"'What,'he asked himself,'is,after the necessaries of life,the first condition of comfort?'Cleanliness,which animals and insects prize,which in man affects his moral character,and which is akin to godliness.The idea that the soul is defiled and depraved by what is unclean has long prevailed in all ages.Virtue never dwelt long with filth.Our bodies are at war with everything that defiles them.
"His first step,after a thorough study and consideration of the subject,was to provide in Munich,and at all necessary points,large,airy,and even elegant Houses of Industry,and store them with the tools and materials of such manufactures as were most needed,and would be most useful.Each house was provided with a large dining-room and a cooking apparatus sufficient to furnish an economical dinner to every worker.Teachers were engaged for each kind of labour.Warmth,light,comfort,neatness,and order,in and around these houses,made them attractive.The dinner every day was gratis,provided at first by the Government,later by the contributions of the citizens.Bakers brought stale bread;butchers,refuse meat;citizens,their broken victuals--all rejoicing in being freed from the nuisance of beggary.The teachers of handicrafts were provided by the Government.And while all this was free,everyone was paid the full value for his labour.You shall not beg;but here is comfort,food,work,pay.There was no ill-usage,no harsh language;in five years not a blow was given even to a child by his instructor.
"When the preparations for this great experiment had been silently completed,the army--the right arm of the governing power,which had been prepared tor the work by its own thorough reformation--was called into action in aid of the police and the civil magistrates.
Regiments of cavalry were so disposed as to furnish every town with a detachment,with patrols on every highway,and squads in the villages,keeping the strictest order and discipline,paying the utmost deference to the civil authorities,and avoiding all offence to the people;instructed when the order was given to arrest every beggar,vagrant,and deserter and bring them before the magistrates.This military police cost nothing extra to the country beyond a few cantonments,and this expense to the whole country was less than #3,000a-year.
"The 1st of January,1790--New Year's Day,from time immemorial the beggars'holiday,when they swarmed in the streets,expecting everyone to give--the commissioned and non-commissioned officers of three regiments of infantry were distributed early in the morning at different points of Munich to wait for orders.Lieutenant-General Count Rumford assembled at his residence the chief officers of the army and principal magistrates of the city,and communicated to them his plans for the campaign.Then,dressed in the uniform of his rank,with his orders and decorations glittering on his breast,setting an example to the humblest soldier,he led them into the street,and had scarcely reached it before a beggar approached wished him a 'Happy New Year,'
and waited for the expected aims.'I went up to him,says Count Rumford,'and laying my hand gently on his shoulder,told him that henceforth begging would not be permitted in Munich;that if he was in need,assistance would be given him;and if detected begging again,he would be severely punished.'He was then sent to the Town Hall,his name and residence inscribed upon the register,and he was directed to repair to the Military House of Industry next morning,where he would find dinner,work,and wages.Every officer,every magistrate,every soldier,followed the example set them;every beggar was arrested,and in one day a stop was put to beggary in Bavaria.It was banished out of the kingdom.
"And now let us see what was the progress and success of this experiment.It seemed a risk to trust the raw materials of industry--wool,flax,hemp,etc.--to the hands of common beggars;to render debauched and depraved class orderly and useful,was an arduous enterprise.Of course the greater number made bad work at the beginning.For months they cost more than they came to.They spoiled more horns than they made spoons.Employed first in the coarser and ruder manufactures,they were advanced as they improved,and were for some time paid more than they earned--paid to encourage good will,effort,and perseverance.These were worth any sum.The poor people saw that they were treated with more than justice--with kindness.It was very evident that it was all for their good.At first there was confusion,but no insubordination.They were awkward,but not insensible to kindness.The aged,the weak,and the children were put to the easiest tasks.The younger children were paid simply to look on until they begged to join in the work,which seemed to them like play.
Everything around them was made clean,quiet,orderly,and pleasant.
Living at their own homes,they came at a fixed hour in the morning.
They had at noon a hot,nourishing dinner of soup and bread.Provisions were either contributed or bought wholesale,and the economies of cookery were carried to the last point of perfection.Count Rumford had so planned the cooking apparatus that three women cooked a dinner for one thousand persons at a cost though wood was used,of 41/2d.for fuel;and the entire cost of the dinner for 1,200was only #17s 61/2d.,or about one-third of a penny for each person!Perfect order was kept --at work,at meals,and everywhere.As soon as a company took its place at table,the food having been previously served,all repeated a short prayer.'Perhaps,'says Count Rumford,'I ought to ask pardon for mentioning so old-fashioned a custom,but I own I am old-fashioned enough myself to like such things.'
