CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Entroduction.

PAGE

The prevalent opinion of the Poor is a harsh and

uncharitable one-the history and growth of

this opinion

CHAPTER II.

The Existence of Poverty.

Difficult to give a faithful picture-the existence

of poverty questioned-importance of a correct

opinion-poverty caused by riches-examples

of great distress-effects of deficiency of food

-starvation gradual-diseases caused by it—

effects similar to those of intoxication-distress

among all classes

CHAPTER III.

The Causes of Poverty.

Number of children-economy of the Poor―ill-

ness-old age, and widowhood-desertion by

husband-want of employment-loss of tools,

and clothes-coming to London-shipwreck,

and other accidents-want of settlement—

difficulty of obtaining parish-relief-insuffi-

ciency of parish-relief-vice-drunkenness.

weakness of character-seduction-prostitu-

tion

PAGE

75

CHAPTER IV.

The Character of the Poor.

Virtues of the Poor-contentment-religion-mu-

tual kindness and charity-liberality—honesty

-faith-self-denial-heroism.

Sect. II. Impostors-signs of imposture-fre-

quency of imposture exaggerated .

CHAPTER V.

Private Alms and Poor-Law Relief.

Private charity ought to supersede the public

provision-the public provision inadequate in

amount defective in principle-examples of

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this- -a Poor-law necessary, but subsidiary-

connexion between the Poor-law and police-

Poor-law injurious to rich and poor-relation

between public and private charity—remedy

proposed the New Poor-law-the workhouse

test-advantages of local administration and

small districts-example in Prussia-good

effects of voluntary system in foreign coun-

tries-in France-in Piedmont-in Savoy-

in Venice-the Azores-the Canaries-Greece

-Scotland-Ireland-mutual charities of the

Irish poor-conclusion-alms of the church

PAGE

205

CHAPTER VI.

Treatment of the Poor.

Modern maxims of charity—their failure-little

charity in England-foreign hospitals-Eng-

lish charity-its amount-its characteristics

its severity-its fallacy-its remedies

divine and human wisdom-false principles,

and consequent evils-Christian charity—the

Apostolic Fathers-John Hales-Law-Sir

Thomas Brown-the Jews-Maimonides -

charity in France-out-door relief in France-

the principle and motive chiefly important—

the Poor want attention and a friend-classes

are disunited-society disjointed-symptoms

of old age-irresponsible property-the disease

Page 344, line 10, for "St. Chrysostom" read "St. Augustine."