On social reforms needed in Scotland / by David Milne Home.

Date:
1867
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On social reforms needed in Scotland / by David Milne Home. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    P E E F A 0 E. The following Inaugural Address was delivered on the occasion of the commencement of last winter's course of Popular Lectures in the Mechanics' Institute, Coldstream. Though the meeting paid me the compliment of requesting me to print and publish the Address, I felt some scruple in com- plying, on account of the presumption which might be imputed to me, of my discussing questions, many of which are attended with much difficulty. My views on these questions may be of little value. But the questions themselves seem to me vitally important, as regards the wellbeing of the community and the credit of the country. I feel, therefore, that it does good to bring these questions as often as possible before the public, ui the hope that wiser persons may be able to discover some solution of the problems involved. There is, perhaps, the greater need at this moment of en- deavouring to draw attention to these questions, lest x^olitical reforms, which are now so engrossing, should cause us to lose sight of other reforms certainly not less important. In revising the Address for publication, I have offered a more extended exposition of my views on the subject of Pauperism than could be given in the Address; and I have also, in reference to some other topics, availed myself of statistical returns not published when the Address was delivered. Paxton House, 1st May 1867.