To  such  we  leave  them,  and  follow  where  the  author
leads  us,  to  his  next  resource,  the  Foundling  Hospi-
tal. Whatever  particular  virtue  there  is  in  the  mode
of  this  saving,  there  seems  to  be  nothing  at  all  new,
and  indeed  nothing  wonderfully  important  in  it.  The
sum  annually  voted  for  the  support  of  the  Found-
ling Hospital  has  been  in  a  former  Parliament  lim-
ited to  the  establishment  of  the  children  then  in
the  hospital.  When  they  are  apprenticed,  this  pro-
vision will  cease.  It  will  therefore  fall  in  more
or  less  at  different  times ;  and  will  at  length  cease
entirely.  But,  until  it  does,  we  cannot  reckon  upon  it
as  the  saving  on  the  establishment  of  any  given  year  :
nor  can  any  one  conceive  how  the  author  comes  to
mention  this,  any  more  than  some  other  articles,  as
a  part  of  a  new  plan  of  economy  which  is  to  retrieve
our  affairs.  This  charge  will  indeed  cease  in  its
own  time.     But  will  no  other  succeed  to  it?     Has


350         OBSERVATIONS   ON   A   LATE   PUBLICATION

he  ever  known  the  public  free  from  some  contin-
gent charge,  either  for  the  just  support  of  royal
dignity  or  for  national  magnificence,  or  for  public
charity,  or  for  public  service  ?  does  he  choose  to  flat-
ter his  readers  that  no  such  will  ever  return  ?  or
does  he  in  good  earnest  declare,  that  let  the  reason,
or  necessity,  be  what  they  will,  he  is  resolved  not  to
provide  for  such  services  ?

Another  resource  of  economy  yet  remains,  for  he  •
gleans  the  field  very  closely,  —  1800Z.  for  the  Amer-
ican surveys.  Why,  what  signifies  a  dispute  about
trifles  ?  he  shall  have  it.  But  while  he  is  carrying  it
ofi",  I  shall  just  whisper  in  his  ear,  that  neither  the
saving  that  is  allowed,  nor  that  which  is  doubted  of,
can  at  all  belong  to  that  future  proposed  administra-
tion, whose  touch  is  to  cure  all  our  evils.  Both  the
one  and  the  other  belong  equally  (as  indeed  all  the
rest  do)  to  the  present  administration,  to  any  admin-
istration ;  because  they  are  the  gift  of  time,  and  not
the  bounty  of  the  exchequer.
