IN A SYSTEM OF NATIONALISM 89

of consideration, 1 we come to Richard Haines. This writer
made three different attempts to prevail upon ParHament
to generalize the workhouse scheme. His suggestions were
distinctly Mercantilist in sentiment; the institution as he
viewed it was expected to increase national wealth by so
directing the labor of the people as to produce a favorable
balance of trade. The full title of his first pamphlet, Pro-
posals for Building in Every County a Working- Almshouse
or Hospital as the Best Expedient to Perfect the Trade and
Manufactury of Linnen Cloth,^ is significant of the author's
intent, for the choice of linen cloth as the object of man-
ufacture discloses an expectation of gain to arise from
checking the exportation of money yearly sent abroad to
purchase this foreign-made commodity. The hope of put-
ting a stop to begging was also held forth.' In the following
year the same author published his Model of Government for
the Good of the Poor in further support of his workhouse
scheme. Here especial attention was given to the children
of the poor, who from the age of four were to be housed
and set to work spinning flax with the aid of a machine of
the author's own invention; said Haines: "By this means
all the nation will suddenly be bred up to such an ex-
cellent, profitable way of industry that no nation in the
world can exceed us." *

The third proposal of this writer, published in 1681,
disclosed his purpose even more clearly. His former sug-
gestions had not been well received ^ and the author based
his third attempt upon the more popular project of con-
serving England's wool supply. In this Haines pointed out
in conventional Mercantilist style the loss suffered by
England in allowing her wool to be exported at less than

» Thomas Lawton, Appeal (1660). ' Richard Haines (1677).
