THE EDINBURGH MAGAZINE, AND LITERARY MISCELLANY, BEING A NEW SERIES OF The Scots Magazine. JUNE 1818. CONTENTS. REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. Dr Bright's Travels from Vienna through Lower Hungary, &c.549 Principal Robertson's Sermon on the Situation of the World at the time of Christ's Appearance 552 The Fudge Family in Paris. By Thomas Brown the Younger-553 Memoirs of the late Mrs Elizabeth Hamilton. By Miss Benger 558 SURVEY OF FRENCH LITERATURE For April 1818: On Public GamingHouses;--The Atheist, a Tragedy; -Theatrical Survey, &c. &c.561 ORIGINAL POETRY. The Thorn of Preston.-Song.-Legend of the Rose.-Sonnets from Petrarch. -To Octavia, &C. .........................................565 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. Royal Society. Geological Society.→→ Linnæan Society. LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC IN 593 The Cabinet. No. I. --- 547 Births, Marriages, Deathsrecon 596 Journal of a Visit to Holland in July and August 1817. Letter II.540 Remarks on the Tumult at Edinburgh, commonly called the Porteous Mob; and on the Political State of Scotland in 1737 Appointments and Promotions Meteorological Report EDINBURGH: PRINTED FOR ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE AND COMPANY, We have just received our learned Correspondent J. P.'s interesting communication: The extracts from "Travels in England in 1641" will appear in our next. "Remarks on Sismondi's Italian Republics," and Dr Fleming's Ornithological article, have been received, and will meet with our earliest attention. Mr M.'s paper on the extent of Parental Authority is under consideration. "On Poets and Poetry" probably in our next. The Remarkable Occurrence," communicated to us by O. is a very good story, but it is not a true one, and, therefore, cannot be inserted in our Miscellany in its present shape. We are far from de nouncing all fictitious narratives; but we will never, for the sake of effect, so far break faith with the public as to lend to fiction the sanction of real history. Our Correspondent, however, can be at no loss to find a suitable vehicle for his Story. We will correspond privately with J. F.-W. P.-J. M.-E. J. & P. respecting the several communications with which they have favoured us. The Parliamentary Intelligence is unavoidably delayed till next Number. The Correspondents of the EDINBURGH MAGAZINE AND LITERARY MISCELLANY are respectfully requested to transmit their Communications for the Editors to ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE and COMPANY, Edinburgh, or LONGMAN and COMPANY, London, to whom also orders for the Work should be particularly addressed. Printed by George Ramsay & Co. THE EDINBURGH MAGAZINE, AND LITERARY MISCELLANY. JUNE 1818. ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. ACCOUNT OF THE REPORT MADE mendment of the English mode of TO PARLIAMENT BY THE GENERAL supporting the poor, was naturally ASSEMBLY RESPECTING THE MANAGEMENT OF THE POOR IN SCOTLAND. No subject in political economy excites at present so deep and just an interest, as that which regards the mode of making a provision for the poor. To relieve those wants of our fellow-creatures, which are inevitably caused by age or infirmity, is a duty imperiously dictated by religion and humanity. Yet how to effect this, without impairing the sense of honest independence, and slackening the stimulus to industry, forms a problem, the solution of which is extremely difficult. We do not mean to enter at present upon a discussion which has employed the pens of the ablest writers of the age. Our object in this article is, to introduce to the notice of our readers the Report upon this subject made by the Committee of the General Assembly for the information of the British Legislature. Of this report it was stated by Mr Sturges Bourne, when he presented it to the House of Commons on the 28th May last," that a more valuable document, for the information of all classes of persons, had never been laid before Parliament." We shall begin, by giving a short sketch of the process by which this mass of valuable information was brought together. The British Legislature having turned its serious attention to the a struck by the comparatively cheap and atisfactory manner in which this great object is fulfilled in Scotland. During the sitting therefore of the Assembly 1817, a communication was made from both houses of Parliament to that reverend body, requesting particular information upon this subject. The wishes of the House of Lords were communicated by Lord Hardwicke, those of the Commons by Mr Sturges Bourne. The latter expres sed a particular wish to know the consideration given to character in the distribution of relief; and also how far the personal property of the pauper was claimed by the managers for the poor. Lord Hardwicke's letter was read to the Assembly on the 23d May, and a Committee was immediately ap pointed, consisting of Dr Gibb the moderator, Principal Baird, Sir Henry Moncreiff, and others of the most respectable members, to prepare a report which might afford the requisite information to the Legislature. The committee proceeded in their functions with such activity, that, on the 2d of June, they presented a report, which af forded to the two houses a general view of the mode in which the Scottish poor were managed; and they at the same time intimated, that a set of queries were in preparation, for the purpose of being circulated among the different members of the church, and from which it was expected, that a full view of all the details of the sys tem would be hereafter drawn up. This report was forthwith transmitted to Parliament, and, on the same day, the committee met and appointed a sub-committee to prepare and circulate the queries, to receive the answers, and arrange the information. On the 23d June, the sub-committee met, and Principal Baird, the convener, submitted to them a sketch of queries to be circulated for the purpose of obtaining the desired information. These being examined and approved of, were printed on a large sheet, with blank spaces opposite sufficient for containing the answers. On the 29th June 1817, a copy which we have seen was sent to all the clergymen of the Church of Scotland, with a letter, soliciting their immediate attention to these queries. We regret that our limits render it impossible to copy them fully, but the leading points embraced by them were the following: 1. Annual collections at the church doors. 2. Contributions by heritors. 3. Expence of managing the funds of the kirk-sessions. 4. Assessments, including their total amount, the rate or rule of levying them, the authority by which they are levied,-their commencement and increase in number,-their rise and amount,—and the expence of management. 5. Reluctance of the poor to apply for charity to the parish funds. 6. Number of the poor, and the rate of relief given to them. 7. Consideration paid to the character of a pauper on admission to the roll and fixing the allowance. 8. Removal of paupers from parishes. 9. Litigations betwixt parishes as to paupers, and the expence of them. 10. The claim by kirk-sessions to the effects of paupers at their death. 11. The enforcement by paupers of higher allowances than kirk-sessions fix. 12. The poor of the different religi ous sects. 13. The practice of begging by stranger and parish poor. 14. Extraordinary collections for individual cases of distress. 15. Number of the deaf and dumb. 16. Relief to the industrious poor in 1817. 17. Savings banks. 18. Friendly societies. 19. Sunday schools. 20. Mortifications for the support and education of the poor. 21. Means of common and religious education. It is highly creditable to this learned body, that, before next Assembly, out of more than nine hundred parishes, a report had been received from about 750. Much, however, remained to be done before the reports of so great a number of individuals, whose views, talents, and information were so various, could be formed into a system, or could afford a complete and connected view of the subject. Here it would be impossible to appreciate too highly the exertions of Principal Baird, whose activity in every sphere of public beneficence, eminently entitles him to the gratitude of his country. By his unremitting and judicious labour, these heterogeneous materials were methodized and arranged; the whole was brought into a business-like shape, and general results were exhibited upon every point which could be the object of an enlightened curiosity. A mere mention of the contents as printed, and of the tables which compose the appendix, will afford sufficient proof of what we have stated. "Table I. consists of seventy-eight leaves, each leaf containing a view, arranged in nine columns, of the whole reported parishes in one presbytery, in respect to the following particulars, viz. the amount of the population, of contributions by heritors, of the an nual collections, of the general session funds, of the assessments, and of the total parish funds for the poor, as made up of the preceding items. It contains a view also of the number of poor regularly and permanently on the roll-of those only occasionally on the roll-and of the total number of the poor. This table shews farther, a separate abridged view of the above particulars, and of some others, as to the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, "Table II. contains a state of all the assessed parishes reported, and of their assessments in the different synods. It shews, in nine columns, the total number of parishes in each synod-the number of these parishes that are assessed-their population, and the proportion of the poor to the 100 of the population. It shews, far ther, the amount of the assessments the amount of the general session funds-the sum total of parish funds, (as consisting of the two preceding items,) and the average allowance paid to each pauper per annum. This table shews, also, the dates of the commencement of the respective assessments in the different synods, their progressive increase in number, and their total present number in each synod; and, consequently, their whole number in Scotland, so far as reported. "Table III. It contains a state of the parishes in each synod that are not assessed. There are seven columns in it, shewing the total number of parishes in each synod-the number of parishes in each that are not assessed their population-the proportion of poor in the 100 of population-the whole amount of the parish funds for the poor-and the average allowance paid to each pauper per annum. "Table IV. There are eleven columns in this table, which contains a summary of all the parishes reported in all the synods as to the following particulars, viz. the total population of each synod-the total amount of contributions by heritors-of the annual collections of general session funds-of assessments of the whole parish funds for the poor jointly-of the total number of poor in each synod, either regularly or permanently, or occasionally only on the roll-the total number of poor of both these classes-the proportion of poor to the 100 of population, and the average allowance paid to each pauper per annum-and, by the summation of the items for all the synods, this table shews the same particulars for the whole of the parishes of Scotland from which reports have been sent by the clergy." From these copious materials, thus systematically arranged, a Report was drawn up, which began with explaining the object of the committee,gave a summary of Scottish statutes relative to the poor, a sketch of their practical management, and a detail of the proceedings of the committee. It then proceeded to give a general summary of the information obtained on all the subjects to which its attention had been directed, being the same, and taken in the same order, as the queries above quoted. The four tables, of which the contents have now been given, compose the Appendix. This Report was read before the Assembly on the 28th May, and transmitted to Parlia ment, where we have seen that it has been so highly appreciated. It has not yet been printed, but it was publicly read in the Assembly, and from notes taken at that time, and subsequent inquiries made by us, we shall endeavour to give our readers some foretaste of what they will find, we apprehend, in this truly valuable Report. Church Collections.-These amount, in the 750 parishes from which re turns have been received, to I..21,700, being an average of about L. 30 in each parish. It is observed, that, wherever assessments prevail, a great diminution takes place in the amount of the collections. The assessed persons consider themselves as having paid sufficiently in another shape; while the others, conceiving the former class bound to support the poor, suppose themselves no longer to lie under the same obligation to contribute. Voluntary Contributions by Heritors. These may be considered as an approach towards assessment. There is no regular meeting called, nor legal proceedings held. The kirk-session having acquainted the heritors with the amount of their wants, the latter agree to make up the sum among them selves, by a rateable proportion on their valued rents respectively. The sum raised by these voluntary contributions is about L. 35,400. They take place more or less in every part of Scotland. Assessments. This mode of sup porting the poor bears a close resemblance to the English system. A regular meeting is announced from the pulpit, and held with legal formalities. The sum is apportioned according to the rental, one half being paid by the proprietor, and the other by the te nant. In general it is laid entirely upon land, though, in considerable towns, house-rents are made liable; and there are a few instances, of which Glasgow is one, where property of every kind is attached. The autho rity of the Sheriff is sometimes called in to enforce these assessments. In the synods of Aberdeen, Moray, Ross, Sutherland, Caithness, Argyll, Glenelg, and Orkney, assessments are quite unknown; and the clergymen from all these quarters express the strong |