vanished, and the accufer flunk away afhamed of his attempt. But in all the whole life of Atticus we find not fo much as any accufation of him, no not to the heads themselves of the combating parties. He was fo much above cenfure, that he never fo much as fell under any accufations; which poffibly may be a privilege that few men living in public concuffions, and of any eminence, are capable of.

And therefore as this example of the liberality of Atticus to parties obnoxious to a public declaration of being enemies to the ftate, and his familiarity, intimacy, and correfpondency with them may be a fignal evidence of his wildom, yea and alfo of his fortunate fuccefs under fo dangerous adventures; yet it cannot be allowed to be a common example to other perfons to run the like hazard, because it is morally impoffible they fhould be under fuch happy aud beneficial circumftances in this kind as Atticus was, and therefore cannot expect the like fuccefs therein. as he found.

Indeed if the fenate and people of Rome that made these decrees in favour of thofe that got into the faddle, had been but ufurpers of the fupreme authority, or had it not been. really and legally fixed in them, or had they been a pack of men that had but pretended the fupreme authority, and 'the ftate-power of making laws or politic edicts, profcriptions, and declarations of this nature, without any legal and true power fo to do; it had not only been an act of noblenefs and generofity, but poffibly of duty, to have miniftred relief and fupply to thofe that were oppreffed by them. But the cafe was otherwife; the true fupreme authority of the Roman ftate was engaged in thofe edicts and profcriptions, though drawn thereunto by the power of a prevailing party. And therefore the adventure of Atticus was great in miniftring fupplies to thofe that fell under those sentences and decrees, though his great wisdom in managing thereof, the great and public veneration of his goodness, and the junctures of the affairs of the Roman ftate, rendered him fafe and fecure from danger under that adventure. And whofoever fhall adventure in like manner had need be fure his circumftances be the fame with thofe of Atticus, and that he hath as good a judgment, yea, and fortune alfo, to difcern and weather difficulties, as he had, otherwife in fuch adventures he cannot be without great danger.

VOL. I.

2 L

And

And as I have added this caution touching the practice of Atticus in his life, fo there is another caution to be added touching his deportment near his death. It feems to me, that his obftinate refolution not to take, any nourifhment to preferve his life, because it would prolong his pain together with his life, was not at all commendable; but as it favoured too much of impatience, unbecoming a philosopher, so it was an act of much wilful imprudence, for the receiving of convenient nourishment might prolong his life, and poffibly abate his pain, But the wilful refufal of it muft neceffarily be (as it was) an immediate caufe of his death, which he thereby haftened; and although felf-murder was grown too much in fashion among fome of the grandees of Rome, as appears by the inftance of Cato and others, yet certainly it was a practice not only of inhumanity, but of fo much pufillanimity and impotence of mind, and a miferably miftaken choice, to choose death, the worst of evils, rather than endure pain or difgrace in the world; which a little philofophy would have taught them to bear with patience rather than to avoid by deftroying their own lives.

THE PREFACE.

A DUE care for the relief of the Poor is an act, 1. of great piety towards Almighty God, who requires it of us: he hath left the poor as his pupils, and the rich as his ftewards to provide for them: It is one of thofe great tributes that he jufily requires from the rest of mankind; which, becaufe they cannot pay to him, he hath fcattered the poor amongst the reft of mankind as his fubftitutes and receivers.

2. It is an act of greatest humanity among men. Mercy and benignity is due to the very beafts that serve us, much more to those that are partakers of the fame common nature with us.

3. It is an act of great civil prudence and political wisdom; for poverty in itself is apt to emafculate the minds of men, or at least it makes men tumultuous and unquiet. Where there are many very poor, the rich cannot long or fafely continue fuch; neceflity renders men of phlegmatic and dull natures ftupid and indifciplinable; and men of more fiery or active conftitutions rapacious and defperate.

At this day it seems to me that the English nation is more deficient in their prudent provifion for the poor than any other cultivated and chriftian ftate; at leaft that have fo many opportunities and advantages to fupply them,

In fome other countries a beggar is a rare fight, thofe that are unable to maintain themfelves by age or impotency are relieved. And those that are able to fupply their wants by their labour are furnished with employments fuitable to their condition.

And by this means there is not only a good and orderly education and a decent face of the public; but the more populous the state or country is, the richer and the more wealthy it is.

But with us in England, for want of a due regulation of things, the more populous we are the poorer we are; fo that, that wherein the ftrength and wealth of a kingdom confifts, renders us the weaker and the poorer,

And

And which is yet worfe, poor families which daily multiply in the kingdom for want of a due order for their employment in an honeft courfe of life, whereby they may gain fubfiftence for them and their children, do unavoidably bring up their children either in a trade of begging or stealing, or fuch other idle courfe, which again they propagate to their children, and fo there is a fucceffive multiplication of hurtful or at leaft unprofitable people, neither capable of difcipline nor beneficial employment.

It is true we have very fevere laws against begging, the very giver being in fome cafes fubject to a penalty by the ftatute of 1. Jac. cap. 17. But it takes little effect, And indeed as the cafe ftands with us, it is no reafon it should: for what man that is of ability can have the conscience to deny an alms, or to bring a wanderer to the punishment directed by that ftatute, and the ftatute of 39 Eliz. when he cannot choose but know that there is not that due courfe provided, or at least used, that perfons neceffitous and able to work may have it; indeed were there a clear means practifed for the employing poor perfons, it were an uncharitable action to relieve them in a courfe of idlenefs. But when I do not know there is fuch a provifion, I dare not deny, my relief, because I know not whether without it he may be ftarved with hunger, without his own default.

We have also very fevere laws against theft, poffibly more fevere than most other nations, yea, and than the offence in itself fimply confidered deferves; and there is little to be faid in the defence of the feverity of the law herein, but the multitude of the offenders and the defign of the law rather to terrify than to punifh, ut metus in omnes, pana in paucos : but it is moft apparent that the law is fruftrated of its defign therein; for although more fuffer at one feffions at Newgate for ftealing and breaking up houfes, and picking of pockets, and fuch other larcenies out of the protection of clergy, than fuffer in fome other countries for all offences in three years, yet the jails are never the emptier; neceffity, and poverty, and want of a due provifion for the employment of indigent perfons, and the custom of a loose and idle life, daily fupply with advantage the number of those who are taken off by the fentence of the law and doubtlefs as the multitude. of poor, and neceffitous, and uneducated perfons, increase, the multitude of malefactors will increafe, notwithstanding the examples of feverity.

So that upon the whole account, the prudence of preThat the punishment of a few may operate as a warning to all.