CHAPTER XXX.

OTHER RELIGIOUS AND CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS.

Contents.

1. General Remarks on our public Charities.-II. Institutions connected with Religion.-III. Those for the Benefit of the Clergy: Remarks on Queen Anne's Bounty, IV, Feast for the Sons of the Clergy.-V. Corporation for poor Widows and Orphans of the Clergy-VI. Clergy Orphan School-VII. Diocesan Funds for Widows and Orphans of the Clergy.-VIII. Sion College.-IX. The Lock.-X. The Magdalen.— XI. The Female Penitentiary.-XII. The Foundling Hospital.-XIII. The Asylum.-XIV. The Philanthropic.-XV. The Refuge for the Destitute.-XVI. Marine Society.-XVII. General Observations.— XVIII. Suppression of Vice, and Prison Discipline.-XIX. Dissenters' Charities.-XX. On Chapel Elections.-XXI. Concluding Remarks.

I. If the trees were all pens, and the sea ink, and the heaven a scroll, they would be insufficient to describe fully the public charities of England *. Our charitable structures were termed, by Mr. Burke, so many electrical conductors, pointing their spires to heaven, and drawing away its lightnings from our national offences. Whether in providing for the relief of bodily ailments, or for penne, &c.

* Se tutti gli alberi fossero

redressing the more interesting wants of the soul, no country in the world ever vied with our own, in the number, ample funds, or excellent regula tions of its humane institutions. It falls not within the plan of the present work, to enumerate the asylums for deserted infancy, unsuccessful industry, alienated reason, and forlorn old age; the provisions for the sick, the destitute, the depraved; which every where abound. We have not only general infirmaries for the diseased, but dispensaries for less severe ailments; and separate institutions for asthma, rupture, scrofula, cancer, diseases of the eye, and of the ear, contagious fever, small pox, vaccination; lying-in hospitals; and societies for the relief of poor married women in childbed. Humanity has instituted associations for superseding the necessity of climbing boys, and for improving the condition of chimney sweepers; others for preventing cruelty to animals; others for relieving persons imprisoned for small debts. The inhabitants of cellars and garrets, in extreme want, are relieved by the Strangers' Friend Society; while the strangers of other countries find in Britain the Friends of Foreigners in Distress. Hervé's National Benevolent Institution carries assistance to those persons of advanced age, and reduced fortunes, who cannot dig and are ashamed to beg; and spares them the pain of giving publicity to their names. The Humane Society takes under its care cases of

suspended animation, and chiefly aims at the restoration of drowned persons. It has restored to life five thousand three hundred individuals, and rewarded twenty-one thousand for risking their lives to save others. The Dollar Society takes its name from the amount of each contribution, and from the relief administered in small sums to the needy. From this has emanated the Ladies' Benevolent Society; in which the subscription is 10s. 6d. and the bounty confined to females. The Literary Fund wards off the ills of poverty, or old age, from decayed or unfortunate authors and their families. The Mendicity Society scours the streets of common beggars; and while it is prompt in the relief of real want, removes from the feelings of charity a mass of imposture: it has registered twelve thousand five hundred and twelve cases, fed ninety-six thousand two hundred sixty-five persons, and sent one thousand three hundred and twenty-one vagrants to prison*.

Concerning these institutions we observe generally, that some of them have no further connection with religion, than as they are instituted and supported by a religious spirit,-by charity, The hunting down of beggars may yet be carried too far. They serve to exercise the charitable feelings of that gay and thoughtless class, who would not trouble themselves to seek for objects.

“Whene'er I take my walks abroad,

How many poor I miss."

Had Dr. Watts lived now-a-days, he would have written this ode to great people.

which belongs to all religions. Others, excellent in themselves, have fallen under the management of certain proselytizing sects; who avail themselves of this influence, for the purpose of disseminating their own peculiar views of religion.

II. But there are several institutions of more prominent character, which deserve a more distinct notice; whether as intimately connected with the Church establishment, or with the body of Protestant dissenters.

III. Institutions for the benefit of the clergy and of their families.-The Reformation, favourable as it was to religion in England, materially affected the incomes and comforts of the clergy. A large number of benefices, despoiled of their great tythes, became inadequate provisions for their incumbents; who, being further admitted, by the abolition of celibacy, to the comforts of domestic life, could ill bear retrenchment from their means of supporting the families which now rose around them.

To remedy this evil, which had increased during one hundred and fifty years, through the advanced price of every comfort and necessary of life, Queen Anne relinquished the first fruits and tythes, for the purpose of augmenting small livings; and the governors of her bounty have, since that period, received occasional grants from the legislature. But, when it is considered, that of the ten thousand English livings, there were, A. D. 1700, nearly six thousand under the annual

[19th Cent. value of 50l. we cannot but perceive with regret, that the operation of this fund must needs be slow and scanty, and that vast numbers of the clergy must still be placed in a condition of much hardship.

IV. Under such circumstances, since little, if any thing, can be saved, even by the most prudent minister, the death of an incumbent, or stipendiary curate, must, in many instances, be destitution to his family. No charity, therefore, can be more necessary or praiseworthy, than that which preserves from want and degradation, the widow and the orphans of a character who, by a blameless and useful life, has deserved well of the State and of the Church. With this view, an association for the relief of the orphans of clergymen was formed, nearly two centuries ago, entitled the "Stewards of the Feast of the Sons of the Clergy." An annual sermon is preached, for the promotion of their objects, in St. Paul's Cathedral; and a dinner afterwards given in Merchant Tailors' Hall. A certain number of opulent individuals, some of them high in the Church and State, accept year by year the office of stewards, and defray all the expenses; both of the music in the cathedral, and of the subsequent entertainment. These are said to be equivalent to a present of 50l. from each steward. The tickets are given gratuitously; but collections are made both in the cathedral and hall; and as the most eminent personages, both civil and eccle