[30°] 
to London or Dublin without the greateft rifk of difcovery. 
The wretched devotees of character then embrace the horrid 
alternative, and in the tumults of fhame and defpair facrifice 
the lives of their offspring, and hazard their own eternal lives. 
It is notorious that in Scotland fewer crimes fall under the 
punifhment of the law than in any other polifhed fociety of 
equal numbers, the crime of child-murder excepted ; and there 
is even reafon to believe that that crime is much more fre- 
quently perpetrated than detected. 
From hence I infer the propriety of eftablifhing receiving- 
cradles for foundlings in different parts of Ireland. Nor would 
the care of thefe add much to the general expence of the infti- 
tution, if they were annexed to, or even rendered a conftituent 
part of the eftablifhment of every county infirmary. 
I sarp that the fafety of the foundlings admitted to the 
benefits of this charity fhould be an object of national care. 
But I am perfuaded that their fafety is not compatible with 
the neceflity of undergoing long journeys, during their ten- 
dereft infancy, perhaps without proper food or raiment, expofed 
to cold, and the damps of night, befide all the accidents to 
which their delicate bodies are fo much more liable than thofe 
of grown perfons. 
A WEAKLY infant is frequently fent in the moft inclement 
feafon, from the remoteft corner of Ireland to the cradle in 
the capital. From thence it muft again fet out, and undergo 
the 
