Contents

pp vii-viii

PART I

SECTION I - INTRODUCTORY Observations concerning the Poor and the Poor-Laws

pp 1-4

SECTION II - An enquiry into the state of the Poor, necessary, previous to a reform of the Poor-Laws. The manner in which the accounts here given of the earnings and expences of labouring families were obtained. Accounts of fix families in the parish of Barkham, with an abstract of the fame

pp 5-20

SECTION III - Observations suggested by the foregoing Accounts, and confirmed by others received from different parts of the kingdom

pp 21-30

SECTION IV - An Apology for the Poor:—eating Wheaten Bread—Neglecting the use of Potatoes—Drinking Tea

pp 31-40

PART II

pp 41-42

SECTION I - A view of the progressive Advance of the Poor-Rate

pp 43-45

SECTION II - Circumstances which have enhanced the prices of the Necessaries of Life, and by consequence increased the Number of the Poor, thereby doubly augmenting the Rate

pp 46-52

SECTION III - Circumstances which have directly increased the Number of the Poor, and by consequence the Amount of the Rate

pp 53-60

SECTION IV - Circumstances which have directly increased the Rate itself

pp 61-63

SECTION V - Comparison of the prices of the Necessaries of Life about the middle of this century with their present prices

pp 64-66

SECTION VI - Application of the contents of Sections II. and III. to account for the late augmentation of the Poor-Rate

pp 67-67

SECTION VII - Sketch of the Relative Proportion between Labour and the Necessaries of Life in different periods

pp 68-70

PART III

pp 71-72

INTRODUCTION

pp 73-74

SECTION I - A Reduction of the Prices of certain Necessary Articles recommended, as soon as this shall be practicable

pp 75-77

SECTION II - Providing additional Employment for Men and Boys in Winter, that they may lose no time at that season

pp 78-82

SECTION III - Providing constant employment for Women and Girls, that they may be enabled to earn more than they commonly do

pp 83-97

SECTION IV - Correcting the Improvidence of the Lower People, and encouraging Frugality among them

pp 98-106

SECTION V - Rating the Wages of Labourers according to the statute 5 Eliz. c. 4

pp 106-114

SECTION VI - Regulating the Price of Day-Labour by the Price of Bread

pp 115-118

SECTION VII - Supplying the Deficiency of the Earnings of large families out of the poor-rate, &c.

pp 119-123

SECTION VIII - A supposed objection against the measure of raising Wages answered. Conclusion

pp 124-126

APPENDIX

pp 127-200