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CHAP. III. Of Particular Casualties.
1. MY first Observation is, That few are starved. This appears, for that of the 229250 which have died, we find not above fifty one to have been starved, excepting helpless Infants at Nurse, which being caused rather by carelesness, ignorance, and infirmity of the Milch-women, is not properly an ef∣fect, or sign of want of food in the Countrey, or of means to get it.
2. The Observation, which I shall add hereunto, is, That the vast numbers of Beggars, swarming up and down this City, do all live, and seem to be most of them healthy and strong; whereupon I make this Question, Whether, since they do all live by Begging, that is, without any kind of labour; it were not bet∣ter for the State to keep them, even although they earned nothing; that so they might live regularly, and not in that Debauchery, as many Beggars do; and that they might be cured of their bodily Impo∣tencies, or taught to work, &c. each according to his condition, and capacity; or by being employed in some work (not better undone) might be accustom∣ed, and fitted for labour.
3. To this some may Object; That Beggars are now maintained by voluntary Contributions, where∣as in the other way the same must be done by a ge∣neral