364 Mr. Canning’s Speech.---Propofed Inftitutin for the Poor. [* May 
country. I found there no intimation of 
fuch conduét, though Mallet du Pan, 
from the hatred he bears the French, 
would have dwelt with pleafure on this 
circumftance. I likewife examined Lava- 
ter’s account of the fame event, but found 
no mention of, or allufion to any fuch 
thing. I may therefore, I think, with- 
out any want of candour, conclude that 
the charge is falj/e, and refts upon no 
foundation whatever. 
I lament much, that a member of the 
Houfe of Commons fhould print a ipeech 
containing a charge of fuch a horrid na- 
ture; for which, hitherto, there have 
appeared no grounds, and which I believe, 
is not to be found any where but in this 
fpeech. Befides, Mr. Canning, at the 
time of making this {peech, was Under 
Secretary of State for the foreign depart- 
ment; fu thatthe charge was brought, in 
fome degree, by the government of this 
country againft the French. Charges of 
this kind, unfupported by evidence, are 
ot fervice tothe French, as it affords them 
an opportunity of infinuating that other 
charges, as well as thefe, are not founded 
in truth, but have their origin in the 
malice and ingenuity of the Britith cabinet. 
Befides, the time muft come, when the 
two nations will be at peace with each 
other, and it is not becoming im any man, 
mutch lefs in thofe who have offices under 
government, and are paid by the people 
for far different purpofes, to circulate 
tales of barbarities never committed, 
merely for the purpofe of keeping alive 
and increafing the animofity that unhap- 
pily prevails between the two countries. 
I flatter myfelf that every friend to hu- 
manity will join me in this opinion. 
\ T am Sir, your humble fervant, 
Bradford, York/oire, PHILO-VERITAS. 
April 20, 1799. 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
TN anfwer to the enquiries of A. B. C. 
1 in your Magazine of Anuguft lait, 
concerning the ufesto which horfe chefnuts 
may be applied, I beg leave to refer him 
to the report of the proceedings of a body 
of learned men at Paris, which he will 
find in the French papers of Auguit or 
September, 1794, (1 am not exact; as I 
fpeak only from recollection) who dif- 
covered a method of praducing a fixed 
alkali from the horfe chefnut: A decree 
of the legiflature in confequence paffed on 
September 12th, that year, commanding 
all the citizens throughout the republic 
who had horfe chefnut trees, to ftore the 
fruit for the fervice of the nation, 
The horfe chefnut has thus been ap- 
propriated by the inventive genius of the 
French republic, towards forming another 
and never failing refource for the compo- 
fition of gunpowder. Yours, &c. 
April 18, W. A. SCRIPPS, 

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. — 
. SIR, ; 
A MIDST the improvements of fociety, 
and the efforts of humanity, fo 
much to the honour ef the age and coun- 
try in which we live, which muft be ac- 
knowledged with admiration, there is yet 
room for the united efforts of mankind, 
That rauch has been done for the benefit 
of Society will never be urged as an argu-- 
ment for a ceffation of effort, whilft fo 
much more remains both, requifite and 
poflible: nor fhould any one be difcoura- 
ged in the attempts he would make in the 
caufe of benevolence from their compara- 
tive feeblenefs. 
The writer of this paper relies on the 
candour of your readers whilft he ftates to 
them what has impreffed him as an objeé&t 
of the frf& importance to the welfare of 
fociety, which is fo united as to be invol- 
ved in the good order and happinefs of its 
feveral conftituent parts. It is that of 
finding fuitable employment for all thofe 
who are deftitute of it, whether through 
the want of friends, of recommendation, 
or of character. The numberof thefe, 
particularly among pitiable and unfortu- 
nate females is very great, who, in the 
prefent ftate of things, are loft to fociety 
and injurious to it; but who might be 
refcued trom the wretchednefs into which 
either misfortune or vice has plunged 
them, if fome fecure avenue were opened 
tothem, by which they might be furnifh- 
ed with the means of fubfiftence as the 
fruit of their own induftry. For want of 
{eme inftitution of this kind, manv hun- 
dreds, having loft their character by their 
folly, are, though convinced by fad expe- 
rience of their error, forbid to return to 
any ufeful ftation, and compelled to per- 
petuate vice, and to fink deeper in infamy, 
becaufe none can, with propriety and fate- 
ty, admit them into their employment. 
Many may be too {crupulous and too fe- 
vere in the requifition of character ; but 
it is obvious that there are inftances in 
which a Icft charafter cannot meet with 
that opportunity for reformation towhich 
innocent and ufeful occupation would 
highly conduce. But what cannot be 
done by individuals, or by fingle families, _ 
in their feparate capacities, may be rea- 
dily accomplifhed by united effort, ina 
pone : ak . public 
