By the Rev. Canon J. E. Jackson, F.S.A. 161 



a mere close-fisted money-grabber. But Gifford, the last editor of 

 Ben Jonson's works, has vindicated him from having" been anything 

 of the kind. There is, in fact, not the least resemblance between 

 the two characters, and nothing, says Gilford, but malevolence and 

 ignorance could pretend to find any. He was a very liberal man, 

 and could not resist applications for loans from persons of position 

 and influence who had shewn him courtesy and kindness, and it is 

 said that there are in the muniment room at the Charterhouse 

 numbers of bonds given to him for money lent, of which nothing 

 was ever repaid. The hospital founded by Mr. Sutton was for 

 eighty decayed and broken-down merchants, tradesmen, and the 

 like. Each has his separate apartment. They dine in a common 

 hall, a fine room such as may be found in our colleges at the univer- 

 sities, and, when times are good, they have a liberal allowance in 

 money. Besides the hospital for old men, Sutton founded a school, 

 with maintenance for forty boys, and further assistance to such as 

 should go to college. The number was increased some years ago, 

 but whether under the present agricultural difficulties the increased 

 number is maintained I cannot exactly say. It used to be considered 

 that the nomination of a boy to the foundation was, from first to 

 last, as good as putting £L50Q into his father's pocket. 



There has been lately, as you may have noticed in the newspapers, 

 a good deal said about an intention of breaking up the hospital for 

 old men, and dismissing them, on allowances, to their own homes, 

 and then to sell the site for building. On the question of such 

 hospitals there is, as usual, much to be said on both sides. The 

 maintenance of officers and servants of various kinds necessarily in- 

 volves considerable expense, and as to the old men themselves, after 

 having led busy lives in society, the exchange to a monotonous ex- 

 istence, under a sort of rule, with nothing in the world to do, away from 

 their old neighbourhood and friends, is apt to render their life dreary 

 and unsatisfactory. At Greenwich Hospital, for example, it was, in a 

 sentimental point of view, grand to think of hundreds of veterans, dis- 

 abled in the service of their country, now maintained in ease and com- 

 fort for the remainder of their days. But there was another side to 

 I this pretty picture. When men are lounging about all day long, with 



VOL. XXIII. — NO. LXVIII. M 



