Essays vol 1 | Page 8

their tender limbs broken and distorted, in order, by exposing them thus
maimed, to excite the pity and commiseration of the public; and every
species of artifice was made use of to agitate the sensibility, and to
extort the contributions of the humane and charitable.
Some of these monsters were so void of all feeling as to expose even
their own children, naked, and almost starved, in the streets, in order
that, by their cries and unaffected expressions of distress, they might
move those who passed by to pity and relieve them; and in order to
make them act their part more naturally, they were unmercifully beaten
when they came home, by their inhuman parents, if they did not bring
with them a certain sum, which they were ordered to collect.
I have frequently seen a poor child of five or six years of age, late at
night, in the most inclement season, sitting down almost naked at the
corner of a street, and crying most bitterly; if he were asked what was
the matter with him, he would answer, "I am cold and hungry, and
afraid to go home; my mother told me to bring home twelve creutzers,
and I have only been able to beg five. My mother will certainly beat me

if I don't carry home twelve creutzers." Who could refuse so small a
sum to relieve so much unaffected distress?--But what horrid arts are
these, to work upon the feelings of the public, and levy involuntary
contributions for the support of idleness and debauchery!
But the evils arising from the prevalence of mendicity did not stop here.
The public, worn out and vanquished by the numbers and persevering
importunity of the beggars; and frequently disappointed in their hopes
of being relieved from their depredations, by the failure of the
numberless schemes that were formed and set on foot for that purpose,
began at last to consider the case as quite desperate; and to submit
patiently to an evil for which they saw no remedy. The consequences of
this submission are easy to be conceived; the beggars, encouraged by
their success, were attached still more strongly to their infamous
profession; and others, allured by their indolent lives, encouraged by
their successful frauds, and emboldened by their impunity, joined them.
The habit of submission on the part of the public, gave them a sort of
right to pursue their depredations;-- their growing numbers and their
success gave a kind of eclat to their profession; and the habit of
begging became so general, that it ceased to be considered as infamous;
and was by degrees in a manner interwoven with the internal
regulations of society. Herdsmen and shepherds, who attended their
flocks by the road-side, were known to derive considerable advantage
from the contributions which their situation enabled them to levy from
passengers; and I have been assured, that the wages they received from
their employers were often regulated accordingly. The children in every
country village, and those even of the best farmers, made a constant
practice of begging from all strangers who passed; and one hardly ever
met a person on foot upon the road, particularly a woman, who did not
hold out her hand and ask for charity.
In the great towns, besides the children of the poorer sort, who almost
all made a custom of begging, the professional beggars formed a
distinct class, or cast, among the inhabitants; and in general a very
numerous one. There was even a kind of political connection between
the members of this formidable body; and certain general maxims were
adopted, and regulations observed, in the warfare they carried on
against the public. Each beggar had his particular beat, or district, in the
possession of which it was not thought lawful to disturb him; and

certain rules were observed in disposing of the districts in case of
vacancies by deaths or resignations, promotions or removals. A battle,
it is true, frequently decided the contest between the candidates; but
when the possession was once obtained, whether by force of arms, or
by any other means, the right was ever after considered as indisputable.
Alliances by marriage were by no means uncommon in this community;
and, strange as it may appear, means were found to procure legal
permission from the civil magistrates for the celebration of these
nuptials! The children were of course trained up in the profession of
their parents; and having the advantage of an early education, were
commonly great proficients in their trade.
As there is no very essential difference between depriving a person of
his property by stealth, and extorting it from him against his will, by
dint of clamorous importunity, or under false pretence of feigned
distress and misfortune; so the transition from begging to stealing is not
only easy,