366 Public Charities. [Oct. 



cealed his name. Thirty girls are clothed and educated. Contrast this 

 with Elbridge's school in the parish of St. Michael's. 



CORPORATION OF THE POOR. The poor of Bristol, by several Acts of 

 Parliament, are entrusted to the management of a select body. To this 

 body divers gifts and bequests have been made in general terms for the 

 use of the poor but some for specific purposes. 25/. by Samuel Wallis, 

 for a sermon on the day on which the officers are elected ; an estate by 

 John Knight, producing, in 1809, 130/. a year, for the employment of 

 boys and girls at the Mint Workhouse, thereby qualifying them for 

 obtaining a living when they attain maturity ; 50/. by the "Bishop of Bris- 

 tol ( 1 708) for bibles, to be given to children when apprenticed ; and 50/. 

 to the infirmary, which is supported out of the general funds of the cor- 

 poration. 



ALMSHOUSE BELONGING TO THE MERCHANT TAILORS SOCIETY OP 

 BRISTOL. The charter of this society is of the reign of Richard II. The 

 tailors of Bristol successfully resisted some claims of privilege about fifty 

 years ago, and since that period, to be a member of the society has ceased 

 to be an object of interest or of ambition. The consequence of which 

 is, that one Isaac Amos has come to be the only survivor himself 

 the sole and whole corporation. The estates belonging to the society, 

 if society it can be called are considerable ; the reserved rents 

 amounting to 55Z., and most of them on leases of ninety-nine years ; and 

 from other sources there is an income of about 15/. The almshouse is a 

 very handsome and capacious building; and 661. 18s. was, in 1821, paid 

 to the poor then residing in it. legally, perhaps, the property has 

 already escheated, or certainly will do so, on the death of Mr. Isaac Amos. 

 The account of this property given by the Commissioners is very meagre 

 and unsatisfactory. Nor have they entirely completed their reports for 

 the city and county of Bristol. 



MIDNIGHT. 



WAKE, my love ! the moon is up ; 



Wake, my love, and speed away ; 

 Now the monk doth leave his cup, 



Lingering through his cloisters gray : 

 While the solemn, silver knell, 



Rolling from the chapel-tower, 

 Singeth " Midnight " in its swell. 



Sweet one, 'tis the Lover's Hour ! 



" 'Tis the Midnight !" sighs the wind ; 



'Tis the Midnight !" shines the moon 

 " 'Tis the Midnight!" owlet blind 



From the tree doth wake his tune : 

 Every star in yonder skies 



Striketh " Midnight " from his tower ; 

 " Midnight !" every blossom sighs. 



Sweet one, 'tis the Lover's Hour ! 



