rfere, before the evil is actually come to the highest pitch.
The parishes might, perhaps, look with jealousy on an interference of
this sort, as being an infringement on their rights; for Englishmen are
sometimes very tenacious of privileges that are highly pernicious to
themselves. This difficulty, (for it probably would be one,) might be
got over, by previously establishing inspectors in the different bishop's
sees, who should be obliged to render an account to the bishop, to be
communicated to government, by which means, the evil would either
be removed, or its existence ascertained, so as to answer the
complaints that might be made, and thereby prevent all discontent on
the subject.

Without being able to say what might absolutely be the best remedy, it
is, at least, fair to ask the question, whether it is fit that the
administration of 5,500,000 L. a year should be intrusted to the hands
of ignorant men? It may likewise be asked, if the feelings of the
necessitous ranks of society (as keen in many instances as those of
their betters,) should be wounded by men, who have not sufficient
knowledge of any sort to act with the humanity necessary. The
candidates for popular favour, amongst the lower housekeepers, are
generally flattering, fauning =sic=, cringing men, and such are almost
without exception, cunning, ignorant, and overbearing, wherever they
have the least [end of page #255] authority over others. Such, in
general, are the parish-officers, to whose care this important affair is
committed.

Though this is an institution almost on the purely democratic principle
of equal representation, it is a very bad specimen of that mode of
government. The shameful lawsuits between parishes, about paupers,
the disgraceful and barbarous treatment of women, who have been
betrayed and abandoned, admit of no excuse. They are not productive
even of gain or economy. Amongst some tribes of savage Indians, the
aged and helpless are put to death, that they may not remain a burthen
on those who are able and in health; and it is equally true, that, in
England, the young innocents, who have not parents to protect them,
are considered as a burthen; and, if they are not absolutely sent out of
the world, the means necessary to preserve them in it are very
inadequate to the purpose. If criminality could be engraved on a
graduated scale, their deaths ought in general to be written down at
some intermediate point between accidental homici