kind, as they are most neceffary, and of obvious utility, are alfo very numerous, not only in the metropolis, but in all parts of the British empire. Several of the most eminent of these foundations have been described in the early pages of this volume. A copious enumeration might be made from the work of Mr. Highmore, but the notice will be confined to a few of the most remarkable which had not before been specified.

ALDGATE SCHOOL. This fchool confits of one hundred children, fixty boys and forty girls, who are clothed and educated. It is remarkable as being the first proteftant parish school which was established in London, and the firft which adopted the Rev. Dr. Bell's new Madras system of education. It was inftituted about the year 1688.

THE ASYLUM, or House of Refuge for Orphan Girls, Lambeth. This charity owes its eftablishment to that vigilant and active magistrate, the late Sir John Fielding; who had long obferved, that "though the laws of this kingdom had provided a parish fettlement for every perfon by birth, parentage, apprenticeship, &c. yet many cafes continually occurred in which fuch fettlements are difficult to be afcertained;" and therefore he and others were folicitous to remove, in part, this source of female wretchednefs. By their exertions, and the continued endeavours of those who have hitherto conducted the plan, their benevolent intentions have been rewarded by the moft fignal fuccefs. Two hundred

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dred deferted females are daily fheltered and protected from vice and want, fupplied with food and raiment proper for them, and taught whatever can render them useful in their fituation, or comfortable and happy in themselves. Carefully inftructed in the principles of religion, in reading, writing, needle-work, and household bufinefs, and trained to habits of industry and regularity, a supply of diligent and fober domeftics is formed. The eftablishment is under the government of a committee of fubfcribers, annually elected. No child can be admitted who is under the age of nine or above the age of twelve years. Nor until approved of by the committee. They are bound apprentices for feven years, at the age of fifteen or fooner, as domeftic fervants in reputable families in Great Britain. The committee, in gratitude to the Rev. Dr. Bell, have adopted his admirable mode of education at the Afylum. It was introduced by the recommendation of his royal highness the duke of Cambridge, the prefident, with the approbation of his grace the archbishop of Canterbury.

SCHOOL FOR THe Indigent BlinD, Saint George's-fields, Surry. The object of the school for the indigent blind is to instruct perfons of that description in a trade, by which they may be able to provide, either wholly or in part, for their fubfiftence. Subfcriptions were first folicited for the inftitution in December 1799; but fo much time was unavoidably spent in procuring a proper place for the school, in providing accommodations for the reception of the pupils, and in other neceffary arrangements, that very few admiffions could take place till toward the end of the following year.

During a period of little more than eight years, it returned thirty perfons to their families, able to earn according to their feveral abilities, from 75. to 185. per week. It has been able to increase the number of its pupils from fifteen males, with which it commenced in 1800, to thirty-five males and seventeen females; and it has established a trade, from which it derives a profit of nearly 600l. per annum in aid of its expences. All objects under twelve are now deemed abfolutely inadmiffible; but no age above eighteen is confidered as a difqualification, while the strength remains unimpaired, and the fingers are -flexible.

The articles at prefent manufactured in the school are, fhoemakers' thread, fine and coarse thread, window fafh line, and clothes line, (of a peculiar conftruction, and made on a machine adapted to the ufe of blind perfons,) by the fe

males;

males; and window fafh line, clothes line, hampers, and wicker baskets, rough and white bear mats, and fine mats for hearths and carriages, by the males. A large quantity. of fine thread has been wove, by order of the committee, into cloth, of good quality, fpecimens of which may be feen at the school, and the coarfe is worked up into the clothes line, and window fafh line. In the manufacture of these different kinds of line, a very material improvement has taken place fince it was commenced, and fpecimens of thofe articles have been approved by architects of the first eminence. The fale of baskets, bear mats, and white and coloured fine mats, at the school, has alfo very much increafed, and orders are conftantly executed by the pupils to a great extent: a large affortment of baskets of different forts and fizes, and of rough, and white, and coloured bear mats, is always kept at the fchool for fale, all excellently. made.

The pupils are only kept in the fchool till they have attained a fufficient knowledge of their trade; which, in ge neral, where there is no want of diligence or capacity, will be in about three years; they are then difcharged to make room for others, with a portion of their earnings, by way of encouragement, and a fet of tools; and many have already been returned to their friends grateful for the inftruction they have received, during their continuance in the fchool, in religion and morality, and qualified, by the skill they have acquired, to contribute in a great degree towards their maintenance.

THE BLUE-COAT SCHOOL, Tothill-fields. In the parish of St. Margaret, Weftminster, there are, in addition to the ufual parochial school, three establishments for the education of poor children, by distinct charters and endowments; viz. the Blue-coat Hofpital, and the Green-coat and Greycoat Hofpitals. This fchool was inftituted in 1688; its. plan was to educate boys in the doctrines of the protestant faith, according to the Church of England; the encouragement which it received, almoft immediately, enabled its founders to unite with it, in 1714, a school for girls. It has proceeded regularly upon its original principle, and there are now fifty-two boys and thirty-four girls upon this foundation.

THE GREEN-COAT HOSPITAL. Several inhabitants of the city of Westminster having resolved to fettle a house or hofpital, like that of Chrift's in the city of London, where poor orphans might not only be maintained with all the neceffaries of life, but likewife for their future good and that

of the public, be inftructed in manual arts, upon applica tion to Charles I., he, by his letters patent of the 16th of November 1633, incorporated them by the appellation of the "Governors of the Hofpital of Saint Margaret, Weftminfter, of the foundation of King Charles;" to confift of twenty governors, inhabitants of that city, to have perpetual succession, with a right of electing governors for fupplying vacancies, and to purchase lands, &c. in mortmain, to the value of 500l. per annum. But the civil war breaking out foon after, the defign was in fome refpects fuppreffed, until, by the charitable benefactions of Charles II. and others, the vefted eftate was raised to above 300l. per annum; by fines paid to the dean and chapter of Weftminster on the renewing of leafes, it confifting chiefly of church lands, the annual income was confiderably reduced; ftill, by cafual donations the purposes of the hofpital have been effected, and the school is maintained for the benefit of the children of parents inhabiting the parish of St. Margaret, Westminfter, and is fituate in Tothill-fields, near the Grey-coat School.

THE GREY-COAT HOSPITAL. In 1698 a charity-school was erected in Tothill-fields, in the parish of St. Margaret, Westminster, for the education of poor children, by the name of the " Grey-coat School," from the colour of the children's uniform. In April 1706, the truftees were incorporated by Queen Anne. In September 1739, a mathematical school was erected that boys might be instructed in navigation, and fitted for the fea fervice. There are at this time in the school ninety poor children, who are clothed, inftructed, and maintained in lodging, washing, and board; they are carefully educated in the principles of the chriftian religion according to the Church of England, and publicly examined upon the expofition of the church catechifm or liturgy every Sunday evening at 7 o'clock.

THE CORPORATION FOR RELIEF OF POOR WIDOWS AND CHILDREN OF CLERGYMEN. The Reformation (favourable as it was to the proteftant religion) did not make fo competent and independent a provifion for the inferior clergy as could have been withed; for many livings, being ftript of great part of their tythes, the incomes are inadequate to the neceffary demands of life. An indulgence, likewise, then firft granted, became eventually a confiderable burthen to them; for the reformed clergy being allowed to marry upon their fmall emoluments, poverty in confequence, in many cafes, became not only their own lot, but too often the lot of a numerous offspring. In the reign of Charles II., a fociety

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a fociety was established by the royal charter, dated 1ft July 1678, under the name of "the Corporation for the Relief of poor Widows and Children of Clergymen." Since the date of this charter, the revenues having increafed by various benefactions, the corporation reprefented the fame by petition to King George I., who, on the 16th of December 1714, granted his licence to enable them to make further purchafes and acquifitions, not exceeding 5000l. per annum, and the fubfequent augmentations have enabled the corpo ration to extend its bounty to many indigent but refpectable widows.

SONS OF THE CLERGY. The lastmentioned is not properly a charity for inftruction, but it was introduced here, as in connexion with the prefent. Notwithstanding the relief afforded by that inftitution, many families of clergymen were too burthenfome for the widows to maintain. The confideration of this circumstance gave rife to that humane inftitution, the Stewards of the Feast of the Sons of the Clergy;" by the affiftance of which many poor children of clergymen are put apprentice, and are thereby happily provided with the means of becoming ufeful members of the community. These charities, however generous and extensive in their views, were yet many times defeated in their intentions, by children being offered who were too young to partake of the benefit they could afford; a number of gentlemen, therefore, in 1749, formed themselves into a body, under the name of "a Society of Stewards and Subfcribers for maintaining and educating poor Orphans of Clergymen till of age to be put apprentice.' This eftablishment, happily increafing as it became more generally known, has now attained a confiderable degree of profperity. This fociety, fince its inftitution in 1749, has received into its schools more than feven hundred children of both fexes; moft of whom have been put apprentice, or otherwise provided for; the stricteft care having been previously taken of their morals, and of their advancement and improvement in ufeful learning.

THE WIDOWS AND CHILDREN OF CLERGYMEN IN THE DIOCESE OF LONDON. In addition to the foregoing useful and neceflary charities, the London clergy, to their great honour, have fubjoined another. A meeting was held by these gentlemen on the 12th of February 1791, when it was agreed that a committee should be appointed to give a more extenfive effect to the inftitution for the relief of widows and children of the clergy of London, Weftminster, and the county of Middlesex. A fimilar inftitution has been estab

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lifhed