were defirous to contribute to so good and necessary a work, came to a refolution to build one; and by their direction the Committee opened a subscription for that purpose.

In the year 1746, the Governors being defirous that the children, fome of which were then almost five years of age, should be employed in such work as they were capable of; accordingly some of the boys were employed in winding filk, and the girls in making and mending linnen for the boys, themselves, the children in the country, &c. all which is done by them, without putting any out. Particular care was taken in erecting the building, that it should be commodious, plain, and substantial, without any coftly decorations; but, soon after the hospital became habitable, several eminent masters of painting, sculpture, and other arts, were pleased to contribute many elegant ornaments, which are placed in the hofpital, as monuments of their charity, and abilities in their leveral arts.

In the Court-room they placed four capital pictures, the subjects being parts of the facred history, fuitable to the place for which they were designed.

The first painted by Mr. Hayman, and taken from the fecond chapter of Exodus, verses 8, 9. the words of which are, "The maid went and called the child's mother, and Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give you wages." The ensuing verse is The fubject of the next picture, viz. "And the child grew, and the brow brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her fon, and the called his name Moses." This picture is painted by Mr. Hogarth.

The third picture is the history of Ishmael, painted by Mr. Highmore. The fubject taken from the xxist chapter of Genesis, verse 17. "And the Angel of the Lord called to Hagar out of heaven, and faid to her, What aileth thee, Hagar? Fear not, for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.

The fourth picture was painted by Mr. Wills, its fubject taken from the xviiith chapter of Luke, verse 16. "Jefus faid, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God." On each fide these pictures are placed smaller pictures in circular frames, reprefenting the most

confiderable hospitals in and about Lon don.

1. The view of the hofpital for expe sed children.

2. The view of the hofpital at Hyde. Park-Corner, called St. George's hofpital. These two by Mr. Wilfon. 3. The view of Chelsea hofpital. 4. The view of Bethlem hospital. These two by Mr. Haytley.

5. The view of St. Thomas's hofpi tal.

6. The view of Greenwich hofpital. 7. The view of the Blue-Coat hofpital. These three by Mr. Whale.

8. The view of Sutton's hofpital, called the Charter-house. By Mr. Gainfborough.

Over the chimney is placed a very curious bafs-relief, carved by Mr. Ryfbrack, and presented by him, representing children employed in navigation and husbandry, being the employment to which the children of this hofpital are destined.

The other ornaments of the room were also given by several ingenious workmen, who had been employed in the building the hofpital, and were willing to contribute to it.

The stucco work was given by Mr. William Wilton. The marble chimney by Mr. Deval. The table with its frame inriched with carving, by Mr. John Sanderson; and the glass by Mr. Hallat.

In the other rooms of the hospital are the pictures of several Governors and benefactors, viz. Mr. Thomas Coram, by Mr. Hogarth; Mr. Milner and Mr. Jacobson, by Mr. Hudson; Dr. Mead, by Mr. Ramsey; and Mr. Emerson, by Mr. Highmore.

And in the dining-room is a large and beautiful fea-piece, reprefenting an Eng. lish fleet in the Downs, by Mr. Monamy.

At the fame time also were given, by 'Mr. Ives, four shields cut in lead of good workmanship, which are placed over the charity boxes with proper inferiptions thereon; and several other artists have promised to contribute their labours to the further ornamenting the hofpital and chapel, so soon as it shall be erected. For which they were returned the thanks of the Corporation, and an inscription was ordered to be put up in the hofpital, to inform the public, that those ornaments of the hofpital were the benefactions of the several artists, whose names are wrote thereon; it being a fixed, and,

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as is hoped, an unalterable resolution of the Governors, that no part of the mo ney given to this hofpital be expended in any thing but what is useful and neceflary to answer the good intentions of the benefactors.

On the first of May, 1747, the first stone of the chapel was laid in the prefence of a numerous affembly of persons of distinction; on which stone was a copper-plate with an inscription mentioning the time when it was laid, and a large collection was made for carrying on that necessary work which is now finished, and tho' fitted up in the plainest manner is generally esteemed a very elegant building.

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And tho' the Governors strictly adhere to their refolutions of not expending any of the money given to the use of the charity in things meerly ornamental, yet the chapel is decently adorned.

The Chevalier Casalis having given an elegant picture which he painted to be placed over the Communion Table, representing the wife men's offering to our Saviour, gold, frankincense and myrrh. The rails of the Communion-Table are of iron of excellent workmanship, the gift of Mr. Wagg, his Majesty's

smith.

The covering of the Communion-Table, and Type for the pulpit are of crim, fon velvet, richly fringed and embroidered with gold, the gift of Mr. Reafon, his Majesty's upholsterer.

And the fine Organ, is the gift of the inimitable Mr. Handel, whose admirable compositions and excellent performances of facred music have been of the greatest benefit to this charity, on which occafions, not only the skill, but the charity of the Gentlemen of the King's chapel, and of the Choirs of St. Paul's and Westminster have always been remarkable.

In November, 1748, the Governors observing that the manufacture of filk was too effeminate for the larger boys, who were then near seven years old, refolved that the boys should be employed in the open air, and inured to the changes of weather, and therefore appointed a Committee, and caused advertisements to be published to make proper inquiries what manufactures would be most suitable for this purpose; which Committee, having received and examined the several proposals made to them, reported that

the manufacturing of hemp and flax into twine, finall cordage lines, and also into fishing and other nets, was the most proper manufacture for the employment of the boys: in pursuance of which the General Committee resolved that a trial be made in employing the boys in the manufacturing of hemp as recommended, being laborious and to be performed in the air, and in every respect confiftent with their destination to navigation and husbandry; and also in employing them in the garden and business of the house, according to their strength and capacity. This shews how foon children may be employed in labour useful to the public.

And that the girls should be instructed and employed in all forts of houshold work in the kitchen, laundry, and chambers, to make them fit for fervice; and also in fewing, knitting, and spinning5 and, if more than fufficient for these purposes, to be employed in winding filk, or making nets.

On the 29th of March, 1749, the General Court being informed of the increase of benefactions to this charity, and of the number of children, and that it was proper the boys should be kept separate from the girls, gave directions for building the other wing of the hospital, and referred it to the Committee to carry on that work as foon as poffible.

The benefactions and legacies given appear by tables placed in the great room of the hofpital.

The annual subscription by a book in the custody of the steward; but the sums, hitherto given, are very deficient to answer the intended extensiveness of this charity. The good consequences which this nation may derive from it, are fo apparent, that it is to be hoped such encouragements will be given to it, that this hospital may foon be a receptacle to all fuch poor children as shall be brought to it.

There have already been about 900 children received and maintained by this corporation; but experience hath thewn that objects for this charity are very numerous, and that many thousand lives may be preferved for the benefit of their country, if persons of fortune shall think proper to extend their compaffion and public spirit to so defirable a purpose.

In 1751, the Committee agreed with the Corporation of the British fishery to make nets for that worthy society, and erested erected proper works for carrying on a manufacture of small cord lines and twine for the use of the fishery.

These worthy Governors alfo intend to agree for erecting other hofpitals for the young children in different parts of the country, where they may be main tained cheaper then they can near London, and will be of great use to the country, not only by the money which they will occasion to be expended there, but by setting proper examples for the education and employment of poor children, the consequence of which to the public may more fully appear, by perusing a plan lately presented to Parliament, by an honourable and worthy gentleman, eminent as well for his public spirit as his knowledge of the laws and conftitutions of this kingdom.

The Method of admitting Children into the Hospital.

The Secretary is to advertise publickly, three days fuccessively before the day of reception, the day and hours appointed for that purpose.

The gate of the hospital is to be opened by the porter, to every person who brings a child; but the porter is not to fuffer any perfon to bring two children, or to come in without a child, except the Governors, or such as they give orders to be admitted.

The persons who bring children, are to be conducted into a large room, and ordered to feat themselves on benches; those who bring boys at one end of the room, and those who bring girls at the other, and not to leave their places, till called, nor are they to take from their child any part of its cloathing, or other thing sent with it, on pain of being turned out of the hofpital. Two servants of the hofpital are to attend, and fee this order obeyed.

When the hours of admittance are expired, a bell is to be rung, the doors of the hospital are to be shut, and no perfon admitted to bring a child after that time.

Two of the Governors are to count the number of perfons who have children, and how many have boys, and how many girls; and are to put into one bag so many white balls, as there are boys to be admitted, and, into another bag, fo many white balls, as there are girls to be admitted.

To every twenty white balls, they are

to add four red balls, and proportionally, for any greater or leffer number.

They are then to add fo many black balls, as, together with the white and red ones, shall make the number of the balls, in each bag, equal to the number of perfons, who shall have brought boys or girls.

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The balls in each bag being mixed together, one of the Governors is to hold bag, bag. fo as it shall be impoffible for the perfon, who shall draw a ball out of it, to fee into it.

He is to call the persons one by one from their feats to draw each a ball; and such person is to hold up her hand open in view of the Governors, before she puts it into the bag.

Each perfon who shall draw a black ball, shall immediately be led by the mefsenger with her child out of the hospital.

The perfons who shall draw white and red balls, shall be ordered into separate rooms, to prevent changing of balls.

When all the balls are drawn, and the persons who shall draw black ones are discharged, the persons who shall have drawn white ones, are to be carried back into the room of drawing, and seated as before: those, who shall have drawn red ones, remaining apart from them who shall have drawn the white ones. Then one perfon who has a white ball, is to be carried into a room alone, there to remain, till fuch time as her child shall be received, or refused.

The child is to be delivered to the meffenger, who is to carry it into the room appointed for the inspection.

The child is there to be undressed in the prefence of the matron; and if the phyfician, furgeon, or apothecary, attending, shall have any fufpicion of its having any infectious distemper; or if it appears to be above the age of two months; it shall be returned to the person who brought it, in the cloaths in which it was brought, and shall be taken immediately out of the hofpital.

If there is no fuch objection, it is to be received, and the person who brought it dismissed.

Every child received is to have a different letter of the alphabet tied to its wrift.

The clerk and steward are each to mark a billet with the letter fixed to the child's wrift, and in it are to write the fex and fuppofed age of the child, the year and day when inspected, the parti lars

Any writing, or remarkable thing, brought with the child, is to be sealed up immediately, and marked with the letter of the child on the outside.

This being finished, one of the female servants of the hofpital is to carry the child with the cloathing of the hospital into the ward which is appointed for the taking in of children, and there to deliver it to the country nurse, who has the fame letter of the alphabet with that of the child.

When one child is inspected, and delivered to its nurse, another person, having a white ball, is to be carried into the private room, in like manner; and so on, till all the children, brought by the persons who shall have drawn white balls, shall be inspected.

Then, if any of those children shall have been rejected, there shall be so many white balls, as there are children rejected, put into the bag, and so many black balls added to them, as, together with them,

shall make up the number of perfons who shall have drawn red balls.

These balls are to be drawn in like manner as the first; but the persons who draw the black, may, if they defire it, stay in the house, till they shall fee, whether all the children of those perfons, who shall, in the second drawing, have got white balls, are received, or rejected; and so on, till the whole number of the children appointed to be taken in, are received.

When all the billets are compleated, they are to be sealed up by a Governor, and put into a box, together with all writings, or other remarkable things, brought with the children.

The porter is also to take care, thats no molestation be given, by any perfons without doors, to any persons who bring children, either coming to or returning from the hofpital; and is to seize any persons so offending, and carry them before a Justice of the peace, that they may be punished according to the act of Parliament, made for confirming the charter of this Corporation; and is to have a constable and other afsistants, as shall be directed by the Governors.

Maestuso.

Animatio