690 
charaters. It is perhaps too genera] an 
opinion, that the errors of females of the 
untortunate character in quefticn are, in 
the origin and continuance of their prac- 
tice, prompted by an infatiable defire of 
gratifying mordinate appetites 5 and hence 
no remedy ‘or their ‘errors is thought of 
but what fuppofes them irretrievable till 
debility and dire calamity make it impoffi- 
ble for them to proceed. But I cannot 
help confidering this as a miftaken: opi- 
nion; and that, as the origin of thefe 
errors has been accounted for rather on 
a sround of unfortunate circumiftances 
han de pravity of character, a. continuance 
in them may alfo be attributed to a train 
of correfpondent circumfiances and con- 
neCtions, which render a retreat from the 
path of vice almoft impoffible, or, at leatt, 
hold out no inducements to return to that 
of innocence and virtue. Nor ought the 
indecent exprefiions of feeming paflion, in 
fuch unhappy characters, to be rigidly 
anterpreted as the confequence ot illicit 
defire; but rather as the arts of that trade 
ef mifety, in which they have litde or no 
pleafure, but purfue only as a wretched 
means of fubfiftence to which their piti- 
able fituation has doomed them; and irom 
which, as no means of pedemptaon, offer 
themfelves to view, they are not infpired 
with any general and ardent defire to be 
fet free. It may appear, from thefe con- 
fiderations, that a i for early reclama- 
tion of character, and oe of the 
evils in queftion, is net, in the nature of 
things, impracticable, nor its fuccefs im- 
probable: and, thefe things being grant- 
e us will deny the importance and ne- 
effity of fuch a plan, that wifhes at all 
to fee fuch =D oRRy characters relieved 
from their diftrefing fituation? I am 
happy in the notice which the fubject has 
-ovtained from the benevolence cf your 
eorrefpondents W. R. and A. E.; but 
am earnefily folicitous that it may obtain 
further notice, both from: them and others: 
and think I cannot be too folicitcus in ex- 
citing the attention of the friends of hu- 
manity to fome plan for the prevention of 
female error and mifery, which may oper- 
ate effeétually by holding-out the means 
of fubfiftence as the fruit of induftry. In 
fuch a plan, there will be no cccafion to 
charaéterize the clofs of individuals to 
whom the relief is ofered, further than as 
deftitute females who wifh to fupport 
themielves by reputable employment. 
The innocently unfortunate wil] not then 
be precluded from, nor degraded by, an 
application to fuch an inftitution; nor 
wil a confeflion of guilt be, by thefe 
Plan of Provifion for Deftitute Females. - 
this fubject 
[O@ober, 
means, implied in the application of thofe 
whofe errors may have rendered them de- 
ftitute ; oe which implicd confeffion could be 
of no ufe to fociety, and only more hum- 
bling to the individual, and a greater bar 
to the fuccefs and nie of the infti- 
tution. ati 
I have lately beew informed, that there 
is an ‘exeellent inftitution at Edinburgh, 
entitled the Philanthropic Society, lately 
eftablifhed, for the reformation and in- 
ftruction oe an unfortunate clafs of fe- 
males’; that the care of the objects of this 
charity is almoft entirely in the hands of 
ladies. I moft earneftly requeft, that the 
public may be favoured with an early ac- 
count of this inftitution, fo honourable to 
tne country, and the individuals with 
whom it originated, and by whom it is 
fup ported. inn fernalle hands, I fhould 
fappofe, fuch an inftitution could not fail 
of faccels ; nor do I think any defign-of 
tie kind will ever be conducted with equal 
delicacy and effeét in any other. I fil 
entertain an hope of a the attention 
cf the ladies to the caule for which I 
plead, nor will I lightly rélinguifh that 
hepe, the completion of which would 
fo Bea contribute to the fuccefs of a 
mott defirable inftitution. — £8. 
N Benet: on Tyne, Aug. 175 1799s 
=" 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
i addition to the Queries of your cor- 
refpondent J.C. in the 295th page of 
your laft volume, permit me to add the 
following : 
How many inhabitants, old or young, 
(a feparate lift of each) do the poor 
houfes at prefent contain? How Many 
capable of working ?. What work is now 
done? and to what amount? What does 
the mafter of the poor-houfes get per an- 
num? what trades or manufactures would 
beft fuit the fituation of each particular 
town? and the difpofition of poor? 

T have feen in a late publication, that 
two pene of frefh yeaft (called in Lan- 
cafhire barm), adminiftered internally, is 
a certain cure "in the cafe of Putrid Fever ; 
fhould it be fo, { lament greatly that it is 
not more generally known ; it was faid to 
have been adminiltered’ to near fifty pa- 
tients, by a very refpeCtable clergyman of | 
Sunderland, with complete fuccefs. On 
I. fiould be happy to meet the 
opinion of your medical friends. 

I thall alfo be obliged to any of. your 
conkeipoaesa 
= | . 
ace - natn, ee 
