to be concerned; and as there is no hope of being eased of such plagues,
except by such an hospital, which by degrees might be enlarged to
contain them all: I think it cannot be doubted, that at least three
millions and an half of people, out of the remaining proportion, would
be found both able and desirous to contribute so small a sum as twenty
shillings _per annum_, for the quiet of the kingdom, the peace of
private families, and the credit of the nation in general. And this
contribution would amount to very near our requisite sum.

Nor can this by any means be esteemed a wild conjecture; for where is
there a man of common sense, honesty, or good-nature, who would not
gladly propose even a much greater sum to be freed from a scold, a
knave, a fool, a liar, a coxcomb conceitedly repeating the compositions
of others, or a vain impertinent poet repeating his own?

In the next place, it may justly be supposed, that many young noblemen,
knights, squires, and extravagant heirs, with very large estates, would
be confined in our hospital. And I would propose, that the annual income
of every particular incurable's estate should be appropriated to the use
of the house. But, besides these, there will undoubtedly be many old
misers, aldermen, justices, directors of companies, templars, and
merchants of all kinds, whose personal fortunes are immense, and who
should proportionably pay to the hospital.

Yet, lest, by being here misunderstood, I should seem to propose an
unjust or oppressive Scheme, I shall further explain my design.

Suppose, for instance, a young nobleman, possessed of ten or twenty
thousand pounds _per annum_, should accidentally be confined there as an
incurable: I would have only such a proportion of his estate applied to