make others so; though he could not pursue the road to affluence
himself, he may have been the means of directing others to find it.

[Footnote 6: Burke.]

The number of persons depending upon this weekly charity in Birmingham
were, April 14, 1781, about 5240.

Whether the mode of distributing the bounty of the community, is
agreeable to the intentions of legislature, or the ideas of humanity, is
a doubt. For in some parishes the unfortunate paupers have the
additional misery of being sold to a mercenary wretch to starve upon
twelve pence a head. It is matter of surprise that the magistrate should
wink at this cruelty; but it is matter of pleasure, that no accusation
comes within the verge of my historical remarks, for the wretched of
Birmingham are not made more so by ill treatment, but meet with a
kindness acceptable to distress. One would think _that_ situation could
not be despicable, which is often _wished for_, and often _sought_, that
of becoming one of the poor of Birmingham.

We cannot be conversant in parochial business, without observing a
littleness predominant in most parishes, by using every finesse to
relieve themselves of paupers, and throwing them upon others. Thus the
oppressed, like the child between two fathers, is supported by neither.

There is also an enormity, which, though agreeable to law, can never be
justified by the rules of equity--That a man should spend the principal
part of his life in a parish, add wealth to it by his labour, form
connexions in it, bring up a family which shall all belong to it, but
having never gained a settlement himself, shall, in old age be removed