LETTER XXXV.

Humane Institutions continued-Soup
Establishments.

DURING the last winter, the distress of the lower orders had risen to such an height, that it became necessary to open subscriptions for the distribution of soup to the poor. The most eminent members of the Society of Agriculture of the department of the Seine, by far the most respectable institution in France, were the foremost in forming an establishment for supplying the pressing necessities of the people; and by their active exertions a committee was formed of intelligent men, such as Cadet de Vaux, De Lasteyrie, Decandolle, Delessert, Parmentier, Duquesnoi, &c. This committee distributed one hundred and sixty-four thousand rations of soup, besides what was sold from different furnaces established by voluntary contributions.

Before I proceed, it will be proper to mention the circumstances that occurred previous to this distribution, whereby you will perceive at one glance, the melancholy state of egoism, to which the unfeeling people of this capital are reduced; at the same time it will give you an idea of their patriotic spirit, and their wealth.

The

The committee before mentioned commenced their useful labours with the names of only one hundred subscribers. The price of each subscription is eighteen francs, or fifteen shillings and nine pence sterling, and any person is allowed of course, to take as many subscriptions as he thinks proper. In consideration of every subscription, the subscriber receives 240 bonuses of soup from any establishment he may prefer, or he may leave the disposal of them to the committee, who distribute them among the most indigent quarters of the city. The subscriber signs a paper, in which he engages to take one or more subscriptions, and to pay in consequence their value. In addition to the above number, Madame Bonaparte, the wife of the First Consul, who is really a pattern to her sex for her benevolence, gave 600 livres towards the establishment of a furnace in her division. The committee solicited the public functionaries, "not only because they are wealthy, and live in abundance, but because the greater part of them were known for their philanthropy, and their example would give weight to any other applications*. How much would you suppose the committee gained from these rich philanthropists, who fatten on the blood and sweat of the people? The Conservative Senate, granted a sub

* I give verbatim the expressions of Décandolle, the secretary of the committee.

sidy of 1800 livres to fit up a furnace in the division of the Luxembourg, the Council of State took forty-six subscriptions; the Bank of France sixty; the Mont de Piété twenty; the Administration of the Domains eleven; and the officers of the Consular Guard eighty-four, making a sum total of £. 252 15s. 9d. which for the credit of the government, I think the committee should have concealed from the public.

Besides the above, I find that the First Consul put down his name, that is, entered into an engagement to pay eighteen thousand livres, or £. 787 10s. sterling. But who shall make the Grand Sultan keep his word? Who shall enforce a bond against a chieftain with his sword drawn? There is no security for his payment, except his inclination.

But mark how his servile vassals boast of his munificence, by which, at the same time, they court his approbation, and work their way into his good graces. No people are more dexterous than the French at these kind of sidewind compliments, without forgetting themselves, In the report made by citizens Everat and Petit, Commissioners of the Central Committee for the distribution of soup, they break forth into the following apostrophe: "Our eyes are turned with complacency on the one thousand subscriptions of the First Consul. Thus, the Conqueror at Marengo has made humanity the companion of his glory; this astonishing man, who with his triumphant

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umphant hand has repaired the edifice of social happiness, this hero, who seems to have attained the summit of perfection and grandeur, has proved that a good action may make him still mount, and lift him above sublimity itself!"

Now it happens most unluckily both for this astonishing man, and his no less astonishing trumpeters, that notwithstanding their extatic peroration, outsubliming sublimity itself, that this hero who has made humanity the associate of his glory, never has paid, nor to this hour has he paid one liard of the one thousand subscriptions to which he signed his name, and entered into a solemn engagement.

If," says Decandolle, "at this time, benevolence appears to slumber, it must be ascribed less to the want of public spirit, than to the state of our circumstances; formerly there was an organized system of charity, but now, this branch of our administration is defective. Clergymen resident in every parish, whose profession gave them the privilege of asking charity from the rich, and of penetrating into the secret wants of the poor, possessed much greater opportunities of doing good, than the present board of beneficence, notwithstanding their zeal and activity. Among those religious orders, devoted to inutility, some corporations were distinguished for their zeal in affording relief to the poor, particularly the sisters

of

of charity*, who devoted the whole of their lives to the most fatiguing and least honourable details of beneficence t. These respectable associations no longer exist, but the sisters of charity still survive, and are animated by the same disposition +"

In addition to these evidences of the want of public charity, it is stated in the report made by Cadet de Vaux to the Minister of the Interiour, in the name of the Committee of Beneficence, that" of all the branches of political economy, the least advanced among us, is public benefi

Happily, the committee being composed of able and respectable men, the objects of their institution have been in a great measure accomplished. A number of private Soup Establishments united with the general one, and M. Molard, the President of the Conservatory of Arts, furnished a new mode of constructing the fur

* Under the general name of Sœurs de la Charité, may be added those of St. Jean, St. Thomas, &c., whose lives were devoted to the service of the poor.

+ As I am persuaded the passage above was well meant, I have only to observe it is badly expressed. The offices of the Sœurs de la Charité consisted in attending on the sick as nurses, which cannot be denominated the least honourable of social duties.

Two sisters of charity were stationed at every soup establishment.

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