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To the Wealthy in the Commercial World
I have often wished most sincerely to see a charitable Fund established in this great and trading City, for the beneficent purpose of "lending to honest and industrious Tradesmen small sums without interest, and on a reasonable Security." The benefits which would arise from such an establishment are too obvious to need enumeration. Almost every News-paper tends more and more to convince me of the necessity of such a plan; for in almost every News-paper we read Advertisements from Tradesmen, soliciting little sums in their distress; and offering--poor unhappy men! even premiums for those little sums. It is not possible but that persons occupied in trade and commerce must feel for the difficulties of their brethren, and be ready to promote the undertaking I would wish to recommend, although on no interested motives;--for I am no Tradesman, nor can any way be benefitted by the plan. Pure good will, and a compassionate respect to the hardships and distresses of my fellow-creatures actuate my heart: And from these motives, I shall be happy to proceed upon, and prosecute this plan, with all the efforts and assiduity I am able, if it shall be approved by the benevolent, and they will testfy that approbation, and desire of concurrence, by a line directed to D. at Anderton's Coffee-house, Fleet-street. In consequence of which, should a probability of success appear, a meeting shall speedily be advertised in the Papers, and all measures pursued, to put the good design into immediate execution, which on such a meeting may be judged advisable. It may be proper just to observe, that in many cities abroad,--at Rome in particular,--there are institutions of this sort: and there has been one established for many years at Dublin, which is found productive of the happiest consequences. It is made in Scripture one characteristic of the good man, "that he is merciful and lendeth"; and a very small sum, thus given to a permanent establishment, may enable a man to lend for perpetuity! How can we better begin the New Year, my worthy and humane countrymen! than by entering on a work, which may draw down upon us God's blessing, by our charitable relief to many sons and daughters of honest and laborious industry?--,
Humanity.
END OF THE FOURTH WEEK.