and equal beauty we cannot hope to raise; but let our united efforts, like a clustered column, continue to support the building, which may prove a shelter from the storms of adversity to generations yet unborn..

Society for superseding the Necessity for Infant Chimneysweepers.

SIR,

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PHILANTHROPIST.

AGREEABLY to the intention expressed in my letter, which was inserted in The Philanthropist, October 1815, (vol. v. p. 341) I now hand you some account of a Society formed with a view, entirely to put a stop to the practice of sending up little children to sweep chimneys. I shall give a statement of its ORIGIN, FORMATION, and OPERATIONS, hoping most earnestly to interest those persons into whose hands this letter may come, in the cause of a most injured and oppressed portion of our fellow-creatures, whose age ought to make us peculiarly attentive to their comforts, and not permit them to be subjected to those dreadful calamities which more or less they will be, until an entire stop is put to their climbing chimneys.

In the month of November 1802, a letter signed "A Friend to Progress in social Life" appeared in The St. James's Chro nicle, and about the same time a short paragraph in The Morn ing Chronicle; both recommending a mechanical method of cleansing chimneys: by whom these articles were written I know not. The letter in The St. James's Chronicle I consider as the cause of the Society of which I am now writing. Soon after that appeared, several others were printed in different news-papers, one of which was written by a Mr. James Hebden* (since deceased). He raised a fund, a list of the subscribers to which was inserted in The True Briton of February 2, 1803, with the following title: “ASSOCIATION for improving the Situation of Infant ChimneySweepers." I believe the first advertisement appeared in January, About a month before the letter signed "A Friend to Progress in social Life" appeared, a letter was written to a member of the "Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures,

Son of an attorney near Leeds, Yorkshire.

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and Commerce," and another to one of the committee of the Society for bettering the Condition of the Poor," both expressing a wish that those societies would interest themselves in promoting a mechanical method of cleansing chimneys. These letters were occasioned by a distressing circumstance occurring, in consequence of a boy being sent up a new-built sloping narrow chimney with a sharp turn, which chimney, as well as the rest in the same house, had not for thirteen years been swept, otherwise than by a mechanical method. Whether or not the applications to the above-mentioned societies occasioned the subject to be brought before the public by means of the newspapers, is unknown to me. In the same advertisement with the list of subscribers to Mr. Hebden's fund, a meeting of the subscribers and friends to the above Association was requested at the London Coffee-house, Ludgate-hill, on the 4th of February (1803): it was also mentioned in the advertisement as follows, It is the intention of the subscribers to propose a premium for the best and cheapest machine, to be approved of by the Society of Arts and Sciences, for effectually cleaning chimneys, so as in time to supersede the necessity of employing those unfortunate infants; and in case of success to promote by their example its general adoption." Then followed paragraphs relative to educating and clothing "the present miserable objects of the charity;" &c. A meeting took place on the 4th of February, according to the request before mentioned, at which were present, J. J. Angerstein (in the chair), Thos. Baring, T. Bonar jun., T. H. Broadhead, T. Everett (M.P.), B. M. Forster, Edw. Forster jun., W. Fry, Jos. Hardcastle, Dr. Hawes, James Hebden, J. M. Mariott, J. Pearkes, Reyner, Swandon, R. Stainforth, Rev. Wm. Tooke, and Wm. Tooke jun. A committee was then chosen for furthering the plans and measures proposed to be adopted by this Association."

A

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A general meeting took place on the 25th of February, at which the Bishop of Durham presided. The minutes of the "Committee for furthering the plans," &c. were read, and the following resolution passed:

"That this Society be known by the appellation of The Society for superseding the Necessity of Climbing-boys, by encouraging a new Method of sweeping Chimneys, and for improving the Condition of Children and others employed by Chimney-sweepers. A president, vice-president, and committee were chosen at this meeting.

The Committee, in conformity with a rule of the Society, offered a sum not exceeding two hundred pounds, for an inven

tion whereby, in the opinion of the Committee, "chimneys of every construction may be effectually cleansed at a moderate expense, not exceeding the expense at present incurred by the public, and with equal convenience-the sum of one hundred pounds, part thereof, to be paid after six months experience, and the remaining one hundred pounds, after eighteen months experience of its practicability, convenience, and cheapness."

The sum of one hundred pounds was offered for a method of cleansing, at an expense not exceeding what is at present incurred, a considerable portion of the chimneys in the metropolis, so as to diminish the number of climbing-boys to one half or more, in case an effectual and general method of cleansing all chimneys should be found impracticable.

With a view to "improving the condition of the poor children apprenticed to the chimney-sweepers in the metropolis, by sheltering them as much as possible" against acts of cruelty and oppression, and for "obtaining accurate information relative to the actual situation of these poor boys," two persons were employed as agents or inspectors, "with an instruction to visit the different parishes and districts."-This plan of inspection, there is reason to imagine, had the effect of preventing many acts of cruelty which otherwise might have been committed.

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According to the Report of the Committee, printed in 1803, the number of master chimney-sweepers in the metropolis appears to have been about two hundred. They are classed as follows: Respectable masters," &c. 20: journeymen 40: apprentices 90. "An inferior class," &c. 90: journeymen 90: apprentices 240.-"A class of the lowest cast, who are extremely indigent," 90: journeymen 40: apprentices 370.-Total masters 200 journeymen 170: apprentices 500.

The Committee were aided in their investigations by the previous labours of a Society instituted in the year 1800, for securing good usage to the climbing-boys, &c.

In consequence of the premiums offered, several machines were submitted to the Committee, one of which invented by George Smart, of Ordnance Wharf, Westminster Bridge, appearing to the Committee well adapted to the purpose of cleansing chimneys, and having been successfully used for several months, they considered the inventor justly entitled to a reward; and accordingly voted him 501. for the invention, and a further sum of 251. for the successful use of it. Richard Page, chimney-sweeper, near Guildford-street (London), had a bounty given him of 307. for having swept nearly 1000 chimneys with a me

chine: and James Lover, of Walthamstow, one of 10l. for having swept nearly 300 chimneys in 'the same way.

At the instigation of this Society, a bill was brought before. parliament (44 Geo. II. sess. 1813-14) "to explain and amend an act of the twenty-eighth year of his present majesty, for the better regulation of chimney-sweepers and their apprentices, and for making further and more effectual provisions for that purpose." In the preamble to which, it was mentioned that, "notwithstanding considerable progress hath been made in the endeavour to supersede the necessity of employing climbing-boys in the cleansing of chimneys, by using machines for that purpose; yet there still remain a number of boys so employed; for which reason it is expedient that further provision be made for the more comfortable maintenance, and for the religious and moral instruction, of such boys," &c. &c.-It passed the House of Commons, but was "thrown out" at the third reading of it in the House of Lords. This bill being for the regulation of a practice which ought to be abolished, the loss of it may perhaps be considered as a favourable circumstance, and not one to be lamented for although some temporary benefit might have resulted from its being passed into an act, there is reason to imagine it would have retarded the desired object of the Societythe complete abolition of the practice of employing infants to climb chimneys.

At an early period of the Institution, with a view to introduce the use of machines, several of the more opulent of the master chimney-sweepers were induced by the persuasions of the Committee to make trial of the machine then lately invented ;-this measure appears to have failed in the intended effect. Afterwards great numbers of the machines were furnished by the Committee to master chimney-sweepers, and other persons, on their paying about half the price: by this mode of supplying them they were adopted partially in various parts of the kingdom.

In order to impress on the minds of the public the dreadful accidents by which several climbing-boys lost their lives, copies of the evidence given on the coroner's inquest were obtained, and made public by the Committee;-a plan which, if constantly attended to, could not fail of being of essential service.

The annual Reports of the Committee to the General Meeting were for several years printed in the form of a small pamphlet, the last of which bears date 1811.

Although until lately the Committee have not for some years past exerted themselves with that activity which marked their

proceedings at a former period, there is great reason to believe that very considerable progress will soon be made towards the abolition of a practice totally irreconcileable to that spirit of. benevolence for which this nation has, if I mistake not, been from times of old celebrated by foreigners. Before I conclude, I take the liberty to mention, that one sentence near the end of my letter referred to at the beginning of this, was not correctly printed. I expressed myself respecting the employment of climbing-boys in terms which I thought quite applicable to the occasion; and am still of the same opinion.

Owing to the public meeting last June at the Mansion-house, at which the ford Mayor presided, the object of the Society has gained very great publicity, and numerous applications have been made to the Society for Smart's machine, the one which has for thirteen years past been successfully used.

B. M. F. 20th Jan. 1817.

Prisons: Maison de Force, at Ghent.

WE have been favoured with the observations on this prison of an English traveller on whose fidelity we can rely, and who visited it in company with some of his friends in the summer of 1816.

This was one of the foreign prisons which most strongly called forth the approbation of our hero, Howard. No intelligence of it, as far as we know, has been conveyed to the English public, subsequent to the date of his last visit in 1783. Since that time, thirty-three years have elapsed; and the experience of so long a period has therefore been gained.

There is in the work of Howard not only a description, in his usual style, of the properties and management of the prison, but an engraved representation of the building. For those, therefore, who are acquainted with one of the most admirable of all human productions, "Howard on Prisons," or those who have access to the book, any description of the plans, either architectural or administrative, is not required; but as we cannot suppose that all our readers are in this predicament, a slight sketch, sufficient to throw light upon the observations of our traveller, and the remarks which we shall probably subjoin, appear to us not to be less than necessary.

The inclosed space, including as well the buildings as the courts, is detagonal. The best way, perhaps, for the reader,