nor of the miferable Paupers, though their gratitude ought to induce them to reverberate it through the noifome chambers of a mifmanaged Workhouse. That the boy Rayner, when examined four days afterwards by the phyficians, might be in health, is probable, for his health never was doubted; and that the affection of the leg might then have difappeared is not improbable, without the leaft impeachment of Neild's veracity, or of the judgment of the Chief Magiftrate, as bodily health would conduce fooner to reftore local injury. With refpect to any mittatement of the propofed duration of the punishment inflicted on Rayner, it tends no way to leffen the nature of it, or the impropriety of its exifting a fingle day. The boy de clared before the Miftrefs of the house and the Chief Magiftrate of Norwich, that he had been in that ftate of punishment for three weeks, and that it was to continue for fix months and this was not contradicted by any perfon prefent; which certainly induced Neild to give credit to this uncontradicted relation. The apology made by W. Firth for this continued feverity was the incorrigibility of the youth; but how could reformation be expected by punithment, whilft no proper attention had been previoufly paid to his morals? As to the infinuation of vanity of Neild in affuming to emulate Howard *; let it be obferved, that, whilft little minds can neither emulate nor juftly eltimate great characters, were Firth and every other Magiftrate in the kingdom infected with fuch a fpecies of vanity, happy would it be for the Prifoner; and then indeed the reflections of Maffinger never would be applicable: * "I do not prefume to tread, paffibus "aquis, with the good and great Howard, "who has preceded me in the infpection "of prifons." Neild's Account of the Society for the. Difcharge and Relief of Debtors, &c. Lond. 1802, p. 296, "I know there is no mufic to your ears "So pleafing as the groans of men in prifon; "And that the tears of widows, and the cries "Of famish'd orphans, are the feasts that take you." For, Falfe Dowry, Sp. of Charalois. befides his frequent vifits to many prifons in and about the Me tropolis, my friend, in the compass of this year, has infpected thofe of King- fton, Guilford, St. Alban's, Hertford, Aylesbury, Newport, Cambridge, Saffron Walden, Ely, Bury St. Edmund's, Thetford, Botefley, Swaffham, Lynn, Walfingham, Aylfham, Norwich, Wymondham, Yarmouth, Beccles, Woodbridge, Oxford, Aldborough, Ipfwich, Colchester, Chelmsford, Northampton, Kettering, Leicester, Oakham, Nottingham, Southwell, Lenton, Derby, Afhbourne, Chefterfield, Wickf worth, Tidefwell, Macclesfield, Manchefter, Liverpool, Prefton, Lancaster, Chester, Nantwich, Stafford, Birmingham, Coventry, Hali fax, and Bradford; befides many minor Prifons, Infirmaries, Hofpitals, and Workhoufes. Many of the places above mentioned contained two, others three prifons in them. Can any confiderate being imagine for a fingle moment that the journeys to comprife thefe and fimilar vifits, made with fuch a facrifice of health and fortune during the fpace of thirty-five years, folely at his own expence-I fay, can it be conceived that they were under taken with any other motives than thofe of benevolence and humanity? Truly liberal is the inference which the late Shenftone has recorded, that "the man who imia great character merits approbation, iu proportion to "the nearness he approaches or “emulates that character." If any expreffion in my Letters infers a fimilarity of NEILD to HOWARD, it is folely my act. As he is fre quently abfent in exploring the dungeons of mifery, it is rarely that the fees my MSS. previously to their going to prefs; but, in every in ftance ftance in which he has had fuch an opportunity, he has invariably erafed every fentence the moft diftantly intimating fuch a, fimilarity; ever avowing "Qui genus humanum ingenio fuperavit, et onines "Preftinxit ftellas exortus uti ætherius To fufpect a meannefs in another without a caufe, infers that the fufpicious perfon is himfelf prone to the fame failing; this may account for the breach of decency and common politenefs, in one Magiftrate charging another, whom he does not know, "with hiding himself from the prefence of Mr. Fellowes, another Magiftrate," as if the conduct or character of Neild required a veil ! But, when the whole facts are known, his character will not be fullied, however that of his accufer may; for, in the words of Shakspeare, "Mark, now, how plain a tale will put you down." As a decifive refutation of this infinuation may be given, by merely tranfcribing here the notes taken down by Neild upon the occafion : Went early in the morning to vifit the gaol (Norwich Castle): the morning was rainy, and I fat down to write in the Keeper's room; by this I came to know that the fewer was under the window for the finell became fo of fenfive, that I requetted he would in dulge me with another room; he faid it was always fo when it rained or portended rain, and that the Magiftrates on thofe occafions could not do bul nefs in their own room it was fo offenfive. Whilft I was tranfcribing my remarks in the room the Keeper fhewed me into, he came and told me, that Mr. Fellowes was coming up the hill, he imagined to the Prifon, and asked if I wished to fee him; I replied, Not without Mr. Fellowes enquired after me, or defired to fee me." I believe Mr. Fellowes did not go into any *"His genius quite obfcur'd the [beams, brighteft ray Of human thought, as Sol's effulgent ftars." part of the prifont, for the gaoler foon after came, and faid, he was gone, and had not faid any thing about me. When I had nearly done tranfcribing my notes, I went to the Gaoler's par lour, and read diftinctly over to him and his wife what I had written, requefting their particular attention to what I was reading, and to correct me if there was any error. On thè Sunday morning I made a little addition to my remarks, after which I attended Divine Service, when all the prifoners were very attentive to a moft pathetic and appropriate difcourfes The next morning I left Norwich, and proceeded on my journey." If Firth had been defirous of fee ing Neild, he might have found him engaged in Divine Service with the prifoners; he may, perhaps, plead in excufe, that he had yet to learn the way to the Cha pel! If Firth ‡ had really ever vi→ fited the prifon, he must have known, what was notorious to every Magiftrate, that the Gaoler's parlour was intolerably offenfive in wet weather from the fewer §; and if he did know this, his affer tion of Neild's hiding himself from any individual has more the appearance of falfehood, than mere infinuation. If he never had vi fited the prifon, and had learnt that Neild had not only done fo, but likewife had joined the prifoners in religious exercises; it well explains his HAPPY FEELINGS, on Neild's departure from a place, where the Humility and luftre of my friend's conduct threw fuch a fhade on that of the Magistrate of Norwich, who has himfelf publifhed that he ne ver vifited the Workhoufe but once! In respect to the Gaol, he en tered his obfervations in the book appropriated to Vifiting Magiftrates to enter their remarks. 1 Being himself a Magiftrate for two Counties, a City and Liberty; and having for 35 years vifited various Prifons abroad, and in the British Empire; and fcarcely in that period, and particularly fince 1772, paffing a week without vifiling fome Prifon or other; he thought he might enter his opinions freely, though they might differ from the worthy Magiftrates who preceded him. The laft charge againft Neild feems to involve an act of falfehood in him, or in his accuser, who afferts, that the former knew that a new commodious Workhouse was erected for the poor, at the time he vifited and defcribed the old Workhouse. To afcertain the truth of this affertion, I applied to Neild for the perufal of the notes, which I was perfuaded he had taken on this as on every fimilar occafion; and from them I collect the following rela tion: “Arrived at Norwich on Wedneiday, September 4, 1805. In the afternoon waited upon the Mayor, who accompanied me during the whole of my ffay at the workhoufe, and very obligingly permitted me to put the Yoke, &c. worn by Rayner, into his carriage, that a drawing might be made of it. The notes made of the Work-houfe were tranfcribed at the Chief Magiftrate's houfe, and communicated to him that evening. The drawing of the Yoke, &c. was made on Thurfday; and on this day paid my firivifit to the Cafile, City Gaol, and Bridewell; Friday morning visited the Caftle again, then went to Wymondham, and returned to Norwich on Saturday, and visited on this day the Castle, City Gaol, Bridewell, and the New Workhoufe; which I think was the first time it was mentioned to me; approved the building, but imagined that it would not be ready for the admiffion of pers for a long time; and that the mifmanagement in the Old Workhouse was neceflary to be known, to be guarded again in the new." pau Even Firth himself has the candour to acknowledge, that after Neild faw the New Workhoufe, he expreffed his approbation of the building, &c." This indeed is the genuine character of Neild, to approve where he can, and to point out faults for the purpose of reformation. But what will avail a New Workhoufe, if the fame mifmanagement is purfued? Becaufe the other was old, is that a fufficient reafon for filth, disease, and the neglect of morals and education? After witneffing the unkind infinuations against the benevolent Neild, I could not expect to escape the difpleasure of the Cenfurift; but he is certainly mistaken in thinking, that the obfervations refpecting the Small Pox were urged 66 finiftroufly, with a view (by a "kind of fide wind) of difcouraging "Variolous Inoculation." On the contrary, they were defignedly and openly avowed, to induce parents, who regard the welfare of their offspring, to adopt Vaccination, as the only fecurity against the Small Pox peftilence, which in London alone has killed during the last two weeks one infant in about every 140 minutes, or 222 in 14 days! verifying the words of Virgil. "Noctes atque dies patet atri janua I confefs that I do not poffefs that apathy refpecting my fellowcreatures, as to witnefs with cold indifference the annual facrifice of 50,000 British European subjects; well convinced at the fame time, that every individual of them might have been faved by the medium of Vaccination, without rifk of life, or blemish of conftitution. The charges of "youthful friendship, and youthful fancy," are certainly inapplicable, unless by the first is inferred the "viris difque fene&tus" of Virgilt, and by the second the " Habeo fenec tuti magnam gratiam, quæ mihi "fermonis aviditatem auxit," 'of "The gates of Death are open night and day." -Yet in his years are feen, A manly vigour, and autumnal green, Tully Tully*; and as to the crime of ardour and enthufiafm of friendthip; although I cannot claim a counterpart of the friendships of antiquity, or have ever exchanged thields like Glaucus and Diomede, I fhelter myfelf under the decifion of Frederick the Great : "O divine Amitié, felicité, parfaité, Seul mouvement de l'ame où l'exces foit permis +!" I truft that the candid reader will not only perufe with pleature the complete refutation of the charges exhibited by Firth, but add their fuffrages of applaufe to the character of my injured friend. After devoting 35 years in vifiting the moft miferable of human beings; after exploring dungeons in the highest degree dangerous to health, and liberating thousands of incarcerated fellow-creatures; after lay ing down plans of improvement, as they respect the fecurity, health, and morals; of the prifoner; after the most humane exertions to regulate the fyftems of Bridewells, and Workhouses, the fources of a thoufand future evils; this Brother Magiftrate rejoices in the "happy de parture" of Neild from Norwich; like Felix, who, when he felt the Never will my friend be intimi "Sempre a quel ver, ch' ha faccia di DANTE, Inf. c. xvi. 1. 124. is the hope of J. C. LETTSOM. P. S. The letter figned John Gurney, p. 1124, will be noticed in the next Let'er on Prifons. * I am much indebted to old age, which has increated my eagernets for converfation. + "Oh divine friendship, perfection of felicity! Thine are the only emotions of the foul in which excels is good!" King of Pruffia's Letters. How amiable a contraft is afforded by my friend Neild, who in a letter to me, whilft confined in a fick chamber, obferves, "Not a fingle day paffed from my entrance into Norwich, on Wednesday, September 4, to my departure on Monday morning the 9th, without vifiting fome of the Norwich Magiftrates; and every evening was likewife fpent amongst them, except on the night I slept at Wymondham; and though I mentioned that I had procured a drawing of the iron collar, padlock, chain, and log, for the exprefs purpose of publication, yet no one difapproved of it; on the contrary, it feemed to meet with general approbation; and no doubt was enter ained but that it would have a better effect in coming from a ftranger. Under thefe impreffions I left Norwich, a city which I shall ever remember with respect and gratitude, for the great attention with which the Magiftrates were pleafed to honour my remarks, and for the civilities and politeness I perfonally received from many virtuous and philanthropic characters." Now feeft thou The fouls of thofe whom anger overcome." " Ever to that truth, Which but the femblance of a falfehood wears, A man if poffible fhould bar his lip, Since, without fault, fhame on himfelf he brings." CARY. There is no other objection to the letters of HERAOLIDES than their great length on a fubjeft which, though highly curious, is not very extenfively interefing. AN OLD CORRESPONDENT fays, that Whitage (p. 1147) means the money paid as compofition or modus for the milk of cows. It is also called white-money, and ite of kine THE as PURSUITS OF ARCHITECTURAL INNO- The firft interior of a tower which I fhall notice, is that of St. Mary Overy`s Church, Southwark the height of the tower above the four fupporting arches is divided into flories, and decorated with columns and arches. Thefe fine-wrought objects are hid from view by an obtruding cieling (fuch as mentioned above).-Abbey Church, St. Alban's. The centre tower, fine tiers of columns and arches; hid by an btryding cjeling.Gloucester Cathe dral. fplendid tiers of columns and arches, It is rather extraordinary, that among the hidden treasures of the kind I have been difcourfing on, there |