In the Reign of her late Majefty Queen Anne, feveral eminent and worthy Merchants, confidering the Benefits which would arife from putting the Education of the Poor under a better Regulation; and moved with Compaffion for the many innocent Children who were daily expofed to Mifery and Destruction, proposed to erect an Hofpital in or near London, for the Reception of fuch Infants as either the Misfortunes or Inhumanity of their Parents fhould leave deftitute of Support, and to employ them in fuch a Manner, as to make them fit for the moft laborious Offices and loweft Stations.

FROM the Succefs which had attended Inftitutions of this Nature in other Countries, they hoped not only that a proper Relief might be provided for their Maintenance, but that the Publick would be abundantly repaid by their Labor and Induftry, for whatever should be contributed to their Support.

A Subscription was therefore propofed and a Charter folicited for the erecting fuch an Hofpital. Nevertheless it was at that Time fufpended by Means of fome ill-grounded Prejudices, that fuch an Undertaking might feem to encourage Perfons in Vice, by making too eafy Provifion for their illegitimate Children. This Sufpenfion might have totally defeated fo ufeful and laudable a Defign, had not fome of those worthy Perfons thought proper, in their Wills, to give large Benefactions to be paid to fuch an Hofpital, fo foon as it fhould be erected. This coming to the Notice of Mr. Thomas Coram, a Master of a Ship in the Merchants Service, he left that Service

Service to folicit a Charter for the Establishment of this Charity, being induced thereto, by his well known Zeal for the Publick, and the fhocking Spectacles he had feen of innocent Children, who had been murdered and thrown upon Dunghills.

He was advised before he prefented any Petition to his Majesty, to procure a Recommendation of the Design from fome Perfons of Quality and Distinction, which he accordingly folicited with unwearied Diligence and Affiduity, and obtained the following Memorial which was figned by the Ladies, whofe Names are therein mentioned. This ought to be had in perpetual Veneration by the Publick, as well as by the Children and their Pofterity, whofe Lives have been thus happily preferved.

WHEREAS among the many excellent Defigns and Inftitutions of Charity, which this Nation, and especially the City of London, has hitherto encouraged and established, no Expedient has yet been found out, for preventing the frequent Murders of poor miferable Infants at their Birth; or for fuppreffing the inhuman Custom of expofing new-born Infants to perish in the Streets; or the putting out fuch unhappy Foundlings to wicked and barbarous Nurfes, who undertaking to bring them up for a small and trifling Sum of Money, do often fuffer them to starve for Want of due Suftenance or Care; or if permitted to live, either turn them into the Streets to beg or fteal, or hire them out to loofe Perfons, by whom they are trained up in that infamous Way of living; and fometimes are blinded, or maimed and dif

torted

in their Limbs, in order to move Pity and Com paffion, and thereby become fitter Inftruments of Gain to thofe vile merciless Wretches.

FOR a Beginning to redress fo deplorable a Grievance, and to prevent as well the Effufion of fo much innocent Blood, as the fatal Confequences of that Idleness, Beggary, or Stealing, in which fuch poor Foundlings are generally bred up; and to enable them, by an early and effectual Care of their Education, to become ufeful Members of the Common-Wealth: WE, whofe Names are under-written, being deeply touched with Compaffion for the Sufferings and lamentable Condition of such poor abandon'd helpless Infants, as well as the enormous Abuses and Mischiefs to which they are expofed, and in order to fupply the Government plentifully with useful Hands on many Occafions; and for the better producing good and faithful Servants from amongst the poor and miferable caft-off Children or Foundlings, now a Peft to the Publick, and a chargeable Nuisance within the Bills of Mortality; and for settling a yearly Income for their Maintenance and proper Education till they come to a fit Age for Service; are defirous to encourage, and willing to contribute towards erecting an Hofpital for Infants whom their Parents are not able to maintain, and who have no Right to any Parifh; which we conceive will not only prevent many horrid Murders, Cruelties, and other Mifchiefs, and be greatly beneficial to the Publick, but will alfo be acceptable to God Almighty, as being the only Remedy of fuch great Evils, which have been fo long neglected, tho' always complained

of;

of; provided due and proper Care be taken for fetting on Foot fo neceffary an Establishment, and a Royal Charter be granted by the King to fuch Perfons as his Majefty fhall approve of, who fhall be willing to become Benefactors for the erecting and endowing fuch an Hospital, and for the receiving the voluntary Contributions of charitable and well difpofed Perfons, and for directing and managing the Affairs thereof gratis, to the best Advantage; under fuch Regulations as his Majesty in his great Wisdom shall judge moft proper for attaining the defired Effect of our good Intentions."

Charlotte Somerfet.
S. Richmond.

H. Bolton.

Anne Bolton.

F. Wa. & Nottingham.
E. Cardigan,

Dorothy Burlington,

F. Litchfield.
A. Albemarle,

F. Biron.

A. Trevor.

Ş. Huntington.

AFTER obtaining this Recommendation from the Ladies, Mr. Coram drew up another to the fame Purport and Effect, which was figned by a great Number of Noblemen and Gentlemen, both which were annexed to his Petition to the King, who was thereupon graciously pleased to grant his Royal Charter for eftablishing this Hospital, bearing Date the 17th of October, 1739. In Confequence of which Charter, the Governors mamed therein, being fummoned by the Duke of

Bedford

.

Bedford their Prefident, had their first Meeting at Somerset House, on the 20th November, 1739; and proceeded to choofe a Committee, confifting of fifty Noblemen and Gentlemen, to manage the Eftate and Effects of the Hofpital; which Committee had their firft Meeting on the 29th of the fame Month, and ordered that Accounts of the feveral Eftablishments of Hofpitals of this Nature in other Countries, fhould be obtained as foon as poffible; and for that Purpofe Ap plication was made to his Majefty's Ambaffadors and Minifters abroad.

Directions were given to the Treasurer, to enquire what Legacies had been given by Wills for this Charity; and Application. was made to the Bank of England, to open an Account in the Name of the Corporation, that fuch Money might be paid to them as should be collected for the Benefit of this Charity; which Request the Bank very readily granted..

THE Governors then proceeded.to open Books for the Subscriptions of fuch Perlons who were willing to contribute to this Charity by Benefactions or annual Payments, during the Subscribers Pleasure; and feveral large Sums were immediately fubfcribed and paid, with feveral annual Subfcriptions for promoting of the Charity.

THE Governors foon after received authentic Accounts of the Inftitutions and Regulations of the Hofpitals of Amfterdam, Paris, and Lifbon, for the Reception of Infants; and have fince also been favoured with thofe of Venice. And though each of these Inftitutions, being accommodated to the Laws and Governments of their

respective