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ledges that he cherishes a predilection for these efforts, excited as they may have been by imagination rather than chastened by judgment." p. i, ii.

standing and veracity, says: When
I first saw this tree, I concluded
myself imposed upon by the de-
⚫scriptions of preceding travellers,
and was convinced that the origi-
'nal tree had been cut down, and
the present group formed by new
shoots sprung out of the old root;
but upon a closer examination I
changed my opinion. This won-
⚫derful production of the vegetable
kingdom consists of a trunk now
split to the surface of the earth,
but, as I found by digging all round,
united in one body at a very small_bis." p. iii.
depth below.'

"We measured the circumference of this tree, and found it to be twenty-five canne and six palmi, or one hundred and sixty-two French feet, pied de roi, which is something larger than the Rhenish foot. A canna contains eight palms, the palm a span, including the first joint of the thumb.

"We and our whole escort, mules and all, found more than sufficient room within this tree; nor were we incommoded by the remains of a stone house and oven, which had been built there; and you will easily perceive, from its circumference, that the name Dei cento cavalli is no exaggeration. Huge branches spread from its principal trunks on all sides; and the vigorous vegetation of its green old age increases the admiration which its aspect excites, especially having suffered, as it has done, from the ravages of time, in despite of which its venerable ruins rather resemble a grove than a tree. View it on which side you will, its appearance is as beautiful as it is unique." p. 310-312.

CXVII. HINTS designed to promote
Beneficence, Temperance, and Medi-
cal Science. By JOHN COAKLEY
LETTSOM, M. and LL. D. in three
Volumes, 8vo.

ACH of these volumes has an en

The nature of this work may easily be understood by the following information extracted from the preface." It embraces some of the most interesting or less known institutions, founded on the national benevolence of this distinguished island, which Linnæus justly entitled the punctum vitæ in vitello or

"A considerable portion of the volumes is occupied by the rules and regulations of the respective establishments, which I thought it requisite to admit, as the means of enabling persons in distant parts of these kingdoms, as well as foreigners, to form similar ones." p. iii. iv.

Section II. Hints respecting the immediate Effects of Poverty.

After a pathetic exordium on the effects of poverty, the author introduces a case of extreme distress, with the following remarks.

"The benevolence of this nation is great beyond comparison, and when real distress is known, some tender bosom overflows with comfort and succour; but the chief examples of misery are unknown, and unrelieved. Many there are too diffident to apply for aid, or ignorant how to do it; some of these pine away in solitary want, till death closes their sufferings; numbers, however, rather than silently suffer their husbands, their wives, and their children, utterly to perish, supplicate our aid in the public streets and private avenues; but unfortunately for them, the prevalent opinion that there is somewhere abundant provision for the poor, and that idleness, not necessity, prompts their petitions, induce many to refuse that pittance, which would prove no loss to themselves, and in some instances might save a life.

"In many diseases the attack is violent, and the progress rapid; and

E graved title yolu, embellished before the settlement of a poor help

with a silhouette. The first is decorated with a silhouette of Dr. Lett

som.

"Several of the essays contained in this work have been already printed, and some of them at an early pe riod of the author's life; he acknow.

less object can be ascertained, death decides the controversy.

"I know that many undeserving objects intrude upon the benevolent, to the injury of real distress; but, rather than those should suffer all the pangs of misery, unpitied and un

aided, some enquiry might be made, and their case ascertained: were this tried, it would frequently bring us acquainted with situations and circumstances of misery which cannot be described; acquaintance with such scenes of human woe would excite thankfulness for ourselves, and compassion for our fellow creatures, who are visited with sufferings and paugs from which we have hitherto been providentially, if not undeserv. edly, preserved."

These sentiments were the result of a morning's walk in the metropolis, which introduced the writer into some situations of real life, the relation of which, he trusts, will not be unacceptable to those benevolent minds who think

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"About the beginning of December, on going out of my house, I was accosted by a tall thin man, whose countenance exhibited such a picture of distress and poverty as fixed my attention, and induced me to enquire into his situation. He informed me he was a day-labourer, just recovered from sickness, and that feeble as he then was, in order to procure sustenance for a sick family at home, he was compelled to seek for work, and to exert himself much beyond his strength; and he added, that he lived in a court called Little Greenwich, in Aldersgate Street. This poor object seemed to feel distress too deeply to be an impostor, and I could not avoid bestowing some means of obviating his present want, for which he retired bowing, with tears in his eyes; but when he got out of sight his image was present with me; I was then sorry that my generosity had not been equal to my sensibility, and this induced me to attempt finding out his family. He had mentioned that his name was Foy; and by the information he gave me, I discovered his miserable habitation: with difficulty I found my way up a dark passage and stair-case to a little chamber, furnished with one bedstead; an old box was the puly article that answered the purpose of a chair, the furniture of the bed consisted in a piece of old ticken,

and a worn out blanket, which constituted the only couch, except the floor, whereon this afflicted family could recline their heads to rest: and what a scene did they present! Near the centre of the bed lay the mother with half a shift, and covered as high as the middle with the blanket. She was incapable of telling her complaints. The spittle, for want of some fluid to moisten her mouth, had dried upon her lips, which, as well as her gums, were covered with a black crust-the concomitant symptoms of a putrid fever, the disorder under which she laboured, in its most malignant state. At another end of the blanket was extended a girl about five years old: it had rolled from under this covering, and was totally naked, except its back, on which a blister-plaister was tied by a piece of packthread crossed over its breast; and, though labouring under this dreadful fever, the poor creature was asleep. On one side of its mother lay a naked boy, about two years old; this little innocent was likewise sleeping On the other side of the mother, on the floor, or rather on an old box, lay a girl about twelve years old; she was in part covered with her gown and petticoat, but she had no shift. The fever had not be reaved her of her senses; she was perpetually moaning out, I shall die of thirst; pray give me some water to drink.'' Near her stood another girl, about four years old, barefooted; her whole covering was a loose piece of petticoat thrown over her shoulders; and to this infant it was that her sister was crying for water.

"I now experienced how greatly the sight of real misery exceeds the description of it.

"What a contrast did this scene exhibit to the plenty and elegance which reigned within the extent of a few yards only for this miserable receptacle was opposite to the stately edifice of an honourable alderman, and still nearer were many spacious houses and shops. I have observed that the daughter, who was stretched on the floor, was still able to speak. She told me that something was the matter with her mother's side, and asked me to look at it. I turned up an edge of the blanket, and found that a very large mortification had taken place, extending from the middle of the body to the middle of the thigh,

and of a hand's breadth; the length was upwards of half a yard, and to stop its progress nothing had been applied. It was a painful sight to behold; and many not less painful exist in this metropolis. I procured medical assistance immediately, and for a trifling gratuity got a neighbour to nurse the family. The churchwarden, to whom I made application, heard their history with concern, and added his humane aid, to rescue from death a poor and almost expiring family. I have, however, the plea sure to conclude this relation of their unspeakable distress, by communicating their total deliverance from it; which, I think, may be justly attributed to the timely assistance administered." LONDON, JAN. 1, 1780. p. 3-9.

The foregoing scene of woe is represented in an etching. Pathetic arguments to enforce the same practice as was exemplified in the above case conclude the section.

Section II. Hints respecting the distresses of the poor in the years 1794, 1795, with a silhouette of Benjamin Count Rumford, F. R. S. V. P. P. R. I. Acad. R. Berol. Elec. Boice et Palat. et Amer. Soc. &c.

In justification for publishing these Hints, the author says, that "although the restoration of peace, and better crops of corn, may afford some melioration of distress; yet a degree of it, much greater than what the poor ever experienced prior to the war, will most probably be severely felt. About four millions a year must be annually raised upon the public, more than was paid antecedently to this scourge upon human kind, Taxes may primarily be laid on articles of luxury, or on the opulent, but ultimately the burthen becomes felt by the whole community, the great mass of which, forming the chief consumers, pay the principal share of every impost.

"Perhaps the following queries and answers may exhibit in an obvious point of view the magnitude of that debt, to pay the interest of which the taxes so severely felt are annually levied.

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Supposing the national debt at present to be 309 millions of pounds sterling, and that the whole were to be counted in shillings; that a man could count 100 shillings per minute, and go on at that rate for twelve

hours every day till he had counted the whole.

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Quest. In what length of time could he do it.

"Ans. 269 years 219 days and 20 hours.

2. The whole of this debt being 7,800 millions of shillings, and as 62 shillings make a pound troy,

"Quest. The weight of the whole? “Ans. 125 millions 806 thousand 432 troy pounds.

"3. As the breadth of a shilling is one inch, and an acre of ground contains 43,560 square feet, or 6,272,640 square inches,

"Quest. How much ground would it require to lay the whole national debt upon in shillings, close to one another's edge?

"Ans. 1,243 acres and a half.

"4. Supposing a man could carry 100 pounds weight from London to York,

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Quest. How many could carry the whole?

"Ans. 1 million 258 thousand and 64 men.

"5. Supposing all these men were to go in a line, and keep two yards from each other,

"Quest. What length of road would they all require ?

“Ans. 1,429 miles, half a mile, and 210 yards. But England is not a third of that length, even from Berwick to Weymouth.

6. Supposing the interest of this debt to be only three and a half per cent. yearly,

"Quest. What does the whole debt amount to?

"Ans. 13 millions 650 thousand pounds sterling, which is paid every year.

7. Quest. How is this interest paid annually?

"Ans. By taxing those who lent the principal, and others.

8. Quest. When will the whole principal be paid?

"Ans. When there is more money in England's treasury by three-fold than there is in all Europe.

"9. Quest. When will that be?
"Ans. Never."

In the Hints the Dr. considers the earnings of the labouring poor totally inadequate to enable them to provide for any calamity or sickness to which they are liable: and to such as censure the poor for improvidence, recommends the calculation of the

money they themselves spend in necessary purposes: and proves that if sickness comes upon the labouring man, as his necessities exceed his earnings, his misery is inevitable without immediate aid.

In a note which is extracted from a work, intituled a Proposal for a perpetual Equalization of the Pay of of the labouring Poor, it recommends to regulate the price of labour by the price of wheat, and fixes labour at Is. per day, supposing wheat 6s. per bushel; but for every 1s. advance in the price of wheat, labour to increase in the proportion of 2d, per day.

The Doctor highly commends the practice of buying food, fuel, &c. for the poor, that they may obtain these articles good in quality and reasonable in price: and he reprobates the practice of those among the opulent, who "in rigorous seasons of the year treat the poor with a whole ox or oxen, and regale them with hogs. heads of ale." "I doubt not," says the Doctor, "but they get well replenished for the day; but, alas! the cay of feasting only makes them feel more poignantly its reverse, the day of fasting. It neither tends to good morals nor to persevering industry; but, on the contrary, is destructive of both. Much more charitable would it be to spend the money, which the donation of oxen and ale would cost, in fuel, warm clothing, and other necessaries, which would last beyond the day of feasting and fulness, and warm the indigent with comfort through the winter. Ye opulent and great in the land, whilst I respect your intentions, permit me to direct your beneficence into channels of real charity, to the permanent succoar of distress and pining want." 1.7, 28.

A reference is made here with much modesty to the conduct of the people called Quakers, who consist of about fifty thousand members, among whom abject poverty is the condition of none. The outlines of their plan is given, and their practice recommended, which, it is presumed, might easily be adopted: it is to re. lieve distress at its commencement, and thereby prevent the increasing evils of its continuance; and that societies consisting of both sexes might be formed, in parishes or small dis

tricts, to visit and relieve such appli cations as may come before them: the advantages arising from such a superintendance of the opulent over the indigent are then stated. In answer to an objection, that many of the poor are too depraved to merit attentions of this kind, it is said, few individuals are so hardened as to become irreclaimable by kindness. And were the plan of early relief once adopted, this hardened state would not be acquired; for depravity is not habitual where oppression is not permanent. p, 34.

Here follows a number of receipts of substitutes for bread made of wheaten flour only, and of various articles of cookery for the poor.

An eulogium on the character of P. Colquhoun, LL. D. accompanied by his silhouette, introduces a list of papers on the subject of the poor of the metropolis by that gentleman, which is followed by suggestions for the purpose of reducing the con sumption of bread-corn, and the substitution of cheap and wholesome food by means of soup establishments.

Every particular is specified rela, tive to the formation and manage. ment of a soup establishment, and information for the construction of a soup house, with a plate and expla nation of the ground-plan of the soup house, in Orchard Street, Westminster. The necessary, apparatus is described, and a great number of receipts for making the soup tried at different places, and this sec tion concludes with some very important observations, from which we present our readers with the following

6

"It has been said, that the day which makes a man a beggar takes away half his worth: it does more, it not only destroys his energy, but it entails upon his offspring a dispos sition to idleness, the source of every vicious action: we may hope, therefore, that as soon as the immediate pressure from a scanty harvest shall have been obviated, the wages of the labourer will be raised suitably to answer his necessary wants." p. 176, 177.

"The adage, that Peace begets Plenty,' will not be realized to the poor in any extensive degree; for the increase in the national debt, and consequently the increase of taxes, however they may have been origi

nally laid on the wealthy, must ultimately be paid by the great bulk of the people, who live by industry; hence the expence of subsistence must be enhanced as well as all necessary comforts of life; unless therefore the price of labour be augmented, the labourer must continue to live on charity; and, to establish this impolitic system, a bad government might be led to recommend a tax on the public to perpetuate such degrading benevolences; or, in other, words, give a bounty on idleness, and lay a duty on industry,' and thus, under the veil of humanity, for ever destroy that spirit of industry which begets good morals, and preserves that independence which every man ought to maintain, and which is the pride of the British constitution, and the boast of the English character." p. 179.

In a letter from P. Colquhoun, Esq. to the author, on the subject of this section, it is observed that, "after taking into the account rise of vages, and all the additional aid af. forded from parochial relief and private benevolence, the balance against the labouring people in the metropolis, comparing this year with 1798, is no less than two millions five hundred thousand pounds, near five millions in two years! Such are their privations! No wonder then that they are without apparel and furniture." p. 180.

Section III. Hints respecting the society for bettering the condition, and encreasing the comforts of the poor; with a silhouette of T. Bernard, Esq.

In the introduction of this section a distinction is made between poverty and indigence, and the poor are divided into five classes. This paper contains the origin of the society, its rules and recommendations, and a statement of its designs.

Section IV. Hints respecting the society for the discharge and relief of persons imprisoned for small debts; with a silhouette of J. Neild, Esq.

These hints contain some of the information communicated to the society by J. Neild, Esq. of the miserable condition of many of the prisons in England and Wales, stating the causes of distress, and means of relief. For this Mr. Neild was fully competent, having visited many of the

goals, and, we are happy to say, by his humane interference remedied evils, and relieved misery in the prisons of the metropolis. The origin, progress, and present state of this benevolent institution is fully stated.

Section V. Hints respecting female character, and a repository for female industry.

These hints are offered to plead in favour of female character, and to shew that the majority of the unfortunate part of the female sex are not vicious from choice, but necessity. The Doctor says, "As the unsuspicious, in that moment wherein innocence is not upon the guard, may be led into that situation from which too few return, more from the contempt they meet with from their acquaintance than from a vicious disposition, how important is it to cultivate a spirit of compassion that endeavours to reclaim and protect a friend thos suddenly plunged into distress! instead of that usual disregard which drives the unhappy victim from the example of virtuous company to a course of conduct which at first she was incapable of pursuing.” p. 260.

Respecting the repository we present the author's hints.

"The plan I wish to suggest is to reward industry as soon as it has become productive; to pay a certain price, a little under the value, for every article of female ingenuity brought to the repository, wherever that repository may be established; by this means no young woman will fabour without an immediate reward; industry will be encouraged, and virtue, protected.

"Once or twice a year a sale of the goods on hand may be made by auction; and if any loss be sustained, let it fall among the governors or patrons of the institution; individually it must be trivial; and if the articles sell for more than the sum at which they were estimated, let the profit be paid to the young artist upon her application."

The objects designed to be benefitted are suitably expressed, and close the section. Such a syster would gain the blessing of the daughters of many clergymen of young women brought up to good expecta tions, whose fathers have died in reduced circumstances; of thousands that class a little below the midd

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