towards all, whether just or unjust, on whom GOD causes his sun to shine, and his rain to fall. Indigence in its varied forms must always exist under the present constitution of society and dispensation of Providence. Humanly speaking, division of property is the necessary consequence of the principle of population, and indigence the necessary consequence of the division of property. They follow in that order, which the wisdom of the ALMIGHTY seems to have appointed for the preservation of Civil Society. But from the actual constitution of Civil Society, arise duties which, properly performed, appear capable of preventing indigence from degenerating into misery or into crime, from that cause only. The distinction which must always continue between rich and poor, was revealed previous to the Christian dispensation, and confirmed by it. Without this distinction, there would be no place for those virtues enforced by the leading precepts of the Gospel, which imply that our present existence is a state of moral probation*. "The ends of goodness require that there should be in the universe creatures of all orders, and that there should be a dependence of their states upon one another: for without this there would be no sphere of agency for beings; no *See Paley's Natural Theology, p. 525. K room for the exercise of benevolence, by doing good to our fellow-creatures; nor, consequently, any possibility of the practice of virtue in that instance of it which brings us nearest to the perfection of the Deity. A variety, therefore, of orders of beings; a dependence of them upon one another; and, in general, imperfections and subordinations among them, and a precariousness of state,—are necessary to render that happiness possible which consists in the exercise of the rational and moral powers of beings. But it is obvious that from hence must arise a liability to calamities; and, in many circumstances, the distress of individuals, and sometimes of a whole species. In short, exclude from the world that liberty which we often see so dreadfully abused; exclude from it all wants and subordinations, and dangers, and losses; set all beings on a level, and emancipate them entirely from the influence of one another's will leave no agency, and you creature any thing to do. You will lay the whole rational creation asleep, and exclude from it all. that happiness which is most worth producing*." * Sermons by R. Price, D.D. L.L.D. F.R.S. second edition, p. 281. ON THE STATE OF THE INDIGENT POOR IN IRELAND, AND THE EXISTING INSTITUTIONS FOR THEIR RELIEF: BEING A SEQUEL TO "THE PRINCIPLE OF THE ENGLISH POOR LAWS ILLUSTRATED AND DEFENDED." BY FREDERICK PAGE, Esq. ONE OF HIS MAJESTY'S DEPUTY LIEUTENANTS FOR THE COUNTY OF BERKS. LONDON: PUBLISHED BY LONGMAN, REES, ORME, BROWN, AND GREEN; HATCHARD AND SON; WHITMORE AND FENN: AND MILLIKEN AND SON, DUBLIN. 1830. YCE |