LONDON. 
s very large fiffi-pond, it being 310 feet in length, and 
well (locked with fi!h, for the ufe of thole i'ubfcribers 
'who admire the amufcment of angling. On each lide of 
this pond is a very handfome terrace-walk, well planted 
with lime-trees ; and the (lopes are agreeably covered with 
fhrubs. 
There would be no end, where we to undertake the 
Fpecial defcription of all the houfes of comfort and refuge 
for the poor, for the decayed, for the helplefs young, for 
the infirm.—We can from this fpot fee the infcription 
“The Orphan Working-fchool, for the Maintenance and 
Inflruftion of NcceiTitous Children.” This fchool was 
indituted in the year 1760, by voluntary contributions, at 
a houfe at Hoxton, where twenty boys were fir(t admitted, 
ttnd, as foon as the circumftances of the fchool rendered it 
prudent, twenty girls were added. The houfe being very 
old, a freehold piece of ground, contiguous to the City- 
Road, was purchafed, and the prefent (olid and com¬ 
modious building erected in 1773. The houfe is plain, 
fubftantial, and airy. It has all conve-niencies for waffl¬ 
ing, baking, and brewing ; for keeping the boys and girls 
apart from each other; tor their working and walking; 
for admitting a greater number of objects; and for an infir¬ 
mary on each (ide of the houfe. A chapel is alio pro¬ 
vided ; and religious fervice is publicly carried on by fe- 
veral minifters every Lord’s-day evening during the ium- 
mer feafon ; but without expenfe to the charity. There 
is alfo a piece of garden-ground for the ufe of the family ; 
two pieces for the children to play in, at oppofite ends of 
the houfe, one for the boys, the other for the girls j and a 
fmall piece for a burying-ground. 
The plan of the charity is, that poor children not un¬ 
der the age of fix years, nor exceeding that of nine, are 
confidered as proper objefls; and ftricl regard is had to 
fuch as are molt: neceflitous, efpecially orphans; they are 
provided with food, clothes, lodging, and every necelfary 
until they arrive at the age of fourteen years, (or longer, 
at the diferetion of the general committee,) and then are 
placed out as apprentices or fervants, and a Cum of mo¬ 
ney, if required, given with them forclothing; they (lated- 
ly attend the public worfhip of God in fome congrega¬ 
tion of Proteflant Diflenters, under the infpeCtion of the 
maker. It is to be obferved that this charity is patro- 
nifed chiefly by diflenters. The boys are employed in 
making flioes and weaving lift-carpets; but fome of them 
are too young to work. Certain hours are appropriated 
for reading and accounts, and occafional work in the gar¬ 
den ; the girls are employed in needle-work and knitting, 
and in affilting the miftrefs and fervants in doinellic af¬ 
fairs. Upwards of 500 children have been placed out by 
this charity lince its firft inflitution—the boys appren¬ 
ticed chiefly to manufacturing trades; the girls many of 
them to fervices in reputable families ; and every care is 
taken previoufiy to know the characters of the mailers 
and miftrefles. 
An annual fubfeription of three guineas conftitutes a 
governor; thirty guineas a governor for life.—The fol¬ 
lowing are rules for the admiifion and management of the 
children : Every governor has, in rotation, power to no¬ 
minate an cbjeCh Notice is fent to him at leaf! one ca¬ 
lendar month before the time of admifiion ; if he negieCts 
to nominate within a month after the time fixed for ad- 
miflion, he lofes that turn ; or he may wave his turn, and 
then the nomination goes to the next upon the lift. Every 
child thus nominated is brought to the houfe at the ex- 
psnfe of the governor nominating. A certificate mull 
be lodged with the general committee from the officers of 
the parifh to which the child belongs, and properly at- 
tefted, acknowledging that Inch child belongs to them, 
and that they will receive it if returned to them ; or, in 
default thereof, the heft information, on oath if required, 
muft be given to the committee of the child’s legal fet- 
tlement. Every child, before admifiion, is examined by 
one of the apothecaries or furgeons of this charity, that 
none be upon any account admitted but who appear to be 
Vol. XIII. No. (j 19. 
401 
free from any infectious diftemper; neverthelefs without 
prejudicing the right of the governor, who has duejto- 
tice thereof, and is at liberty to nominate another. No 
child thus admitted is allowed upon any pretence to be 
ablent from the houfe twenty-four hours, without leave 
of atleaft three of the general committee; and, for breach 
of this rule, it is at the uiferetion of a majority of the ge¬ 
neral committee abfolutely to difeharge fuch child. A 
regiftry is kept of their names, ages, &c.—Any perfon, 
upon payment of 120 guineas, may immediately put x 
child properly qualified into the fchool. 
At every anniverfary meeting, immediately after divine 
fervice at the chapel, the children brought up in the 
fchool and apprenticed out by this charity, who (hall pro¬ 
perly attend the fervice of that day, appear in a clean 
drefs, and produce a written teftimonial from their maf- 
ters or miftrefles of their good behaviour during the pre¬ 
ceding twelve months of their apprenticefhip, receive 5s. 
each as a token of approbation ; and at the anniverfary 
meeting next after their apprenticefhip they receive two 
guineas each, as a further mark of approbation, and an en¬ 
couragement to merit. 
It teems as if the whole of this neighbourhood had been 
anciently an extenfive moor and marfh, reaching from 
the walls of tlie city to the hamlet of Hoxton—a place 
very unwholefome, and from which the moll noxious and 
mephitic clouds of vapours wafted to the city immenfe 
tribes of flies, gnats, and other flying infects, to the great 
annoyance of the inhabitants of the town. It was limi- 
lar to the Pontina Paluda, or Pontine marfhes, in the neigh¬ 
bourhood of Rome ; and remained fo till 1511, when Ro¬ 
ger Achily, the lord-mayor, caufed the ground to be le¬ 
velled, caufeways made, and bridges ere< 5 ted in different 
parts, for the convenience of palfengers. By the magic- 
wand of power, united to the fincere defire of doing good, 
this fpot is now become a moll elegant place, ar.d indeed 
an ornament to that part of the town. 
The manor of Fin, or Fenfbury, is not mentioned in 
Doomfday-book ; it mull, however, be of confiderable an¬ 
tiquity, as it appears to have given name to a prebend of 
St. Paul's cathedral as early as the year 1104. See p.410. 
—In 1215, Robert de Bakiock, prebendary of Haliwell 
and Finfbury, with the confent of the dean and chapter 
of Sr. Paul's, granted this manor to the mayor and citi¬ 
zens of London, at the yearly rent of twenty (hillings; 
but the term is not fpecified. Several fimilar leafes exift, 
granted at different times and rents; and to one of them, 
dated on the 15th of March, 1582, a furvey of the manor 
is annexed, whereby it appears, that, at that time, it con- 
fitted chiefly of gardens, orchards* tenter-grounds, and 
fields. Divers of the firft, on the north fide of Chifwell- 
flreet, had, in the year 1498, been converted into a large 
field, for archers and other military citizens to exercife in. 
This was afterwards demifed to the Artillery Company, 
whence it acquired the name of the Artillery-ground; 
and, at prefent, it is ufed for the exercife of that bod)-, 
and of the regiment of London militia ftationed in the 
metropolis. In the middle of the north lide is a very 
neat brick building, called the Armory, the corners of 
which are (Lengthened with rullic quoins of (tone: be¬ 
fore it is a flight of Heps, and in the centre is the door, 
which is very lofty, and adorned with a porch, formed by- 
two col urns of the Tulcan order, and two pilafters, fup. 
porting a balcony. In tne trout is a pediment, fupported 
at the corners by quoins: on the top are leveral large 
balls; and on the apex of, the pediment is a lofty flag- 
ftaff. The hail is hung round with bread-plates, helmets, 
and drums : and fronting, the entrance is a handfome pair 
of iron gates, which open to a fpacious Hair-cafe, painted 
with military ornaments. This leads into a large room, 
in which are two chimney-pieces; the one ornamented 
with the king’s arms, and the other with the arms of the 
Artillery Company. In this room are two chandeliers; 
and it is decorated with guns, (words, and bayonets, pre- 
fented by the officers of tlie company; allot winch are 
6 B hxndlomcly 
