Page:The Laboring Classes of England.djvu/16

 to the trade which they follow,) shopkeepers, &c., compose this class. Generally speaking, they are an industrious and intelligent class, and are sufficiently remunerated for their services to enable them to bring up their families in a respectable manner, and to lay by something for the comforts of old age.

6th. This class comprehends a great number of individuals who get their living by the "sweat of their brow," but who are not required to serve seven years at their trade or calling. Manufacturing, agricultural, and many other kinds of laborers, come under this head. This class is a hard-working, ill-paid, and ill-used set of human beings; frequently dying with every symptom of premature decay, at from 35 to 50 years of age.

Each individual is compelled to pay taxes to the government, the taxes being levied upon their provisions, clothes, furniture, &c. They are also compelled to obey upwards of 1500 laws, without having a voice in making or amending one. Their appeals to Parliament by petition, are scarcely ever listened to, unless seconded by some of the "privileged" classes. It is to this class my observations in this work principally apply.

7th. Paupers. Of this class there is known to be in Great Britain and Ireland, 4,000,000 of individuals, of all ages and both sexes. It may be said of them, that they have lost all but their integrity, and that there is little hope left for them, of bettering their condition in this world. 8th. This is a class who have lost what the class above still retain, their honor, integrity, good names; who have no recognized means of existence, but live by their wits upon the property of others. Thieves, gamblers, prostitutes, and the like, are of this class.

The outlines of these several classes are broad and well defined; there are, however some peculiarities com-