8 Hints for improving the Condition of the Poor. a method for securing to the industrious cottager some resources beyond mere parochial relief, at a time when strength begins to fail, and the infirmities of old age creep upon him. The poor have in many instances formed associations or benefit clubs among themselves, for the relief of the members when sick; but in no instance, as far as I am informed, have they made provision for the deserving members who have been long subscribers, when they begin to experience the infirmities of nature; yet how desirable that a virtuous and industrious peasant should in the decline of life experience some of those comforts which he then so much requires, without being obliged to exert himself as he did in the days of his youth! This can be effected only by an active co-operation of the rich with their poorer brethren, and I should humbly suggest, that in order to create a fund for the aged, as well as to supply occasional calls, such as sickness, every poor person who is a member should have some friend who should subscribe a large sum, suppose 51. or 101. which should be immediately put out at interest for a period of twenty years, at the end of which time the accumulated interest thence accruing might afford a supply for the relief of the poorer member when sinking into years and decrepitude. This thought I have also borrowed from the reports of the Society for Bettering the Poor, and I throw it out in this rude form for the purpose of draw ing forth some discussion of the measure, and some advice as to the best way of securing this provision for the use intended; so that in case a benevolent person subscribes a sum in aid of such a design, he may be sure the money will be faithfully and couscientiously applied to the intended purpose, in case he should die or quit that country. Dec. 8. 1815. I am, P. S. Though not connected with the above observations, I venture to subjoin a remark on the communication by a Clerical Member of the Bible Society, at page 390 of your last volume. The remark is this, that the warm friends of the established church, and of its interests, cannot but regret when any of their brethren connect themselves with the sectaries for the sake of advantages which it is presumed are equally attainable within the pale of the established -church. For instance, why should a conscientious clergyman, or layman of the church of England, join the Bible [Feb. 1, Society, when an excellent Bible Society exists already in the bosom of the establishment? I allude to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. In connection with this latter association a benevolent person may, if he please, exhaust all his fortune in the distribution of bibles and testaments. Why then will he forsake his friends and join his enemies? and what is the conclusion to be deduced from this anomalous conduct, but either that the church affords no such facility for the distribution of the bible, or that its professed friends prefer a junction with its professed and real encmies, instead of with those of their own communion? juvat integros accedere fontes Atque haurire. LUCRET. Lib. i. ver. 927. MR. EDITOR, UNDER the impression that you occasionally tolerate in your liberal and judicious magazine, cursory remarks on the current literature of the day, I am emboldened to inform you that I have just jumped through the "Tracts and Miscellaneous Criticisms of the late RICHARD PORSON, esq." just as fleas jump over the delicate flesh of the ladies. Never, I freely confess, upon the whole was the impulse of desire more damped, or the cup of hope more peremptorily dashed from the lip. The mode of the publication, the conceit of the editor, the confusion of the extracts, the obscure brevity of the notes, and the musty quaintness of the subjects in controversy, were not, in my estimate of the mingled merits and demerits of the volume, redeemed by the insulated gleams of genius and of wit; though I see enough to lament that such prodigality of talent should have been so muddled away in pedantry, clouded by a moroseness habitually cherished and encouraged, and worse than all stupified into drunkenness, as it too frequently was, in the stye of sensuality. The character of the editor himself, reflected in the mirror of this publication, is kneaded up of affectation, vanity and a miraculous silliness of mind; and his entire manner as an author is admirably well summed up in two lines of that keen dissector of human frailties, Churchill: "Pantomime thoughts, and style so full of 1816.] Kidd's Remains of Porson-Verdicts of Coroners' Inquests. lovely as well as most promising children, that of all the gleanings swept together by the industry of Mr. KIDD from this prolific field of Porson's genius, I was most delighted with the Sophoclean slide on the ice, or, in other words, the version into Greek Iambics of the well known nursery lines commencing: "Three little boys went out to slide," &c. You will find it in page 156 of the volume; how long the verses themselves, so exquisitely translated by the late Professor, have been the poetical manual, the intellectual leading-strings of our nurses, I know not; though I recollect distinctly that they formed a part of my earliest elements of instruction, and this infantine discipline of intellect was precisely synchronous with my trial of bodily prowess in the little-go. It may not, however, be generally known that the English verses themselves are almost a literal translation of a passage in a Latin Poem, entitled, "De lacte nutricum alimentare," &c. written by the famous and well-known TZETZES SHUHCAMITANTAPS, and published at Verona in 1491, by his distinguished friend Paulus Fridenberger, after the decease of the author. The passage runs as follows: Estivi super amnis aquas, glaciemque do- Tres pueri infantes cursu lusere sinistro; Si tamen infantes illos per jussa parentum aperto Si per humum duram, et glaciales tegmine campos Quà nullæ latuere undæ, feliciter illi The whole poem is exceedingly curious, though a little obscure in detached parts; but could I cherish the hope of securing for my labour a tolerably well-looking list of patrons and subscribers, I would boldly print my proposals for the publication of a new edition of it in this country, enriched with notes and a commentary in the same manner with which Reichardus has illustrated his favourite Lycophron; though I should tremblingly emulate the prowess of that deep-sighted scholar with all that homage bordering on idolatry, in the spirit of which Statius contemplated the footsteps of Virgil. I remain, your's, &c. A PROVINCIAL SCHOOLMASTER. NEW MONTHLY MAG.-No. 25. MR. EDITOR, 9 WILL you permit me to direct your attention to a subject which has trequently attracted the notice of considerate men-I mean the extraordinary verdicts sometimes given in cases of suicide, among which few perhaps will he found more extraordinary than the one which has occasioned these remarks. A short time ago, a girl in this neighbourhood swore (as it is called) a child to a servant in a respectable family not far from hence. Often, as it is said, having laughed at others who had involved themselves in a similar scrape, he could not bear the severe retort with which he was now visited himself, and irritated beyond endurance at the jests and jeers of his companions, he, two days after the charge had been laid against him, deliberately blew out his brains! A jury was summoned, aurd after all due and becoming consideration a verdict was returned of Lunacy! How far such a verdict was justified by the facts, there is I believe among unprejudiced men but one opinion. Thus is the wholesome severity of the law evaded, and many humane but inconsiderate men involved in the dreadful crime of perjury. If every aberration of intellect is to be considered as lunacy, surely in the eye of unprejudiced reason, he who in a fit of passion or of drunkenness takes away his neighbour's life, is not more responsible for his conduct than he who in a fit of spleen or of despondency destroys his own. But the evil unfortunately does not rest here; for a most painful task is thus imposed upon the officiating minister, who is compelled to become a party to a scene which he must regard as little else than solemn mockery. How can an honest man who is convinced in his own mind that his unhappy brother has rushed into his maker's presence "Unhouseled, disappointed, unaneal'd No reckoning made, but sent to his account profane these solemn words: "For as With all his imperfections on his head.-" of his great mercy to take unto himself much as it hath pleased Almighty God parted." "Blessed are the dead which the soul of our dear brother here dedie in the Lord." "We give thee hearty thanks for that it hath pleased thee to take this our brother out of the miseries of this sinful world." Permit me on this subject to quote a passage from Mr. WHEATLEY on the Common Prayer, hoping it may meet the eye of some of your intelligent readers, better skilled than myself in ecclesiastical law, who VOL. V. C 10 Mr. Read on the Hottentot Mission of Bethelsdorp. may be able to inform me how far a Coroner's verdict can compel a clergyman to the performance of that which hurts his feelings and insults his common sense. "This indignity (that of being refused christian burial, &c.) is to be only offered to those who lay violent hands upon themselves, whilst they are of sound sense and mind: for they who are deprived of reason and understanding cannot contract any guilt and therefore it would be unreasonable to inflict upon them any penalty. But then it may be questioned, whether even these are not exempted from having this office read over them, since neither the rubric nor our old ecclesiastical laws make any exception in favour of those who may kill themselves in distraction, and since the office is in several parts of it improper for such a case. As to the coroner's warrant, I take that to be no more than a certificate that the body is not demanded by the law, and that therefore the relations may dispose of it as they please. For I cannot apprehend that a coroner is to determine the sense of a rubrick, or to prescribe to the minister when christian burial is to be used. The scandalous practice of them and their inquests, notwithstanding the strictness of their oath, in almost constantly returning every one they sit upon to be non compos mentis' (though the very circumstance of their murdering themselves is frequently a proof of the soundness of their senses) sufficiently shews how much the verdict of these men is to be depended upon. It is not very difficult indeed to account for this, we need only to be informed, that if a man be found felo-de-se,' all he was possessed of devolves to the king, to be disposed of by the lord almoner, according to his discretion, and no fee being allowed out of this to the coroner, it is no wonder that the verdict is generally for the heirs, from whom a fee is seldom wanting. They plead indeed that it is hard to give away the subsistence of a family; but these gentlemen should remember that they are not sworn to be charitable, but to be just; that their business is to enquire not what is convenient and proper to be done with that which is forfeited, but how the person came by his death: whether by another or by himself, if by himself whether he was felo-de-se, or non compos mentis. If it were true that no one would kill himself unless he were out of his senses, it would be to no purpose for the law to appoint so formal an enquiry; the fact itself would be sufficient [Feb. 1, evidence. The best rule for the jury to guide themselves in such cases is, to judge whether the signs ofmadness that are now pretended would avail to acquit the same person of murdering another man; if not, there is no reason why they should be urged as a plea for acquitting him of murdering himself." I must observe that I do not pledge myself for the truth of the assertion relative to the coroner's fee: perhaps some of your readers will have the goodness to correct this statement if it should turn out to be untrue. INVESTIGATOR. Dunmow, Dec. 20, 1815. It appears that the government of the colony of the Cape had laid a considerable tax on Bethelsdorp. The operation of this tax was greatly feared, especially as (through peculiar circumstances) the amount of two years taxes was to be paid at one time. "Remonstrances," says Mr. Read, "proved useless, and the only alternative was for the people to exert themselves to the utmost of their power to raise the money. Accordingly they dispersed themselves, and applied, some to hewing and sawing timber, others to beating bark, or burning charcoal. The smith, the wheelwright, the carpenter, &c. all exerted themselves to comply with the demand made on themselves and upon their poorer relations; so that at the appointed time the tax was paid,-I believe beyond all expectation; -a sum amounting to 3,600 rix-dollars (about 7001.) The people having been able in so short a time to raise such a sum by their labour, will, I trust, convince the world that civilization bas not been so much neglected at Bethelsdorp as some have supposed, and teach them not to be so censorious hereafter. "The day after the tax was paid, many people being together here (at Bethelsdorp,) a regular Auxiliary Mission 1816.1 Scale of Poetic Excellence. ary Society was proposed and established. Twelve of the members were chosen to form a committee, and subscriptions were immediately made to the amount of more than 800 rix-dollars, (about 16ol.) to be paid before the end of November.* "Our poor's fund has also increased considerably every Sunday, when we collect from four to eight rix-dollars, and sometimes more. "Our school flourishes exceedingly; and I suppose we have at least 100 persons in want of Bibles, besides constant demands from farmers, &c. "It would afford great satisfaction to 11 the members of the missionary and bible societies to hear a number of Hottentot children reading the Bible as well as I can, who ten months ago did not know the ABC." MR. EDITOR, THE following scale, which you may think worthy of being republished, is copied from the Town and Country Magazine for September, 1769. The writer signs himself POETIKASTOS, and the scale, which he calls his poetical balance, is preceded by a short introductory essay. Dec. 29, 1815. E. O. B. MR. EDITOR, I WAS glad to find that your correspondent VIATOR, in your number for October, had called the attention of your readers to the necessity of adopting some efficient measure for the regulation of stage-coaches. The great number of accidents presented to our view in the public prints is truly deplorable, and yet the writer is convinced that not one half of those that take place ever * Mr. Messer (another of the missionaries, and secretary of the auxiliary society) informs me, that the number of subscribers now is 452, and the sum subscribed 938 rixdollars, (about 1801.) More is expected. meet the public eye. On the western road alone five or six overturns of coaches (he is informed) have taken place within the last two or three months, not one of which has he yet observed that the newspapers have recorded. One coach was overturned three times within a month; the last time a lady had her back broken, and soon after died, and the coachman and guard their legs dreadfully fractured. Another coachman overturned two different coaches (the last the Exeter mail) on level ground, within a very little time of each other; once, if not both times, it is supposed he was asleep: providentially the passengers and himself the last 12 Proposed Regulations for Stage-Coaches. time were thrown into a bog, and thus escaped unhurt. Two other coaches were running against one another, when a horse of the foremost fell down dead; the brutal driver of the second seized this opportunity to attempt to get a-head: he drove forward in the most furious manner; but the road being narrow, he ran foul of the other coach and overturned it, when much mischief ensued to the horses, &c. &c.-From the endless repetition of similar accidents, it is become absolutely necessary that the legislature should interfere, and that all coaches be subject to the immediate cognizance and direction of the police. In France (I have been told) a decent and respectable person, who accompanies you on the journey, and takes his meals with the passengers, is appointed as inspector of the coach: he sees that each person has his proper place in the vehicle, assigning seats to those who have first taken places in that part of the carriage esteemed the best, and to the other passengers in the next best, according to the order in which the places were taken: he also examines into the condition of the coach and state of the wheels before setting out, and at the various stages on the road, and has the care of the luggage. As prevention is better than cure, and the laws at present in force totally inefficient as preventives, I will take the liberty of offering a few hints upon the subject. I would first propose that a coach police-office be established, with a proper number of magistrates, constables, and coach-inspectors, (who should be constables for the time being,) and that this office take cognizance and direction of all stage and hackney coaches throughont the kingdom. I would propose that the magistrates of this office, and also any magistrate in the country before whom a case may be brought, be invested with sufficient power to decide on that case in a summary way; and where necessary, be competent to impannel a jury, and to decide the cause in as speedy a manner as possible, without referring it to any other court; the act thus empowering them always reserving the right of appeal to a higher court. I would also propose that the names and residence of all coach proprietors and coachmen be registered at the coach police office, and that the proprietors and coachmen do enter at the same time into a joint bond for the good conduct of the coachmen; and that no coach [Feb. 1, man be allowed to drive unless he produce approved testimonials of his character and fitness for his situation, or be a part proprietor in the coach. The names and residence of each proprietor to be written or printed in one or more conspicuous places both on the outside and inside of the coach. No luggage whatever to be loaded on the roof of the coach; and the hind wheels to be at a certain distance from each other, and the fore-wheels the same. Of late years almost all accidents happen either by the improper conduct of the driver, or by loading the top of the coach with luggage, or by the wheels being too close to each other. By not allowing any luggage to be placed on the top of the coach, or the too near approximation of the wheels, we should have seldom either to lament or feel the dreadful effects of coaches overturning. When a good wicker basket behind and boot before, for the reception of luggage, were used by coaches, we seldom heard of any accidents. If any coaches on the modern principle be allowed to travel, they should be confined to the conveyance of the mails, that the neck-or-nothing gentry might have an opportunity of breaking their necks and limbs to their own minds. I would further propose that a coach inspector be employed to accompany the various coaches that travel throughout the kingdom; that it be the duty of this person to see to the placing of the passengers-to take charge of the luggage and parcels to examine the state of the wheels and condition of the coach at the various stages, as well as at setting out on the journey—to notice the behaviour of both coachman and passengers, and to see that the coach is never left without some one to attend the horses when it stops. At the end of his journey it should be his duty to report any accident that may have happened on the road, or improper behaviour of either passengers or coachman that may have occurred. If his journey terminate in the country, he should make his report to the resident magistrate there; if in town at the coach police-office; so as that the case, of whatever nature, may be investigated and settled with as little delay as possible. He should likewise notice any breach of the law for the regulation of coaches, and report thereupon, and where a fine is incurred, receive one moiety of the same on conviction of the offender; and, as he would be a constable of the |