since past, of which the Hospital has been the scene, and the History of Men who have laboured in its vineyard, that this Book is compiled.

The establishment of a Foundling Hospital in England, now upwards of 100 years ago, took a strong hold on the national sympathy: it immediately became what is termed a "popular" Institution. The then ill-defined and wretched administration of the Poor Laws, left the deserted child without other protection than the casual humanity of the passenger-lives were lost to the commonwealth by this absence of public feeling, wisdom, and forethought. Men, therefore, of kindly disposition, joined in this enlarged work of Charity, not because they were insensible of its partially mischievous tendency, but because they conceived that the contemplated salvation of numerous lives to the public was paramount to any evil which might arise from it.

Amongst those who co-operated in forwarding this work of extended humanity, was the celebrated painter, William Hogarth, and by the Charter for incorporating the Hospital, he appears as one of its constituent members, under the denomination of “a Governor and Guardian," along with a host of other "trusty and well-beloved subjects" of his Majesty, George the II.

Nor did Hogarth hold this appointment to be merely nominal, for we find him subscribing his money, and attending the Courts or General Meetings at the Hospital, as one of its active members, and joining heartily in carrying out the designs of

his friend, the venerable Captain Coram, through whose zeal and humanity the Hospital was founded.

The Charter of the Hospital authorized the Governors to appoint persons to ask for alms on behalf of the Charity and to receive Subscriptions; and the first artistical work of Hogarth in aid of this object, was to prepare a "head piece" to a Power of Attorney drawn up for the purpose: a copy of which head piece is annexed, taken from the original plate in the possession of the Hospital, and now for the first time published by the kind permission of the present Governors.

The principal figure is that of Captain Coram himself, with the Charter under his arm. Before him the beadle carries an Infant, whose mother having dropped a dagger with which she might have been momentarily tempted to destroy her child, kneels at his feet, while he, with that benevolence with which his countenance is so eminently marked, bids her be comforted, for her babe will be nursed and protected. On the dexter side of the print is a new born Infant left close to a stream of water which runs under the arch of a bridge. Near a gate on a little eminence in the pathway above, a woman leaves another child to the casual care of the next person who passes by. In the distance is a village with a Church. In the other corner are three boys coming out of the door, with the King's Arms over it, with emblems of their future employments-one of them poises a plummet

a second holds a trowel, and a third, whose mother is fondly pressing him to her bosom, has in his hand