Oatmeal

"The members of this board were very sage, philosophical men; and when they came to turn their attention to the , they found out at once, what ordinary folks would never have discovered—the poor people like it! ... So, they established the rule, that all poor people should have the alternative (for they would compel nobody, not they,) of being starved by a gradual process in the house, or by a quick one out of it. With this view, they contracted with the water-works to lay on an unlimited supply of water; and with a corn-factor to supply periodically small quantities of oatmeal; and issued three meals of thin gruel a day, with an onion twice a week, and half a roll on Sundays."

"[Oats:] A grain, which in England is given to horſes, but in Scotland ſupports the people." / "Yes, and where else will you see such horses and such men?"