilberforce, that kind-hearted friend of the oppressed, the noble Shaftesbury, and our own Florence Nightingale, we see the harbinger of light, and love, and mercy, and hope, and reformation, to outcast and suffering humanity.

The intellectual sensualists we named, and all of the same type, are to society and its necessities, what the mirage is to the traveller in the desert, and the "ignus fatuus" of the swamp to the benighted wanderer, a fascinating mockery; while the intellectual philanthropists are to the downcast and helpless, like the genial rain and sunshine of heaven, when blessing the parched and sterile earth with new life, and beauty, and fruitfulness. If these preliminary remarks be correct, our subject clearly comes within the circle of topics worthy your consideration, and highly important to the body politic, namely, "The extent and causes of the poverty and ignorance of our people, more especially with reference to poverty, and incidentally to ignorance induced by poverty."

We shall endeavour first to shew the extent of British poverty. That poor people abound in almost every district; that the wealthy have frequently to relieve; that abject want is visible wherever we go

and that ignorance and viciousness meet us at every turn, are matters too notorious to need the least discussion; and that society, in general, contents itself with a superficial knowledge of the subject, and deals with this abounding poverty by giving relief so far as prudence or selfishness permits, without the trouble of searching for the cause from which much of it springs, is undeniable. But the increase of pauperism and of parish rates is now stirring the middle classes to inquire how far the poverty they have thus to provide for is necessary and inevitable, or self incurred, and therefore preventible.

As affording a kind of data to guide our calculations, we shall notice the extent of registered pauperism in the United Kingdom; and leaving out such years as 1847-8, when the total number was considerably over two millions, and the cost to the nation nearly twelve millions of money; and taking the average of ordinary years at one million, five hundred thousand persons directly in receipt of parish relief, we shall be considerably within the truth; and it reveals the fact that, in ordinary years, we have one pauper to about every eighteen of the entire population.

This, however, does not present fully the extent of our pauperism, for those acquainted with the system are aware, that only the name of the recipient is entered in the parish books, and a note of the children of the family, while the relieving officers know well, that there are in many cases others equally dependent upon the allowance, which are uncounted, not being strictly infants. From observation and inquiry, we venture to assert, that those depending entirely or in part for their daily bread upon parish relief, will be one third more than the number registered, giving a total of two millions, or one in fourteen of the population.

This sad picture of poverty, under the aspect of pauperism, does not describe its whole extent; for

parish relief is well known to be the last resort of the honest and industrious Englishman. And an incalculable amount of absolute want is endured, before the independent spirit of the sturdy Saxon will submit to what he considers a degrading exhi bition of his poverty.

The system of doling out parish relief, also prevents many who are in great distress from striving to obtain it; and those who know the spirit and manner in which the relief is generally given, are aware that it repulses the honest and worthy citizen, labouring under a temporary need of help, while the depraved and shameless clamourer generally succeeds, to the injury of the deserving and modest poor, and the ratepayers who have to support this professional and impudent pauperism.

In

If then we take the number of these pitiable cases of unrelieved want in one union, as data for all, we must add, at least, half a million to the list, making a total of two millions and a half, or one in eleven of the population. To measure the real extent of suffering from poverty, we must now examine the condition of the very large class immediately above the pauper, although in little else than the name. this class we propose to embrace the families of poor working people, who, by their utmost exertions, cannot procure sufficient food. Thousands of young women who are thrown on their own resources, and prefer labouring early and late with their needles, and living from week to week, and from year to year, upon a scanty supply of bread and a little tea, to a less honourable course of life; widows who have been left unprovided for, with families to sustain, but physically and educationally unequal to the task; poor children, left parentless to shift for themselves, or what is worse, the neglected children of drunken and dissolute parents; aged and infirm people who are mainly supported by kindhearted neighbours, scarcely better off than them