month, excepting the Lent season, and the months of July, August, and September. The same to consist of Anthems, Orations, and Poems, in honour and praise of God, religion, and virtue, one day; and in discouragement of irreligion, vice, and immorality, the other, alternately to be performed by the best masters in each faculty; for which purpose all ingenious persons skilled in those qualifications that shall think fit to send in any composition in prose or verse to Mr. Playford, bookseller in the Templechange in Fleet-street, free from all manner of reflections on parties and persons in particular, such as shall be approved of, Mr. Playford shall have orders to gratify the authors, and to return the others with thanks for the Author's kind intentions. The performance to begin exactly at eleven of the clock in the morning; and tickets to be had at Mr. Playford's, Garraway's, the Rainbow, and at most of the chief coffee-houses in town. The benefit of the Tickets, being only 5s. a-piece, the common price of other Musicktickets, is to be disposed of amongst decayed gentry, and the maintenance of a school for educating of children in Religion, Musick, and Accompts."

Mr. Weedon advertised in the Gazette of May 4, 1702, that his Musical and other entertainments would be performed at Stationers-hall on the 7th with Anthems by Dr. Blow, an Oration

by

by Mr. Collier, and Poems by Mr. Tate, her Majesty's Poet Laureat, in praise of Religion and Virtue. The receipts to be applied as beforementioned.

In 1711, British charity extended beyond the bounds of the realm, through an application from the Society for the propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts to her Majesty, who was pleased, in consequence, to permit a collection to be made from house to house in all the parishes and precincts within the bills of mortality, to be applied to the purposes of the institution; which was announced from the reading-desks on Trinity Sunday.

Exclusive of the annual meetings of the charity children, there were opportunities taken to impress the publick with a due sense of the value of the institutions.

In 1713, they were assembled in the Artilleryground, where the duke d'Aumont the French resident, and other distinguished characters attended to inspect them; the ambassador evinced his approbation by handsome presents of money to buy them books, &c. And on the thanksgiving day 4000 of these youths were seated upon elevated benches, which extended 600 feet in the Strand, where they saluted the two Houses of Parliament and the great officers of state, with hymns sung in unison.

The trustees adopted a plan in 1713, that seems well worth imitation at present, which was a Sermon preached by the Rev. Dr. Waugh, at St. Bride's, from the 12th verse of the 27th Psalm, "When my father and my mother forsake me, the Lord taketh me up," before 1400 of those children, of 2250 who had been placed with persons as apprentices and servants. impressive discourse addressed to young persons, under such circumstances, must be attended with the best effects.

An

The gifts of private individuals to the poor cannot often be ascertained, but, that they are generally considerable, may be accidentally collected through the death of common beggars one of those who lived in Barbican, died in October, 1713, when 80 years of age, and seems to have perished through the chill occasioned by some sour beer given to her in Smithfield; her pockets contained eight farthings, but the rags that covered her concealed 150 broad pieces and guineas.

In 1714, the King gave the Sheriffs 1000l. for the relief and discharge of poor prisoners for debt.

Mr. Feast, brewer, of Whitecross-street, set a most brilliant example of charity in the dreadful winter of 1715-16, by purchasing 400 chaldrons of coals, which he distributed to such poor persons as were deprived of work by the severity of the winter.

In the following year 4400 persons formed a Society for insurance upon Lives, with a monthly dividend; but that which distinguished this association, and rendered it a proper subject for this Chapter, was, their requesting the rectors, vicars, and wardens of St. Martin in the Fields, St. James, St. Margaret's, St. Giles, St. Andrew's Holborn, and St. Clement Danes, "to recommend two boys out of each parish to the Society, which shall be put forthwith to school, cloathed, and 101. given to put them out apprentices; and "as the Society receives encouragement, the same method will be used to the great parishes, within the bills of mortality, that are overburthened with poor; and that a monthly stock is kept, and security given to the trustees for the security of the stock, to put several hundred children apprentices, and the 10l. charity. Each subscriber pays only 1s. per week; and if the person dies in a month after entrance, you are entitled to a dividend of 500 months to be made; but, if your life should continue one year, you are entitled to 151. to put out a child apprentice, or 10l. to be disposed of to charitable uses as you shall judge proper; and 1257. per month laid by as a stock to sink your weekly payments," &c. &c. *

4800 children attended the anniversary of the charity-schools in 1716, at St. Sepulchre's church

Original proposal,

on

on which occasion the bishop of Lincoln preached from Dan. iii. 12. The number of schools of this description had increased from the reign of king William III. in England and Ireland to 1221, and near 30,000 children received the benefit of instruction, and in many instances food and cloathing; those of London were 124, the number of boys educated in them 3131, the girls 1789; the children apprenticed from them, boys 2513, girls 1056 *.

A most dreadful fire occurred at Limehouse in the month of December, 1716, by which near 200 houses were destroyed, aud infinite distress occasioned; the Prince Regent, agitated with strong sentiments of compassion, ordered the sum of 1000l. to be distributed immediately to the most pitiable objects; which laudable example was promptly followed by others to a considerable amount. A more disinterested charity was prosecuting at the same period for the Epis copal Protestants of Poland; towards which, 601, was obtained in the inconsiderable parish of St. Helen's, Bishopsgate.

The Prince of Wales, actuated by the same impulse which now operates in the Society for the relief of prisoners confined for Small Debts, sent 350l. at Christmas, for the discharge of those at Ludgate and the two Compters,

* Statement of the trustees,

+ Newspapers.