essays-1-第1节

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ESSAYS；　Political；　Economical　and　Philosophical。　　Volume　1。

by　Benjamin　Rumford



Contents

Dedication

First　Essay
An　account　of　an　Establishment　for　the　Poor　at　Munich

Second　Essay
On　the　Fundamental　Principles　on　which　General　Establishments　for
the　Relief　of　the　Poor　may　be　formed　in　all　Countries。

Third　Essay
Of　Food　and　Particularly　of　Feeding　the　Poor。

Fourth　Essay
Of　Chimney　Fire…places　with　proposals　for　improving　them　to　save
Fuel；　to　render　dwelling…houses　more　Comfortable　and　Salubrious；
and　effectually　to　prevent　Chimnies　from　Smoking。

Fifth　Essay
A　Short　Account　of　several　public　institutions　lately　formed　in
Bavaria。　together　with　the　Appendix　to　the　First　Volume。




Dedication

To　his　most　serene　highness　THE　ELECTOR　PALATINE　reigning　duke　of　bavaria。　etc。　etc。　etc。

SIR；

In　requesting　permission　to　dedicate　to　you　most　Serene　Electoral　Highness　these　Essays；　I　had　several　important　objects　in　view：　I　was　desirous　of　showing　to　the　world　that　I　had　not　presumed　to　publish　an　account　of　public　measures　and　institutions；　planned　and　executed　in　your　Electorial　Highness's　dominions；by　your　orders；and　under　your　immediate　authority　and　protection；　without　your　leave　and　approbation。　　I　was　also　desirous　of　availing　myself　of　the　illustrious　name　of　a　Sovereign　eminently　distinguished　by　his　munificence　in　promoting　useful　knowledge；　and　by　his　solicitude　for　the　happiness　and　prosperity　of　his　subjects；　to　recommend　the　important　objects　I　have　undertaken　to　investigate；　to　the　attention　of　the　Great；the　Wise；and　the　Benevolent。　And　lastly；　I　was　anxious　to　have　an　opportunity　of　testifying；　in　a　public　manner；　my　gratitude　to　your　most　Serene　Electoral　Highness　for　all　your　kindness　to　me；　and　more　especially　for　the　distinguished　honour　you　have　done　me　by　selecting　and　employing　me　as　an　instrument　in　your　hands　of　doing　good。

I　have　the　honour　to　be；　with　the　most　profound　respect；　and　with　unalterable　attachment；

SIR；　Your　Most　Serene　ELECTORIAL　HIGHNESS's

Devoted　Servant；

RUMFORD。

London；

July；　1st；　1796。



CONTENTS　of　ESSAY　I。

an　ACCOUNT　of　an　ESTABLISHMENT　FOR　THE　POOR　AT　MUNICH

together　with

A　Detail　of　various　Public　Measures；　connected　with　that　Institution；　which　have　been　adopted　and　carried　into　effect　for　putting　an　End　to　Mendicity；　and　introducing　Order；　and　useful　Industry；　among　the　more　Indigent　of　the　Inhabitants　of　Bavaria。

Introduction

CHAPTER。　I。　　Of　the　prevalence　of　mendicity　in　Bavaria　at　the　time　when　the　　　　measures　for　putting　an　end　to　it　were　adopted。

CHAPTER。　II。　　Various　preparations　made　for　putting　an　end　to　mendicity　in　bavaria。　　Cantonment　of　the　cavalry　in　the　country　towns　and　villages。　　Formation　of　the　committee　placed　at　the　head　of　the　institution　　　　for　the　poor　at　Munich。　　The　funds　of　that　institution。

CHAPTER。　III。　　Preparations　made　for　giving　employment　to　the　poor。　　Difficulties　attending　that　undertaking。　　The　measures　adopted　completely　successful。　　The　poor　reclaimed　to　habits　of　useful　industry。　　Description　of　the　house　of　industry　at　Munich。

CHAPTER。　IV。　　An　account　of　the　taking　up　of　the　beggars　at　Munich。　　The　inhabitants　are　called　upon　for　their　assistance。　　General　subscription　for　the　relief　and　support　of　the　poor。　　All　other　public　and　private　collections　for　the　poor　abolished。

CHAPTER。　V。　　The　different　kinds　of　employment　given　to　the　beggars　upon　their　　　　being　assembled　in　the　house　of　industry。　　Their　great　awkwardness　at　first。　　Their　docility；　and　their　progress　in　useful　industry。　　The　manner　in　which　they　were　treated。　　The　manner　in　which　they　were　fed。　　The　Precautions　used　to　prevent　Abuses　in　the　Public　Kitchen　from　　　　which　they　were　fed。

CHAPTER。　VI。　　Apology　for　the　want　of　method　in　treating　the　subject　under　　　　consideration。　　Of　the　various　means　used　for　encouraging　industry　among　the　poor。　　Of　the　internal　arrangement　and　government　of　the　house　of　industry。　　Why　called　the　military　work…house。　　Of　the　manner　in　which　the　business　is　carried　on　there。　　Of　the　various　means　used　for　preventing　frauds　in　carrying　on　the　　　　business　in　the　different　manufactures。　　Of　the　flourishing　state　of　those　manufactures。

CHAPTER。　VII。　　A　further　account　of　the　poor　who　were　brought　together　in　the　　　　house　of　industry：and　of　the　interesting　change　which　was　　　　produced　in　their　manners　and　dispositions。　　Various　proofs　that　the　means　used　for　making　them　industrious；　　　　comfortable；　and　happy；　were　successful。

CHAPTER。　VIII。　　Of　the　means　used　for　the　relief　of　those　poor　persons　who　were　　　　not　beggars。　　Of　the　large　sums　of　money　distributed　to　the　poor　in　alms。　　Of　the　means　used　for　rendering　those　who　received　alms　industrious。　　Of　the　general　utility　of　the　house　of　industry　to　the　poor；　　　　and　the　distressed　of　all　denominations。　　Of　public　kitchens　for　feeding　the　poor；　united　with　establishments　　　　for　giving　them　employment；　and　of　the　great　advantages　which　　　　would　be　derived　from　forming　them　in　every　parish。　　Of　the　manner　in　which　the　poor　of　Munich　are　lodged。

CHAPTER。　IX。　　Of　the　means　used　for　extending　the　influence　of　the　institution　　　　for　the　poor　at　Munich；　to　other　parts　of　Bavaria。　　Of　the　progress　which　some　of　the　improvements　introduced　at　Munich　　　　are　making　in　other　countries。


INTRODUCTION。


　　Situation　of　the　Author　in　the　Service　of　His　Most　Serene　　　Highness　the　ELECTOR　PALATINE；　Reigning　Duke　of　BAVARIA。　　　Reasons　which　induced　him　to　undertake　to　form　an　Establishment　　　for　the　Relief　of　the　Poor。

Among　the　vicissitudes　of　a　life　chequered　by　a　great　variety　of　incidents；　and　in　which　I　have　been　called　upon　to　act　in　many　interesting　scenes；　I　have　had　an　opportunity　of　employing　my　attention　upon　a　subject　of　great　importance；　a　subject　intimately　and　inseparably　connected　with　the　happiness　and　well…being　of　all　civil　societies；　and　which；　from　its　nature；　cannot　fail　to　interest　every　benevolent　mind；it　is　the　providing　for　the　wants　of　the　Poor；　and　the　securing　their　happiness　and　comfort　by　the　introduction　of　order　and　industry　among　them。

The　subject；　though　it　is　so　highly　interesting　to　mankind；　has　not　yet　been　investigated　with　that　success　that　could　have　been　wished。　　This　fact　is　apparent；　not　only　from　the　prevalence　of　indolence；　misery；　and　beggary；　in　almost　all　the　countries　of　Europe；　but　also　from　the　great　variety　of　opinion　among　those　who　have　taken　the　matter　into　serious　consideration；　and　have　proposed　methods　for　remedying　those　evils；　so　generally；　and　so　justly　complained　of。

What　I　have　to　offer　upon　the　this　subject　being　not　merely　speculative　opinion；　but　the　genuine　result　of　actual　experiments；　of　experiments　made　upon　a　very　large　scale；　and　under　circumstances　which　render　them　peculiarly　interesting；　I　cannot　help　flattering　myself　that　my　readers　will　find　both　amusement；　and　useful　information；　from　the　perusal　of　the　following　sheets。

As　it　may　perhaps　appear　extraordinary　that　a　military　man　should　undertake　a　work　so　foreign　to　his　profession；　as　that　of　forming　and　executing　a　plan　for　providing　for　the　Poor；　I　have　thought　it　not　improper　to　preface　the　narrative　of　my　operations；　by　a　short　account　of　the　motives　which　induced　me　to　engage　in　this　undertaking。　And　in　order　to　throw　still　more　light　upon　the　whole　transaction；　I　shall　begin　with　a　few　words　of　myself；　of　my　situation　in　the　country　in　which　I　reside；　and　of　the　different　objects　which　were　had　in　view　in　the　various　public　measures　in　which　I　have　been　concerned。　　This　information　is　necessary　in　order　to　form　a　clear　idea　of　the　circumstances　under　which　the　operations　in　question　were　undertaken；　and　the　different　public　measures　which　were　adopted　at　the　same　time。

Having　in　the　year　1784；　with　His　Majesty's　gracious　permission；　engaged　myself　in　the　service　of　His　Most　Serene　Highness　the　Elector　Palatine；　Reigning　Duke　of　Bavaria；　I　have　since　been　employed　by　His　Electoral　Highness　in　various　public　services；　and　particularly　in　arranging　his　military　affairs；　and　introducing　a　new　system　of　order；　discipline；　and　economy　among　his　troops。

In　the　execution　of　this　commission；　ever　mindful　of　that　great　and　important　truth；　that　no　political　arrangement　can　be　really　good；　except　in　so　far　as　it　contributes　to　the　general　good　of　society；　I　have　endeavoured　in　all　my　operations　to　unite　the　interest　of　the　soldier　with　the　interest　of　civil　society；　and　to　render　the　military　force；　even　in　time　of　peace；　subservient　to　the　PUBLIC　GOOD。

To　facilitate　and　promote　these　important　objects；　to　establish　a　respectable　standing　military　force；　which　should　do　the　least　possible　harm　to　the　population；　morals；　manufactures；　and　agriculture　of　the　country；　it　was　necessary　to　make　soldiers　citizens；　and　citizens　soldiers。　　To　this　end　the　situation　of　the　soldier　was　made　as　easy；　comfortable；　and　eligible　as　possible；　his　pay　was　increased；　he　was　comfortably；　and　even　elegantly　clothed；　and　he　was　allowed　every　kind　of　liberty　not　inconsistent　with　good　order　and　due　subordination；　his　military　exercises　were　simplified；　his　instruction　rendered　short　and　easy；　and