in darkest england and the way out-第76节

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　most　useful。　　Each　house　was　provided　with　a　large　dining…room　and　a　cooking　apparatus　sufficient　to　furnish　an　economical　dinner　to　every　worker。　　Teachers　were　engaged　for　each　kind　of　labour。　　Warmth；　light；　comfort；　neatness；　and　order；　in　and　around　these　houses；　made　them　attractive。　　The　dinner　every　day　was　gratis；　provided　at　first　by　the　Government；　later　by　the　contributions　of　the　citizens。　　Bakers　brought　stale　bread；　butchers；　refuse　meat；　citizens；　their　broken　victuals　all　rejoicing　in　being　freed　from　the　nuisance　of　beggary。　　The　teachers　of　handicrafts　were　provided　by　the　Government。　　And　while　all　this　was　free；　everyone　was　paid　the　full　value　for　his　labour。　　You　shall　not　beg；　but　here　is　comfort；　food；　work；　pay。　　There　was　no　ill…usage；　no　harsh　language；　in　five　years　not　a　blow　was　given　even　to　a　child　by　his　instructor。

〃When　the　preparations　for　this　great　experiment　had　been　silently　completed；　the　armythe　right　arm　of　the　governing　power；　which　had　been　prepared　tor　the　work　by　its　own　thorough　reformationwas　called　into　action　in　aid　of　the　police　and　the　civil　magistrates。　Regiments　of　cavalry　were　so　disposed　as　to　furnish　every　town　with　a　detachment；　with　patrols　on　every　highway；　and　squads　in　the　villages；　keeping　the　strictest　order　and　discipline；　paying　the　utmost　deference　to　the　civil　authorities；　and　avoiding　all　offence　to　the　people；　instructed　when　the　order　was　given　to　arrest　every　beggar；　vagrant；　and　deserter　and　bring　them　before　the　magistrates。　　This　military　police　cost　nothing　extra　to　the　country　beyond　a　few　cantonments；　and　this　expense　to　the　whole　country　was　less　than　#3；000　a…year。

〃The　1st　of　January；　1790New　Year's　Day；　from　time　immemorial　the　beggars'　holiday；　when　they　swarmed　in　the　streets；　expecting　everyone　to　givethe　commissioned　and　non…commissioned　officers　of　three　regiments　of　infantry　were　distributed　early　in　the　morning　at　different　points　of　Munich　to　wait　for　orders。　　Lieutenant…General　Count　Rumford　assembled　at　his　residence　the　chief　officers　of　the　army　and　principal　magistrates　of　the　city；　and　communicated　to　them　his　plans　for　the　campaign。　　Then；　dressed　in　the　uniform　of　his　rank；　with　his　orders　and　decorations　glittering　on　his　breast；　setting　an　example　to　the　humblest　soldier；　he　led　them　into　the　street；　and　had　scarcely　reached　it　before　a　beggar　approached　wished　him　a　'Happy　New　Year；'　and　waited　for　the　expected　aims。　　'I　went　up　to　him；　says　Count　Rumford；　'and　laying　my　hand　gently　on　his　shoulder；　told　him　that　henceforth　begging　would　not　be　permitted　in　Munich；　that　if　he　was　in　need；　assistance　would　be　given　him；　and　if　detected　begging　again；　he　would　be　severely　punished。'　He　was　then　sent　to　the　Town　Hall；　his　name　and　residence　inscribed　upon　the　register；　and　he　was　directed　to　repair　to　the　Military　House　of　Industry　next　morning；　where　he　would　find　dinner；　work；　and　wages。　　Every　officer；　every　magistrate；　every　soldier；　followed　the　example　set　them；　every　beggar　was　arrested；　and　in　one　day　a　stop　was　put　to　beggary　in　Bavaria。　　It　was　banished　out　of　the　kingdom。

〃And　now　let　us　see　what　was　the　progress　and　success　of　this　experiment。　　It　seemed　a　risk　to　trust　the　raw　materials　of　industry　wool；　flax；　hemp；　etc。to　the　hands　of　common　beggars；　to　render　debauched　and　depraved　class　orderly　and　useful；　was　an　arduous　enterprise。　　Of　course　the　greater　number　made　bad　work　at　the　beginning。　　For　months　they　cost　more　than　they　came　to。　　They　spoiled　more　horns　than　they　made　spoons。　　Employed　first　in　the　coarser　and　ruder　manufactures；　they　were　advanced　as　they　improved；　and　were　for　some　time　paid　more　than　they　earnedpaid　to　encourage　good　will；　effort；　and　perseverance。　　These　were　worth　any　sum。　　The　poor　people　saw　that　they　were　treated　with　more　than　justicewith　kindness。　　It　was　very　evident　that　it　was　all　for　their　good。　　At　first　there　was　confusion；　but　no　insubordination。　　They　were　awkward；　but　not　insensible　to　kindness。　　The　aged；　the　weak；　and　the　children　were　put　to　the　easiest　tasks。　　The　younger　children　were　paid　simply　to　look　on　until　they　begged　to　join　in　the　work；　which　seemed　to　them　like　play。　Everything　around　them　was　made　clean；　quiet；　orderly；　and　pleasant。　Living　at　their　own　homes；　they　came　at　a　fixed　hour　in　the　morning。　They　had　at　noon　a　hot；　nourishing　dinner　of　soup　and　bread。　　Provisions　were　either　contributed　or　bought　wholesale；　and　the　economies　of　cookery　were　carried　to　the　last　point　of　perfection。　　Count　Rumford　had　so　planned　the　cooking　apparatus　that　three　women　cooked　a　dinner　for　one　thousand　persons　at　a　cost　though　wood　was　used；　of　4　1/2d。　for　fuel；　and　the　entire　cost　of　the　dinner　for　1；200　was　only　#1　7s　6　1/2d。；　or　about　one…third　of　a　penny　for　each　person！　　Perfect　order　was　kept　at　work；　at　meals；　and　everywhere。　　As　soon　as　a　company　took　its　place　at　table；　the　food　having　been　previously　served；　all　repeated　a　short　prayer。　　'Perhaps；'　says　Count　Rumford；　'I　ought　to　ask　pardon　for　mentioning　so　old…fashioned　a　custom；　but　I　own　I　am　old…fashioned　enough　myself　to　like　such　things。'

〃These　poor　people　were　generously　paid　for　their　labour；　but　something　more　than　cash　payment　was　necessary。　　There　was　needed　the　feeling　of　emulation；　the　desire　to　excel；　the　sense　of　honour；　the　love　of　glory。　Not　only　pay；　but　rewards；　prizes；　distinctions；　were　given　to　the　more　deserving。　　Peculiar　care　was　taken　with　the　children。　　They　were　first　paid　simply　for　being　present；　idle　lookers…on；　until　they　begged　with　tears　to　be　allowed　to　work。　　'How　sweet　those　tears　were　to　me；'　says　Count　Rumford；　'can　easily　be　imagined。'　Certain　hours　were　spent　by　them　in　a　school；　for　which　teachers　were　provided。

〃The　effect　of　these　measures　was　very　remarkable。　　Awkward　as　the　people　were；　they　were　not　stupid；　and　learned　to　work　with　unexpected　rapidity。　　More　wonderful　was　the　change　in　their　manners；　appearances　and　the　very　expression　of　their　countenances。　　Cheerfulness　and　gratitude　replaced　the　gloom　of　misery　and　the　sullenness　of　despair。　Their　hearts　were　softened；　they　were　most　grateful　to　their　benefactor　for　themselves；　still　more　for　their　children。　　These　worked　with　their　parents；　forming　little　industrial　groups；　whose　affection　excited　the　interest　of　every　visitor。　　Parents　were　happy　in　the　industry　and　growing　intelligence　of　their　children；　and　the　children　were　proud　of　their　own　achievements。

〃The　great　experiment　was　a　complete　and　triumphant　success。　　When　Count　Rumford　wrote　his　account　of　it；　it　had　been　five　years　in　operation；　it　was；　financially；　a　paying　speculation；　and　had　not　only　banished　beggary；　but　had　wrought　an　entire　change　in　the　manners；　habits；　and　very　appearance　of　the　most　abandoned　and　degraded　people　in　the　kingdom。〃（〃Count　Rumford；〃　pages　18…24。）

〃Are　the　poor　ungrateful？　　Count　Rumford　did　not　find　them　so。　　When；　from　the　exhaustion　of　his　great　labours；　he　fell　dangerously　ill；　these　poor　people　whom　he　had　rescued　from　lives　of　shame　and　misery；　spontaneously　assembled；　formed　a　procession；　and　went　in　a　body　to　the　Cathedral　to　offer　their　united　prayers　for　his　recovery。　　When　he　was　absent　in　Italy；　and　supposed　to　be　dangerously　ill　in　Naples；　they　set　apart　a　certain　time　every　day；　after　work　hours；　to　pray　for　their　benefactor。　　After　an　absence　of　fifteen　months；　Count　Rumford　returned　with　renewed　health　to　Municha　city　where　there　was　work　for　everyone；　and　not　one　person　whose　wants　were　not　provided　for。　　When　he　visited　the　military　workhouse；　the　reception　given　him　by　these　poor　people　drew　tears　from　the　eyes　of　all　present。　　A　few　days　after　he　　entertained　eighteen　hundred　of　them　in　the　English　gardena　festival　　at　which　30；000　of　the　citizens　of　Munich　assisted。〃　（〃Count　Rumford；〃　pages　24…25。）



THE　CO…OPERATIVE　EXPERIMENT　AT　RALAHINE；

〃The　outrages　of　the　'Whitefeet；'　'Lady　Clare　Boys；'　and　'Terry　Alts'　（labourers）　far　exceeded　those　of　recent　occurrence；　yet　no　remedy　but　force　was　attempted；　except　by　one　Irish　landlord；　Mr。　John　Scott　Vandeleur；　of　Ralahine；　county　Clare；　late　high　sheriff　of　his　county。　Early　in　1831　his　family　had　been　obliged　to　take　flight；　in　charge　of　an　armed　police　force；　and　his　steward　had　been　murdered　by　one　of　the　labourers；　having　been　chosen　by　lot　at　a　meeting　held　to　decide　who　should　perpetrate　the　deed。　　Mr。　Vandeleur　came　to　England　to　seek　someone　who　would　aid　him　in　organising　the　labourers　into　an　agricultural　and　manufacturing　association；　to　be　conducted　on　co…operative　principles；　and　he　was　recommended　to　Mr。　Craig；　who；　at　great　sacrifice　of　his　position　and　prospects；　consented　to　give　his　services。

〃No　one　but　a　man　of　rare　zeal　and　courage　would　have　attempted　so　apparently　hopeless　a　task　as　that　which　Mr。　Craig　undertook。　　Both　the　men　whom　he　had　to　managethe　Terry　Alts　who　had　murdered　their　master's　stewardand　their　surroundings　were　as　little　calculated　to　give　confidence　in　the　success　of　the　scheme　as　they　well　could　be。　The　men　spoke　generally　the　Irish　language；　which　Mr。　Craig　did　not　understand；　and　they　looked　upon　him　with　suspicion　as　one　sent　to　worm　out　of　them　the　secret　of　the　murder　recently