Proposals for Building, In Every County, A Working-Alms-House or Hospital - as the Best Expedient to Perfect the Trade and Manufactory of Linnen - Cloth by Richard Haines
page 21 of 28 (75%)
page 21 of 28 (75%)
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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 |
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