By the Rev. Canon J. E. Jackson, F.8.A. 161 
a mere close-fisted money-grabber. But Gifford, the last editor of 
Ben Jonson’s works, has vindicated him from having been anything 
of the. kind. There is, in fact, not the least resemblance between 
the two characters, and nothing, says Gifford, but malevolence and 
ignorance could pretend to find any. He was a very liberal man, 
and could not resist applications for loans from persons of position 
and influence who had shewn him courtesy and kindness, and it is 
said that there are in the muniment room at the Charterhouse 
numbers of bonds given to him for money lent, of which nothing 
was ever repaid. The hospital founded by Mr. Sutton was for 
eighty decayed and broken-down merchants, tradesmen, and the 
like. Each has his separate apartment. They dine in a common 
hall, a fine room such as may be found in our colleges at the univer- 
sities, and, when times are good, they have a liberal allowance in 
money. Besides the hospital for old men, Sutton founded a school, 
with maintenance for forty boys, and further assistance to such as 
should go to college. The number was increased some years ago, 
but whether under the present agricultural difficulties the increased 
number is maintained I cannot exactly say. It used to be considered 
that the nomination of a boy to the foundation was, from first to 
last, as good as putting £1500 into his father’s pocket. 
There has been lately, as you may have noticed in the newspapers, 
a good deal said about-an intention of breaking up the hospital for 
old men, and dismissing them, on allowances, to their own homes, 
and then to sell the site for building. On the question of such 
hospitals there is, as usual, much to be said on both sides. The 
maintenance of officers and servants of various kinds necessarily in- 
volves considerable expense, and as to the old men themselves, after 
having led busy lives in society, the exchange to a monotonous ex- 
istence, under a sort of rule, with nothing in the world to do, away from 
their old neighbourhood and friends, is apt to render their life dreary 
and unsatisfactory. At Greenwich Hospital, for example, it was, ina 
sentimental point of view, grand to think of hundreds of veterans, dis- 
abled in the service of their country, now maintained in ease and com- 
fort for the remainder of their days. But there was another side to 
this pretty picture. When men are lounging about all day long, with 
VOL, XXIII.—NO. LXVIII. . M 
