4m 
JOHN HOWARD, ESQ. 
proceeded, the more shocking were the scenes he discovered, which 
induced him to exert himself to the utmost, for a general reform in 
these horrid places of confinement ; considering it as of the highest 
importance, not only to the wretched objects themselves, but to the 
community at large. Upon this subject he was examined in the house 
of commons in March, 1774; w'hen he had the honour of their thanks. 
This encouraged him to proceed. He visited all the prisons in the 
kingdom, together with the principal houses of correction. In 1775, 
he enlarged his circuit by going into Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, 
where he found the same need of reformation. One of his grandest 
objects was, to put a stop to that shocking distemper called the jail- 
fever, which raged so dreadfully in many of the prisons, as to render 
them to the last degree dangerous ; a distemper by which more had 
been taken off than by the hands of the executioner, and which in 
several instances had been communicated from the prisoners to the 
courts of justice, and had proved fatal to the magistrates and judges, 
and to multitudes of persons who attended the trials, as well as to the 
families of the discharged felons and debtors. 
Another end he proposed was, to procure the immediate release 
of prisoners, who, upon trial, were acquitted, but who often con- 
tinued long to be unjustly detained, for not being able to pay the 
accustomed fees ; also to abolish many other absurd and cruel usages, 
which had long prevailed. But the greatest object was, to introduce 
a thorough reform of morals into our prisons, where he had found 
the most flagrant vices to prevail in such a degree, that they were 
become seminaries of wickedness and villany, and the most formida- 
ble nuisances to the community, in consequence of the promiscuous 
intercourse of prisoners of both sexes, and of all ages and descrip- 
tions ; whereby the young and less experienced were initiated, by old 
and hardened sinners, into all the arts of villany, and the mysteries of 
iniquity ; so that, instead of being reformed by their confinement, which 
should be the chief end and design of punishment, those that were 
discharged became more injurious to society than before. For the 
attainment of these great objects, Mr. Howard spared neither pains 
nor expense, and cheerfully exposed himself to much inconvenience 
and hazard ; particul^ly from that malignant distemper, of which he 
saw many dying in rtiost loathsome dungeons, into which none 
who were not obliged (besides himself) would venture. 
** I have frequently,” says Mr. Howard, “been asked what pre- 
cautions I use, to preserve myself from infection in the prisons and 
hospitals which I visit ; and have made answer, “ Next to the free good- 
ness and mercy of the Author of my being, temperance and cleanliness 
are my only preservatives. * Trusting in divine Providence, and believ- 
ing myself in the way of duty, I visit the most noxious cells ; and while 
thus employed, I fear no evil. I never enter a hospital or prison before 
breakfast ; and in an offensive room I never draw my breath deeply 
His laudable endeavours, he had the pleasure to see, in some in- 
stances crowned with success ; particularly in regard to the healthi- 
ness of prisons, some of which w'ere rebuilt under his inspection. 
Better provision was also made for the instruction of prisoners, by 
the introduction of Bibles and other pious books into their cells, and 
