annually complete lists of absentees in foreign parts, who on their return home shall be liable to be summoned and examined in a summary way before the board, whose sentence shall be final. That all going into foreign parts shall not be deemed rambling; but that the legislature may in its wisdom define the offence, and specify certain tokens by which it may be ascertained; such, for instance, as debasing the purity of the English language, by a vile mixture of exotic words, idioms, and phrases; all impertinent and unmeaning shrugs, grimaces, and gesticulations; the frequent use of the word canaille, and the least contempt wantonly cast on the roast beef of Old England. These should be deemed sufficient evidence to convict an offender against this statute, who shall be immediately brought to condign punishment, which is to be by flagellation after the manner of the schools; for which purpose a block fashioned like ours, may be erected on the parade, and an additional salary given to the usher of the black rod, to provide a sufficient store of birch, and able-bodied deputies. The number of lashes to be proportioned to the crime; never less than seven, nor more than one-and-twenty, exclusive of the flying cuts as the criminal rises. The time of execution, for the sake of public example, to be twelve at noon, and some one member of the home board, always to attend and intermix proper reproofs and admonitions between the cuts, which are to be applied slowly and distinctly.-Provided always, that nothing in this act contained shall extend to persons who cross the seas in order to finish their studies at foreign universities; to gentlemen who travel with the public spirited design of procuring singers and dancers for the opera; or to such young patriots who make the tour of Europe, from a laudable desire of discovering the many imperfections of the English constitution, by comparing it with the more perfect models which are to be found abroad. Such, Sir, are the general outlines of my scheme; and, guarded with these precautions, I should flatter myself it could meet with no opposition. I once thought of a private whipping-room for travelling females, but in consideration of the voluntary penance, which I am told they submit to at their return to England, of exhibiting themselves in public places, made frightful with all the frippery of France, patched, painted, and pomponed, as warnings to the sex, I am willing that all farther punishment should be remitted. To your censure, Sir, I submit the whole of my scheme. If the foundation I have built upon is a weak one, I have the inexperience of youth to plead in my behalf, and the same excuse to allege with the simple swain in Virgil, which, as a school-boy I beg leave to quote. Urbem, quam dicunt Romam, Melibœe, putavi Sic canibus catulos similes, &c. I am, Sir, your humble servant.' N° 23. THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 1753. It is with some degree of pride as well as pleasure that I see my correspondents multiply so fast, that the task I have undertaken has become almost a sinecure. For many weeks past it has been entirely so, allowing only for some little alterations, which I judged it necessary to make in two or three essays: a liberty which I shall never take without the greatest caution, and upon few other occasions than to give a general turn to what may be applied to a particular character. To all men of genius and good humour, who will favour me with their correspondence, I shall think myself both honoured and obliged. The writer of the following letter will, I am sure, forgive me for the few liberties I have taken with him. The grievance he complains of is a very great one, and what I should imagine needs only to be mentioned to find redress. SIR, 'TO MR. FITZ-ADAM. To gratify the curiosity of a country friend, I accompanied him a few weeks ago to Bedlam; a place which I should not otherwise have visited, as the distresses of my fellow-creatures affect me too much to incline me to be a spectator of them. I was extremely moved at the variety of wretches, who appeared either sullen or outrageous, melancholy or cheerful, according to their different dispositions; and who seemed to retain, though inconsistently, the same passions and affections, as when in possession of their reason. In one cell sat a wretch upon his straw, looking steadfastly upon the ground in silent despair. In another the spirit of ambition flashed from the eyes of an emperor, who strutted the happy lord of the creation. Here a fearful miser, having in fancy converted his rags to gold, sat counting out his wealth, and trembling at all who saw him. There the prodigal was hurrying up and down his ward, and giving fortunes to thousands. On one side a straw-crowned king was delivering laws to his people, and on the other a husband, mad indeed, was dictating to a wife that had undone him. Sudden fits of raving interrupted the solemn walk of the melancholy musician, and settled despair sat upon the pallid countenance of the love-sick maid. To those who have feeling minds, there is nothing so affecting as sights like these: nor can a better lesson be taught us in any part of the globe than in this school of misery. Here we may see the mighty reasoners of the earth, below even the insects that crawl upon it; and from so humbling a sight we may learn to moderate our pride, and to keep those passions within bounds, which, if too much indulged, would drive reason from her seat, and level us with the wretches of this unhappy mansion. But I am sorry to say it, curiosity and wantonness, more than a desire of instruction, carry the majority of spectators to this dismal place. It was in the Easter-week that I attended my friend there; when, to my great surprise, I found a hundred people at least, who, having paid their two-pence a-piece, were suffered unattended to run rioting up and down the wards, making sport and diversion of the miserable inhabitants; a cruelty which one would think human nature hardly capable of! Surely if the utmost misery of mankind is to be made a sight of for gain, those who are the governors of this hospital should take care that proper persons are appointed to attend the spectators, and not suffer indecencies to be committed, which would shock the humanity of the savage Indians. I saw some of the poor wretches provoked by the insults of this holiday-mob into furies of rage; and I saw the poorer wretches, the spectators, in a loud laugh of triumph at the ravings they had occasioned. In a country where Christianity is, at least, professed, it is strange that humanity should, in this instance, so totally have abandoned us: for however trifling this may appear to some particular persons, I cannot help looking upon it as a reflection upon the nation, and worthy the consideration of all good men. I know it is a hard task to alter the wanton disposi The building and endowing these hospitals I leave to the projectors of ways and means; contenting myself with having communicated a scheme, which, if carried into execution, will secure us from those swarms of madmen which are at present so much the dread and disturbance of all public places. I am, Sir, your constant reader, and most humble servant, P. P. No 24. THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 1753. I SHALL not at present enter into the great question between the ancients and the moderns; much less shall I presume to decide upon a point of that importance, which has been the subject of debate among the learned from the days of Horace down to ours. To make my court to the learned, I will lament the gradual decay of human nature, for these last sixteen centuries; but at the same time I will do justice to my contemporaries, and give them their due share of praise, where they have either struck out new inventions, or improved and brought old ones to perfection. Some of them I shall now mention. The most zealous and partial advocate for the ancients will not, I believe, pretend to dispute the infinite superiority of the moderns in the art of healing. Hippocrates, Celsus, and Galen, had no specifics. They rather endeavoured to relieve than pretended to cure. As for the astonishing cures of Esculapius, I do not put them into the account; they are to be ascribed to his power, not to his skill: he was a god, and his divinity was his nostrum. But |