A VILLAGE MAINE LAW IN 1775.

DEAR SIR, - In the course of my reading lately I had occasion to consult an old book, “The Defects of Police the Cause of Immorality,” by Jonas Hanway, published in 1775, and I was struck with the following passage. He refers to a work of his, published three years before, which I have been unable to procure. “Among other proposals relating to police, I mentioned the hackneyed theme of public-houses, and the numerous places of amusement which necessarily operate against the morals of the people. Within these few days, I have been furnished with an anecdote very close in point. A certain parish in the North of England, where no public-house was licensed, and where there were no poor-rates, nor any occasion for such relief: at length, three licenses were granted, and what was the consequence? Within thirty months the poor-rates amounted to eighteen pence in the pound. Upon this, the justices withdrew the licenses, and the economy of the people reverted to its former channel, as no rate was necessary.”

This fact is so valuable that I am induced to ask for its insertion, in the hopes that some of your readers in the north of England may be able to give us the name of the parish, and thus enable us to verity the truth of a statement which very strongly supports the demand for a Maine-law.

If any of your readers can help me to a sight of the tract referred to as published about 1772, the title of which Jonas Hanway gives in a note to the chapter from which the above extract is taken, I shall be greatly obliged. It will assist me in a very important inquiry I am now conducting.

I am, dear Sir, yours truly.
THOMAS BEGGS.