Imatges de pàgina
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13. The Importance of taking Care of Children,

14. The Advantage which may arise in excelling other Apprentices, 15. Prudence and Thriftinefs, the beft Guard of Integrity,

16. How far Attention to Gain is juft and right,

17. The Abfurdity of growing vicious under Misfortunes,

18. Evil Accidents may be turned to our Advantage,

19. Life is a mixed State of Good and Evil,

20. The true Object of the Ambition of the human Mind,

21, The Duty we owe to the Public in our pecuniary Engagements with it,

22. The truest Expreffion of Love to God and our Country, is to reform our own Manners,

24. The evil Practice of teaching ather Nations our Arts,

23. The Folly of Refertments against our Country,

25. The Duty of Integrity in all Concerns that regard our Country,

26. The Love of our Country, a noble Affection of the Mind,

27. The Duty we gave the King,

28. The Duty we owe the Royal Family,

29. The Duty we owe our Parents, when they are Poor and in Disress, 30. Conclufion,

SUBJECT of PRAYER S.

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INTRODUCTION.

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LTHOUGH the inftitution of the STEPNEY FEAST, or SOCIETY is

of great antiquity, it does not appear that any proper information, concerning it, has been ever given to the public; a fhort account of this charity will therefore afford fome fatisfaction to the curious and inquifitive. At the fame time, those who have often contributed to the fupport of it, may poffibly conceive so much the higher idea of the object of their own munificence; and such persons as are always ready to promote the welfare of their country and mankind, will probably find reason fufficient to induce them to bestow some marks of their generofity and patriotism, on fo benevolent and useful a design.

In examining the register of the Stewards of the Feast, which feems to have been accidentally preserved, we find the first affociation was as far back as 1674, at the close of the Dutch war. This fraternity was chiefly composed of masters of ships, whose charity and public love induced them to make a collection, with a view to apprentice out orphans, and the children of the poor, to marine trades, which would neceffarily render many young perfons useful in that way of life, in which the masters themselves had fo particular an intereft. The attempt, however, after two years, ceafed for four years, unless we fuppofe the names of the stewards of those years are loft. Deserving as the object of this society might be, the two great wars that succeeded not long after, joined to other reasons, for which it is hard, at this distance, to affign the caufe, occafioned two other chafms or discontinuations of the undertaking, one of them of four, the other of seven years, fo that upon this view, fifteen years in the first five and fifty were expunged the annals of the Stepney Society.

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It was not till 1729, that Sir Charles Wager patronized the defign, and gave it a reputation, in the efteem of many, especially fea-faring people. All the world knows to what high honors it pleafed divine providence to conduct this gentleman, and that he was not lefs exemplary for his munificence to the poor, than diftinguished for his abilities as a great fea-officer. His zeal for this object, continued to the end of his life: and we find that from the ara above-mentioned perfons of the first rank and fortune in thefe kingdoms, have accepted the office of Stewards to the Feaft. The Lords of the Admiralty, the Navy-board, the Victualling-office, and other departments of the marine, have conftantly fhewn their favor to it, and this has naturally drawn together many others. In the mean while those whofe traffic confifts in materials for fhip-building, and masters, or workmen employed by mafters, in the merchants fhip-yards, have the fairest opportunities of feeing the real benefits arifing from the inftitution, and confequently esteem it no less a duty, than a pleasure, to accept the invitation to the feast, made at the expence of the stewards.

BUT the fociety has been more particularly indebted to the firft Lord of the Admiralty, in fucceffion down from Sir Charles Wager: thefe Lords have been always confidered as Prefidents of the Society, and fometimes fo entitled. LORD ANSON has often given the strongest proofs of his zeal and liberality, and is now pleafed to accept the name and office of Prefident; and it is under the aufpices of his lordship, that the defign has been very much improved, and will probably be rendered yet more respectable, when peace fhall give more employment to marine trades in merchants ship-yards.

EVERY perfon in this nation is qualified, in fome degree, to judge of the benefits arifing from the augmentation of our shipping, the number of our artificers, the extention of our commerce, with the encrease of fea-faring people, and the national ability arifing from hence to defend our religion, laws, and liberty. It is from this fource fo many advantages, fo many heart-felt comforts arife in the breaft of our fellow-fubjects; but particularly in the minds of those who know from experience,

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