AVERAGE FRICES of CORN, from the Returns ending July 10, 1804. INLAND COUNTIES. Wheat Rye Barley Oats | Beans 'S. d. s. d. s. ds. d. s. d. 17 68 77 66 18 70 75 19 61 70 55 20 58 60 56 21 56 66 22 60 68 23 61 24 66 58 59 68 $8 834 6 Norfolk 47 600 024 322 132 o Lincoln 47 3 28 134 10 York 53 11 37 026 6 Durham 58 300 Derby 59 200 024 623 239 of Northum. 55 238 241 Weftmo. 61 1139 Notting. 57 034 0'26 Stafford 54 400 240 031 225 741 Lancast. 61 300 029 826 Warwick 55 400 032 327 542 5 Flint 49 600 Wilts 54 0010 03 428 442 8|Denbigh 55 600 30 442 3 Anglesea oo Coo Carnarv 58 042 Berks 62 1000 030 6 27 8138 026 9125 235 729 224 021 4 Merioneth53 944 ooo of Cardigan 57 000 024 8 17 400 800 Pembrok 49 1150 9:00 Average of England and Wales, per quarter o Carmart. 04 Somerfet 54 600 32 829 40 52 900 Monm. 6.00 37 024 027 324 o co Average of Scotland, per quarter. Cornwall 57 300 035 222 2100 Dorfet 52 1100 cloo 030944 Hauts 53 00 03 528 140 II AVERAGE PRICES, by which Exportation and Bounty are to be regulated. Wheat Rye Barley Oats Bean d. s. d. s. d. J. d. 56 034 731 9.20 837 5 52 3134 730 626 338 57 2134 732 7.24 237 d. Diftri&s S. ds. 9 10 II 12 5 529 141 11 2138 13 54 841 824 8 26 1132 IE 46 81 823 118 236 O THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, For JUL 1804. T ન June 25. HE pure morality, the refined fenfibility, and univerfal philanthopy, exemplified in the character of the Author of the Chriftian Religion, afford leffons of the most extenfive humanity, infpire fympathy with diftrefs, and energy to relieve it, in every ramification, whether of mind or body. He who, by his divine nature, was exempted from the human frailty of fin, experienced the pains and diseases incident to the human conftitution; for no malady could be more infupportable to the body than that of the bloody fweat, or more diftrelling to the fenfibility of a feeling mind, than the contemplation of afflictions which equally level the mental and corporal powers, in mania, or melancholy, even below thofe of the beaft that perifheth; and from his near alliance to, or at least friendfhip with, one who had been the victim of feven attacks of lunacy, his feelings must have been affec tionately alive to fympathy on fuch trying occafions. And indeed it appears, that the firft exercife of his divine miffion was upon a Maniac whom he found in the Temple, and who must have been from the violence of his ftate, as described with apt and ftrong colouring, even dangerous to the fafety of the community. He that could controul the furiate ftrength of a Maniac, who, Scriptures fay, broke cords and chains, has left an example, which we fhould adopt, of kindly protecting those whofe mental derangement demands our fympathy, and claims our foftering care, by adminiftering thofe alleviations which tend to organize and calm the diftreffed or violent operations of deranged intellect, as the best means of restoration to health, or fecurity to perfonal fafety. Indeed, the most rude as well, as civilized nations have devoted, through every period of hiftory, specific attention to this degraded ftate of human nature; even the Philiftines regarded with fraternal care, their avowed enemy, David, when he affumed a pretended lunacy; and modern Nations have very generally extended the means of fuccour to this ftate of fuffering humanity. Lamentable, however, it is, that in many inftances the exercife of our beneficence has not equalled that of the Philistines, as the fubfequent letter evinces; much lefs that of the Redeemer, who condefcended to pay his first vifit after his refurrection to one on whom his fanative powers had been previoufly difplayed, and to whom his kind attentions had been frequently extended; for he thought no object of either fex, however humble, when elevated by virtue, unworthy of his friendship; who, in the fublimity of his own character, condefcended to thed tears of fympathetic feeling for family diftrefs Jefus wept!" an example that ought to infpire the human heart with a laudable exertion to remove the tears of affliction from every feature of mifery. Before I conclude, perhaps, I ought to offer fome apology for the language of this addrefs, which thr reader may be difpofed to cenfure as difplaying a ftrain of seriousnels bordering upon the melancholy. But whoever perufes the following letter, and reflects upon the dangerous ftate of health to which my friend had been reduced, in confequence of his exposure to the most baneful air, refulting from confined filth and peftiferous effluvia, must feel fome depreffion in reflecting upon the dangers to which he is liable in the exercife of philanthropy, and on the irretrievable lofs which the publick would fustain by his death-not on account of his uprightness as a Magiftrate, or his ftation as the High Sheriff of the County of Bucks-other magif ́trates are upright; and every County affords a Sheriff-but who among the fons of Affluence would plunge into the dungeons of mifery! or visit the incarcerated delinquent! or offer health and life as.a facrifice at the al tar of Benevolence! That other individual, if an other exift, is not known to JOHN COAKLEY LETTSOM. tended long fince to have reached your hands, and which has been postponed for want of a fuitable convevance. When I reached Launceflon, on my return from Bodmin, I vifited the workhoufe. Here a fcene of filth, rags, and wretchednefs, prefented itself, fcarcely exceeded in the Tolbooth at Glafgow. The large room below ftairs has a mud-floor; and whole families, men, women, and children, pig together. The upper room had feveral bedfleads in it, with the most ragged and dirty bedding I ever faw; the windows very fmall and clofe; the want of ventilation and decent cleanlinefs produced a fench almoft infupportable. I was in the room but a few minutes before I was feized with fickness, which obliged me to withdraw. Lofs of appetite and a general debility fucceeded. This haftened my departure, and prevented me waiting on the magiftrates. avail myfelf. My bottle of aromatic Of your excellent recipe I could not vinegar, as well as that containing bark, were broken, as likewife the litthe trunk in which they, together with my papers, were packed, in one of my P. S. I have juft feen two letters Quixotic journeys through Wales, where in the last month's Magazine, in the grotefque figures of man and mule reference to the Letters on Prifons, (horfe I could get but one), with my figned W. p. 496, and S. A. p. attendant Squire, portmanteau, and 518; which are written in fuch li-writing-cafe, looked more like the beral and difpaflionate language as to demand my thanks, and which I purpose foon to acknowledge in a Specific addrefs. To Dr. LETTSOM. You will fee, by the date of my vifits to the feveral Prifons I purpofe giving you an account of, that this was in knight of La Mancha than Buonapartet. have a beneficial effect; but on my ar Change of air, I thought, would rival at Dorchester I had fcarcely ftrength to go over the prifou. It was in a state of complete cleanlinefs, and had, fince my laft vifit, received feveral improve ments through the benevolence of my philanthropic friend, Mr. Morton Pitt. My fickly flate attracted more notice *I.. my fifth letter (Gent. Mag. p. 293,) the milerable prifon police of Edinburgh was noticed, and the propriety of building a more fuitable prifon than the prefent Tol booth was urged, and that even a proper place was pointed out by my humane friend, who had heen previously accompanied by the Lord Prevoft, Council, and Magiftrates, in vifiting feveral elegant edifices in the city; and yet, fuch is the infatuation or neglect of perfons in power! I have this inftant learned by the following note from him, that Literature may flourish, whilst public mifery augments. "In a letter from the learned and benevolent Profeffor Duncan, dated Edinburgh, May 24, 1801, he fays, "I am sorry I canno fend you any account of the progress of cur intended New Goal at this place. It is ftill only talked of, although other buildings go on very rapidly." In a preceding letter my friend entertained me with an account of his having heen fufpected as Buonaparte in dilgnife. This might, perhaps, arife from the loyalty of the Welch; it might appear to them more probable, than that a gentleman of independent fortune fhould leave home and every comfort, to vifit the dreary prifon, and rifk his life on roads not admiffable to a carriage! What a contraft do thefe characters exhibit! One has waded through blood to the imperial diadem; the other claims only the humble title vf" The vifitor of prifons, the friend of the friendless!" here here than I wished. I felt it myfelf, and fet out for Blandford. The next morning I proceeded on my journey to Poole, not without ftrong fufpicions of being a fpy. On my arrival thefe doubts were foon cleared. When I came to Winchelier, my worthy friend Sir Henry Mildmay happened to be there; he politely invited me to Dogmersfield, and took me in his carriage. I ftaid two or three days, recruited ex ceedingly, and arrived at Chellea in tolerable health. I have mentioned Launceston workhoufe. It is my practice, when time will permit, to vifit houfes of induftry, workhoufes, and large manufactories, and now and then the hofpitals and madhoules. Not that I have much knowledge refpecting the two latter, except as far as cleanliness and ventilation are concerned. This has produced a good effect in one inftance. On vifiting the workhoufe at Bodmin, in Cornwall, which I found in a very dirty ftate, I was fhown down fairs into a room where a poor lunatic was confined. He lay ftretched on a little fhort and dirty firaw at the further end, with a few rags, but no thirt upo him. He held a book in one hand at arm's length, on which his eyes were intently fixed. His fhaggy hair, long beard, dirty and livid face, gave him the appearance of a monfter rather than a man. He took no notice, either on opening the door, or during the time I was in his room, till I came close up to him; he then took his eyes off his book, and looked at me with a more forcible appeal to humanity than I had ever felt. The floor of this room was earth, and literally a puddle of water and dirt more than one inch deep. It was with difficulty I could tiep into it without treading in his excrement, which laid every where about the floor; and, from the appearance of what was in the fire-place, mufl have been there a fortnight or more, The keeper had moft unmercifully beat the poor fellow, and given him two black eyes. I endeavoured to investigate the matter, but the miflrefs kept fuch an inceffant clack that I could not put in a word edgewife. This loquacions lady 46 has a curious mode of difcriminating the poor in the workhoufe; "thefe, fays fhe, are my people; thofe are the town's." I did not afk her expla nation, but fuppofe the former live altogether in the houfe, and the latter have liberty to work out. I waited on the mayor, who is rector of the parish. He very humanely ordered a vefiry to be given out in church for the fubfequent day (Monday); and the magiftrates and phyfician attended, fo that I had the luxury of knowing on the fpot, that the poor object was to be taken from his wretched place of confinement, put into a clean room, and properly taken care of. For this great act of benevolence, I was much indebted to the humane and philanthropic Dr. Hall*, who gratuitoufly vifits and preferibes for the pri foners in this well-regulated and excellent prifon. He allured me he would pay particular attention to the man; that he was only temporarily deranged, and was frequently fane for a long time, and would then do a moft aftonishing deal of work for thofe he loved. I reprefented the cleanlinefs, good. order, health, and chearfulness, I had feen the week before in the workhoufe at Plymouth Dock; and I fincerely with the maflers and iniftreffes of other workhoufes would pay this a vifit, and "go and do likewife." The favage and inhuman treatment I had fo lately witneffed at Bodmin prefented itfelf in the Bridewell of Poole, in Dorfetfhire; but the victims were more numerous. Four of them (lunatics) had a finall degree of light and ventilation from an aperture in the door; a fifth was fhut up in a cell from which both air and light were almoft totally excluded; this was an act of the keeper's, for there were the means of conveying both. He had with him a bafket with four different kinds of merchandife, viz. matches, lemons, garters, and laces. I afked what crime he had been guilty of. The woman replied, he had been feen begging: which the man pofitively denied. "And is it for this," faid I, "that you treat him worse than a felon?" "How * This excellent phyfician, who fo ficuoully vifits the prisoners without fee or reward, I found thus employed on my firft vifit to the gaol, and is one of the few inftances of the kind I have met with. + Some years ago fo many feandalons and criminal practices were in mad-hoafes (fo cailed), as to induce the leg nature to enact feveral falutary laws for the protection of the jufanc, "How many pine in want and dungeon gloomis, [ufe Shut from the common air and common Of their own limbs !" The keeper of the Bridewell was not at home. I had not time, nor was I in health or vigour, to lay my complaints before the magiftrates; but, in the prefence of a refpectable inhabitant who accompanied me, I gave the mil trels fuch a lecture as would, I think, make her ears tingle for a month. chapel. There are feparate rooms and fix courts for each fex of debtors, of felons, and of petty offenders, or Bridewell prifoners; and each prifoner has a feparate lodging room (about 8 feet 2 inches by 5 feet 8, and 7 feet high), which is furnifhed with a wood bedftead, ftraw bed, two blankets, and a coverlet. There are two rooins for infirmaries, and under them three condemned cells. In two of the courts are baths. In the centre of the Gaoler's house there is a turret with an alarmbell, and a clock. The men who are confined for petty offences are employed in fawing and polishing ftone, and fawing timber; they have one half of what they earn befide the county allowance. Women are employed in fpinning and carding wool, and have one half of their earnings. The men's gaol is two ftories high, and contains eight cells on each fiory, divided from the court by a paffage of 4 feet 6 inches. Men's Bridewell the fame. The women's gaol and Bridewell are one story high, and each contains seven cells, divided by a lobby, the fame as the men's. The common-fide debtor's prifon has nine rooms, about 10 feet by 7, and 8 feet 9 inches high, for which they pay as per table in my book on pritons. You have faid it is ftrange, that a man, whofe fortune "would enable him to feast on the elegancies of life, fhould delight in nothing fo much as vifiting fcenes of filth and mifery:" but the fact is, I really feel a greater gratification in the purfuit, than in any other difpofal of my time, or that fortune can furnish. If I fhall not tire your patience, I will continue my narrative. When I left Penzance I went to Bodmin, where the Magiftrates have erected a monument of their humanity and attention to the health and morals of prifoners. The Gaoler, James Chappie, is intelligent and humane: falary 301. and fees as per table in my printed book on prifons, and one-fourth part of the clear earnings of the prifoners' labour. Chaplain, Rev. Mr. Morgan; duty every Sunday, falary 501.; Surgeon, Mr. Hamley, falary 301.; number of prifoners 10th Oct. 1303, debtors 12, men felons 7, women felons 6; Bridewell prifoners 20; allowance one pound eleven ounces of bread daily, made of wheat and barley-meal in equal quantities, and half a pound of beef on Sundays. A There is a large work-room, in which are feveral looms for weaving; and a court to work in, 46 yards by 32. warm and cold bath and ovens to purify the cloaths. When a prifoner is brought into cuftody, the Surgeon is fent for, to examine him; and, if he is unwell, he fends him medicines; if he is ragged and dirty, he is ftripped, wathed in the bath, and county clothes put on him. This gaol is fituated on a rifing ground, fronts the South, is well fupplied with water and fresh air, which nakes it very healthy, there having been but feven deaths in 21 years out of 3106 prifoners. Here is a good houfe for the Gaoler, in which there are four rooms for mafier's side debtors, and a All the apartments are whitewashed twice a year, and the fleeping-cells four times. The floors of the dayrooms and fleeping-cells are washed once a week in winter, and twice in fummer, and fwept every day. All iniane, or those reputed to be 10. By the 14h Gen. III. c. 49. (which is enacted to be in force for five years; and by the 19th Geo. III. ch. 15. is continued for feven years further; and by 26th Geo. III. c. 91. in ide pe petual), no perfon, on pain of cool. fhall entertain or confine, in any houte kept for the reception of lunaticks, more than one Junatick at one time, without a licence being granted yearly by the College of Phyficiaus within Landon and Wettruinter, and feven miles thereof; and within the county of Middlesex, and elfew here, by the Justices in Seffions. The College of Phyficians de pute fome of their members annually to vifit the respective licenfed houfes; and the Maitrates thould devote fimilar attention within their jurifdiction; and perfonally examine the tire of the mailer ble objects under reftrant, and not depend upon the report of any keeper. The booking, inftances of cruelty at Bomin and Poole on ht 'o 'onze the attention of every Magifirare in the kingdom, to prevent the poffibility of such abufe from being prattled with impunity. L. the |