fouls of the poor infants neglected, while their bodies were shielded against the confequences of disease. Scarce a clergyman in the island omitted to add to his pecuniary fubfcriptions the more valuable donation of his time, his anxiety, and his perfonal exertions. Several tradesmen of note made a tender of their skill and fervices. A master carpenter offered to fuperintend, without any charge to the inftitution, the buildings, that might be neceffary to furnish the children with a commodious dwelling, and appendant offices. A worthy and benevolent mafon took upon himfelf the trouble of erecting their oven. And the printer of the Saint Chriftopher Advertiser requested, that the amount of his charge for publications on account of the establishment would be accepted as his mite toward its fupport.

Upon the fecond meeting of the contributors to this benevolent and laudable inftitution, a house for the reception of the children became a fubject of confideration; and the hiring of it, as well as the procuring of proper instructors and fuitable attendants, was undertaken by Mr. Hobfon the chairman.

To the fame benevolent character the inftitution was indebted for the fcheme of a publick oven, from which the children would be provided with bread of an increased weight and improved quality without any addition to the price. The faving to the inftitution upon this article was confiderable, and it was augmented by other profits, which equally refulted from the fenfible and benevolent contrivance of Mr. Hobfon. A baker was fet up in his business with the funds of the establishment, and recommended to customers by the patronage of its friends. In return for their countenance and fupport,

he divided with the children of the inftitution the gains of his calling. This fource of income, added to the reduc

tion of the price upon the article of

bread, was confidered as tantamount to a fimple donation of three hundred pounds per annum.

What a scene to reflecting and delighted humanity does this judicious and lucrative fcheme unfold It prefents to her the hope, that out of a provifion made for the hungry, the naked, the thel:erlefs and the deftitute, an income

would offer itself fufficient to relieve all their wants, calculated to provide cheap and wholesome neceffaries for the rich, and to obviate the fatal practices of those who deal in articles of indifpenfable neceflity.

From the bakers of every inftitution, fimilar to that established in St. Chriftopher,might be obtained bread of the best quality, at a reduced price, that would outweigh the established affize. From its butchers might be obtained meat with an equal fuperiority in quantity and goodness. From its woollen and linen drapers clothing recommended by the fame advantages. A correfpondent faving would be the condition upon which they gave their custom to every other clafs of their tradefmen. And a participation in the profits of their bufinefs would be ftipulated for and e'tablished in confideration of the patronage, and in return for being set up by the funds of the inftitution.

All the baleful practices of trades, which prey upon and poifon whom they feed, would be abolished. The fraudulent baker, with his loaves of allum finely ground fand, lime and pounded beans, would forfeit the custom, which he had duped and rendered deadly. The butcher with his chalk fed blown up veal, would fee his unnatural aliment grow putrid in his fhambles. While the moderate hard working tradefman would insure a fubfiftence for his family during his life and an afylum for them at his death, by dividing the profits of his business with an inftitution, that had enabled him to undertake it with advantage and profecute it with fuccefs.

Oftentatiously to difplay the feductive patronage of elevated characters is the common artifice of trade to attract

cuftom. And yet the protegee is often fo worthless, that to realize his hopes is an encouragement to impofition and difhonefty. And the patron is often fo bad a judge of merit, that to imitate his example is an affront to difcernment and tafte. But the man, who gives his cuftom to the baker of a charitable inftitution, half the profits of whole bu finefs is allotted to the fupport of poor and deftitute children, this benevolent purchafer confecrates an offering to charity withevery farthing he lays out, and establithes a claim to the blefling of heaven

with every morfel he puts into his own mouth, or provides for the mouths of his family.

If pompous titles are to be adopted as baits for cuftom, let the fplendid character, which points out an alliance with virtue, be affumed by the tradefmen who are connected with charitable inftitutions and can boast of their patronage. Could it be inferred from the infeription over his fhop, that a baker contributed to the fupport of poor

and deftitute children three hundred pounds a year out of the profits of his bufinefs in a small and not very populous West Indian Island, every paffenger as he went by would blefs the man and invoke beffings on his trade. The

heart of every purchafer while he contemplated the loaf which he had bought would overflow with virtuous fenfibility. "I even I," the poor widow would an hundred times repeat to herself, as The furveyed her daily bread, " have contributed to the feeding of a multitude of little ones, whofe parents left them as deftitute as mine would be were I to die tomorrow As mine would be, if this humane cftablishment were not open for their reception, when deprived of the stay, which my feeble age and trifling earnings afford them.”

Etablishments, upon the plan of the inftitution for the relief of poor and deftitute children, often moulder away from the indifference and neglect of thofe, who undertake or are appointed to their fuperintendence. Officious intermeddling is little to be apprehended. Malignant interference lefs. Caution therefore in the nomination of regula tors is as fuperfluous in fact as fpecious in opinion. It is an impofing term that never applies to the fubject. The material confideration is to enfure a fufficient number of zealous, active members, who will invariably devote to its fupport their time and their anxiety. To accomplish this object every barrier to affistance or even advice Phould be removed, and the certainty of obtaining a fufficient number of benevolent cooperators ought to be enfured by the acptance, uay invitation of all. If fome alent themfelves others will attend. If fome are negligent others will be aflid

pous.

That no one who had the ability or inclination to be useful might be excluded from taking a part in the wel

fare of the children, every subscriber to the establishment became a member of it by the mere act of contribution. However trifling what he bestowed; yet his donation was received as an earneft of good will, that gave him a right to interfere in the concerns of the infti

tution. Although his pecuniary aid was inconfiderable, his zeal and activity might be of importance; or his talents might fuggeft to the liberality and opulence of others, what the narrow

nefs of his own income forbid him to attempt.

lature were particularly nominated All the branches of the infular legifmembers of the inftitution, and many of them, individually as well as collectively, afforded it the most effential service.

The commander in chief of the leeward iflands fhed a luftre on the establishment by acceping the office of its prefident. But the brilliant acquifition of a governour's name and rank was foon forgot in the private patronage and perfonal feelings of Lord Lavington. To these a debt is owing that acknowledgments can never pay nor humanity ever forget.

While rank was folicited, and patronage obtained, the important and fingular fervice, which could be rendered to the inftitution by the female part of the community, was not neglected. The ladies of the island were requested to direct toward it their attention, and to bellow on it a portion of the animated perfeverance, with which they profe cute whatever they undertake. This has been granted. And to the ladies of Saint Chriftopher the children of the inftitution are indebted for a number of conveniences, which the coarser talents of men are little adapted to contrive or procure.

Although the number of perfons entitled to take a part in tranfacting the bufinefs of an inflitution, that has for its object the support and education of children, cannot be too ftudiously enlarged yet it is neceffary that particular fuperintendants and inftructors fhould be carefully felected. In conformity with this principle, twenty four fuperintendants were appointed to infpect the treatment and tuition of the children. This task they performed in rotation and for a ftated period. Six undertook it for the first month. The fame number fucceeded them for the

fame time, until the whole twenty four had discharged their duty in turn. There was in this manner kept up a regular feries of felect guardians, who without interruption watched over and provided for the welfare and inftruction of the children.

In all cafes where bulinef is to be tranfacted, the object of which is permanent, it will be found neceffary to fix upon ftited periods for its confideration and arrangement. To meet this neceflity it was laid down as a rule by the inftitution, that the fubfcribers to its fupport fhould affemble on the first Monday of every month to fuggest and eftablifh whatever changes, or additional regulations the lapfe of time or an alteration of circumftances might have made requifite. And as occafional bufinefs, not admitting of delay, might occur during the courfe of the month, it was on emergencies permiffible for any three of the tubfcribers to convoke a general meeting, by inferting for that purpose a notice in the publick paper four days before the meeting affembled.

The grand defideratum in this and every fimilar inflitution remained however ftill to be fought for. No perfon had yet prefented himself, who would be anfwerable for the general, conftant, and uninterrupted care of the children. The fuperintendants were occafional vifitors and infpe&ors; but there was required a fixed, relidentiary guardian and inftructor, who would dedicate to them the whole of his time, rendered more precious by his anxiety. Who would confecrate his talents and folicitude to their improvement in virtue, knowledge and behaviour This was an obftacle to the completion of the plan that fe med infurmountable. Nor would it have been furmounted, but for the boundless philanthropy of Doctor Bly h. He devoted himfelf to the task. Here therefore perhaps occurs the fitteft occafion for recapitulating and ac knowledging the multiplied fervices, which Dr. Elyth has rendered the inftitution.

Tohis literary communicationsandap

peals it was in great measure owing that the attention of the publick became attracted toward the objects of the charity. In the progrefs of the establishment, his attendance and affiduity were unremitting. His communications and hints frequent and valuable. But upon the reception of the children into the houfe provided for their refidence, the intereft, which he took in their welfare, confummated the humane and virtuous task in which he had engaged. He affumed the office of a guardian, and fubmitted to the duties of a schoolmafter. While he watched over the morals and trained the hearts of the children to virtue, he inftructed them in the humbleft rudiments of science; taught them their letters and their alphabet; and fingularly contrived to render the art of writing an amuling preliminary and necefiary vehicle to the art of reading. No lefs than thirty pupils are at this inftant reaping the fruit of his benevolence and inftruction.

Such is the number of deftitute children, who are already admitted to every privilege that humanity could defire for her favourites, or wildom fuggeft in conformity with her views. They are all of them lodged and clothed, fed, taught and treated, with greater attention to health, comfort, fafety, morals and learning, than falls to the lot of mest of thofe, whofe parents pay dearest for the education of their offspring. Content and happiness appear in every face. Docility and obedience are a lied with cheerfulness and pleasure. A few days have wrought a visible improvement in the manners. feemingly in the difpofitions, of the children. The foundations of morality are already lid. A proficiency in ufeful literature and in the habits of ufeful induftry is begun, and promifes foon to complete every object of a plan, equally judicious and charitable. Of a plan that has been inftituted for the relief of the deftitute and helpless, the information of the ignorant, and the amendment of the diffolute and mischievous.

(To be concluded in our next.)

CREAT DRITAIN.

A LINE of TELEGRAPHS, it is faid, will be established, at the expenfe of individuals, from Liverpool to Holyhead,

for the purpofe of announcing the arrival of fhips bound to Liverpol, and of procuring pilots. Another line has been fuggelied from Liverpool to Hu!!,

through Manchester and Leeds; and another from Liverpool to London, through Chester and Birmingham. Thefe feveral lines would not coft, it is faid, more than £15,000; and it is fuppofed that the number of meffages fent through them, to be paid for at the rate of a guinea for eight words per hundred miles, would yield to the undertakers a profit of two or three hundred per cent. Should the advantages of this fcheme be demonftrated by private adventure, we may expect to have it taken up and applied by government, for domeftick and commercial purposes, to the whole united kingdom.

appears from papers laid before the Houle of Commons, that the total money raifed by the Poor's Rate, and other Rate or Rates, within the year, ending Easter, 1803, was £4,952,421. 148.11 d. Of which fum was expended in Suits at Law, Removal of Paupers, Expenses of Overfeers, &c. £187,904. 108. 3d. Total Rates raised in Wales, in 1803, £176,424. 18s. 84d. Of which was expended in Law and Removal of Paupers, £5,919. 25. 10d. The total expenditure in England and Wales, as. made up from 13,889 returns received, is £5,128,846. 135. 7 d.

The average fum levied for the Poor's Race in England, is 4s. 6d. in the pound. In Wa'es, 7s. 3d.

The twenty fecond Report of THE SOCIETY FOR BETTERING THE CONDITION OF THE POOR, has been recently published. We fhall briefly notice its

contents.

1. Extract from an Account of the Lades Committee for promoting the Education and Employment of the Female Poor. By THOMAS BERNARD, Efq. This committee is formed from the Ladies, who subfcribe to the general purposes of the fociety. The propofed objects of its at tention are, 1. The forming of fimilar mmittees in provincial towns and in the metropolis. 2. The promoting of Lae moral and religious education of the female poor, by endeavouring to increafe the utility of female fchools alReas established; by encouraging and ting the cftablishment of them, where they are not already provided; by recommeading proper books, and Fanting out the beft mode of teaching the chidren, and of managing the chools. 3. The fupply of healthful Comeftick employment for the female

poor. In order to the attainment of this important object, influence and example are to be employed to promote the ufe of thofe articles which may be manufactured by the female poor at home; and to prevent men from being employed in occupations which might be more properly conducted by females, viz. milliners, haberdashers, stay makers, ladies' fhoemakers, teachers of writing, reading, mufick, drawing, dancing, and languages in female boarding fchools, &c. It is alfo proposed to form a feminary for the purpose of educating the unprovided daughters of clergymen, officers, &c. for governeffes, &c. A ftill more useful object, we apprehend, would be the formation of an inftitution for the education of mistreffes for charity fchools; and we hope that it will not be overlooked by this excellent fociety.

2. Extract from an Account of a Lying-in Charity at Woolrich. By JOHN ROLLO, M. D. This charity was formed in 1794, for the relief of indigent wives of foldiers of the royal artillery; the object being to fupply them with a midwife, and with a pound of meat, a pound of bread, and a pint of porter per day for the first fortnight. In 1803 relief was given to 96 women at the expenfe of £58. 14s. 7d. The whole number relieved fince 1794 is five hundred and forty fix.

3. Extra from an Account of the Provifron made for the Poor of Wymefwould. By the Rev. R. A. INGRAM, B. D. A plan has been adopted by which most of the poor of the parish are enabled to keep cows. The confequence has been an increase of their comforts, and a diminution of the parish rates.

4. Extract from an Account of a Charitable Bank at Tottenham, for the favings of the Poor. By Mrs. WAKEFIELD. This bank is guaranteed by fix trustees, gentlemen of fortune, most of them poffeffing confiderable landed property. It is open for receipts or payments only on the first Monday of every month. Any fum is received above one shilling; and five per cent is given for all that lies twelve months: but every perfon may recall his money any day the bark is open. The poor are thus enabled to make a little hoard for fickness or old age without danger or inconvenience.

5. Extract from the Parochial Returns lately made with regard to the State of Education in Ireland. By THOMAS BER

NARD, Efq. By returns from 202 parishes it appears that above two-thirds of the poor children in Ireland are entirely without inftruction or the means of education: and that in fome places these are entirely wanting. The impediments to the inftruction of the poor are, the want of schoolhouses and proper schoolmasters, the poverty of the parents, and the want of proper books. WHOLE PARISHES ARE STATED TO BE WITHOUT A BIBLE OR ANY OTHER RE

LIGIOUS BOOK'; (a fact, which we hope will catch the eye of fome of the managers of the British and Foreign Bible Soci ety.) It appears, that the Irish poor were never so anxious as at the present time that their children fhould have the benefit of inftruction. So ftrong is ther with on this point, that the children of papifts attend proteftant Tchools, and the children of proteftants, catholick schools," whenever education, not converfion, is the object." In the latter cafe, the children are instructed in the fcriptures, and the catechifm of the church of England. The New Testament is now read in many catholick fchools and an opinion is expreffed, even in the most ignorant and bigotted parts of Ireland, that " if proper protestant masters were appointed, and vorks of controversy taught, the children of catho'icks would attend them." This statement is followed by foine fuggeftions for improving the condition of the Irih, which we earactly hope may meet with attention from government.

no

6 Extra& from an Account of a School in the Borough Road. By JoHN WALKER, Efq Of this fchool we have already given fome account. The teach

er, Mr. Lancaster, has, at prefent, under his tuition, upwards of feven hundred boys, and he intends to extend his establishment to 1000. Two of his fifters have fet on foot a school for girls on a fimilar plan.

7. Extract from an Account of the Houf of Refuge at Dublin. By the Rev. Dr. GUINNESS. The Houfe of Refuge was established on the 1st of Feb. 1802, for the relief of deftitute young women under twenty years of age, who are either orphans or whofe parents can afford them no shelter from vice and mifery. No one is admitted till the cause of her having left her laft place is afcertained, and fatisfactory proof has been obtained of her previous modefty, honesty, and fobriety. In that cafe, the is here fheltered from poverty and vice, until a fuitable place can be provided for her. The young women are daily visited by fome of the governelles, who fuperintend their inftruction, and take a lively pleasure in marking the progress of amendment in their appearance and circumstances. From the opening of the house thirty one young women were received; of whom fifteen were provided with refpectable p aces, two difmiffed for bad behaviour, three taken out by friends, and eleven then remained.

8. It appears from the Appendix, that a commiflion warehouse was opened in the 4th of June, 1804, at the requeft of the fociety, by Mefirs. Corften and Shackle, Ludgate-hi 1, for the fale of Straw Platt, manufactured in schools, or by cottagers or others, who may not have advantageous means of difpofing of it.

At Copenhagen, the chamberlain and knight BERNT ANKER. His commercial connexions extended to all parts of the world.

In France, Baron HEMPESCп, formerly Grand Master of Malta.

In Fleet Prifon, Eng Mifs ELIZABETH FRANCES ROBINSON, a notorious fwindler, who formerly 'ived in great fplendour, and obtruded herfelf into the most Jashionab e circles.

The Rev. JOHN DARWIN, M. A. brother to the celebrated author of "The Loves of the Plants," " Zoonomia," &c.

In Canton, Mr. BENJAMIN WENT WORTH. He arrived at Canton, on Saturday evening from Bofton, and died within two hours after his arrival home. Only twenty two hours elapfed from the time he paffed Canton burying place, in apparent health, till his body

was interred therein.

At Hillsborough, Rev. JONATHAN BARNES, late paftor of the church and congregation in that place

In Keene, (N. H.) much lamented, Maj GEORGE INGERSOLL, aged 51, late of the United States army.