The Prince of Wales sent the Lord Mayor 500l. in January 1737, to be applied in discharging poor freemen from prison, by the payment of their debts and fees.

The governors and the publick at large had enabled the conductors of the Small-pox hospital (who at that time had two separate buildings for the purpose, the one at Islington, the other in Cold Bath Fields) to receive 500 patients in six months, so long since as 1757. Those who have seen the present elegant building at Battle-bridge, will be aware of the excellent accommodations it contains; and those who have not are referred to the view of it annexed.

In the year 1758, another pleasing act of benevolence distinguished the natives of London, under the title of "an Asylum, or house of refuge for orphans, and other deserted girls of the poor within the bills of mortality, situated near Westminster-bridge on the Surrey side." The following notice appeared in the newspapers of the above period :

"The guardians of this charity (the intention of which is to preserve poor friendless girls from ruin, and to render them useful members of the community) have engaged three matrons: the first to superintend the affairs of the house in general; the second a school-mistress to teach reading, knitting, sewing, making linen, &c.; the third to preside in the kitchen, and instruct

the

the children in plain cookery, curing provisions, pickling, and other branches of housewifery.

"The house will soon be prepared and furnished for the reception of poor deserted girls, from the age of eight to twelve years.

"As in the beginning of these institutions considerable expences are necessarily incurred, the guardians hope the benevolence of the publick will be excited, to enable them effectually to carry this laudable design into present execution; and to extend their plan hereafter as they shall see occasion."

This forcible appeal was by no means made in vain; subscriptions followed immediately, and the Asylum now flourishes in full vigour.

The efforts of the humane at present, in attempting to cure the ruptured poor, deserve every commendation; but it should at the same time. be remembered, that the community of 1759 were equally desirous of alleviating the sufferings of the miserable. Mr. Lee, of, Arundel-street, surgeon, superintended the hospital at that period; and according to his statement to the committee of subscribers, 60 men, women, and children, and upwards of fifty soldiers, had been perfectly cured, without the loss of a single life, from the day of its institution.

Mr. Paterson, secretary to a charitable fund, gave the following account of it in a letter to the editor of the London Chronicle, April 21, 1759.

VOL. I.

E

"SIR,

" SIR,

"The distressed circumstances in which many of our inferior Clergy necessarily leave their numerous families, induced the piety of our ancestors to establish a Corporation for their relief; in aid of which, the stewards of the feast of the Sons of the Clergy have promoted an annual collection for putting some of their helpless orphans apprentices to reputable trades. But there being still wanting a fund for the maintenance and education of these poor children in their more helpless infant state; some gentlemen in the year 1749, formed themselves into a Society for raising such a fund by a small annual subscription, and for seeing it faithfully applied to this very humane and necessary purpose.

"The Society's income, small as it has hitherto proved, yet not being burthened with salaries of any kind, has enabled them in the course of nine years, to take care of 28 boys, selected out of the most numerous and distressed families that applied.

"Of these, 13 have been placed out apprentices, and to the remaining number the Society have agreed to add two, besides filling up the vacancies that will happen, by the placing out of others who are now properly qualified.

"The Society's general account at their last audit in February, stood as follows:

"Total