425 
might, in part at leat, account for their 
want of health, and for their nét attaining 
fo the ftature and degree of ftrength ufual 
at their réfpective ages. 
2dly. That the allowing the mafter and 
yniftrefs the benefits of the children’s la- 
‘hour, as it made it their intcreft to infit 
upon exertions difproportionate to the 
abilities of the children, might in many 
réipedts prove injurious to them. 
adly. That although, by virtue of the 
eriginal agreement, the miltrefs was oblig- 
ed to employ the girls in houfehold 
affairs; inorder to fit them for fervants ; 
yet being fubjecét to no regulations which 
fhould compel her to take them in rotation, 
fhe would probably be tempted to confult 
her intereft, by employing thofe only who 
could mot ealily be taught; aud thus the » 
greater part of the children would not be 
at all initructed. 
ind, gently: that binding the girls ap- 
prentice for four years, however kindly 
intended by the inftitutors of the charity, 
who doubtlefs hoped that, by this means, 
thele young people would be certain of 
protection during that term, was a moft 
ruinous practice; and this, for the fol- 
lowing reafons. 
That the perfons applying for thele 
girls, would generally be fuch as were in 
Receili 
them into their fervice, as they were in- 
titled to their Jabour without wages. 
That the abfolute power which the maf- 
ter or miftrefs has over fuch an apprentice, 
generally operates ynEaoen Ty on the 
mind of both parties, tending to make 
the one tyrannical and fevere (even 
where previoufly they were decent charac- 
ters), and to render the other ftupid and 
obftinate, diffatishied with her condition, 
and unwilling therefore to comply with 
demands which in themfelves mig ght be 
reafonable: and above all, that a cafes 
where the mafter or Hy On or both, were 
previoufly unprincipled (a cafe yc, 
notwithftanding every precaution, would 
in fact very often happen), the evils refult- 
ing would be incalculable. 
“We found, upon {tri inquiry, that the 
truth of this reafoning was confirmed by 
what had in faé taken place, and more 
efpecially that part of it which related to 
binding the girls apprentice. It appeared, 
that fome of thefe poor girls had been fe- 
duced by their matters ; that fome had 
run away before the term of .their appren- 
ticefhip had expired (in either of which 
cafes, forlorn and unprotected, they, had 
generally become the victims of proftity- 
tion) ; and that the health of others, not 
good when they left the fchool, had been 
fjtous circumftances, induced to take . 
Mrs. Cappe on Girl's Charity-Schools. : 
completely ruined by ill ufage, and their 
little day of life prolonged, if it were at 
ali prolonged, in circumitances of extreme 
fuffering and wretchednefs. 
I fhould not, Mr. Editor, have entered 
fo much into detail on a matter which 
could not be of unportance to the public 
at large, were the interefts of the particu- 
lar inftitution to which it relates alone 
eoncerned in it; but apprehending that 
probably many other charity-{chools in 
different parts of the kingdom may be 
eftablifhed on a fimilar plan, and that pro- 
bably, on examination, many like abules 
would be found to prevail, I have ee d 
that, by means of your ufeful and wide ly 
circulated Magazine, fome attentien might 
in other inftances be excited to the fubje&. 
Itis my defign, in a future letter, to fend 
you .fome account of ‘the alterations 
which have been made, and of the fucceis 
which has hitherto been the refult, and. 
. Lam, Sir, ycur obedient fervant, 
York, April 17,1798. « CatH. CAPRE, 
'2 
Eee 4 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazinc. 
SIR, 
N your Magazine for February, I ob- 
ferve a judicious and well-intentioned 
correfpondent requefis {ome information 
refpectins the moft prcper books to be 
ufed in charity-{chools, and other fimilar, 
inftitutions. J am an old man, fir, and 
a Chriftian, and therefore I fhould be 
forry not to fee the Bible in the hands of 
the children of the poor, convinced that, 
in maturer life, they will, from the peru- 
fal of that book, derive their beft conio- 
lation. Yet I am difpofed, in fome de- 
gree, to compromife the matter with 
your correfpondent; and I confefs, I 
think the ‘Teftament, or rather, the four 
Ens elifts, would be more inftruétive, in 
“proportion to its bulk, than the Bible at 
jarge:—or, perhaps, A ie a fele€tion was 
amade of the hiftorical and more ftriking 
parts, including a good portion of the 
book. of Job, with the hiftory and dif- 
courfes ot our Lord, all m-the language 
of Scripture, it might anfwer ftill better. 
\ 
‘Though I admire greatly the moral parts | 
of the ‘* Church Catechifm,*> yet I agree” 
with your correfpondent, that a great 
part of that fuminary of faith is not very 
intelligible to children. 
plainer eafponiam publifhed: fome ‘yous 
ago, with ** Fassuly Prayers, j tor the Ule 
of the Philanthropzc Reform,” and, I be- 
lieve compoled, or compiled | by Dr. GRE- 
GORY¥, which, with fome additions, 
might be rendered yery generally ufetul ; 
area 
There was a. 
