View report page

23
is towards the extremes of life, however, that the fatal effects of
poverty become most apparent; when the poor labouring man
is sinking into the vale of years, hard work is still too often his
daily portion; that work which was comparative play to him
in his early life, now overtaxes his enfeebled frame, and sows
the seeds of diseases which the continuing necessity of work
hurries to a fatal issue ; and he, who in a higher station of life,
might have lived to an honoured old age, sinks into a comparatively
early grave. The poor man's child, too often comes into
the world to share a portion all too scanty, and he, whose very
existence depends on the watchful care and anxious solicitude of
a parent, is too often left in the ruder guardianship of children
or of strangers, while his mother is earning a precarious subsistance.
What wonder that this frail vessel should founder on the
stormy sea of infancy ! What wonder that the mortality among
the children of the poor should be so great !
I am aware, gentlemen, that there are many other matters
which influence the sanitary condition of localities, and the
health of individuals. I am aware too that there are many facts
in relation to this Parish that you may wish I had alluded to,
but on which I have been silent; and many whereon I have
simply touched, with regard to which you may regret that I have
not been more explicit. But in the limit of a Report I did not
deem it necessary to write a complete Essay. Nevertheless I
am conscious of many imperfections and of many short-comings
in the carrying out even of that plan which I proposed to myself;
but, in the estimate you may form of them, I look to you with
some degree of confidence to exercise a portion of that consideration
and kindly feeling which you have invariably manifested
towards me, and which have been so great an encouragement to
me in the performance of the duties of the important office, to
which twelvemonths ago I had the honour of being elected.
I remain, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
Jan. 28th, 1857.
JOHN SYER BRISTOWE.