though conftantly, as abfurdly, ufed for both. It is worth the reader's while, to attend to Mr. Howard's defcription of fome of the foreign Prifons, particularly thofe of Switzerland:

"In those of the Cantons to which I went, felons have each a room to themselves, "that they may not," faid the keepers," tutor one another." None were in irons: they are kept in rooms more or lefs ftrong and lightfome, according to the crimes they are charged with. But the prifons are in general very strong. The rooms are numbered, and the keys marked with the fame numbers. In most of them a German ftove. The common allowance fix-pence a day. In fome Cantons there are no prisoners of this fort. The principal reason of it is, the great care that is taken to give children, even the poorest, a moral and religious education. Another thing which contributes to the fame intention, is the laudable police of fpeedy justice. Women are not hanged, but beheaded. In the houfes of Correction many of the prifoners were women; whom I saw at work.

"At Lufanne I vifited a prifon, in which there were at that time no prifoners. On converfing with Dr. Tiffot, he exprefled his furprize at our gaol diftemper; faid, "I fhould not find it in Switzerland:" and added, that " he had not heard of its being any where but in England." When I mentioned the late act of parliament for preferving the health of our prifoners, he approved of it highly, ef pecially the claufes which require white-washing the rooms and keeping them clean.-I did not (as the Doctor faid I fhould not) find the gaol fever in Switzerland: not did I find it any where else abroad.

"In Bern, the principal Canton, there was in one prifon (the Schellenhaus) one hundred and twenty-four galley flaves. They have not each a room to themselves; but there is foine diftinction of the more and less criminal, both in their rooms and work. Most of them are employed in cleaning the streets, and public walks: removing the rubbish of building; and the fnow and ice in winter. The city is one of the cleanest I have feen. Four or five are chained to a fmall waggon, and draw; others, more at liberty, fweep, load, &c. These are known by an iron collar, with a hook projecting over their heads; weight about five pounds: I faw one riveted on a criminal in about two minutes. They work in fummer from feven to eleven, and from -one to fix ; in winter from eight to eleven, and from one to four. I asked them, "whether they would choose to work fo, or be confined within doors?" "Much rather," they faid, "work thus." The lefs criminal are in feparate wards. They work within doors, fpinning, &c. in a large room; and have not the iron collar. The daily allowance two pounds of bread, and twice a day a pint and half of foup, made of barley, beans, &c. they fetch it from the city hospital. In their leisure hours they make trifles to fell, mend fhoes, &c. and deliver them as they pafs on at work. They are not fuffered to prac tife gaming of any fort. The keeper and turnkey are to fee that the prifoners perform their devotions every morning and evening. The chaplains pray with them and instruct them on Sunday and Thursday. Once a month other clergymen fuperintend the fervice. No vifitant

1

admitted on Sunday. Great care taken of the fick. No futling place to be kept in this Houfe of correction. The keeper is ftrictly forbid den to fell the prifoners wine, brandy, or other provifions; and requited entirely to forego any fuch emolument.

"In the Ordinary Prifon [la Prifon Ordinaire] fome of their rooms are wainscotted, or rather planked all round. Eight of them are very clofe and frong. The doors of oak two inches and half thick, plated with iron; three hinges, a lock, and two padlocks Here were no prifoners. A criminal who can pay, is allowed to expend seven baitz two kreutzer, about a fhilling daily, for two meals of foup and good bread. To one that is poor, the government allows half the fum. To all who are condemned, they allow a fhilling a day for eight days before they fuffer. These allowances are fpecified on a paper hung up in the gaol. There hangs up alfo a ferious exhortation concerning the awiul nature of an oath, and the form of fundry oaths to be taken.”

This form is fo proper, that perjury is hardly ever known among them. "How different in England!-We have in our Newgate Kalendar a number of fingular and daring inftances of prifoners breaking from their confinement. Mr. Howard tells us of a very fingular one at Bafil in Switzerland.

One of the frongest rooins is by the great clock, about fix feet in height, into which the prifoner is let down, through a trap door at top, by a ladder, which is then taken up, his victuals being put in through a wicket at the fide. When I was in this room, and took notice of the uncommon ftrength of it, the gaoler told me a prifoner had lately made his escape from it. I could not devife what method he took, but heard it was this. He had a fpoon for foup, which he fharpened to cut out a piece from the timber of his room: then by practice he acquired the art of ftriking his door, juit when the great clock ftruck, to drown the noise: and in fifteen days he forced all the bolts, &c."

Of the ftate of the prifons in England Mr. Howard gives a minute, and we doubt not, exact account: from which it appears, that in the Spring of the year 1776, there were confined 4084 perfons, to each of which allowing, on a moderate computation, two dependants, there appeared to be then upwards of twelve thousand perfons fuffering by imprisonment.— A fhameful number in a country where induftry is of fo much value as it is in Eugland and where vice is rather encouraged than corrected by confinement in prifon!"

1

From the knowledge Mr. Howard has thus acquired, at a great degree of trouble, hazard, and expence, he points out many expedients, which he conceives will tend to redress the - evils of which he fo juftly complains; modeftly fubmitting the whole to thofe whom it may and ought to concern; to procure fpeedy relief.

"What I have propofed, fays he, throughout my work, is liable, I am fenfible, to fomne objections; and thefe will, doubtlefs, be height

encd

ened by the cavils of thofe whose interest it is to prevent the reformation of abufes on which their eafe or emolument may depend. Yet I hope not to be entirely deferted in the conflict: and, if this publication fhall have any effect in alleviating the diftreffes of poor debtors and other prifoners, in procuring for them cleanly and wholefome abodes; and thereby exterminating the gaol-fever, which has fo often fpread abroad its dreadful contagion-in abolishing, or at least reducing, the oppreffive tees of clerks of affize, and of the peace; and checking the impofitions of gaolers, and the extortion of bailiffs; in introducing a habit of induftry in our Bridewells; and restraining the fhocking debauchery and immorality which prevail in our gaols and other prifons; -if any of thefe beneficial confequences fhall accrue, the writer will be ready to indulge himfeif with the pleafing thought of not having lived without doing fome good to his fellow-creatures, and will think himfelf abundantly repaid for all the pains he has taken, the time he has fpent, and the hazards he has undergone.?

W.

The Excurfion. By Mrs. Brooke; Author of the Hiftory of Lady Julia Mandeville, and of Emily Montague. 2 vol. 12mo. 5s. fewed. Cadell.

As nothing is more meagre and unfatisfactory than an abftract of the story of a Novel, we shall not trouble ourselves or the reader with a skeleton of this excurfory narrative. Let it fuffice to fay that, without any great variety of incident, the ftory of this little work is pleating and probable, the characters natural and interefting, and the fentiments fuch as in general do honour both to the head and the heart of the writer. If to this we add, that, with a mafterly pencil, the author has pourtrayed the features of fome diftinguifhed perfonages, and difplayed a knowledge of the human heart, and the customs of the world, which can only be the effect of penetrating obfervation and much experience, we pay only a common compli ment to confiderable merit. We muft not refufe our readers, however, the ready opportunity of perufing the feventh chaptér of the fifth book; containing the account of a converfation between an imaginary gentleman and the real manager of a theatre, on the fubject of a new tragedy, fuppofed to be written by the heroine of the peice, and p efented by her friend [a Mr. Hammond] for repretentation. The fuccefs of his negotiation is thus related by Mr. H. to the Lady.

"In obedience to your commands, madam, I fent your tragedy to the acting manager the very day I had the honour of attending you

before.

"I ac

"I accompanied the packet with a letter, requesting him to read the play, which was written by a friend for whofe fuccefs I was as anxious as I fhould be for my own, with attention; and to give me his decifive answer this morning; when I intended to have the pleasure of calling on him to receive it.

"I went accordingly at eleven, the hour which I fuppofed would be most convenient to him.

"As he loves to keep on good terms with all authors of reputation who have the complaifance not to write for the theatre, as he has meafures to keep with me on account of fome of my connexions, and as he knows enough of my temper to be affured it is not calculated for attendance, I was admitted the moment I fent up my name.

"I found him furrounded by a train of anxious expectants, for fome of whom I felt the strongest compaffion.

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Amongst the reft I saw -but I forbear his refpectable name: an involuntary figh escaped me; I could fcarce avoid exclaiming loud, Alas! to what is genius reduced!

"The train which compofed this great man's levee all retired on my entrance, when the following converfation took place; a converfation which will convince you I over-rated my little intereft, in fuppofing I could fecure your tragedy a candid reading.

66

My good fir, I am happy any thing procures me the pleasure af feeing you-I was talking of you only last week

"I am much obliged to you, Sir, but the business on which I attend you

"Why-a-um-true-this play of your friend's-You look amazingly well, my dear fir-In fhort-this play-I should be charmed to oblige you-but we are fo terribly overstocked

"I am not to learn that you have many applications, and therefore determined to wait on you in time-You have read the play, I take for granted

Why-a-um-no-not abfolutely read it-Such a multiplicity of affairs-Juft fkimmed the surface-1-a-Will you take any chocolate, my dear friend? "I have only this moment breakfasted, fir-But to our play. True-this play-the writing feems not bad-fomething tenderfomething like fentiment-but not an atom of the vis comică. "In a tragedy, my good fir?

"I beg pardon: I proteft I had forgot-I was thinking of Mr. What-d'ye-call-um's comedy, which he left with me laff Tuef

day.

But why tragedy? why not write comedy? There are real forrows enough in lite without going to feek them at the theatre-Tras gedy does not please as it used to do, I affure you, fir.

You fee licarce ever play tragedy now? The public taste is quite changed within these three or four years?

Yet Braganza

"A lucky hit, I confefs-fomething well in the last scene-But as I was faying, fir-your friend's play-there are good lines But

the

the fable-the manners-the conduct-people imagine-if authors would be directed-but they are an incorrigible race—

"Ah! Mr. Hammond! we have no writers now-there was a timeyour Shakespeares and old Bens-If your friend would call on me, I could propofe a piece for him to alter, which perhaps―

66

My commillion, fir, does not extend beyond the tragedy in queftion; therefore we will, if you pleafe, return to that.

"Be fo good, my dear fir, as to reach me the gentleman's play: it lies under the right-hand pillow of the fopha.

"ile took ihe play, which was ftill in the coyer in which I had sent it, and it was eafy to fee had never been opened,

"He turned over the leaves with an air of the most stoical inattention, and proceeded:

"There is a kind of a-fort of a-finattering of genius in this prodoction, which convinces me the writer, with proper advice, might come to fomething in time,

"But these authors-and after all, what do they do? They bring the meat indeed, but who inftructs them how to cook it? Who points out the proper feafoning for the dramatic ragoût? Who furnishes the favoury ingredients to make the difh palatable? Who brings the Attic falt-the Cayenne pepper?-the-the-a-'Tis amazing the pains I am forced to take with these people, in order to give relish to their infipid productions

"I have no doubt of all this, fir; but the morning is wearing

away.

"You have many avocations, and I would not take up your time; I have only one word to add to what I have faid: I know we are too late for the prefent feafon; but you will oblige me infinitely if you will make room for this piece in the course of the next.

"The next feafon, my dear fir!-why-a-it is abfolutely impoffible-I have now fix-and twenty new tragedies on my promise-listbefides, I have not read it?-l'hat is-it-if-a-your friend will fend it me in July-if I approve it in July, I will endeavour-let me fee-what year is this?-O, I remember-'tis feventy-five-Yes-if I think it will do, I will endeavour to bring it out in the winter of the winter of eighty-two.

"That is, if my partner-if Mr. fhould have made no engagement unknown to me, for that year, which may put it out of my power.

"I wished him a good morning, madam; and have brought back your tragedy.

"I have related the converfation literally, on which you are to make your own reflections: whatever may be your future determination, you will find me always ready to execute your commands."

To thofe who know any thing of the original, it is needlefs to mention the admirable likeness of the above picture ; others may learn who the original is, by the fucceeding reflections of the painter

"The incoherent jumble of words without ideas, which I have been repeating to you, madam, purfued he, is, I am told, the general