SHREWSBURY, 227 



Tuefday In Eafter and Whitfun weeks j and on 

 Shrewibury-fliow day. 



To encourage the exertions of the poor^ the 

 diretSlors make them an allowance ' of a fixth part 

 of their earnings, as a gratuity ; and this meafure 

 has been crowned with the happieft fuccefs. Two- 

 pence out of every fhilling that tiiey have earned 

 during the week is paid to them at the end of it : 

 this reward, Vv'hilft it has been found fiimcient to 

 flimulate their endeavours, has net been fo abundant 

 as to produce, however laid out, any bad effeft. 

 The working children have the fame proportion of 

 allowance from their labours as the adults : but the 

 fteward takes care of this little property, and keeps 

 an account with each child, fubject to the infpedion 

 of the directors ; he allows them what he -thinks 

 prudent to expend, and the red is fuffered to accu- 

 mulate. When it amounts to a fum fufficient for 

 the purpofe, the girls generally petition to have it 

 expended in a Sunday's drefs of a quality fupericr 

 to the uniform of the houfe. The faving-s of the 

 boys are ufually referved till they are bound appren- 

 tice, when thefe are laid out in whatever may be of 

 ufe to them in their refpe6tive fituations. 



The puniflinients of the idle and refmclory ara 

 inflifted in various ways. For fmaller offences they 

 are clothed in fackcloth, have a clog faftened to 

 them, or are deprived of the above gratuity. For 

 more flagrant mifconduft they are confined to a 

 ceil where they are kept apart fi'om all the reft, and 



Q 2 fed 



