326 
in the kingdom. The benevolence of 
the Exonians is great: they fupport eight 
fehools for educating and clothing, and two 
for maintaining, poor children; Sunday- 
{chools ; and numerous donations to the 
hoary head of poverty, in alms-houfes and 
annval charities : the Devon and Exeter 
hofpital will remain to perpetuate the me- 
roory of Dean CLarx and a long hft of 
friends to humanity, who ftill increafe, 
and who have adopted a plan for a lunatic 
afylum; a confiderable fum is already 
fubferibed towards it, a building i is fixed 
on,and the furgeons are appointed, with the 
proper cfiicers for its management. Should 
this war continue, probably many more 
fuch undertakings may be requifite te pro- 
vide accommodations for thofe who are 
verging to fuch an abode, from the confe- 
quences of its duration. Among all the 
new regulations here to foften the fuffer- 
ings of the unfortunate, none is more to 
be withed than a proper place of reception 
for the felons who commit crimes within 
the city. Though we havea general quar- 
ter feffions, and frequent gaol deliveries, . 
the punifhment arifing from the abode of 
the criminals is often encugh to atone for 
- their tranfgreffion. Their confinement is 
in the lower part of a tower of one of the 
gates leadirg into the city, and where 
there is not the poffibility of breathing a 
pure air after once within it. When Mr, 
Howard vifited this place, he delared it to 
be equal to any of the worft he had feen 
out of England, and it is only to be hoped 
that fome plan may be devifed to render 
more comfortable this horrid cell, where 
milery feems more miferable The prifon 
for the county of Devon forms a wide cen- 
traft, if it may be contrafted, to that for 
Exeter ; it has been built about fx years, 
on a {cale and elevation by the celebrated 
Blackburn ; and were it not for the mafly 
iron window frames, and its concomitant 
gloominefs, it would bear the refemblance 
more of an elegant brick maniion, than a 
difmal fecurity for our fellow creatures. 
Though built at a great expence, with every 
artful caution ard contrivance, feveral 
prifoners have efcapcd, though it is fur- 
younded witha very high wall, and guard- 
ed by a dag whole barking, | iike Cerberus, 
feems to defy one’s cowiage ; 

‘¢ Who foon begins to rear 
His crefted {nakes, and arm his briftling 
hair.” 
Thofe whofe fate brings them to the ‘caf- 
fold, are executed at, the porter’s lodge; 
and it may be remarkable thae the frit 
perfon hurg there was a Negro, for sour- 
° 
Account of Exeter. 
[Nov. t, 
der, who with his laf words exprefled a 
belief of again vifiting his friends in his 
own country. 
Near this gaol are the barracks, which 
contam about 200 dragoons; this is alfa 
a recent eftablifnment, but it gives enly a 
partial relief to the publicans, who bear 
the burden of nearly 2000 men at a time 
inthe city. Both of thofe buildings are 
oppofite to a meft delightful and perhaps 
unequalled terrace walk, fhaded by fine 
elms, 2nd furrounding the ivy-clad walls 
and towers of the cafile, from whence is an 
extenfive view of the river Exe and har- 
bour, overlooking Torbay ard the North 
ealt coaft towards Sidmouth and Lyme, 
and which has often afforded a noble fight 
of our commercial and grand fleets when at 
the entrance of the Charnel, as well as the 
adjacent country for a circumference of 
filty or fixty miles, including every objc&t 
that can giatify the eye in rural fcenery or 
fea prof{pects. 
‘< Majeftic woods, of every vigorous green, 
Stage above ftage, high waving o’er the 
hills; 
Or to the far horizon wide diffus’d 
A boundlefs deep immenfity of fhade,’* 
Within thefe few years paft many ele- 
rant buiidings have been ere€ied in the 
city and fuburbs; but a material accom- 
modation is ftiil wanting and that is, clean 
ftreets, convenient avenues, and wholefome 
lanes: a proper attention to thefe requi- 
fites is become really indifpenfable: to flir 
abread, either by day cr by night, there is 
a certainty of our fenfes being effended ; 
and while neighbouring towns, labouring 
under the fame general infirmities of a 
want of trade as ourlelves, are not inca- 
pable of accompiifhing regulations to this 
effect, it is furely a difgrace to the popu- 
lous and ancient city of Exeter not ta be- 
ftow more attention to thofe objects of 
public concern, as well as of individual 
convenience. It was intended, four or five 
years ago, to make improvements in the 
city, but the defign was feon frufrated ; 
the eftimated expence amounted to ab babk 
and upwards, and if the undertaking had 
been begun on a fca'e fo large as was pro- 
pofed, and continued, we fhould have been 
involved ina debt which generations of us 
wou'd hardly have extinguifhed. This 
propofal was therefore abandoned, and, in 
con{equence of to burthenfome a scheme, 
we are 8 afret to be doomed to the tra- 
veller’s remark, of being ‘* a century be- 
hind “thee places in Improvements.” 
in the article of drefs our belles and 
heaux are not very de eficient 5 ; rather than 
this, pe:baps. at times they exceed the 
2 ftandad 
