Proposals For Building, In Every County, A Working-Alms-House or Hospital | Page 2

reasonably supposed that there are at least 100000 Beggars or others who want a lawful Employment. Besides, almost all both Men, Women and Children that can but pull Tire or Tow from the Distaff, or such easie work, may be speedily employed and removed from being chargeable; so that there will be no fear of any Parish in the Kingdom being oppressed, or indeed charged, save only in case of extream Age, or Children in their Infancy, neither of which continues long. And Thirdly, Much land throughout England will be greatly improved by sowing Hemp, Flax, _&c._
_Obj._ It may be objected, _That if the House be stockt with so many weak, ancient people and Children, this will cross the great Design, because they will not be capable to spin their quantity of Cloth, nor so fine_.
_Answ._ As to Fineness, it matters not, if but one in five be employed in it to an exquisite degree; for there is enough occasion for courser, for Sacking, Sails, Ticking, Common Table-Linnen, Sheets, _&c._ And as to Quantity, it may not be the less, because the most laborious thing in Spinning is turning of the Wheel.
Now for the better effecting a Design so profitable and honourable to the Kingdom, I have improved my small Genius to the utmost, notwithstanding I above all Projectors, have been most discouraged: And I know whoever will attempt any thing for publick Benefit, may expect these Three things. (The first is Necessary, the second Customary, and the third Diabolical) _viz._, To be the Object of wise mens Censure, other mens Laughter, and if advantagious to himself, Envies implacable displeasure; of which last, I have had share to the highest degree that Revenge could express; and this too from a pretended loving Brother, a person of an honest Profession, and of as debauched a Conscience; yet I say, notwithstanding such discouragements, I have spent some time for Publick Advantage, _viz._ To find out an Expedient both for Ease and quick Dispatch, so as that the weak may do as much as the strong, and the strong much more than before.
As thus; One man may turn 50 Spinning Wheels, which shall serve 100 persons to Spin with at once; so that the Spinners shall have nothing to do but employ both hands to draw Tire from the Distaff. The Demonstration of the Infallibility of this Invention may be easily made when commanded.
As also, An Engine by which 50 men may, without striking a stroke, beat as much Hemp in one day, as 100 shall do in two days.
Besides the Advantage of this Spinning Engine in Ease, Its expedition will also be considerable; For if (as we doubt not) by this help Spinners can earn 9 d. per day, as easie as 6 d. per day without: By that means computing only 1000 Spinners in each of the 52 Work-houses, in one years time will be gained the Sum of 163968 Pounds and upwards, as by Calculation appears; and the Invention for Hemp-beating (which is the hardest work of all) will likewise in its kind be very considerably advantagious.
_Obj. 2._ But some will be ready to object, and tell us, _That we talk of brave things, if words would do the Work; but where's the Money for the Building of such great Hospitals? and providing all Tools and Materials will cost many Thousand Pounds._
I confess here's the Knot, which seems knit by Magick Art; but if it can be untied without cutting or breaking the Thread, then I hope our Proposals will not be rejected.
_Answ._ To this therefore I humbly Answer, That it may be done by a County-Charge, with as much Satisfaction, Pleasure and Advantage, as to part with 5 l. to prevent paying 50 s. _per An._, which I think no wise people will judge to be an hard Bargain; especially if they consider the other vast profit to the Nation, and that thereby they purchase (in the Country) 50 s. per Annum more by improvement of their Lands for Hemp or Flax.--As thus;
Suppose every Parish, one with another, throughout the Nation, relieves as many poor People, Beggars, _&c._ as doth amount to 12 d. in the Pound, so that every 100 l. per Annum, pays 5l. per Annum to the poor; Now if every 100 l. per Annum, pay 5 l. towards Building such Hospital, then whereas more than half their poor consists of Children, Women, and decrepit weak persons, unfit for any other Employment, but such as may fitly be removed to this Hospital; it follows, more than half their Charge will for the future be abated; yea, many Parishes have scarce any poor to provide for.
Wherefore as for raising Money, we will take our measures thus; In England there are commonly accounted 9725 Parishes, and 52 Counties;