But when with mildness he the bridle takes, THE MAID OF CLYDE. To the tune of the maid that tends the goats. UPON the chrystal streams of Clyde, There lives a nymph, so lovely fair, No diamond with her eyes can show, But ah! how cruel and unkind, No sighs or tears can ever move her, Oh Cupid ease my anxious mind, And make her love, or me lefs love her. DM. REVIEW. Statistical account of Scotland, continued from p. 120. To make a comparison between the effects of supporting the poor, by rates, or voluntary contributions, the following › parishes, that are taxed by rates, are confronted with others, containing nearly the same number of inhabitants, where the charity is given voluntarily, and the sums of money marked that each pay. WILTON 900 persons, money collected for the poor L. 100. average. L. 18. 10. ELKIRKI700,poors rates L. 124 besides the whole collections. Glencairn 1700 do. voluntarily, L. 30 average 30. 30 These facts speak a strong language that cannot be misunderstood: And it deserves to be particularly remarked, that in the places where rates have been adopted, there are almost universal complaints of the scantinefs of the funds. In Mauchline complaints are, that the funds are daily decreasing. In Hamilton the poor's rates have risen, in 30 years, from L. 100 to L. 230. In Crayling we are told they have risen, in 30 years, from L. 14 to L. 27. In Wilton, where 900 persons pay L. 100 of poor's rates, or nearly at the rate of 2 s. 3 d. a-head. The writer of the account very properly adds:" It would be an important object of enquiry, to ascertain how far the levying of these assessments, or poors rates, has answered any useful purpose, or whether the poor are, comparatively, in a worse situation where they are not levied ?" To answer this question, let us take the following notices from other parishes, that occur in this volume. "In Kirkmahoe, consisting of twelve hundred persons, the parson says, the poor, who forty or fifty years back, have been about twenty in number, have always been maintained by the public collections in the church, together with some dues, on particular occasions, and the interest of some mortified money. In this way, by distributions, four times annually, and some small donations occasionally, given amongst them, there have never been any complaints. Some of the poor, too, are pretty industrious, and endeavour, in a great measure, to maintain themselves; by which means more can be given to others, who are old and infirm, and unable to do any thing." In Kirkintulloch, "consisting of 2639 persons, the weekly collections at the church doors, have hitherto been more pon the people at large. "In 1782 and reverend Mr George Duncan of Lochrutt was a general scarcity over all the countr this district were, at least, as good as usual; harvest was late, the crops were got safely mers were so grateful for the plenty the were so sensible of the hardships a num might suffer from the high price of provis stored up a considerable quantity of oat-m to such of their neighbours as stood in need I s. 8 d. per stone, although at that time, th Such instances of genera was 2 s. d." 40 are by no means uncommon. I fhall conclude this branch of the sub following remarks on the effects of poor's rate of Selkirk, by the reverend Mr Thomas Ro parson. "Poor's rates, says he, have been lo here, to the great prejudice of industry and the lower clafs of citizens. "The parish support us," is their apology for difsipation ry period of life." Then he gives a picture difsipation, and its consequences in a married our limits prevent inserting. "Their unfo pendance on the poor's funds, makes them to industrious exertion. This too dissolves natural affection, while it multiplies the n increases the necefsities of the poor. If ren suffer from the want of economy and virt parents, the parents are abundantly repaid by of their children, when bending under the dou infirmit and indigence. They will tell you blush, that the parish is better able to support their aged parents, than they are; while you will see them, at the same time, in the prime of life, unclogged with families, indulging in every species of debauchery common to that rank in life. But the mischief ends not with them: Many who fill higher stations, and whose circumstances are not only easy, but affluent, make their contributing to the poor's funds, an excuse for throwing their near relations as a burden on the parish." "It is an undoubted fact, that when people are taught to depend upon any means of support, which flows not from their laudable industry and economy, the meanness of the thought degrades every virtue, and opens the door to every vice, that can debase the soul. Their only dependance ought to be upon their own labour and exertions, [with the kindness that will infallibly ensue among their neighbours] which, when joined with oeconomy, will always furnish them [when in health] with the means of a decent maintenance. Promoting their industry is the best provision that can be made for them." "Even during the infirmities of age, their support fhould be a voluntary gift, and not compulsory; and fhould depend upon the character they maintained, in their early days, for honesty and virtue." It deserves to be particularly noted, that in this parish, the sums raised by the rates are L. 114. 4s. besides the interest of L. 200, which is at 5 per cent L. 10 and the whole collections at church; so that there is applied to the uses of the poor, in a parish of 1700 persons, L. 124 per annum, more than is found necessary for their support in three-fourths of the parishes in Scotland. Whoever reflects coolly on these things, and attends to their consequences in society, will not think it strange, if I bestow some pains to warn my countrymen, in the most Jan. 25 serious manner I can, to guard against the introduction of an evil, which, happily for us, we are in general enabled to view at a distance. The subject is of too much importance to be thus finally dismissed. On some future occasion it will furnish matter for some important remarks. Among other particulars that will attract the attention of the curious reader on perusing this book, he can scarcely avoid taking notice of the remarkable liberality of sentiment, in regard to religious opinions, that so generally prevails among the clergy of this country. Had Voltaire been still alive, he could not have read this work without retracting some of the opinions he has so often inculcated in his writings to the prejudice of the clergy in general; and if Mr Hume had had an opportunity of reading this volume, he could not have denied that clergymen may be found, who judge with as much philanthrophic liberality of mind, of the principles and conduct of those who differ from them in religious opinions, as any free-thinker ever did; with much more liberality, indeed, than either Hume or Voltaire ever were capable of viewing those who differed in opinion from themselves on religious subjects. The following extracts will justify these assertions. Of Kirkpatrick Durham, the reverend Mr Lamont writes, "The ecclesiastical affairs of this parish, as in every other parish in Scotland, are under the direction of the kirk sefsion. This court, anxious to regulate its proceedings by a strict regard to law, justice, expediency and de corum, never indulges a spirit of inquisitorial investigation, or perplexes itself with a train of idle or vexatious processes. There is no difsenting meeting-house of any denomination in the parish. There are a few Cameronians, and a few seccders in it; but liberty of conscience, and the unquestionable right which every man has to chuse his own religion, are principles so well understood, that few disturbances arise from the turbulence of faction, or the strife of con |
