MISCELLANIES. 
the workhouse seemed very much 
touched with her affecting tale: 
shestated, that she wasthe daugh- 
ter of the Rev. Mr. Davis, a Bap- 
tist Minister at Reading. I had 
been at Reading some time be- 
fore, having some children edu- 
cated there, and had heard the 
name. I put the question to her: 
‘If you are the daughter of a 
gentleman so respectable, how 
came you in this distress?” She 
stated, «I formed a connection 
against the will of my parents; 
they talked to me; but my affec- 
tions got the better of my judg- 
ment, and I married an apothe- 
cary against the will of my father. 
He went into business, and, living 
too fast, and getting into com- 
pany, we got into embarrassed 
circumstances, and he was made 
a bankrupt; he was recommended 
to come to London, and Mr. 
Sheriff Perring got him a place as 
purser of a man of war: he went 
to Yarmouth; was drafted thence 
‘to Copenhagen, and there was 
cut in two by a chain-shot’’ 
(This was about a few weeks 
after the news of the victory at 
‘Copenhagen came over). ‘I was 
then in a state of pregnancy, and 
having applied to a friend, he 
directed me to go to the Lying- 
in-Charity ; they took me in, and 
I was delivered of this infant six 
weeks back. I came away two 
days ago; they told me I could 
have no parochial relief there, 
but that I had better go to the 
parish where I had lodged pre- 
vious to my coming into the Asy- 
lum. I went back and slept at 
such a house last night ;”” a place 
I knew to be let out to beggars. 
“Iam going home to my father 
this evening: I read my sin in 
597 
my punishment. I only want a 
trifle to get a bed upon the road ; 
the waggoner will take me down: 
and whatever trifle you lend me 
shall be remitted, with many 
thanks by my father.” She gave 
me such an affecting description, 
as drew the tear of sympathy 
from every person: we gave her 
half a guinea, and some provi- 
sions, and sent her off to the 
waggon immediately. I came 
home and informed Mrs. Hale, 
and she said the Rev. Mr. Davis 
had been dead some years; and 
that she had understood they 
never had but one child, and that 
was a boy. Finding we were 
duped, I sent for the beadle and 
constable, and sent to the Read- 
ing waggon; no such person 
came there. I applied at the 
Lying-in-Hospital, she had not 
been there; we then sent to the 
house where she said she had 
lodged, and no such person had 
lodged there. And four days af- 
terwards this very woman was 
seen walking in the streets of 
London, by our vestry clerk, so- 
liciting charity, with those two 
children, and taking money from 
a lady; and I have no doubt she 
is practising it to this day, if she 
is alive. I know many similar 
cases. But the result of all my 
observations is this, that there is 
scarcely a beggar, seeking relief 
in the streets, who is worthy of 
relief: whatever is given may be 
considered as a bounty for encou- 
raging idleness, When the poor 
are driven to distress, and meet 
with any calamity that deprives 
them for a time from following 
their calling, they know what to 
do; they can have recourse to pa- 
rochial relief ; and they come to 
