most, 1£.10s., the parent realizes a considerable sum after all the
expenses are paid!

"It has been clearly ascertained, that it is a common practice among
the more degraded classes of poor in many of our towns, to enter
their infants in these clubs, and then to cause their death either by
starvation, ill-usage, or poison! What more horrible symptom of moral
degradation can be conceived? One's mind revolts against it, and
would fain reject it as a monstrous fiction. But, alas! it seems to
be but too true.

"Mr. Chadwick says, 'officers of these burial societies, relieving
officers, and others, whose administrative duties put them in
communication with the lowest classes in these districts,' (the
manufacturing districts,) 'express their moral conviction of the
operation of such bounties to produce instances of the visible
neglect of children of which they are witnesses. They often say, 'You
are not treating that child properly; it will not live: _is it in the
club_?' And the answer corresponds with the impression produced by
the sight."--Vol. i. 433.

Commenting on these and numerous other facts of similar kind, the same
author says--

"These accounts are really almost too horrible to be believed at all;
and were they not given us on the authority of such great experience
and benevolence, we should totally discredit them.

"But, alas, they are only too true! There can be no doubt, that a
great part of the poorer classes of this country are sunk into such a