THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, For JULY, 1804. LETTER VIII. ON PRISONS. MR. URBAN, Sambrook Court, June 25. HE pure morality, the refined fenfibi T lity, and univerfal philanthopy, exemplified in the cha***racter 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 difeafes incident to the human conftitution; for no malady could be more infupportable to the body than that of the bloody fweat, or more diftrefling 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 muft have been affec tionately alive to fympathy on fuch trying occafions. And indeed it appears, that the first 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 defcribed 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 thofe whole 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 history, fpecific attention to this degraded ftate of human nature; even the Philistines 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 firft vifit after his refurrection to one on whom his fanative powers had been previously 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 distress 608 tended long fince to have reached your When I reached Launcefion, on my as difplaying a ftrain of seriousness to JOHN COAKLEY LETTSOM. P. S. I have juft feen two letters in the last month's Magazine, in reference to the Letters on Prifons, figned W. p. 496, and S. A. p. 518; which are written in fuch liberal and difpaflionate language as to demand my thanks, and which I purpofe foon to acknowledge in a fpecific addrefs. vifits To Dr. LSTTSOM. My Dear Friend, my You will fee, by the date of to the feveral Prifons I purpofe giving you an account of, that this was in nefs produced a stench almoft infup- Change of air, I thought, would have a beneficial effect; but on my arrival at Dorchefter I had scarcely firength to go over the prifon. It was in a state of complete cleanliness, and had, fince my laft vifit, received feveral improvements through the benevolence of my philanthropic friend, Mr. Morton Pitt, My fickly ftate attracted more notice *In my fifth letter (Gent. Mag. p. 293,) the miferable 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 frend, who had been previously accompanied by the Lord Provoft, Council, and Magißrates, in vifting feveral elegant ed fices 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 Lite"In a letter from the learned and rature may dourish, whilit public mifery augments. benevolent Profetfor Duncan, dated Edinburgh, May 24, 1804, he fays, "I am forry I cannot fend you any account of the progrefs of our intended New Goal at this place. It is fill only talked of, although other buildings go on very rapidly." + In a preceding letter my friend entertained me with an account of his having been fufpected as Buonaparte in difguife. This might, perhaps, arife from the loyalty of the Welch; it might appear to them more probable, than that a gentleman of independent fortune thould leave home and every comfort, to vifit the dreary prifon, and risk his life on roads not admitfable to a carriage! What a contraft do these characters exhibit! One has waded through blood to the imperial diadem; the other claims only the humble title of" The vifitor of prifons, the friend of the friendleis !?? here I have mentioned Launceston workhoufe. It is my practice, when time will permit, to visit houses of indufiry, workhoufes, and large manufactories, and now and then the hofpitals and madhonfes. Not that I have much knowledge refpecting the two latter, except as far as cleanliness and ventila tion 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 ftairs into a room where a poor lunatic was confined. He lay flreiched on a little fhort and dirty firaw at the further end, with a few rags, but no fhirt upoa 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 hvid face, gave him the appearance of a monster 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 clofe 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, inuft have been there a fortnight or more. The keeper had most unmercifully beat the poor fellow, and given him two black eyes. I endeavoured to investigate the matter, but the mistress kept fuch an inceffant clack that I could not put in a word edgewife. This loquacions lady has a curious mode of diferia.inating the poor in the workhoufe; thefe," fays he, are my people; thote are the town's." I did not afk her explanation, but fuppofe the former live altogether in the house, and the latter have liberty to work out. I waited on the mayor, who is rector of the parish. He very humanely ordered a veftry to be given out in church for the subsequent day (Monday); and the magiftrates and phyfician attended, fo that I had the luxury of knowing on the foot, 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 gratui toufly vifits and prefcribes for the pri foners in this well-regulated and excellent prifon. He affired 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 those he loved. I reprefented the cleanlinels, good order, health, and chearfulness, I had feen the week before in the workhouse at Plymouth Dock; and I fincerely with the mafiers and miftreffes of other workhoufes would pay this a vifit, and go and do likewife." 66 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 fmall 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 asked 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 so fĥiduoußy vifits the prifoners without fee or reward, I found thus employed on my first vifit to the gaol, and is one of the few inftances of the kind I have met with. + Some years ago fo many feandalous and criminal practices were in mad-houses (fo called), as to induce the leg.flature to enact feveral falutary laws for the protection of the infanc, "How many pine in want and dungeon glooms, [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 magifirates; but, in the prefence of a refpectable inhabitant who accompanied me, I gave the miftrefs fuch a lecture as would, I think, make her ears tingle for a month. 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 Chapple, is intelligent and humane: falary 30l. 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 50l.; Surgeon, Mr. Hamley, falary 301.; number of prifoners 10th Oct. 1803, debtors 12, men felons 7, women felons 6; Bridewell prifoners 20; allowance pound eleven ounces of bread daily, made of wheat and barley-meal in equal quantities, and half a pound of beef on Sundays. one This gaol is fituated on a rifing ground, fronts the South, is well fupplied with water and fresh air, which makes 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 mafler's-side debtors, and a 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 furnished with a wood bedftead, ftraw bed, two blankets, and a coverlet. There are two rooms for infirmaries, and under them three condemned cells. In two of the courts are baths. In the centre of the Gaoler's houfe there is a turret with an alarmbell, and a clock. The men who are confined for petty offences are employ ed in fawing and polishing stone, 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 ftory, 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 ftory high, and each contains feven 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 prifons. There is a large work-room, in which are feveral looms for weaving; and a court to work in, 46 yards by 32. A warm and cold bath and ovens to pu rify 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, washed in the bath, and county clothes put on him. 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 infane, or thote reputed to be to. By the 14th Geo. II. c. 49. (which is enacted to be in force for five years; and by the 19th Geo. III. ch. 15. is continued for seven years farther; and by 26th Geo. III. c. 91. made perpetual), no perfon, on pain of cool. shall entertain or confine, in any houfe kept for the reception of lunaticks, more than one Junatick at one time, without a licence being granted yearly by the College of Physicians within London and Westminster, and feven miles thereof; and within the county of Middlefex, and elsewhere, by the Juices in Seffions. The College of Phyficians depute fome of their members annually to vifit the refpective licensed houfes; and the Magiftrates fhould devote fimilar attention within their jurifdiction; and perfonally examine the ftate of the miferable objects under restraint, and not depend upon the report of any keeper. The shocking inftances of cruelty at Boimin and Poole ought to rouze the attention of every Magiftrate in the kingdom, to prevent the poffibility of fuch abuse from being practifed with impunity. L. the the prisoners attend chapel; and their behaviour when I was there (9th Oct. 1803) was orderly and devout, and divine fervice impreffively performed by > the worthy Chaplain; the Pfalm for the day was the 79th; and the three men under fentence of death were fenfibly affected by the twelfth verfe ; "O let the forrowful fighing of the prifoners come before Thee!" This gaol (as well as many others) has its inconveniencies or defects. The convicts remain a long while in the common gaol after fentence, indifcriminately allociating with thofe committed for trial. There is no proper feparation of young beginners from old offenders. It is worthy of remark, and much to the honour of the humane keeper, that one prifoner, fome time after his difcharge, faid the day of his commitment was the most fortunate in his life, as he had learned a trade (that of a fawyer) by which he could earn two guineas a week. There were committed to the Bridewell, from the 4th October, 1802, to the 5th October, 1803, prifoners 85 their earnings during that period were 1171. 8s.; of this fum the prifoners received one half, the Gaoler one quarter, and the other quarter was paid to the county flock. Launceston Gaol for FELONS for- Gaoler's apartments. Adjoining is the airy court-yard, but no water. There being no chapel, divine fervice is performed in a little room below. The Mayor fends the prifoners weekly one fhilling's worth of best wheaten bread: (weight, 18th October, 1808, 6 lb.). No memorial of the legacy in the gaol. The Act for preferving the health of prifoners is hung up, but not the claufe againft fpirituous liquors. The prifon clean. The dungeons of the old gaol were filled up with lum ber, and no appearance of their being ever ufed fince the new cells were built. Launceston town-gaol is over the South gate. One room, about 12 feet fquare, with a fire-place and three cagecells with ftraw on the floor for felons; over which is a large room for debtors. The whole prifon is in a very filthy and ruinous ftate. A debtor had escaped juft before my vifit. The gaoler, who is the Town-Serjeant, lives at a distance. Allowance three halfpence a day. No court. No water. Neither Act for preferving health, or clause against spirituous liquors hung up. Prifoner none, 18th October, 1803. Town Bridewell, is in the workhoufe yard. A room with two finall fleeping-cells, one for men, the other for women. Straw on a boarded floor, very dirty. No water. Prifoners are not permitted the ufe of the court-yard. Mafter of the work-houfe the keeper; falary 67. allowance the fame as the poor. I mufi now conclude, or I fhall not leave space fufficient to fay with what cordial esteem and regard I am moft fincerely yours, JAS. NEILD. Chelfea, November 5, 1803. |