first coldness, then distrust, and finally alienation." * "If we extend our view to the larger circle of social intercourse, which comprehends relations, friends, and acquaintance of every kind and degree, we shall find that the frequent interchange of courteous attentions and petty kindnesses is the thing that keeps them united and pleased with each other; and that in default of this, they presently lose all relish for one another's company." * "Hence we become attached to those who are in the habit of treating us as if they thought us worthy of their particular notice and regard, and, at the same time, secretly cold and resentful toward such as habitually neglect us in these latter points; even though the former have never done us a single important favour, and the latter have, in some one instance or other, essentially befriended us. "With regard to neglects and trespasses in those little things which constitute the main substance of social life, the worst of it is, that they are incapable of free discussion; and, of course, the wounds from them admit of no healing. We are deeply touched with omissions or slights, for which it would he ridiculous to expostulate or complain. They leave a sting which secretly rankles in our memories, and festers in our imagination; and inwardly we feel sore, while we are ashamed to fret outwardly; the cause of our provocation being an indefinable, nameless something upon which we can never ask for an explanation, and consequently can never obtain satisfaction." "True enough, all this is often ill-grounded, or the offspring of mere jealousy. But that makes the case more remediless, for ill-grounded enmities are the most obstinate; because as their causes exist altogether, or chiefly, in the imagination;* the imagination is so ever busy in colouring and magnifying them. Whereas when the offence, though, real, is of a definite form and shape, it may be got over. I have seen two friends dispute and quarrel violently about an affair of inoment, and then settle it, and presently become as kind and loving together as ever: and I have seen other two friends, who never quarrelled together at all, become first cold, and at last utterly estranged by *This theory of gradual suspicion, coldness, and hatred, will be found well explained in Stewart's chapter on imagination, (Elements of Philosophy, vol. 4.) and illustrated by M. D. Stael, in the example of Rousseau. (Essay on the genius and writings of Rousseau.) reason of a neglect or slight, on the one side or the other, which, of itself, was too trivial to be so much as mentioned to the offending party." We apprehend that friendships changed to enmities upon slight causes, are always thus changed by a defect in the character of the individual in whom the changes are operated; by superficial affections, and magnified self-importance: mutual kindness, candour, just self respect, are too agreeable; to love and to be loved is too sweet a pleasure to be relinquished, but for a moral reason, or at the suggestions of selfishness and pride. There are many other essays of great practical utility, the excellence of which partly consists in their entireness. Of these, that on the "Inestimable benefits of Law;" No. XXVII, “Of the salutary effects of the necessity laid upon man to labour;" No. LXXI, "Of banqueting upon borrowing;" No.LXXXI, "Of the world;" No. CXV, "Of despising small things," possess a peculiar claim to consideration, as confutations of prejudice, and exhortations to cheerfulness, gratitude, and circumspection. If the style be characterised rather by homeliness than by elegance, the most enlightened and cultivated reader will perceive that the writer's views assimilate him to those elevated minds whose writings he has read and enjoyed; and that in respect to manner, he. conforms himself not to "the upper ranks of society," or to the learned, but to other grades of men; that instead of fame, he proposes to himself "the humbler, but yet more useful object of philosophy on the common concerns of mankind; and in pursuance of this object, to convey his thoughts in fewest words, and in terms intelligible to all; and rather to draw the attention of the reader to the subjects discussed, than fully to discuss them." R. E. ART. 2. Considerations on the Impolicy and Pernicious Tendency of the Poor Laws; with Remarks on the Report of the Select Committee of the House of Commons upon them; and Suggestions for Improving the Condtion of the Poor. By CHARLES JERRAM, A. M. Vicar of Cobham; one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the County of Surrey, 8vo. pp. 157. London. 1818. edness, has increased with the augmentation of the poor-rates. Though the general tenor of the interesting work before us is appertinent to England, it is nevertheless fraught with valuable information to the American reader. The reverend author expresses a sincere desire "to throw into the general treasury of charity the mite of information with which many years of close attention to the wants of the poor, and some years of experience as a magistrate may have furnished" him. He arranges his observations under three heads : as in the present. Some of the most in-. In this country, the same principle has telligent writers on political economy, been adopted in providing for the neceshave taken great pains to point out the sities of the poor, though not on so deimmediate causes which, in modern times, fective and large a scale; and the appliparticularly in England, have plunged an cation is, comparatively speaking, but of unusual number of our fellow-men into a few years. In England, it has been poverty and misery. But philanthropists fostered and established during centuries. rest not here. They endeavour to de- Still we have been taught by experience vise means by which the sum of human that the principle is wrong, and detriwretchedness may be lessened; we say mental to the best interests of society. lessened, for every man who is not visionary, readily acknowledges that a thorough remedy for pauperism is sought in vain. If there is something inherent in the very constitution of society, which forbids the hope of ever finding a complete remedy for the disease, can it be said that it admits of no mitigation nor relief? Not individuals only have turned their serious attention to this important subject; the evil has become so alarming, so widely operative, as to attract the notice of government. Many of our readers are probably acquainted with the recent luminous reports of the two houses of Parliament on the Poor Laws. From these important documents, it appears that the principle of compulsory provision for the poor, which took its rise in the reign of Elizabeth, has resulted in a truly mischievous system. By this artificial and (we might say) unwarrantable "process of interference," the urgent law of selfpreservation has been tampered with; the instincts of relationship have been impeded in their operation; the sympathies and the attentions of neighbourhood bave been superseded; and the powerful workings of generous and compassionate feeling have been damped and discour aged. In short, the system is ruinous. Pauperism, with its concomitant wretch "I. That all hopes of entirely removing the evils of poverty are vain: "II. That the present administration of the system of the poor laws tends greatly to aggravate these evils: and, "III. That the means which bid the fairest for success lie within the poor themselves, under the direction and assistance of the legislature, in conjunction with prudent and active charity." Under the first proposition the author remarks, that "every passage of the Old and New Testament, which inculcates charity as a duty, intimates that there never will be wanting persons who will have a claim upon it. "But if the Scriptures had been silent on this head, the history of every country and every age in the world, would place this fact beyond the possibility of a doubt. During the nearly six thousand years the world has existed, in every spot where human beings have been found, poverty has also found a residence. It is true, that it presses more heavily in some countries than in others; but every where it does press; and tens of thousands, in the best governed and most charitable kingdoms of the world, are every day groaning under its oppressive hand. Much may be done to diminish the number, and mitigate the severity of its evils, but no efforts of man will be able to banish it from the world." If these "best governed and most charitable kingdoms in the world" possess sufficient vigour, prudence, and honesty, to profit by experience, and with one accord to exemplify the principles of Christian polity, the burden will soon be less galling. By some very just considerations on the proportion between the natural increase of population, and the provision which nature has made for the support of that population, the author continues to fortify the remark, that "No state therefore of society ever did or can exist, in which will not be found innumerable needy human beings." We have somewhere met with the assertion, that the causes of pauperism are “misfortune in one instance, misconduct in fifty." For aught we know, this may be a proper estimate. Our author ob serves, "It must however be acknowledged; that there are innumerable cases of extreme poverty, which cannot be directly charged on the improvidence or misconduct of the sufferers. The very state and condition of human nature, as we have seen, as well as the direct appointment of God himself, as a memorial of his displeasure against sin, impose the evils of poverty on a great part of mankind, and subject them, by an irrever sible law, to a state of considerable suffering. This is not the place for entering on a discussion on the justice of this law, and its consistency with the sentiments we enter tain of the infinite benevolence of the Supreme Being, though much is at hand to vindicate both; yet I cannot omit this opportunity of observing, that the principles on which the Christian religion is founded, and the prospects it opens of a better world, afford a very powerful, if not an effectual remedy to the evils of poverty." That religion assures us, that "the evils of this life are corrective and medicinal, and, comparatively, but of momen tary duration." Every thing which af flicts the good, can be made subservient to their contentment and happiness. The present afflictions of the virtuous proceed from the hand of a Father, who never chastens but "for our profit." The Christian, though he may be destitute of this world's treasures and enjoyments, has many resources and pleasures, which are strange to "those irreligious and profligate poor who are fed with the bread of affliction here, and have no prospects for the future." For them every pious mind must feel the deepest commiseration, for they are poor indeed! They lose both worlds." "The evils, however, of poverty, small as they are, when viewed in relation to a future and eternal state of existence; and salutary as they may be to correct what is wrong in our nature, and fit us for the enjoyment of a better world, yet, considered in themselves, and in connexion with our present state of existence, are far from being trivial, and demand every alleviation which wis dom can suggest and affluence supply." After a train of such excelicnt remarks, with which every enlightened philanthrodiscuss his second proposition. In endeapist will concur, the author proceeds to vouring to expose the ruinous tendency of the present administration of the system of the English poor laws, his leading and ably supported arguments are: It creates the evil it professes to remedy. It holds out encouragement to the idle, the thoughtless, and the profligate, by securing to them all the advantages they could have derived from sobriety, prudence, and industry. It breaks the link which connects the best feelings and best interests of the poor with their natural friends and patrons. It obviously decreases the interest which poor parents feel in the fate of their children. The author adds to this catalogue of evils, that the system stands in direct opposition to the order and government of God himself. It strikes at the root of the benevolent and charitable feelings, and renders abortive all measures for bettering the condition of the poor and, lastly, it tends to universal pauperism! Next comes a discussion of the subject of remedies to these numerous and portentous evils. The inquiry is not merely, in what way the evils incident to a state of poverty may be best mitigated? It would not be difficult to give an answer. But, "unhappily," says the author, "this is not the question with which we are now concerned, except as it may serve to mark the point from which we have wandered, and to which every step should be directed in retracing our former errors. The inquiry with us now is, by what means we may extricate ourselves from the embarassing difficulties, and augmented wretchedness, in which the present improvident system of relieving the poor has involved us." The author cautions against the attempt at a sudden change, lest it might produce a revulsion, which would shake the very frame of civilized society; and justly remarks that whatsoever remedy be applied, it must be of the alterative nature, slow and almost imperceptible in its operation, but gradually advancing towards a renovation of the entire system. He points out the fallacy of various remedies which have been suggested, and even proposed in Parliament. He is decidedly opposed to the plan of making the maintenance of the poor rather national than parochial; and considers another, that the poor rate should be merged in that of the county, and every parish receive its necessary supply from the general fund, as in principle nearly allied to the former. As the valuable work before us, is probably in the hands of very few, if any, of our readers, we deem it a duty to offer them such extracts as may be particularly useful here, when the subject of pauperism receives an unusual degree of attention; and when recently formed societies, in several parts of the United States, are devising measures to meliorate the condition of the poor, and to prevent pauperism. "It appears then, that under existing circumstances, all that is practicable is a cautious reform of past errors in the administra tion of the system of the Poor Laws; and an encouragement of such measures as seem likely to promote those moral qualities and habits among the poor, which may ultimately supersede, in a great degree, if not entirey, compulsory relief." "Our first step must be a revision of the present system of administering to the wants ally done in this way, till we have clearly of the poor;-and nothing can be effectuascertained what persons have a just claim to such assistance. In the present state of things, both young and old, the robust and infirm, the idle and profligate, and characters of the worst description, advance their claims, and have them allowed: this surely ought not to be endured; some distinction must be made; some regard to the circumstances which have induced a state of want must be paid; and I will venture to recommend that no individual shall be entitled to parochial relief, either in money or employment, who, in the ordinary course of things, by the exercise of common pru dence, sobriety and diligence, might be supposed capable of rendering himself independent of such relief. No refuge should be held out for idleness, improvidence, or vice; and the law should exhibit an inflexible stoicism to those who voluntarily place themselves in circumstances of difficulty or distress. It is the order and appointment of God that such characters should suffer-and the suffering itself is a merciful warning to others, to avoid the rock on which they are wrecked. It is false humanity to provide for such:-God has made no such proliar distress, or where a sense of past follies vision, nor should man. In cases of pecuhas wrought a reformation, the hand of private benevolence will never be wanting to administer the necessary relief. But yet not as a legitimate claim. What a source of abuse would this single regulation cut off! Magistrates are continually placed under the distressing necessity of ordering relief for men and women, whose improper and often abandoned conduct has rendered them anfit inmates for any decent families; and these wretches are often sent to parish workhouses, where they corrupt the morals of the poor by wholesale,and send forth into the of vice, and fully instructed in the most et world characters initiated in every species relief should come as an undeserved boon; fectual means of contaminating and ruining all with whom they come in contact. It is the highest degree of cruelty and injustice be an act of greater humanity to leave such to show any favour to these: and it would individuals to reap the whole fruits of their profligacy than to expose others to their de structive influence. Who would think of introducing a uran infected with the plague into crowded habitations? and yet such an individual deserves pity, for his disease is his misfortune, and not his sin;-still we should seclude such an unhappy person from? all intercourse with society, whilst we admit the moral pestilence to diffuse its fatal poison freely in all directions." In a note to this, the author adds: "I am perfectly aware that the sentimentshere expressed will appear to many barsh and severe. There is a class of men who Saving Bank in this city. We wish them have lost their character, and who without some public assistance, must be either left to want or driven to crime. For such, some provision must undoubtedly be made; but it is such as a bridewell will afford, and not that which shall bring the man hardened and Irreclaimable in vice, in contact with the rising generation of the poor, to give them a complete education in every species of profligacy and crime. To do this would not be humanity, but the excess of cruelty. Effectual means should be taken to place such characters in penitentiaries, where they may undergo a quarantine, till the publie has some security that they may be admitted into society, without the fear of their communicating contagion." Our candid author enters into detail, and indulges in very few remarks on some parts of the Report of the Select Committee on the Poor Laws. But his discussion is dispassionate, and its object is laudable. Some prudential measures are suggested, which should be acted upon if the virtuous sufferer, and the profligate pauper is an object of salutary treatment. Provident institutions" are considered; and at the head of them all, "as likely to be of the greatest ultimate advantage," the recent establishment of Saving Banks. 6 "I say ultimate advantage, for the benefit of these institutions, must, in a considerable degree, be remote, because it is chiefly to the young, and those who have hitherto been oppressed with no heavy burdens, that they hold out the facility of providing for the future, for only such will be able to make the necessary deposits." We fully agree with the author. that these institutions may become "chiefly" valuable to the "young." However, we would state, that so far as the experiment has been made in this country, where Saving Banks have been established, and conducted in a judicious manner, the resulting advantages Irave not been so limited; but have been extensively felt and enjoyed even by persons who are advanced in years, and who are thereby encouraged to persevere in industry and frugality. We are informed that the managers of the "Society for the Prevention of Pauperism in the city of NewYork," intend to apply to the Legislature of the State, for an act to establish a success. Every good citizen who feels an interest in the salutary means which, by that enlightened, indefatigable, and highly respectable board, are devised for the prevention of pauperism, mus heartily concur in such an application. Indeed, we do not conceive how any utbiassed and sincere mind can find the least objection to a measure, which is so manifestly fraught with incalculable advantages to society at large. Let us hear our author on the importance and necessity of Savings Banks. "There could scarcely have been a hap pier thought than that of providing the means by which the smallest sums may be secured and turned to the most productive account. The idea scarcely ever enters the mind of a servant, or day labourer, whe earns something more than his present wants demand, that the small redundancy may be turned into advantage for the future; and hence, such are tempted to spend a portion of their time in idleness, satisfied with just acquiring what is necessary for their présent support, or, what is equally common, to throw away their little gains upon the most foolish trifles, or worse than waste it, in public houses; and in those few instances, where a prudent young person has laid by a ten has he been induced to lend it to some small sum for future emergencies, bow of treacherous friend, who never intended to restore it; or if he did, never took the proper steps to have it in his power to do so; or to deposit it with some tradesman or banker, as a place of safety, and has lost his all, by the unexpected, but too common insolvency of the individuals in whom he had confided. But these institutions remove all difficulties on this head. They exhibit examples of small savings having accumulated into considerable sums in the course of a few years, and every instance of this kind is the strongest inducement to others to imitate so profitable a speculation,-if speculation that can be called, which insures a great benefit without the least risk." "These institutions are likely also, to form the greatest barrier against imprudent marriages." And the author further observes, that "They will also induce a habit of care and economy in the other sex.” And, "The moral which such institutions teach, is of incalculable benefit. They practically illustrate the importance of Bittle things, |