ing be laid in order on the table for examination; and that every child read some moral lesson, or spell before all the subscribers.

VI. THAT there be a book of the subscribers' and children's names, intimating when they were admitted into the school, and when they left it.

VII. THAT no child can be expelled either by the master or any steward, without the consent of the subscriber (attended by his parent, guardian, or tutor) who presented him.

VIII. THAT if any young people be desirous of encouraging this institution, and cannot afford it singly, they may unite their contributions, and become joint patrons of one or more children.

IX. As, possibly, it may happen, after the subscriptions are paid in, and the expenses of clothes, master, books, &c. are settled, that there may be a deficiency of money, any persons unconnected with the school, may present such contributions to the treasurer, as they may think proper; though none but a young person can be considered as a regular subscriber, or be allowed to present a scholar.

RULES FOR THE TREASURER AND STEWARD.

I. That there be eleven stewards chosen annually in rotation, consisting of parents, guardians, or tutors of the subscribers; that three of these may constitute a committee, empowered to lay down regulations for the school; and that the subscribers may attend this committee, composed of parents, guardians, or tutors, as above. The committee to be left open.

II. That a treasurer be appointed annually, who must be a parent, guardian, or tutor of one of the subscribers, not being a steward; who is to give an account of the receipts and disbursements for that year, for the inspection of the yearly meeting: and that each subscriber, under the care of this treasurer, whether parent, guardian, or tutor, be recommended to transcribe fairly such

accounts.

RULES FOR THE MASTER AND THE SCHOOL.

I. That the master, not being appointed the spiritual guide to this school, interfere not, in the least degree, with religion, either by public prayers, catechisms, or religious books; leaving this to the discretion of the children's parents, or friends, and to the exercise of their reason when at years of discretion.

II. That he may be of what religious denomination he pleases himself, and is responsible to no one connected with the school for any religious opinions.

III. That he teach the children reading, writing, and arithmetic; and that he employ every scholar some part of the day in

spinning, if the school be in the country, or some other manual employment, if in the town, according to the direction of the stewards: the profits resulting from such employment to be remitted to the treasurer, for the use of the charity.-The accustomed hours of recreation so necessary for children, not to be interrupted by these regulations.

It was here intended to lay before the reader a similar plan of a FREE SCHOOL for poor girls, to be supported by the younger daughters of the rich. The scheme might, without difficulty, be extended to females, with such differences, as must necessarily attach to female institutions. This subject, therefore, shall be left for the consideration of women, which may be assisted by "The Address of the Ladies at Walworth, who have formed themselves into a society for the education of poor female children," printed in the Appendix' of THE COMPLAINTS OF THE POOR; and also by The rules for the general government of the female charityschool in Shakespear's Walk," instituted in 1792.-Some useful hints may be collected from all those plans, though in the scheme proposed above many of their rules, it is clear, could not be adopted. Females themselves would be the best judges of the means to realise some such institution, as that now recommended to their consideration, and the subject has been treated of somewhat by a sensible female writer.-The reader is desired to take notice, that to THE ACCOUNT of CHARITY-SCHOOLS in GREAT BRITAIN and IRELAND, printed 1713, is subjoined a PROPOSAL for adding some WORK to the children's learning.

The plan proposed above, suggested itself to me in consequence of various schemes of private institutions communicated to me from different quarters, and of a survey of those charity-schools, which are deemed public. Such of their rules as fell in with this design are preserved.-The plan may, perhaps, never be realised: it may, however urnish hints, that may be improved on to advantage.

The benefits of some such institution would be many, not only to the poor children, but to the subscribers. Early habits of giving, among the children of the rich, might render the heart the seat of benevolent and generous designs; and early habits of industry would prove beneficial to the children of the poor. The contemptuous behaviour of the former towards the latter might be provided against; and the youthful mind preserved free from servility

Table II. p. 100, 2d Edition.

2 An account of two charity schools for the education of girls, and of a female friendly society at York, with general reflections, &c. by Catharine Cappe. 1800.

and prejudice.-On the side of the poor, obligation might rivet attachment; on that of the rich, patronage might take the name and the nature of friendship; and mutual attention grow up into habits of esteem, which might prove some of the sweetest solaces of life.

But of all plans of FREE SCHOOLS, that would be the best, in my opinion, that should arise out of the earnings of poor children, who, therefore, should not be sent till they are about nine years of age. A scheme is given in THE COMPLAINTS OF THE POOR' of a charity-school, at Bury, in Suffolk, for " instructing sixty poor boys to be clothed from the profits of their respective earnings." Before the war there was a charity-school at Plymouth, supported, if I ́mistake not, entirely from the earnings of the children.-It may be proper to insist again on the necessity of so regulating such institutions, as not to interrupt the play-hours.

2. With respect to WORK-HOUSES, where the whole system is wrong, we shall be sparing of commendation-Sparing of commendation! many readers will say, there should be no commendation at all. The remarks of Mr. Thomas Paine on this subject are unanswerable; and some facts contained in the COMPLAINTS OF THE POOR are not undeserving attention. Private benevolence and an enormous poor-rate can never rectify a system fundamentally wrong. After a long life of painful industry, useful to the public, and after large contributions, saved from the pittance of the mechanic, old age is thrown into the corner of a work-house, like old-fashioned rotten furniture, and we call it charity!-Who can wonder, that the honest pride of the once industrious, but, at length, disabled poor, frequently revolts at such charity?

We dethrone justice, and exalt a puny bastard-charity. In presenting, therefore, the reader with rules for a work-house, all that is attempted, and all that can be obtained, is to ameliorate bad institutions.

It is directed by act of parliament, that the rules for the regulation of prisons, shall be hung up for public inspection, in some conspicuous place in the prison. The impositions to which paupers are liable, render the same measure expedient also in work-houses. The following orders are hung up in a workhouse in Royston: they were drawn up by my sensible and esteemed friend, Mr. William Nash, an eminent attorney of that town. Among them are some excellent rules: they are here introduced for the consideration of churchwardens, overseers, clergymen, and all, who have any influence in their respective parishes.

It must, however, be observed, that with respect to the second

Appendix, Table II. page 110.

article under the rules for " the master," if by the master's causing all such, as are able, to attend public worship, be meant, that every person be necessarily expected to attend some place of public worship, the rule would be liable to great objection. The utmost that can be said consistently with liberty, is, that if a pauper choose to attend a place of public worship, he may attend what place he thinks proper. If he do not require to attend any place, he ought not to be compelled. Such, indeed, I take to be the meaning of that rule. The same principles that oblige me to object to the least compulsion in religion, would lead me also to object strongly to the last article in these rules. Though I am aware, it may be said, that though corporal punishment be not the patural discipline for rational beings, the present habits of society render it expedient.

Having heard great encomiums passed on the HOUSE of IN. DUSTRY in the ISLE of WIGHT, established by act of Parlia ment, 1774, I procured, through the kindness of a friend, a printed copy of the act, and of the bye-laws for the regulation and government of the institution. This house is on a large scale, and contains many generous rules. One clause in the act appoints thus: "To the end that all the poor people in the said house may be encouraged to apply themselves to such tasks, in which they shall be employed, with diligence and humility, it shall and may be lawful to and for the directors, and acting guardians, at any quarterly meeting, out of the profits, arising by the work, which shall be done by such poor people, to distribute such rewards to the industrious and skilful, as to them shall appear reasonable." A şimilar regulation is made in many work-houses, and might with advantage be adopted in all.

Particular mention has been here made of this house, in order to direct the reader's attention to consider the benefits connected with printed rules. By this provision the poor out of the house, as well as in, become acquainted with the full extent of the institution, and little is left to discretionary power.

3. A word or two shall be added on PUBLIC HOSPITALS.

It may be laid down as a safe position, that in proportion as a country abounds in poor, the state of society is bad. If this be admitted, the numerous meetings of men of fortune for charitable contributions, and the various monuments erected by private benevolence, for the relief of the poor, are rather temporary benefits, than essential and permanent blessings. In the present bad state of society, however, benevolent contributions should be encouraged, as the only hope left to the unfortunate. But were laws framed with more wisdom; were those prejudices, that hold men in bondage, overcome; were the enormous expenses of government laid

aside; were property less unequal, and industry better rewarded; such charitable contributions, and such splendid monuments, would be rendered unnecessary. There would be less occasion to erect so many temples to CHARITY, if we erected more to JUSTICE. To remove the defects and excesses of governments; to give a just direction to the laws; and to preserve the course of industry from being obstructed, would be attended with more advantages to the poor, than the erecting of a thousand hospitals; and, on this ground, every philanthropist should be a reformer.

Indeed the state of society in a country may be so corrupt, that charitable as well as political institutions may be little more than public exhibitions of mistakes, sources of vice, or nurseries of misery. They may even be, in some measure, the cause of those evils, which they aim to remedy. The influence of bad laws, and the distresses, arising from the present unnatural arrangements of society, may be wider, than most men are aware of.

It is, however, lawful to seize all the innocent gratifications we can. And though we may conceive a state of society, in which such a portion of calamity could not exist, or such a constitution of things, in which it might be more properly remedied; it may not be unpleasing, to see how far charitable institutions extend, and what benefits they produce. This chapter, therefore shall conclude with accounts of some of the public hospitals in the metropolis, for the year, 1793, which shall be done in the exact words of their last reports.

Public HOSPITALS are touched on again, to press upon the reader's attention, what was circumstantially noticed in the coMPLAINTS OF THE POOR, relative to the custom of taking fees of the patients. From the facts there produced, it is evident, that many hospitals can be conducted without fees: and the subject ought to be taken up by some of the governors. A judicious writer in the CRITICAL REVIEW, in his remarks on THE COMPLAINTS OF THE POOR, particularly noticed the oppression of fees. The reader is also requested to notice the last clause in the report of Bethlem-Hospital.

It is not here proposed to introduce a new model for public hospitals. The truth is, such foundations are so numerous, that it would be difficult to invent one: nor is it here intended to notice existing mistakes. Such as militate against observations already laid down, will be conspicuous; though to speak truly, with the exceptions alluded to, and in relation to the present state of society, the following institutions I much approve.