tir out of our
habitations; nay, it will be well if they arrive not to the impudence of
plundering our houses at noonday.

Where is the courage of the English nation, that a gentleman, with six
or seven servants, shall be robbed by one single highwayman? Yet we have
lately had instances of this; and for this we may thank our effeminacy,
our toupee wigs, and powdered pates, our tea, and other scandalous
fopperies; and, above all, the disuse of noble and manly sports, so
necessary to a brave people, once in vogue, but now totally lost amongst
us.

Let not the reader think I run from my subject if I search the bottom of
the distemper before I propose a cure, which having done, though indeed
but slightly, for this is an argument could be carried to a much greater
length, I proceed to the purpose in manner following:--

Let the watch be composed of stout able-bodied men, and of those a
sufficient number, that is to say, a watchman to every forty houses,
twenty on one side of the way, and twenty on the other; for it is
observable that a man cannot well see distinctly beyond the extent of
twenty houses in a row; if it is a single row, and no opposite houses,
the charge must be greater, or their safety less.

This man should be elected and paid by the housekeepers themselves, to
prevent misapplication and abuse, so much complained of in the
distribution of the public money.

He should be allowed ten shillings per annum by each housekeeper, which
at forty houses, as above specified, amounts to 20_l._ per annum, almost
treble to what is at present allowed; and yet most housekeepers are
charged at least 2s. 6d. a quarter to the watch, whose beat is,
generally speaking, little less than the compass of half a mile.

What a shame it is that at least 100_l._ should be collected in some
beats, and the poor watchman should not have the one-tenth part of the
money? And this I leave to the consideration of any housekeeper who will
take the pains to inquire into the extent of a watchman's beat, and
after that cast up what is collected in the said beat, as they say for
the watch. But this is a small abuse in comparison of other parochial
misapplications, for a proof of which I refer my reader to a treatise of
mine, entituled, Parochial Tyranny.

This salary of 20_l._ per annum is something of encouragement, and a
pretty settlement for a poor man, who with frugality may live decently
thereon, and by due rest be enabled to give due an