LONDON. 



tlie city of London diflribute above 75,000/. annually in cha- 

 nties ; and there is a mukitude of iiilhtiitions, of a Icf:* pro- 

 miiKMit nature than the foregoing, whicli make the total of 

 charitable donations immenfe. The funis annually expended 

 in the metropolis for charitable purpofes, independently of the 

 private relief given to individuals, have been ellimated at 

 850,000/. The holpitals were chiefly founded by private 

 niunilicence : fome are endowed nilh perpetual revenues, 

 and others fupported by annual or occafional voluntary fub- 

 fcripti;>nf. The alras-houfes were buill and endowed eiihcr 

 bv private perfons or corporate bodies of tradefmen. Many 

 of the free-fchools owe their origin to the fame fources. 

 Tiie magnitude of the buildings dedicated to public charities, 

 ai;d the large revenues attached to them, are highly de- 

 fevving of commendation ; and the general adminiihation of 

 tl'.efe ellabiillitnents confers a pecuhar honour on the capital. 

 The interior regulations of the hofpitals well accord with 

 tlie exterior magnitude : the medical afTiftance is the beil 

 the profeliion can fupply ; the attendance is ample ; the 

 rooms are generally very clean and wholefome ; and the food 

 is proper for the condition of the patients. The alms- 

 houfes, and other inftitulions for the fupport of the aged 

 and indigent, exhibit not merely an appearance-, but a real 

 pofTeflion of competence and eafe. From lonje of the free- 

 fchools, pupils have been fent to the univerlities as learned 

 as from any of the moft expenfive feminaries : and all the 

 fcholars r<?ceive an education completely adapted to the fla- 

 tioTis for which they aredeiigned. Among the free-fchools 

 may be particularly noted thofe of Weibninller, Blue-coat 

 or Chrill's-hofpital, St. Paul's, Mercliant-taylors', Charter- 

 houfe, and St. Martin's. Fur a very ample hiftory and 

 defcription of all the charitable inllitutions of London, the 

 reader is referred to a volume publifhed in 18 10, entitled, 

 "Pietas Londinienfis; the Hillory, Origin, and prefent State 

 of the various public Charities in and near London," by 

 A. Highmore, lamo. 



ItijUtutioTU. — For the accommodation and convenience of 

 the immenfe population of the metropolis, the following infti- 

 tutieiis hare been formed for education, ior promoting good 

 morals, for advancing the ufeful and fine arts, and for cha- 

 ritiable and humane purpofes. For education (befides the 

 various fchools already mentioned) there are 16 inns of 

 court and chancery for itudents in the law, Sec. (fee Colkt, 

 Inns of, , and five colleges, uia. Sion-college, at London-wall, 

 for the improvement of the clergy ; Grelham-college, for 

 divinity, allronomy, and other fciences ; the college of phy- 

 ficiar.s, Warwick-lane, for profefTors in medicine ; one for 

 the lludy of civil law. Doctor's Commons; and the Herald's- 

 coUege. (See College. ) The number of private fchools, 

 for ail the various branches of male and female education, 

 i.^ eilimatcd at 3730 ; including fome for children who 

 are deaf and dumb. 



For promoting religion and good morals London contains 

 tlie following focieties : i. Forgiving effeft to the king's 

 proclamation againlt vice and immorality, eftablifhed«in the 

 year 178", and for the fupprcffion of vice in 1S03 : 2. For 

 promoting Chriilian knowledge, founded in 1699 : 3. For 

 the propagation of the gofpel in foreign parts, incorporated 

 in 1701: 4. For promoting religious knowledge, by dif- 

 iributiag books to the poor, inltituted in 1750 : 5. For pro- 

 11 oting charity fchools in Ireland : 6. For religious inllriic- 

 ti.in to the negroes in the Well ladies, incorporated in J 795 ; 

 ar'd African education fociety, inltituted in jSoo : 7. lor 

 preventing crimes, by profecuting fwindlers and cheats, 



-67 : 8. For the encouragement of fervants, 1792 : 9. For 

 ; ,; relief of poor pious clergymen, 1788 : 10. For giving 

 L-.bies to foldiers and failors, 1780 : ii. For giving bibles, 

 and oiherwifc furthering the purpofes of Sunday fchools, 



1785: Britifli and foreign bible fociety, 1804. To thefc 

 may be added. Dr. Bray's charity for providing paro- 

 chial libraries ; and queen Anne's bounty for the augmen- 

 lation of fmall livings of clergymen. 



For the promotion of learning, and advancement of 

 the ufefnl and fine arts, are the following inllitutions: 



1. The Royal fociety, incorporated for promoting ufeful 

 knowledge, was inflitutcd 1663 : 2. Antiquarian fociety, 

 Somerfet-place, 1751 : 3. Society, or trullees of the Bri- 

 tilh Mtu'eum, 1753 : 4. Royal Academy of Arts, Somerfet- 

 place, 176S : ',. Society for encouragement of learning. 

 Crane-court, Fleet-llrcet : 6. Society f(;r encouragement of 

 arts, manufaflurcs, ai.'d commerce, in t'le Adelplii-buildings : 



7. Medical focietyof London, Bolt-court, Fleet-ftreet, 1773: 



8. Society for the improvement of naval architcfture : 



9. Veterinary colL-ge, St. Pancras : 10. Royal inftilution 

 ior applying the arts to the common purpofes of life, 1799: 

 II. The London inllltution, in the city, 1805 : 12. The 

 Surrey inllitution near Blackfriar'f-bridge, 1808: 13. The 

 Ru(relin(Utution,Coram-(tieet,Ru!fel-iquare,i8o8: I4.Thj 

 Literary fund, eilablifhed in 1 79-, &c. 



Among the inllitutions for charitable and humane pur- 

 pofes, the followi! g may be enumerated: i. The humane 

 fociety for the recovery of drowned and fuffocated perfons : 



2. Society for the relief of merchants' feamen : 3. Several 

 focieties for fupport of ^widows in general : and others re- 

 fpedlively for the widows and orphans of clergymen, medical 

 men, officers, artills, and muficians ; and for decayed muii- 

 cians, artills, authors, adlors, and fchoolmafters ; 4. So- 

 ciety for relief of perfons confined for fmall debts : 5. So- 

 ciety for ameliorating the condition of the poor. With 

 thefe benevolent eftablifhments may be claffed the friendly 

 or benefit fccieties, of which there are in the metropolii 

 and its vicinity about 1600, confilting, in general, of from 

 fiftji to one hundred members each. The members confill of 

 m.echanic and labouring people, who, by fmall monthly con- 

 tributions, raile a fund for their fupport in ficknefs, and for 

 their funerals, &c. An aft of parliament was paffed 

 33 Geo. III. for the fpecial " Encouragement and Relief" 

 of thefe focieties. 



Plaies of Public Amufmeni. — Confidering the vaft extent, 

 population, and wealth of London, it certainly contains 

 fewer plsces of public amufemcnt than any metropolis in Eu- 

 rope. Whether this be the refnlt of accidental caufes, or is 

 to be referred to the genius and habits of the people, may, 

 perhaps, be a matter of fome doubt. But whatever defici- 

 ency exills with refpeft to number, it yields to no city in the 

 world in the fplendour and excellence of thofe it polfefTes. 

 Our dramatic authors are not lefs confpicuous for the bril- 

 liancy of their cumpofitions, than our adlors are for the judg- 

 ment and effett which they difplay in their reprefentation. 

 Mrs. Siddons is, perhaps, the moll effective and powerful 

 adrefsof the prefent, or of any former age; wliile her brother, 

 Mr. John Kemble, mull be allowed to poffefs talents of the 

 fir(l-rate defcription. In the walk of tragedy many other 

 players have evinced very confidcrable abilities : among the 

 dcccafed may be named Garrick, Barry, Bctterton, Hen- 

 derfon. Booth, Quin, Ryan, and J. Palmer : and thofe of 

 the prefent age, moft entitled to hiiloric record, are Cooke, 

 Young, and C. Kemble. It may be fafely afTerted that the 

 comedians of the London theatres have advanced the mimetic 

 art nearly to the height of perfeftion. The names of the 

 late MelTrs. Lewis, King, Parfons, Woodward, Shuter, and 

 Edwin are juiily honoured in the annals of the drama ; and 

 thofe of the following aftors are entitled to the unqualified 

 commendation of the theatrical critic : Dowton, Munden, 

 Bannilter, Fawcett, Emery, Knight, Matthews, Johnfon, 

 Lovcgrovc, Lilton, Simmons, and Blanchard. Many 

 •3 f 2 aftccUcs 



