STUDY XIII. 213 



ftioLild be lefs miferable while under confinement. 

 Juftice, undoubtedly, in depriving them of liberty, 

 propofes not only to punifli, but to reform, their 

 moral charafter, Excefs of mifery and evil com- 

 munications can change it only from bad to worfe. 

 Experience farther demonftrates, that there it is 

 the wicked acquire the perfection of depravity. 

 One who went in only feeble and culpable, comes 

 out an accompliQied villain. As this fubjeét has 

 been treated profoundly by a celebrated Writer, I 

 fhall purfue it no farther. I fliall only beg leave 

 to obferve, that there is no way but one to reform 

 j(nen, and that is to render them happier. Ho\v 

 many who were living a lifeof criminality in Europe, 

 have recovered their charader in the Weft-India 

 Iflands, to which they were tranfported ! They are 

 become honeft men there, becaufe they have there 

 found more liberty, and more happinefs, than they 

 enjoyed in their native country. 



There is another clafs of Mankind ftill more 

 worthy of compaffion, becaufe they are innocent : 

 1 mean perfons deprived of the ufe of reafon. 

 They are Ibut up; and they feldom f.iil, of conie- 

 quence,to become more infane than they were before. 

 I fhall, on this occafion, remark, that I do not believe 

 there is through the whole extent of Afia, China 

 howeveij excepted, a fmgle place of confinement 

 for perfons of this defcription. The Turks treat 



p ? them 



