| “If I oft Must turn elsewhere—to travel near the tribes And fellowships of men, and see ill sights Of maddening passions mutually inflamed; Must hear humanity in fields and groves Pipe solitary anguish; or must hang Brooding above the fierce confederate storm Of sorrow, barricadoed evermore Within the walls of cities—may these sounds Have their authentic comment!” Wordsworth. |
In order to deal effectively with pauperism, it is necessary to know thecauses which lead to the impoverishment of individuals and masses ofindividuals, and to be familiar with the condition, manners, customs,habits, prejudices, feelings, and superstitions of the poor.
We do not propose to institute an elaborate inquiry into the causes ofpauperism, or to make the topic a subject of separate investigation.Our chief object will be, to collect into classes those of the poor whoare known, from personal observation, to become chargeable to parishes,which process will afford abundant scope for remark upon the causeswhich led to their impoverishment. We may require the company of thereader with us in the metropolis for a short space, and may satisfy himthat he need not tra