The governors are generally about three hundred, and commonly men of great property, or those from whom there are expectations of charity. The president is commonly an alderman that hath passed the chair.

The treasurer takes care of the affairs of the whole house, and of the revenues, and therefore is commonly resident; he hath a good house to dwell in, but without any salary.

**

Every governor, when he is admitted into this society, hath a charge solemnly given him, in the presence of the president, or treasurer, and other governors assembled in court.

Besides the chief governors, there are subordinate officers, who receive salaries: four clerks, a steward, and a matron; for every ward, a nurse and her maid; a porter and four beadles.

They have also three servants, called STREET-MEN, that sce to the well government of the carts of London.

*WORSHIPFUL,

The cause of your repair hither at this present is, to give you knowledge, that you are elected and appointed, by the lord mayor and court of aldermen, to the office, charge, and governance of Christ's hospital.

And, therefore, this is to require you, and every of you, that you endeavour yourselves, with all your wisdom and power, faithfully and diligently to serve in this vocation and calling, which is an office of high trust and worship: for ye are called to be the faithful distributors and disposers of the goods of almighty God to his poor and needy members. In the which office and calling if you shall be found negligent and unfaithful, ye shall not only declare yourselves to be the most unthankful and unworthy servants of almighty God; being put in trust to see the relief and succour of his poor and needy flock; but also ye shall shew yourselves to be very notable and great enemies to that work, which most highly doth advance and beautify the commonwealth of this realm, and chiefly of this city of London.

These are therefore to require you, and every of you, that ye here promise before God, and this assembly of your fellow-governors, faithfully to travail in this your office and calling, that this work may have its perfection, and that the needy number committed to your charge be diligently and wholesomely provided for, as you will answer before God, at the hour and time when you and we shall stand before him, to render an account of our doings. And, promising this to do, you shall be now admitted into this company and fellowship."

Тие

The foundation also maintains clerks for Blackwell-Hall; whence are certain duties coming to the house.

As for the provision for this great family, there are two of the governors that are called almoners, who, for a month, or more, take care to buy and lay in butcher's meat; the steward attending them.

The food for the children, originally very homely, is now the best of its kind. It consists principally of bread and cheese, or butter for those who cannot eat cheese; rice milk, boiled mutton and broth, boiled beef and pottage, roast mutton, &c.; to which, on particular days, the liberality of various benefactors has added the occasional indulgence of roast beef and pork.

To support all this, the hospital has a great annual revenue in houses and lands; the benefit of licensing and looking after the four hundred and twenty carts allowed by the city, each of which pays a certain sum for scaling; and the duty of about three farthings upon every piece of cloth brought to Blackwell-Hall. The expenditure of these various members of this vast establishment must be immense; it has been stated to be, for clothing, victualling, and contingencies, estimated at 30,000l. per annum..

This hospital also provides for a considerable number of younger children, at Hertford, at which place there is a schoolmaster, with a salary, to teach those children to read. At Hertford, the girls are also brought up consistent with the regulations of the charity.

General Statement of the Expenditures, &c. of CHRIST'S HOSPITAL, as read before the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Governors, at Christ Church, in Easter Week, 1806. "Children put forth Apprentices, and discharged from Christ's Hospital, the year last past, one hundred and sixty-seven; ten whereof being instructed in the Mathematics and Navigation, were placed forth apprentices to commanders of ships, out of the Mathematical School founded by his late Majesty king Charles the Second of blessed memory

Children buried the last year past

2

167

12

Children

"Children now under the care and charge of} the Hospital, in London, and at Hertford

"To be admitted on presentations granted}

to this time

The names of all which, as also when and whence they were admitted, will appear in the said Hospital's books.

"The support of this Hospital principally depends upon benefactions and bequests. As that of its income which is permanent, is far short of maintaining the usual number of twelve hundred children, whose education qualifies them for the church, for naval service, and for every station in life, according to their abilities; and as the principles of religion, as well as the due order of civil society, are points to which their attention is constantly directed, it is hoped that all charitable and worthy good christians will readily contribute to an institution which is not only of local, but of national good. From the antiquity of the greater part of the buildings in London and at Hertford, they are become so ruinous as to be unfit for further repair, a circumstance which at this time specially calls for the pecuniary aid of the benevolent, to enable the governors to enter upon the great work of re, building."

The governors of Christ's Hospital have been made trustees to several other extensive charities by the founders.Among the rest, is one of 10l. per annum each to four hundred blind persons, a bequest of the Reverend William Hetherington, in 1774. But as these funds have been confounded with those for the particular uses of the hospital, this explanation is necessary; they are separate and individual concerns, except, that for their integrity in other instances, the governors have been appointed guardians of those lesser charities.

A passage from under the Writing School, through the CLOISTERS, leads to

ST. BARTHOLOMEW's HOSPITAL.

We have in various parts of this work given the history of the several city hospitals, which were founded by Henry VIII, CP. 28 and Edward VI. Therefore to avoid recapitulation, we pro

ceed

ceed to state that this, as one of the foundations by the former monarch, afterwards was incorporated by the name of "The Hospital of the Mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens of London, Governors for the Poor, called Little St. Bartholomew's, near West Smithfield."

Here all indigent persons, maimed by accident, are taken in at all hours of the day and night, without previous recommendation. The diseased are received only on petition, signed by a governor. There are besides always a number of out-patients relieved with medical aid from the funds of the charity.

This structure was commenced by GIBBS, in the year 1730, Sir Richard Brocas, Knight, being lord mayor, and president of the hospital.

It appears that though the fabric then standing, wholly escaped the great fire, yet, a great part of its revenues being within the city, the charity became a considerable sufferer; but through the prudential care of the governors, the diligence of the physicians and surgeons, aided by the liberal supplies from various benefactors, the hospital was soon renewed in its form, and recovered its former consideration. It is at present one of the most extensive charities in the world.

"How grateful" says a modern writer, "is the thought, that in this magnificent building, hundreds of beds wait for the reception of the miserable, and that eminent physicians, excellent surgeons, and careful nurses, are ready to admininister all the relief human aid can afford. May this institution flourish through all the tempests of politics, and, if it cannot endure for ever, may it at least survive as many ages to come as have already past since its original foundation.”*

The exterior of the hospital towards the street consists of the portal to Giltspur Street, which is a very good piece of architecture, of the Doric order, with a large gate and footway on each side and two round windows: the basement is rustic, and four pillars support the entablature and pediment. In the center are two plain, and a handsome Venetian window; over them a circular and two attic windows. In the tympanum are well sculptured enrichments.

* Malcolm's Lond. Redivivus,

OR

On passing the gate, a row of modern good built houses lead to a large square, surrounded by the four sides of the building, each of which consists of a basement, twelve rustic windows, and one arched door; quoins at the corners. Two stories above of the Doric order, with a cornice balustrade and vase.

On entering the great court the earth slopes from the centre, and an excellent pavement surrounds the whole *.

The north portal faces Smithfield; an entrance to the extensive building just described, appears too diminutive; but independently it is very excellent. The basement is rustic, through which is a very large arch. Over the key stone stands on a pedestal, a good figure of Henry VIII. in a niche, guarded by two pillars on each side, of the Corinthian order; above is a severed circular pediment, on which recline two emblematic human figures, descriptive of the nature of the charity.

The pilasters supporting the pediment, &c. are Ione, with festoons suspended from the volutes.

Under the grand pediment is a clock, with several windows and other tasteful ornaments. The tympanum is ornamented with the arms of England.

The side of the grand pile, next Smithfield, is well worthy of notice. The staircase is a monument of the ta lents and liberality of HOGARTH, being painted by that great and original artist, at his own expence. The principal subjes are, THE GOOD SAMARITAN, and THE POOL OF BETHESDA. In another part is RAHERE laying the foundation stone of the original hospital; a sick man carried on a bier, attended by monks, &c.

The HALL is at the head of the staircase. This is a grand and spacious apartment, and contains portraits of HENRY VIII. CHARLES II. and a fine full length of the famous Dr. RADCLIFFE, founder of the library at Oxford. He certainly merits the compliment of being placed here; for he left to this hospital 500l. per annum, for the im

* On digging the foundation in one of the sides in 1736, many silver coins were found at the depth of thirty feet.

provement