Proposals For Building, In Every County, A Working-Alms-House or Hospital | Page 8

not fear, but we may find ground enough in England, fit to produce as excellent Flax as any now brought from Holland, I mean, so much as we have occasion for; And consequently, may make as good Linnen; _If we do not spoil it in working_: Which is the second Charge of the Objection.
To which I Answer, That I have credibly been inform'd by some persons, that they have, and can now already make as good Cloth here, as that which we commonly Buy for 5, 6, 7, or 8 s. per Ell: And why should not our people, when they find the Manufactory Incouraged, and especially by the Emulation and desires to out-vie each other in good Work-manship in these publick Working Alms-Houses; Why, I say, May we not arrive at as great Perfection in the Mystery as any people in the World? The English once had the Reputation of the only excellent Artificers for Wollen Cloth; other Nations knew nothing, or very little of it; yet now we find, by unhappy experience, they equal, if not exceed us therein: Why may we not retaliate, and out-strip them in another Mystery? Or, Why should we more scandal our selves with suggestions of Dullness and Indocility, than our Neighbours.
But to give more full satisfaction, That this Manufactory, especially that part which is most advantagious to the Nation, as being most Consumptive of our Hemp and Flax, and most promoting Trade and Imployment for the Poor; which indeed is common and ordinary Cloth, of which there is a Thousand Ells to one Transported into all His Majesties Plantations.
That this I say is suddainly to be perfected, I cannot but give a signal Instance, from the laudable practice and experience of that worthy Gentleman, Mr. _Tho. Firmin_, Citizen of London, who at this time Imploys in his House (built for that purpose) several Flax-men, Weavers, _&c._ And also above 600 Spinners abroad. This Judicious person shew'd me more than 500 l. worth of very good substantial Cloth, of his own working. And in truth, I have convers'd with many; but never found any man so able and free to resolve all doubts in this case; who told me for a Truth, that a Child of 5 or 6 years old, that had its Health, and a moderate Apprehension, might be taught in 6 Weeks to earn its living in Spinning; Which, if so, as from the Veracity and Experience of the Relator, I have no reason to doubt. It is most plain, that the most profitable part of this Manufactory may be both easily and speedily accomplish'd, and perfected, to the happy Reformation of many Thousands, who now live by Begging, _&c._ giving scarce any thing for whatever they Eat, Drink, or Wear.
Besides, let it be considered, How greatly this Manufactory will quicken and revive our decayed Markets and dying Trade, especially, that of Husbandry; which may easily be domonstrated, thus;
As the Case now stands, every Family in the Nation either directly or indirectly, send their Money every year to the Drapers for Linnen, the Drapers they pay it to the Merchants, and away it goes every year beyond Sea, and never returns; whereby our Wealth is made a Prey to other Nations, whose Poor are imploy'd and maintain'd thereby, whilst in the mean time our Nation is in a Consumption, our Poor live by Begging, Poverty increases, and our Lands lye unimproved, for want of this Manufactory.
But now under this Reformation, every Family that sends their Money to the Drapers, the Draper sends it to the Masters of these Hospitals, and they scatter it amongst all the Trades in the Nation; especially to the Farmers, and Tillers of Land, ready Money for Hemp and Flax; ready Money for Corn and Fat Cattle of all sorts; and the like for Butter and Cheese, or any thing they have to spare: And all this, or the greatest part, from those who before lay a Begging at their Doors, or were maintained by Contribution; and now, the more people Increase, the better it will be for the whole Nation: And doubtless, if an Imposition sufficient were laid on Foreign Linnen, Hemp and Flax, and Incouragement due to ingenious and industrious people given, (as in this Case, the Nation might well afford) then to be sure, our Hospitals would be suddenly stock'd with curious Artists, by which our new Manufactory would speedily be brought to perfection.
'Tis worth consideration also, how great an Ornament, besides the great Wealth these Hospitals would be to His Majesties Kingdom, and how much they would add to the Trade, Wealth, and greatness of those Towns near which they are erected.
13. Obj. _You talk much of Charity, Let Charity begin at home with good Husbandry; If this course be taken, we