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SOLDIEBS, SAILORS, &c.

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Many peasants are extremely careless with respect to what theyeat or drink, and often, through mere indolence, use unwholesomefood, when they might, for the same exjDense, have that which iswholesome. In some parts of Britain the peasants are too care-less even to take the trouble of dressing their own victuals. Suchpeople would live upon one meal a day in indolence, rather thanlabour, though it were to procure them the greatest affluence.

Fevers of a very bad kind are often occasioned among labourersby poor living. When the body is not sufficiently nourished, thehumours become vitiated, and the solids weak, whence the mostfatal consequences ensue. Poor living is likewise productive ofmany of those diseases of the skin so frequent among the lowerclass of people. It is remarkable that cattle, when pinched intheir food, are generally affected with diseases of the skin, whichseldom fail to disappear when they are put upon a good pasture.This shows how much a good state of the humours depends upona sufficient quantity of proper nourishment.

Poverty not only occasions, but aggravates, many of the dis-eases of the laborious. Few of them have much foresight ; andif they had, it is seldom in their power to save any thing. Theyare glad to make a shift to live from clay to day ; and when anydisease overtakes them, they are miserable indeed. Here thegodliko virtue of charity ought always to exert itself. To relievethe industrious poor in distress, is surely the most exalted act ofreligion and humanity. They alone, who are witnesses of thosescenes of calamity, can form a notion of what nurabers perishdiseases, for want of proper assistance, and even for want of thenecessaries of life.

Labourers are often hurt by a foolish emulation which promptsthem to vie with one another, till they overheat themselves to sucha degree as to occasion a [ever, or even to drop down dead.

SOLDIERS AND SAILORS, THE CONSEQUENCES OP THEIR. EMPLOYMENT.

The calling of a soldier, in time of war, may be ranked amongthe laborious employments. Soldiers surfer many hardships fromthe inclemency of seasons, long marches, bad provisions, hunger,watching, unwholesome climates, bad water, &c. These occa-sion fevers, fluxes, rheumatisms, and other fatal diseases whichgenerally do greater execution than the sword, especially whencampaigns are continued too late in the season. A few weeksof cold rainy weather will often prove more fatal than an engage-ment.

Those who have the command of armies should take care thattheir soldiers be well clothed and well fed. They ought also tofinish their campaigns in due season, and to provide their men withdry and well-aired winter-quarters. These rules, taking care,at the same time, to keep the sick at a proper distance from thosein health, would tend greatly to preserve the lives of the soldiery.

Sailors may also be numbered among the laborious. They un-dergo great hardships from change of climate, the violence of theweather, hard labour, bad provisions, &c. Sailors are of so greatimportance both to the trade and safety of this kingdom, that too