40 Four Letters written by the Rev. George Millard. 



Box May 30 th . 1718. 



Dear Sir, 



The Printed Letter as also the Pacquett from the Honourable 

 Society came both to my hands the last year in due Course ; for which I now 

 return my hearty thanks. 



I am to begg the Society's Pardon for being somewhat tarde this year in 

 remitting them an account of our Charity- Schools ; But what made me so, 

 were the Hopes I had of giving them an account of another School in a 

 neighbouring Parish ; the Minister whereof dying lately, left his Effects to me 

 in Trust for this purpose : But I have met with more Difficulties than I 

 expected ; and so must be forc'd to referr the laying it before y m till the next 

 year, when, God willing, I will not fail doing it. 



The Accounts for our Schools at Box and at Calston since my last are as 

 follows : At Box we have dismiss't 4 children well Instructed ; 2 of 'em are 

 put out Apprentices ; one is gone to Service, and the other continues with his 

 Parents. At Calston there are 2 Dismiss't the School, both of which work at 

 Husbandry. 



In your last to me, you desir'd to know whether the success of my Labours 

 in training up my Congregation of Box to Psalmody have answer'd my 

 Expectation. I can now tell you, Sir, that it has far surpass'd it. The 

 Number of Singers do still continue increasing ; and the greatest part of 'em 

 are become perfect Masters of 30 Tunes. We still keep up y e Custom of 

 meeting 2 nights in a week to sing in the Church ; as we likewise do of 

 singing 2 or 3 Psalms every Sunday in the afternoon before Divine Service 

 begins, and for near an hour after it is ended. This Practice I find has had 

 a very good effect upon the greatest part of my People, but especially the 

 younger sort ; rendring all the most usefull parts of the Book of Psalms so 

 familiar to y m , that upon naming only the 1 st Line in every verse they are 

 able to goe through y e rest without the help of a Book : And on y e 6 th Day of 

 February last, (w ch . was just that day twelvemonth y l we began upon this 

 Divine Exercise) I had more than 40 Children of my Parish, that repeated 

 memoriter 4 select staves out of 30 Psalms ; being those we most com'only 

 sing to the proper Tunes. Twelve of the Children perform'd the Task so 

 exactly, that they miss'd not one word : As an Encouragem 1 . for their Learning 

 them, I had promis'd a month before, a New-Common Prayer, Gilt, with the 

 Singing Psalms interleav'd, and rul'd, and the Tunes all set down, to him, or 

 her that should say them most perfectly : and considering the shortness of the 

 time, the number of the verses to be learn't and the Age of y e Children, many 

 of 'em not being above 8 years old, I think the Performance was extraordinary. 

 It lasted me full 6 hours in hearing y m ; and at this tryal of skill we had not 

 less than 200 people present, and many of 'em of distant parishes. It being 

 impossible to Judge which of the 12 children, that said so exactly, best 

 deserv'd the Book, I propos'd to have y m cast Lots for it ; w ch they all readily 

 consented to ; and tho' only one could obtain it, yet all y e rest were perfectly 

 satisfy'd : For upon my giving only 6 d to each of them, the Company then 

 present forthwith made a Collection, & advanc'd upwards of 20 s . more w th . 

 was equally Divided among them, as an Encourgem 1 . for their Industry. 



About 3 Months Since I put the Charity Children of my other Parish, (viz 



