jubilees days of pleasure, and of Friendly intercourse? Or if the days on which the four seasons are said to commence are more congenial, adopt them also. It is true, I find that these servants of the people of public offices, have not quite so many holidays, as heretofore. An order of council was sometime since issued, for carrying into effect the acts for abolishing all fees and holidays at the Custom House; except only the following; those called Sunday, Christmas-day, Good Friday, the Anniversaries of the Restoration of King Charles II, of the Coronation of the King, and of the birth-days of their Majesties, and the Prince of Wales.* As many day's liberty to the shop-man, clerks, labourers, &c. would be, I think, no unwelcome thing; and the advantages and comfort of all would be beyond expression. I grant it may appear strange at first, to see all shops shut up, and business of all sorts cease at six o'clock; but what strange thing is not made familiar by custom? I know some that urge, they cannot shut up shop (or rather, close their office,) at so early an hour, by reason of the arrival of certain mails, which prevent them from making up their letters, orders, &c. as one night's mail would make a very considerable difference, either in profits or loss, by sales, &c. This truly is sharp dealing, to say the least of it; if not "sharp gaming," as an intelligent writer on trade and commere too truly remark * Vide London Gazette for first month, 1807. ed. Well might it be queried-What is the boasted collision with mankind-with other people and other countries? And well did one reply-" Why this mature progression of commerce hath, and does cause society to spend its days and nights, and soul to accumulate if possible, upon a single point, the treasures of the world! Ambition is roused, the imagination dazzled with boundless views of artificial pleasures, artificial sciences, and artificial gains, to the neglect of almost all moral and religious obligations and duties."* I am aware of the alarm-the objections which many will bring against the forementioned regulations, and short day's labour; namely, that it would be impossible to pay rent and taxes; and besides, it would be impossible to get half their trade and work done in the same time by the same hands. &c. That rent and taxes are a most enormous burthen to traders and manufacturers, I deny not, but this will be answered along with a former objection, presently, * The contented Greenlanders, (as well as other parts of the world, called heathen,) who are strangers to trades, arts and sciences, put to shame numbers of those who live in an enlightened age, and christian country! They have no traffic among each other, neither use nor have any knowledge of money, though they fix a certain value ou irou, perhaps on the account of its peculiar usefulness; not like other nations whe prize things for their brilliancy and tingling! and their commerce with foreigners is very inconsiderable:" yet I doubt uot are very happy-- Ah! blest are they, who far from desert climes but touching the latter part of the objection, it is pretty near right; and I certainly must avail myself of the concession. It will make room for the employ of a considerable number of more hands; and this is greatly to be desired. The benefit arising from hence would be incalculable. Surely the public, the merchant, manufacturer, and tradesman, are not-at least seem not aware of! It will not only make room for many thousands of poor honest and industrious men and women, to provide for themselves and their families, (which are now starving in our streets,) but it would very considerably remove the burthen of the poor rates! And another advantage would attend this regulation of time, wages, &c. which the merchant and shop-keeper seems not aware of; it would prevent thousands from going into a little way of trade, for the sake of liberty-the ostentatious dealer and the mock auctioneer, the bondage of servitude being too much for rational beings! by which means the manufacturers and shopkeepers would have more trade, and be better able to "render unto their servants, that which is just and equal !" O happy days, when this time shall come! Besides, it would do “According to outward appearances, the lives of the Greenlanders are regulated, in general by the strictest princi. ples of propriety and decorum :" seldom any unbecoming action is to be heard or seen among them...." The mothers show great affection for their offspring, and carry them wherever they go and whatever they are about. And what is very remarkable, their children are brought up without severity; they stand in no need of chastisement, for they run about as quiet as lambs, and fall into few extravagancies. How different are my children, ---the children of this christian land! Vide Goldsmith's Geography, p. 42---45. away the necessity and repeated calls for large or liberal contributions; and avoid the reproaches and upbraidings from the pulpit, of parsimony!* Here the twenties, the fifties, and the hundred pounds may be spared, for a saving bank, or common stock, for themselves against old age (if they live to it,) and wish to retire from business. I know there are many journeymen, clerks, and others, that apparently are quite satisfied with their lot, and in all probability do not wish to be roused from their lethargy, or state of carnal security, to the more indispensable and necessary care of the soul, and to a state of liberty. That some few are equally as happy and contented, yet not in the state of sensuality, I deny not; but then it arises from the sense and effects of their religious persuasion, rather than If more hands were employed in husbandry, agriculture, and gardening, and less in trade and manufacturing, there would scarcely be any necessity for the ostentatious display of poor houses, and charitable erections. Our lands would be adorned with decent aud comfortable edifices, and all engaged in useful arts, and public works. Yea, the country would extend its powers of production with the increase of its want, and population. Alas! it is lamentably too well known, that "since the monopoly of small farms, (and cottages, which generally raised some living stock, grain, &c. &c.) the consolidating of the lesser possesser into the greater, that within the last forty years, upwards of forty thousand small farms have been destroyed, to the destruction of so many families! And by which it is believed that scarcely one-fourth of the living stock is produced; and very probably not more than three-fourths of the quantity of grain and hay." Hence one great cause of the present extreme distress of the industrious hands, and the calamity and disgrace of the nation! And truly as the advocates of "a reform in parliament" observe---earth and labour are the only resour ces of wealth and property; and to which the fund-holders and ་་་ the justness of their situation: while others who are indifferent to either of the above dispositions are content, because they know no other alternative, that or starve. But the more polished or refined (as it is falsely called) journeyman, clerk, and others, seem quite happy and contented enough in their slavish condition, having fallen in with the corrupt prejudices, customs, and fashions, of the day: with "Richmond Hill," or "old father Thames," and “ a Sunday ordinary" in full view, for their Sabbath or first day's pleasure and recreation; all seems well enough to them!* I speak from awful participation, yet with contrition I trust I now write it. Some have said such is the lot of man, that the generality are forced to labour the greatest part of their time, merely to procure nourishment; and the small portion of their time that remains is so irk capitalists must learn again to look, if they ever did look and have forgot. Truly, for the capitalists (and those in the middle ranks of society immediately dependant on them) to look for support to the nominal value of a floating capital, merely, without any regard to the original sources of the wealth of nations, is an idea, in my opinion very erroneous. It is upon the soil, the successful cultivation of the soil, that we must depend for the permanence of our prosperity: and in proportion as we suffer ourselves to be diverted from this object, we shall unquestionably experience a deterioration of our interests. * Though by the way, every city and town hath its beautiful and delightfully inviting country objects---hills and valleys on one side, rivers or seas on the other; and in the midst, adorned profusely with the beauty and grandeur of the works of God! |