as difplaying a ftrain of ferioufnels 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 expofure to the moft baneful air, refulting from confined filth and peftiferous effluvia, muft 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 fuftain 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 magiftrates are upright; and every County affords a Sheriff-but who among the fons of Affluence would plunge into the dungeons of mifery! or vifit the incarcerated delinquent! or offer health and life as a facrifice at the altar of Benevolence! That other individual, if an other exift, is not known

to

tended long fince to have reached your hands, and which has been poftponed for want of a fuitable conveyance.

When I reached Launcefion, on my return from Bodmin, I vifited the

workhoufe. Here a fcene of filth, rags, and wretchednefs, prefented itfelf, fcarcely exceeded in the Tolbooth at Glafgow. The large room below fairs has a mud-floor; and whole families, men, women, and children, pig together. The upper room had feveral bedtieads in it, with the mott ragged and dirty bedding I ever faw; the windows very finall and clofe; the want of ventilation and decent cleanli

nefs produced a fench almoft infupportable. I was in the room but a few minutes before I was feized with fick nefs, which obliged me to withdraw. Lofs of appetite and a general debility fucceeded. This hattened my depar ture, and prevented me waiting on the magiftrates.

Of your excellent recipe I could not vinegar, as well as that containing avail myfelf. My bottle of aromatic. bark, were broken, as likewife the lit the trunk in which they, together with my papers, were packed, in one of my Quixotic journeys through Wales, where the grotefque figures of man and mule (hore I could get but one), with my attendant Squire, portmanteau, and

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 li-writing-cafe, looked more like the beral and difpaffionate language as to demand my thanks, and which I purpofe foon to acknowledge in a specific addrefs.

To Dr. LETTSOM.
My Dear Friend,

You will fee, by the date of my vifits to the feveral Prifons 1 purpofe giving you an account of, that this was in

knight of La Mancha than Buonaparte†.

Change of air, I thought, would have a beneficial effect; but on my arrival at Dorchefter I had fearcely firength to go over the prifon. It was in a state of complete cleanlinefs, and had, fince my laft vifit, received feveral improvements through the benevolence of my philanthropic friend, Mr. Morton Pitt. My fickly fiate attracted more notice

* In my fifth letter (Gent. Mag p. 293,) the milerable prifon police of Edinburgh was noticed, and the propriety of budding a more fuitable prifon than the prefent Tole booth was urged, and that even a proper place was pointed our by my humane friend, who had been previously accompanied by the Lord Provoft, Council, and Magiftrates, in vfiting feveral elegant ed fices in the city; and yet, fuch is the infatuation or neglect of reifons in power! I have this instant learned by the following note from him, that Literature may flourish, wall public mifery augments. "In a letter from the learned and benevolent Profeffor Duncan, dated Edinb rgh, May 24, 1804, be fays, "I am forry } anno fend you any account of the progrefs of our intended. New God 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 fuspected 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 fhould leave home and every comfort, to vifit the dreary prifon, and risk his life on roads not admiffable to a carriage! What a contrait do thefe characters exhibit! One has waded through blood to the imperial diadem; the other claims only the humble title of" The vifitor of prifous, the friend of the friendless!"

here

* This excellent phyfican, who to ifiduouẞy vifts the pritoners without fee or reward, I found thus employed oa my first visit to the gaol, and is one of the few instances of the kind I have met with.

✦ Some years ago fo many feandalous and criminal practices were in mad-houfes (la called), as to induce the legislature to enact feveral falutary laws for the protection of the

"How many pine in want and dungeon
glooms,
[ule
Shut from the common air and common

Of their own limbs !"

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 The keeper of the Bridewell was not feparate lodging room (about 8 feet at home. I had not time, nor was I 2 inches by 5 feet 8, and 7 feet high), iu health or vigour, to lay my com- which is furnished with a wood bedplaints before the magifirates; but, in ftead, ftraw bed, two blankets, and a the prefence of a refpectable inhabitant coverlet. There are two rooms for inwho accompanied me, I gave the mid-firmaries, and under them three contrefs fuch a lecture as would, I think, make her ears tingle for a month. You have faid it is firange, that a man, whofe fortune "would enable him to fealt on the elegancies of life, fhould delight in nothing fo much as vifting 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 for tune can furnish.

If I shall not tire your patience, 1 will continue my narrative. When I left Penzance I went to Bodmin, where the Magiftrates have erected a muʊnument of their humanity and attention to the health and morals of prifoners. The Gaoler, James Chapple, is intelligent and humane: falary S01. and fees as per table in my printed book on prifous, 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.

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 maßler's side debtors, and a

demned cells. In two of the courts
are baths. In the centre of the Gaoler's
houfe there is a turret with an alarm-
bell, and a clock. The men who are
confined for petty offences are employ-
ed in fawing and polifhing ftone, and
fawing timber; they have one half of
what they earn befide the county al-
lowance. Women are employed in
fpinning and carding wool, and have
one half of their earnings. The men's
gaol is two ftories high, and con-
tains 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 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 hy
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
warin 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

miane, or thofe reput a to be to. By the 14h Geo. III. 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 further; and by 26th Geo. III. c. 91. made perpetual), no perfon, on pain of scol. Mall entertam 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 Middlelex, and elfewhere, by ve Juftices in Seffions. The College of Physicians depute fome of their members annually to vifit the refpective licensed noufes; and the Magottrues thould devote fimilar attention within their jurifdiction; and perfonally examine the tt te of the matter ble objects under reftrami, and not depend upon the report of any keeper. The shocking initances of cruelty at Boomin and Poole on ht 16 conze the attention of everv Məgißtrate in the kingdom, to prevent the p. ffibility of such abufe from being practited with unpunity. L.

the

the prifoners attend chapel; and their behaviour when I was there (9th Oct. 1803) was orderly and devout, and divine fervice impreflively 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 affociating 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 117. 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 formerly belonged to the Couttable of the Cafile, but has fince been purchafed by the County. Gaoler, John Mules, falary 16. fees 13 s. 4 d.; Chaplain, Rev. Mr. Lethbridge, fa ary 20. duty once a week: Surgeon, Mr. Roe, falary 161.; prifoners, 18th October, 1803, one. Allowance 20 oz. of wheaten bread daily. In 1779, five hundred pounds of the King's bounty was appropriated to this gaol. In a paffage 5 feet wide, there are for men four new cells (9 feet by 6, and 8 feet four inches high), a large day-room, and fpacions couri, with a pump of excellent water in it, which, running through the neceffary, keeps it clean. The County humanely allows coals to the day-room. The cells have boarded floors. Clean firaw, two blankets and a rug, are allowed each Prifoner. Over thefe rooms are the Gaoier's apartments. Adjoining is the old gaol, in the upper part of which is a well-ventilated room with a fire-place in it, for women felons. Three fleer ing-cells, with bedding, the fame as the men's, and nearly the fame fize, open into it. They have a fpacious

airy court-yard, but no water. There being no chapel, divine fervice is performed in a little roon below.

The Mayor fends the prifoners weekly one fhilling's worth of beft wheaten bread (weight, 18th October, 1803, 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 againfi fpirituous liquors. The prifon clean. The dungeons of the old gaol were filled up with lumber, and no appearance of their being ever ufed fince the new cells were built.

Launcefton 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 efcaped juft before my vifit. The gaoler, who is the Town-Serjeant, lives at a diftance. Allowance three halfpence a day. No court. No water. Neither Act for preferving health, or claufe againft fpirituous liquors hung up. Prifoner none, 18th October, 1803.

Town Bridewell, is in the workhoufe yard. A room with two fmall 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 6. allowance the fame as the poor. I mult now conclude, or I fhall not leave fpace fufficient to fay with what cordial efteem and regard I am mofl fincerely yours, JAS. NEILD. Chelsea, November 5, 1803.

TH

Mr. URBAN, Birmingham, June 7. HE hiftory of Kit's Coity Houfe, by H. C. p. 409, is fo erroneous, that I muft trouble you correction; though I do not profefs to infert the following, by way of to give even an epitome of all that has been written by different authors refpecting this curious relick of antiquity.

By" Kentergen and Horlus, two Danish princes," I fuppofe H. C. were flain at Aylesford, where this means Catigern and Horfa, who rude ftructure is fituate; but the former chieftain was a Briton, and brother to Vortimer; and the latter