12，itisdeclared，\"Thatwhereasforwantofsufficientmaintenanceandencouragementtocurates，thecureshaveinseveralplacesbeenmeanlysupplied，thebishopis，therefore，empoweredtoappointbywritingunderhisbandandsealasufficientcertainstipendorallowance，notexceedingfiftyandnotlessthantwentypoundsayear。\"Fortypoundsayearisreckonedatpresentverygoodpayforacurate，andnotwithstandingthisActofParliamenttherearemanycuraciesundertwentypoundsayear。TherearejourneymenshoemakersinLondonwhoearnfortypoundsayear，andthereisscarceanindustriousworkmanofanykindinthatmetropoliswhodoesnotearnmorethantwenty。Thislastsumindeeddoesnotexceedwhatisfrequentlyearnedbycommonlabourersinmanycountryparishes。Wheneverthelawhasattemptedtoregulatethewagesofworkmen，ithasalwaysbeenrathertolowerthemthantoraisethem。Butthelawhasuponmanyoccasionsattemptedtoraisethewagesofcurates，andforthedignityofthechurch，toobligetherectorsofparishestogivethemmorethanthewretchedmaintenancewhichtheythemselvesmightbewillingtoacceptof。
Andinbothcasesthelawseemstohavebeenequallyineffectual，andhasnevereitherbeenabletoraisethewagesofcurates，ortosinkthoseoflabourerstothedegreethatwasintended;
becauseithasneverbeenabletohindereithertheonefrombeingwillingtoacceptoflessthanthelegalallowance，onaccountoftheindigenceoftheirsituationandthemultitudeoftheircompetitors;ortheotherfromreceivingmore，onaccountofthecontrarycompetitionofthosewhoexpectedtoderiveeitherprofitorpleasurefromemployingthem。
Thegreatbeneficesandotherecclesiasticaldignitiessupportthehonourofthechurch，notwithstandingthemeancircumstanceofsomeofitsinferiormembers。Therespectpaidtotheprofession，too，makessomecompensationeventothemforthemeannessoftheirpecuniaryrecompense。InEngland，andinallRomanCatholiccountries，thelotteryofthechurchisinrealitymuchmoreadvantageousthanisnecessary。TheexampleofthechurchesofScotland，ofGeneva，andofseveralotherProtestantchurches，maysatisfyusthatinsocreditableaprofession，inwhicheducationissoeasilyprocured，thehopesofmuchmoremoderatebeneficeswilldrawasufficientnumberoflearned，decent，andrespectablemenintoholyorders。
Inprofessionsinwhichtherearenobenefices，suchaslawandphysic，ifanequalproportionofpeoplewereeducatedatthepublicexpense，thecompetitionwouldsoonbesogreatastosinkverymuchtheirpecuniaryreward。Itmightthennotbeworthanyman’swhiletoeducatehissontoeitherofthoseprofessionsathisownexpense。Theywouldbeentirelyabandonedtosuchashadbeeneducatedbythosepubliccharities，whosenumbersandnecessitieswouldobligethemingeneraltocontentthemselveswithaverymiserablerecompense，totheentiredegradationofthenowrespectableprofessionsoflawandphysic。