she had been under on his account, operating on a weak frame, which had brought her to the present state.

:

Robert was received by her and all the family with grateful kindness. They could not commend his conduct sufficiently, as Wilmot told them every particular. How gratified were his father and mother to hear his praises! Miss Ellen C. rallied for some time after her cousin's return, and hopes were indulged that she would recover, but the complaint had obtained too much hold on her after lingering and suffering for some time, she sank into the grave, dying as she had lived, with calm piety and resignation, loved and regretted by all! But who can describe the grief of young Wilmot? It was some time before he could bring himself, like his uncle, to bow with submission to the will of God: he soon after rejoined his regiment, but with far different feelings from the time before. He at that time, with the approbation of his uncle, presented Robert with a bank-bill for a thousand pounds, and said to him, ' It is not due to your merits that you should still be in service; I hear you are desirous to marry, here is something to set you up in business; but I can never repay what I owe you. Go, and may you enjoy all the happiness that I by my folly have thrown away.' Robert, at first, would not accept of so bountiful a gift, but, at length, urged by Mr. C., as well as young Wilmot, he accepted it, with tears of gratitude. He soon after married Fanny, the faithful attendant of Miss Ellen in her illness, and as gardening had always been his favourite employment, he purchased some ground in the town of N., where he has been settled now some years, and, by his industry and attention to business, enabled to provide comfortably for all his family, and fully enjoy the reward of integrity.

Mr., now Major Wilmot, has distinguished himself in the army, and if all accounts be true, has fully redeemed the errors of his youth; he is still unmarried. The worthy Mr. C. is dead: his son, now with his young wife and family, occupy the rectory of B. Robert's parents still live to see their children growing up in goodness and virtue around them.

Oct. 18, 1831.

S***H.

566

ON COTTAGE GARDENS.

SIR;

To the Editor of the Family Monitor.

IT has often struck me that if I were a cottager, I should, of all things, delight in a garden, and would spare no pains in obtaining a piece of ground, or afterwards in cultivating it. Though no great gardener myself, yet there is something in the vegetables and fruit of my own raising, which I fancy sweeter and finer than those of my neighbour; and whether it be that I have seen the plants grow, and have watched and weeded them, I know not, but I sit down to the produce with a greater relish than if I had been indebted to another man for it. With these feelings, Mr. Editor, it was with much pleasure that I read an account in your last number of the manner in which the poor of Southam appear to have appreciated their allotments of land, and also of the gratitude of that class of society generally. I am myself a great advocate for this manner of advancing the comfort of the lower orders; and there is now, I am happy to see, in many parts of the kingdom a disposition to divide land into certain portions, and to let them out to labourers, who have thus an opportunity not only of supplying their families with wholesome vegetables in the summer, but also with potatoes in the winter, which will materially assist in supporting them creditably and comfortably, and also be the means of affording directly and indirectly many advantages. These allotments, unfortunately, are not yet general; but in most country places there are waste spots here and there by the side of roads, capable of cultivation, which a proprietor might probably be induced to give up for an annual trifle, to an industrious man if he thought he would fence it, and take proper care of it. I throw this out merely as a hint, Mr. Editor, and I should feel happy if any of your readers would take it as such, and cast their eyes about, and see if anything might be done in this way for their poorer neighbours. Of one thing I am sure, viz. that cottage gardens are much to the advantage of both rich and poor, by decreasing crime, and rendering the whole village more respectable, since

idleness, the parent of crime, leads many a man first to the publichouse, thence to the 'squire's preserves, and, lastly, to the hulks, if not to the gallows.

Your obedient servant,

A FRIEND TO INDUSTRY.

As corroborative of the preceding letter, we cannot do better than add the two following observations, extracted from a sixpenny pamphlet, entitled "The Poor Man's Garden, or a few brief Rules for regulating Allotments of Land to the Poor, for Potatoe Gardens;" which is well worthy the attention of all country residents :-" Whatever evinces on the part of the rich, an interest in the concerns of the lower orders, is generally met on their part by a corresponding return of gratitude and attachment; and we need scarcely look to Ireland, from which so many landlords are absentees, to be made aware of the expense and misery of having to keep in subjection a discontented pauper population. Neither, on the other hand, will it be expected that we should dilate on that acknowledged truth, that there is no greater blessing to the rich than to live in the midst of a thriving, contented, happy people. Sound policy, therefore, and self-interest, as well as kindly feelings, appear to advocate our system of poor's gardens, as one means of contributing to the comfort, and securing the quiet contentedness of the lower orders, and adding a powerful link to that bond of union which should hold all ranks together by one common interest."

6

"The plan of poor's gardens enlists another truism or olden maxim, on its side, (and our national adages abound in wisdom,) If you would keep people out of mischief, employ them.' Of one hundred and eighty families who applied to the writer of this article for garden-ground in Lichfield, forty at least had no regular work; nearly one-fourth of the applicants were exposed to the united dangers of idleness and penury. Can any one say, we should not step forward in aid of these families? Can any one deny that the gangs of poachers, petty thieves, drunkards, and sabbath-breakers, are abundantly recruited from the ranks of the unemployed paupers? We venture, then, earnestly to press upon landlords the consideration of our

garden system, which, by affording to the poor a useful occupation, has a direct tendency to counteract such vices as we have described."

RULES TO BE OBSERVED IN CASES OF INFECTIOUS FEVER.

THE following rules are extracted from the report of that excellent institution, the London Fever Hospital, Pancras Road, and are at all periods worthy of the attention of every family, but more particularly in these days of trouble and sickness. The advantages of this charity to the public, only require to be known to be appreciated; and we regret that we cannot devote a larger space to insertion of the full particulars concerning it; we must content ourselves, therefore, with the following brief extract from one of their last reports.

"The objects of this institution are, to diminish the mortality of malignant fevers, by a speedy removal of the patients into the Hospital and to prevent the spreading of these fevers, by purifying the apartments of patients by means of whitewashing, fumigation, &c. Two very important advantages are thus acquired, which are unattainable by the ordinary regulations of public charities. First, the admission is not delayed by formalities of recommendation, or stated and distant periods for the reception of patients; so that, if early application be made, the disease may be taken in the commencement, and more easily cured. And, secondly, the assistance being extended beyond the walls of the Hospital, to the infected apartments of the sick, those who have not already suffered are preserved to their families, and the patients, once recovered, escape the danger which might attend their immediate return home.

RULES.

1. It is of the utmost importance to the sick, and their attendants, that there be a constant admission of fresh air into the room, and especially about the patient's bed. The door or a window should, therefore, be kept open both day and night, care being taken to prevent the wind from blowing directly on the patient.

Rules to be observed in Cases of Infectious Fevers. 569

2. An attention to cleanliness is indispensable. The linen of the patient should be often changed; and the dirty clothes, &c. immediately put into fresh cold water, and afterwards well washed. The floor of the room must be cleansed every day with a mop, and all discharges from the patient immediately removed, and the utensils washed.

3. Nurses and attendants ought to endeavour to avoid the patient's breath, and the vapour from the discharges; or, when that cannot be done, they should hold their breath for a short time. They should place themselves, if possible, on that side of the bed from which the current of air comes, and carries off the infectious vapours.

4. Visitors must not go near to the sick, nor remain with them longer than is absolutely necessary; they should not swallow their spittle, but clear the mouth and nostrils when they leave the

room.

5. No dependence must be placed on vinegar, camphor, or other supposed preventives; which, without attention to cleanliness and admission of fresh air, are not only useless, but, by their strong smell, render it impossible to perceive when the room is filled with bad air or noxious vapours.

N. B. If these Rules be strictly observed, an infectious fever will seldom, if ever, be communicated; but if neglected, especially where the patient is confined to a small room, scarcely one person in fifty, who may be exposed to it, can resist the contagion: even infants at the breast do not escape it, though providentially less liable to be affected than adults.

Since infection originates in close, crowded, and dirty rooms, those who make a practice,—1. Of admitting the fresh air, at some convenient time, every day; 2. Of frequently cleansing and fumigating their apartments, bedding, furniture, &c.; and 3. Of washing the walls with quick lime, mixed with water, in the room, so as to be used as fresh as possible, may be assured, that they will preserve their families from malignant fevers, as well as from other diseases.

The following process of fumigation is extremely simple, and easily performed:-Take an equal quantity of powdered nitre, and strong vitriolic acid, or oil of vitriol, (about six drachms

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