interesting scenes, I have had an opportunity of employing my
attention upon a subject of great importance; a subject
intimately and inseparably connected with the happiness and
well-being of all civil societies; and which, from its nature,
cannot fail to interest every benevolent mind;--it is the
providing for the wants of the Poor, and the securing their
happiness and comfort by the introduction of order and industry
among them.

The subject, though it is so highly interesting to mankind, has
not yet been investigated with that success that could have been
wished. This fact is apparent, not only from the prevalence of
indolence, misery, and beggary, in almost all the countries of
Europe; but also from the great variety of opinion among those
who have taken the matter into serious consideration, and have
proposed methods for remedying those evils; so generally, and so
justly complained of.

What I have to offer upon the this subject being not merely
speculative opinion, but the genuine result of actual experiments;
of experiments made upon a very large scale, and under circumstances
which render them peculiarly interesting; I cannot help flattering
myself that my readers will find both amusement, and useful
information, from the perusal of the following sheets.

As it may perhaps appear extraordinary that a military man should
undertake a work so foreign to his profession, as that of forming
and executing a plan for providing for the Poor, I have thought
it not improper to preface the narrative of my operations, by a
short account of the motives which induced me to engage in this