period of their commonwealth, as may be seen in 

 many passages of the New Testament. 



Some centuries ago this horrible distemper pre- 

 vailed all Europe over ; and our forefathers were by 

 no means exempt, as appears by the large provisions 

 made for objects labouring under this calamity. 

 There was a hospital for female lepers in the dio- 

 cese of Lincoln, a noble one near Durham, three in 

 London and Southwark, and perhaps many more in 

 or near our great towns and cities. Moreover, some 

 crowned heads, and other wealthy and charitable 

 personages, bequeathed large legacies to such poor 

 people as languished under this hopeless infirmity. 



It must therefore, in these days, be, to a humane 

 and thinking person, a matter of equal wonder arid 

 satisfaction, when he contemplates how nearly this 

 pest is eradicated, and observes that a leper now is 

 a rare sight. He will, moreover, when engaged in 

 such a train of thought, naturally inquire for the 

 reason. This happy change perhaps may have origi- 

 nated and been continued from the much smaller 

 quantity of salted meat and fish now eaten in these 

 kingdoms ; from the use of linen next the skin ; from 

 the plenty of better bread ; and from the profusion 

 of fruits, roots, legumes, and greens, so common now 

 in every family. Three or four centuries ago, before 

 there were any inclosures, sown-grasses, field-turnips, 

 or field-carrots, or hay, all the cattle which had 

 grown fat in summer, and were not killed for winter 



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