Optime societas hominum servabitur. Cic.
To the Author of the New-England Courant.
SIR,
Discoursing lately with an intimate Friend of mine, of the lamentable Condition of Widows among us; he put me in mind of the Comforts of my being a Widow, and gave me to understand, that the Ladies would have little Reason to call me out of my Retirement, and set me in the Front of Affliction, were they all as well provided for as my self. This set me a thinking upon the extream Misery of those disconsolate Creatures, who have not only lost their Husbands, but with them all the means of supporting themselves and Families; and I could not forbear reflecting with some degree of Resentment, that Men should be so careless of their Wives future Wellfare, as to leave them the Inheritance of Poverty, if not of Debt.
I have often considered the Matter with great Concern, and am apt to think, that abundance of young Tradesmen, Clerks, Shop-keepers, and Artificers, would be glad to leave their Wives in a better Condition than they usually do, were there any Method to secure to them a comfortable Subsistence after their Decease. It would therefore, methinks, be a laudable Design, if some publick-spirited Persons among us would form a Project for that Purpose, and by encouraging a Number of Subscribers, erect an Office of Ensurance for Widows.
The Design in general would be this, That every single Man who intends Marriage, and every married Man who has not already made sufficient Provision for his Wife, should for a small yearly Sum be entitled, upon his Death, to leave her a settled Allowance for Life, or at least during Widowhood. And because many Men are so improvident, that they will hardly be brought to make present Payments for future Good, the Contributions should be made so easy and reasonable, that the poorest industrious Husband might come into the Scheme without much difficulty.
Such an Office, prudently managed, would in all likelihood be attended with very happy Effects. It would encourage Marriage among young Men of small Fortune, who are often deterred from it by the Fear of leaving a Wife and Children destitute. It would lessen the Number of poor Widows and Fatherless Children, who are now too frequently burdensome to the Publick. And it would be an excellent Means of promoting Industry, Frugality, and a provident Temper in the common People.
I am sensible that many Difficulties may attend the bringing such a Design to Perfection, and that some People, whose Heads are not turned toward Projects of publick Good, may be ready to laugh at it as chimerical. But I persuade my self there are Gentlemen among us of so much Humanity and Penetration, as to see both the Practicableness and Usefulness of such a Scheme, and I hope this Hint may put some wiser Head upon thinking further of it.
If this Proposal should meet with Encouragement, I shall perhaps hereafter trouble you with a more particular Account of the Method in which I conceive it may be carried on; for I am not without hopes that, by prudent Management, it may be made not only easy to the Contributors, but sufficiently safe and beneficial to the Widows for whose sake it is intended.
I am, Sir,
Your humble Servant,
SILENCE DOGOOD.
Editors note: Silence Dogood Letter No. 10 is still being verified