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regard to hereditary and kindred diseases. I have heard men in 
high authority take credit to themselves for making entrance 
to the lock wards of workhouse infirmaries difficult, forgetting 
that their policy must largely increase the chances of contagion. 
Instead of a practically closed door, every possible facility of 
entrance should be given to lock wards, leper hospitals, and all 
similar asylums. Powers ought to be granted to authorities 
everywhere to detain each case while exit means danger to the 
community. Pressure must be brought to bear upon every 
individual whose liberty would manifestly work mischief to 
Society, and flabby sentimentality must give way to sanitary 
necessities. Are not these poor creatures more likely to be 
better cared for in a well-regulated asylum, than when subjected 
to the cuffs and revilings of coarse-minded companions? And is 
the curb upon self-indulgence, required from patients in such 
institutions, equal in degree to the voluntary sacrifices made by 
thousands of young men and women who, rather than break up 
home, cheerfully accept life-long celibacy? The subject of this 
evening’s discussion, the exposition of the sunny side of human 
life, cannot, at best, be made more than grimly interesting. 
The poet’s ‘‘age of gold’’ seems to vanish irredeemably from 
view as we trace the strongly marked lines of disease in all their 
unmitigable ugliness. But we gather courage from the fact that 
something has already been accomplished in the way of making 
life, ‘if not blessed less accursed,” and we sincerely trust that 
in the coming time the rate of progress will be both assured and 
accelerated. 
WILLIAM COWPER. 
By FRED. J. GRANT, J.P. November 25th, 1890. 
This was the sixth of a series of papers on ‘‘ English Literature 
in the 18th Century.’ Such a course could not be considered 
complete until there was brought before the Club some author 
who, while distinctly of the last century, had laid his hand on 
the literature of the 19th century, and had in a marked manner 
moulded and influenced it. Such a man was Cowper, who was 
the true connecting link between the literature of the last 
century and that which has illumined and adorned our own. 
There was much misconception regarding this poet. Occasionally 
the members assayed to hurl from its high pedestal some idol 
which the misguided enthusiasm of a particular period had 
placed there. If on the one hand they were breakers of images, 
they should also build up the old waste places and repair the 
