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appears, however, from an account which he has left of this transaction in his work on Lazarettos, that a difference of opinion arose amongst those who were to decide on the situation of the building, which Mr. Howard and Dr. Fothergill contended should be placed at Islington, whilst others preferred Limehouse; in consequence of which, and of the death of Dr. Fothergill, Mr. Howard was induced, after nearly two years useless labour, to resign his office; which he signified by a letter to Lord Bathurst, in January, 1781.

By this result, not only was the country deprived of the services of Mr. Howard, in a department in which he was much more conversant than any other person in the kingdom,* but the design was frustrated altogether; and the subject seems to have lain dormant till the

such a plan might be the means of promoting the salvation of some individuals; of which every instance is, according to the unerring word of truth, a more important object than the gaining of the whole world."—Account of Lazarettos, p. 221.

* Mr. Howard has summed up his experience in the following decisive words, which demonstrate that he considered the reformation of offenders as attainable only by a total change in the system of discipline. "We have too much adopted the Gothic mode of correction, viz. by rigorous severity, which often hardens the heart; while many foreigners pursue the more rational plan of softening the mind, in order to its amendment."-Lazarettos, p. 226.

year 1794, when another act was passed for the same object, and with a similar failure of suc

cess.

These acts not having been carried into effect, Sir Samuel Romilly, in the year 1810, brought the subject again before the House of Commons; and after a very full and convincing explanation of the hardships and defects of the present system, he moved for leave to bring in a bill for carrying into execution the act of the 34th year of the present king; but although this motion was warmly supported by several of the most enlightened members of the House, and expressly approved by some of the administration, yet it was lost on a division by a majority of 69 against 52.

In consequence, however, of these exertions, and by the assistance of other active and benevolent persons, great improvements have taken place, and are still proceeding with respect to the discipline of our prisons; and a Penitentiary upon a plan suggested by Mr. Bentham, has been erected at Milbank, in the vicinity of the Metropolis, where an effort is now making to introduce such a system of industry, and such an improved mode of treatment of criminals, as it is hoped, will eventually demonstrate the expediency of the plan, and lead the way to its general adoption. Of this establishment a very full account is given in the valuable work of

Mr. Buxton; who has repeatedly inspected it, and whose very judicious observations will doubtless obtain that attention, as well from the managers, as from the public at large, to which they are so eminently entitled.*

The difficulties, which for a long course of years attended the plan for sending our convicts to New South Wales, gave rise to the Convict Establishments at Woolwich, Sheerness, and Portsmouth; where great numbers of criminals were crowded together to await the hour of their deportation, under circumstances of the most afflicting nature: many, who had been sentenced to transportation, having passed the whole period of their punishment in a state of wretched and useless imprisonment at home. Such was then the condition of these establishments, that they were

* The last Report of the Directors of the Milbank Penitentiary to the House of Commons, is given in the Appendix, No. VIII. From which there is too much reason to apprehend that the original error in forming the establishment at so enormous an expense, (said to amount to nearly 400,000l.), has extended also to the management; as it appears that the maintenance of each criminal costs upwards of 40l. per annum, and that the earnings amount only to about one tenth part of that sum. It must, however, be observed, that this institution is yet in its infancy, and that no fair inference can be drawn from the present profits of the labour of the prisoners, as to what may be produced when habits of industry are formed, and they are furnished with regular employment.

pronounced in the House of Commons, by one of the best and greatest men that ever entered its walls,* to be a hot-bed of vice and wickedness. The change which has since taken place in this respect, is, however, an additional instance of the happy consequences which, in the course of Providence, have sometimes arisen from the most unfavourable and hopeless circumstances. By the most commendable attention on the part of government; by the appointment of proper officers; by a regulated system of labour; by the establishment of schools, both for adults and young; and by the influence of moral and religious instruction;-such an alteration has of late years taken place, as may, perhaps, furnish one of the strongest arguments that can possibly be adduced, for the extension and universal adoption of the Penitentiary System. From the representation of the Superintendant of the convict establishments laid before the House of Commons in February last, it appears, “that notwithstanding the number of prisoners, which have of late been received on board the convict ships, has exceeded all former times, (consisting of rather more than one thousand), they have been both orderly in their conduct on board, and when on shore at labour." The Reports of the respective chaplains are

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*The late Mr. Whitbread.

also highly creditable to the good conduct and improvement of the prisoners. They are stated to be, "with remarkably few exceptions, respectful to their chaplain, and obedient to their of ficers; orderly in their wards, diligent in the school, attending to the reading of evening prayers with praiseworthy decorum, and joining in the public Chapel service with the utmost solemnity ; and as far as external behaviour and earnest pro fessions can be relied on, a considerable number may be declared to have been brought to see the error of their ways, and to be desirous of following the rules of virtue and religion during the remainder of their lives."-" The school has afforded to many, such facilities for bettering their condition on their return to society, as they never before knew how to obtain or to appreciate." "The Holy Scriptures are daily read by them in general; and five and twenty chapters of them are, on an average, recited, memoriter, in the chapel, every week. Once a month, about one hundred and thirty of the prisoners say the Church Catechism. Once a month, about five and twenty of them repeat, memoriter, the Thirtynine Articles of religion. Once a week, we generally have a Homily, and sometimes two or three, repeated memoriter. Should it be asked, what benefit is likely to result from this practice; my reply is, in case any of them are restored to society, they will not so easily be led

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