walk the Streets after ten at Night. Imputes the cause of these Evils to the number of our Poor, which he divides into two Classes. First, those who are absolutely incapable of working. Secondly, those who are able, but not willing. The first sort are real Objects of Charity, but ought not to be suffered to wander the Streets, exposing their distorted Limbs, and filthy Sores, such fights being frequently attended with the worst consequences to Women with Child.
The second sort of Poor, who are able to work but not willing, are very numerous, and to them, in a great measure, are owing the many Villanies daily committed in the City.
In Paris not a Begger is to be seen. Recommends the Practice of the People call'd Quakers, who maintain none of their Poor in Idleness that are able to work, and suffer none to want that are helpless.
For a Remedy proposes two Methods. First, to oblige the able bodied Poor to Industry. Secondly, to bring up their Children to Labour, not to Learning; and to invent such Punishment for Criminals as may reclaim the Offender, if the Crime is not capital. But the present Punishment for capital Offences has so little solemnity in the manner of it, that it often appears more like a mob-triumph than an execution.
The Universal Spectator, Saturday Feb. 13.
INtroduces his Discourse with observing that a general Neglect, or rather Contempt of Matrimony prevails amongst us, to the great prejudice of the whole Nation; which he illustrates with the humble Petition of Rachel Wishfal, Spinster, Deborah Sprightly, single Woman, Susanna Lovemore, Widow, and 30,000 others, on behalf of themselves, and all the Virgins, Spinsters, Single women, and Widows in Great Britain,
Shewing,
That a multitude of People is the riches and security of a Kingdom; that the means of procuring them has ever been by Matrimony; that the Petitioners are not only duly qualified, but ready to discharge the Duties of it, and thereby enrich their Country: But thro' the neglect and avarice of the Man, who enjoy the sole privilege of professing Love, and proposing Matrimony, are, to their sorrow, left wholly unserviceable to their King and Country; and besides are under great uneasiness of mind for not fulfilling the first command, Increase and Multiply.
The Petitioners therefore desire, Mr. Spectator general to take their case into consideration, and propose some Method to the King and Parliament for their relief.
From this Petition the Spectator takes occasion to observe, that, at a moderate computation, there are, at least, 80,000 Females ripe, and fit for Marriage, in England only; supposes that if but one half of these should prove fruitful, what a noble Recruit would it be for all the Exigencies of State; and recommends it to the Administration as a good piece of Policy to find Husbands for all the Women.
He informs us from History what swarms of Goths and Vandals, Hun, Tartars, Scythians, and other Nations, pour'd in from the North and Eastern Parts, and over ran all Europe; says, this surprising increase of People was owing to the wise management of the Women; for as soon as ever they were fit for Marriage, Husbands were allotted for them, and they were employ'd constantly in breeding for the good of their Country.
A Man among the Jews was exempted from the Wars a whole year after he was married; and nothing was more common among the Romans than for their Censors to impose a heavy fine upon old Batchelors. They highly honour'd Matrimony in giving the precedence to Magistrates who had the greatest number of Children, and several other Privileges.
Proposes
