282 THE BEE, OR Feb. 16^ 



hurt that refults from it to the community at large, 

 has been fo well pointed out by others, that I fhall not 

 enlarge upon it here. On this head I ihall only make 

 one remark, that cannot be too often repeated : viz. 

 That prifons in general may be confidered as the mod 

 fuccefsful fchools of vice that this nation affords ; and 

 that many perfons, who, when carried thither on account 

 of unavoidable misfortunes only, were poffeffed of the 

 mod upright diipofitions of mind, have returned from 

 thence, depraved in their morals, and thoroughly fchool- 

 ed in every fpecies of vice; thefe leiTons of depravity 

 are quickly communicated to their children and near 

 connexions, who fail not to reduce them to practice on 

 the community at large, by a thoufand ingenious de- 

 vices, they never could have thought of by themfelves, 

 and which only could have been invented, by the unit- 

 ed efforts of the numbers who are left at leifure to 

 brood over their diabolical fchemes, and bring them to 

 perfetl: maturity, in thefe numerous feminaries of vice 

 and idlenefsf. 



Imprifonment, if viewed in a political light, can only 

 be reconciled tojuflice, from two confiderations. Firfl, 

 as being the means of preventing a perfon f rom efcaping 

 juftice, who has been, to appearance, guilty of fome 

 crime : And fecond, as a punijhjnent for delinquencies 

 of a certain fort. How far this mode ol punijhment is 

 judicious or the reverfe, I mean not at prefent to en- 

 quire. I fhall only obferve at this time, that unlefs im- 

 prifonment fhall evidently tend to anfwer the one or 

 other of thefe purpofes, it mufl certainly be unjuft, and 

 therefore it ought not to be tolerated. 



Imprifonment in every cafe, is fo I'evere in its effefts, 

 on the perfon who is fubjefted to it, that our forefathers 

 feem to have viewed it in general as a kind of punilh- 

 ment, the feveity of which ought to be mitigated as 

 much as poflible : Hence a provifion has been made by 



* See on this fubjefl, a moft excellent differtation written by Sir CEno- 

 fijiherous Paul; and the other obfirvations of Mr. Howard on prilbna, 

 \vhere thefe evils are fo fully difjjlay cd as to leave nothing new to be addei! 

 by H'.e oa this head. 



