their chairman direct and also shall execute any conveyance of such land or buildings or other property as the committee may direct. But the trustees, respectively, shall not be answerable nor accountable for involuntary losses, nor one for the other, nor for the acts or defaults of each other, but each person for himself alone. XXIII. That it shall at any time be in the power of the committee for the time being to remove any trustee who shall neglect or refuse to perform the duties prescribed by the foregoing rule. XXIV. That when any vacancy occurs by removal, resignation, or death, the committee shall, within the space of three months from such vacancy, proceed to the appointment of a new trustee, selected from among their own number. habits of life, and general character of the labouring poor may be accurately known. This investigation is for the present deferred, because if it had been instituted at this season of the year, expectations of pecuniary relief might have been raised in the minds of the poor, which must have been disappointed: early in the spring it is the inten tion of the committee to commence this important inquiry upon a regular system, and to perpetuate the infor mation so obtained by half yearly or quarterly reports from the visitors of each division. The second object of the society was the establishment of a FRIEND LY SOCIETY, upon such a basis and under such regulations as to prevent the abuses and correct the errors and miscalculations which have proved · ruinous to so many institutions of this kind. To this the committee have not been inattentive; a set of rules have been drawn up and submitted to the inspection of Mr. Morgan, secretary to the equitable assurance office in London, which have been returned by him with a letter expressing his entire approbation of them, and generously refusing to accept of any It remuneration for his services; now only remains to take the most proper measures for encouraging the poor to become members, and to this object the committee will turn their immediate attention. To give effect, as early as possible, to the third measure so earnestly recommended, your committee have to report, that they have purchased two lots of ground, one in Bridgewaterstreet, the other in Marlboroughstreet, near Marybone, for the purpose of erecting thereon two PubLIC KITCHENS, with SHOPS contiguous to them; the plans for these premises have been subinitted to the inspection of the committee, and approved by them; considerable progress has been made in the erection of one of the buildings, and preparations are making for the immediate erection of the other. Your committee have now informed you of the progress which they have made in the prosecution of the several plans first recommended to your attention. Before they close this, their first yearly report, they would state to you what objects may as they conceive, be reasonably held in view in that investigation of the circumstances of the poor of which they have spoken in the first page, and which was amongst the plans recommended to the society, in the report to the select committee in December, 1809. They have wished to define these objects as accurately as possible to themselves, and they are especially anxious that no misunderstanding should invade the public mind on this subject. Per haps, they may best introduce the exposition of those objects by a statement of the questions with which they purpose to furnish their visitors. 1st, What is your name and age? 2d, Are you married or single, a widow or widower? 3d, What number of children have you, and what is the age of the eldest and youngest ? 4th What employment do you follow? 5th, What are your weekly earn- 6th, With whom do you work? 9th, Have your children had the small pox, or cow pox ? 10th, Is your habitation comfortable, clean, and healthy? 11th, Is there any infectious dis order in your house, or near it, and what? small pox, measles, or fever? 12th, Are you in want of relief, and why? 13th, Do you receive relief from your parish, or from any charitable institution, and what? 14th, Where were you born, where been in service, or worked as a labourer? 15th, How long have you resided in Liverpool? 16th, Who is your landlord, and how long have you lived in this house? 17th, Do you belong to any bene fit society, and what do you receive? One object which the committee have in view, in pressing some of the above stated questions, is, that preparation may be made for a judicious distribution of relief, in the event of the recurrence of such a season as the winter of 1808-9. On that occasion, many of the visitors were much embarrassed in their operations from want of a satisfactory knowledge (a knowledge not, on that emergency, to be obtained) of the characters and circumstances of many of those who applied for assistance. But it is not merely to a season of unusual distress that your committee look. They have it constantly impressed upon their minds that the great object of your association is to produce a permanent improvement in the state of the poor; and it is obvious that many of their questions have a contemplation distinct from that of the mere lessening of temporary suffering. They conceive that by making themselves largely acquainted with the state of the poorer classes they may best ascertain to themselves in what directions their efforts may be most happily made. It is possible that, in the result of their in vestigation, modes of misery may be brought to light of the existence of which they have now no knowledge; and that some evils which are known to exist may be shown to have attained a magnitude of which they have, at present, no conception. In such cases, it will be a part of their duty to consider, whether the evils disclosed are such as it may lie within their power to remove or lessen. They wish it distinctly to be understood, that it does not form a part of their purpose to give pecuniary ass stance.* It is possible, however, It is proper, however, to remark that three plans have been under the conside ration of the committee, (although not as yet determined upon,) the prosecution of which would imply the imparting of money to the poor: First, a plan of distributing pecuniary rewards to such persons as should have brought up a certain number of children without aid from the parish; Secondly, a plan of establishing a bank for the reception of small sums from the poor, the committee engaging to pay interest for the sums so deposited; and, Thirdly, a plan of lending small sums (say £2, or £3.) to poor persons, to be re-paid by instalments, a respectable housekeeper being guarantee for the re-payment of a part.On the last plan they would remark, that besides possessing, in common with the second, the advantage of habituating the poor to lay by a part of their earnings, it carries with it the following recommendations :1st, That the security given by the housee keeper is in itself as good an attestation as can be desired to the character of the person soliciting assistance; and, 2dly, That the plan would, in many instances, happily co-operate with the shop-institution, spoken of in page 351, inasmuch as it may be presumed, (and the experience of the visitors of 1808-9 confirms the idea,) that. many persons who might be disposed to a dopt the plan of buying for ready money at a low price would be prevented from adopting it, by the debts under which they might lie to shop-keepers. A small sum by way of loan, to be re-paid by easy instalments, would release them from the incumbrance, and would give an auspicious elasticity to their future industrious efforts. BELFAST MAG. NO. XXXIV. that their investigation may disclose many evils, towards the removal of which they may be instrumental without the giving of money to the sufferers. Should it appear, for instance, that many of the children of the poor are without the blessings of education, your committee may fairly exert themselves towards the obtaining of those advantages for them. Should it appear that, spite of the facilities afforded for the cow-pox inoculation, there are many poor families who hesitate to adopt it, your committee may then fairly consider, whether there be any uncoercive means by which they may become instrumental (under providence) in propagating a practice which promises so well for the happiness of mankind. Should it be found (and your committee apprehend that, with respect to females especially, it would be found) that there are many persons, who, however well disposed to be industrious, cannot obtain employment, it may then become a just matter of consideration with your committee, whether some new modes of employment may not be devised, by which such persons may be enabled to earn their bread. Your committee have reason to believe that there are in this town many poor and industrious persons from distant parishes to whom a little parochial relief would be important, who are prevented from applying to this parish by a fear of being sent home; and from applying to their own parishes by fear, or hopelessness, or an ignorance of the just mode of proceeding. To such persons your committee conceive that they may be useful, by making application to their parishes (the merits of the cases having been previously ascertained) for a stipend to be remitted to the persons in question, so that these persons may have the benefit Aaa of parochial aid, without being compelled to leave a place in which their industry may be exerted to the greatest advantage. Your committee think, also that, by collecting accounts of the characters and circumstances of the poor, they may render the society's office a just receptacle of information for those who wish to obtain honest and industrious labourers or servants. Should this object of their hope be realized, it may then become a matter of desire among the poorer classes to have a well established character on the society's books. Your committee have now stated some of the modes in which they conceive they may be useful in consequence of the information which may be drawn forth by their questions. It is evident that some few of their questions have purely a statistical tendency, i. e. they look to the ascertaining of the general history (viz. the birth places, &c.) of the poor of this town. Such questions they have thought it fit to insert in their catalogue. They assist in giving completeness to the view which they are taking of the poor of Liverpool; and this completeness of view may be necessary to enable them to reason justly concerning the probable effect of institutions which have the welfare of the poor for their object. They hope they may not be charged with aiming at too much. They are, indeed, proceeding with caution, feeling their way. They wish their objects to be as definite as possible. Even then they are not confident as to their power of accomplishing them; but if they accomplish a part only, they will do better than those who sit still and make no effort because they cannot achieve all. The only dauger is, according to their apprehension, that many who belong not to your association, and e ven the more inactive members of the association itself, may satisfy themselves that the agents of the society are to do every thing, and, therefore, that they, in their respective stations, are released from all obligation to charitable effort. Alas! your committee can hope to remove but a portion of the evil existing in this town. Whilst they shall be exerting themselves even with their utmost energy, there will be ample scope for the benevolent activity of individuals. The efforts of one are not meant to supercede those of the other. They may go on most happily in unison. Fully aware, therefore, of the dif ficulty of the duty they are engaged in, even under the most favourable circumstances, and contemplating, with no little apprehension, the limited state of their funds, and the very few names that have been added to the list of subscribers since the first general meeting, they dare not inindulge any high expectations themthe objects of this institution by false selves, nor mislead the promoters of hopes of that success which must ultimately depend upon the patronage of The committee have the public. cheerfully devoted their time and labour to the formation of this establishment, and will continue their exertions with increased diligence, if they shall receive that countenance and support which alone can ensure success in the attainment of the various objects of this important institution. The present deplorable state of the commerce of these kingdoms must be felt and lamented by all. These evils, as they lessen the means, will increase our exertions to support the strength and prosperity of our country, which, whether the whole or its parts be considered, consists in a populace vigorous, virtuous, and enlightened. The labourers are the hands of the merchant, the implements of the manufacturer and the agriculturist; a source of wealth in peace, and our defence in war. In the hour of danger they keep the enemy from our coast, and “stand a wall of fire around our loved isle." Such are the public spirit and benevolence of the inhabitants of this town, that appeals to excite the passions have been unnecessary: RELIEF has always met DISTRESS, and they have been as ready to give as to re ceive Some, objections have been stated to the organization of the Laws of this Institution, which have much retarded its progress: great pains have been taken to obviate them, particnlary as they came from gentlemen highly respectable, and warm friends to the poor. It is hoped they no longer exist, and that if the present members of the Society will lay the state of the funds before their friends, and explain their views, all will unite, with one heart and one soul, in this LABOUR OF Love. Liverpool, February, 1811. For the Belfast Monthly Magazine. SERAPH; OR VANITY Reproved. (Concluded from page 274.) WHEN her step-mother found fault with her, she never dared to justify herself, or speak a word in reply; this would have been reckoned the height of disobedience; she was therefore obliged to bear all in silence, though often, her heart was ready to burst. Little Seraph was the first who seemed to sympathize in Harriet's sufferings, and in some degree to resent her injuries. If she chanced to be seated on her mamina's lap, when the storm began, she immediately left it, and walking over to her sister, placed herself close beside her, with her face turned towards her mamma; there she stood firm, endeavouring as it should seem, to ward off the fury of the tempest from its object, or at least determined to bear a part of it. If she saw Harriet much affected, she climbed on her chair, and got her arms round her neck, and if a tear strayed down her sister's cheek, she immediately kissed it off. Sometimes she was ordered away from her sister; then she would, without saying a word, walk with a firm step to that part of the room which was farthest from her mother, and remain there till peace was restored. But never did these two exemplary sisters mention their mother's cruelty, either between themselves, or to any other person, nor utter one disrespectful word of her. It seemed, that without having spoken their thoughts to each other, both had determined to be silent on the disagreeable subject for ever. Captain Lancaster saw that his wife did not love his daughter, but he had no conception of the misery she suffered in consequence of her step-mother's dislike; and Harriet would have died rather than let him know any thing that might cause him uneasiness. The Time therefore rolled on without bringing any diminution to the sufferings of Harriet; on the contrary, every year encreased her step-mother's enmity towards her. diabolical passion of jealousy produced the most baleful effects in the mind of Mrs. I., she grew passionate, vindictive, and revengeful. An incident occurred about this time, which though trifling in itself, we cannot pass over in silence, on account of the serious consequences produced by it. There was in the family an old |