ment is supported by annual assessments on the several parishes. It is generally called the Mint, because it was once used for the coinage of money. The Infirmary is a most extensive and increasing establishment. In 1805, Mr. Reynolds, late of Colebrook Dale, made a most benevolent offer of 5001. towards opening a new ward in this infirmary, on condition of its being completely fitted for opening in the course of the year. This offer was accepted by the trustees; at the same time subscriptions were opened to defray the expence of a new wing to the building. The conditions entered into with Mr. Reynolds were soon completed, and the subscriptions for the new wing and other improvements went on; when, on the thirty-first of October, in the same year, a building committee was formed, and on the sixteenth of June, 1806, the first stone was laid by Edward Pretheroe, Esq. with due solemnity, in the presence of a very respectable concourse of people. It is now the principal infirmary for the west of England. There is an Asylum for Orphan Girls, at Hook's Mills. Merchants' Hospital is for nineteen seamen, and twelve seamen's widows: each receives three shillings weekly; the elder brother five. This building was finished about the year 1698. The principal Alms-houses are Colston's, built in 1691, St. Nicholas's, Forster's, Alderman Stephens's, Strange's, All Saints, Presbyterian, Spencer's, and Redcliffe Hill. Besides these, there are nearly twenty hospitals and poor-houses, supporting altogether about 2000 poor and distressed persons. Every year produces some attempts still farther to relieve the wants, and ameliorate the condition of the unfortunate and wretched. The Bristol Blind Asylum, a most benevolent institution, is very liberally supported. The blind pupils are employed in various branches of manufacture, and have produced many useful, and even excellent articles.

A Lancasterian School, a species of benevolence that bids fair to produce more permanent and extensive benefits to society than any other institution the world can boast, was opened at Bristol, in 1808, and is in a flourishing state. The Samaritan

Society

Society was established in 1807, to relieve patients dismissed from public institutions under peculiarly distressed circumstances, especially females, for a short period, or until their health be restored, or able to resume their avocations; to relieve, by visitors, during sickness or severe distress, and at their own dwellings, such poor as cannot obtain relief under the existing rules of other charities, and to assist such persons in obtaining parochial relief who belong to distant parishes. The Grateful Society is an establishment of several years' standing, and has put out apprentice nearly 200 boys, with ten pounds each, and relieved upwards of 3,500 lying-in women. The Anchor Society is of a similar description. In mentioning the benevolent institutions of this place, it would be unpardonable to omit some notice of Dr. Fox's Asylum for Lunatics, at Brislington, near Bristol; for, though it is not strictly what we usually call a charitable foundation, it has for its object the greatest of all charities-the restoration to themselves and to ciety of such of our unhappy fellow-creatures whom the decrees of an inscrutible Providence have deprived of that which, in many respects, alone distinguishes man from the "beasts that perish." Dr. Fox's Asylum is of a singular and extensive nature; and he has so organized it, that the patients enjoy, as much as their situation will admit, all the benefits and comforts of civilized and rational society. The poor are employed in various branches of domestic labour; and the better sort have engagements suitable to their former pursuits, and every possible indulgence is allowed them. To effect the purposes of this establishment, a little village has been erected, connected by inclosures with the doctor's residence, where each separate class of mankind, from the prince to the labourer, may enjoy every possible comfort his case can allow ; yet the whole is so contrived, that every patient is secure from doing injury either to himself or his fellows. We cannot give a detailed account of this institution; but the reader will find a very ample one, by Mr. Cumberland, of Bristol, drawn up

with

with much judgment and taste, in the first volume of the County Annual Register, published in 1810.

Bristol has, of late years, given more encouragement than formerly to LITERARY and SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS; it must, however, be confessed, that in this respect it is much inferior to some other provincial towns, especially to Liverpool and Manchester. The City Library, in King Street, a handsome stone building, has a good and increasing collection of books: there is a librarian and a sub-librarian. The late Rev. Mr. Catcott, vicar of Temple, bequeathed his museum, containing minerals, fossils, and other natural curiosities, together with a number of valuable books, to this libary, when a new wing was added to the building. The admission and annual subscriptions are much too low. The City Grammar-School, for the instruction of the sons of citizens in Latin and Greek, supports two masters. The endowed College Grammar-School, in Lower College Green, was founded by Henry the Eighth, at the time Bristol was raised to an episcopal see. Queen Elizabeth's Grammar-School has a statue of the royal donor in the schoolhouse. There are ten or twelve other public schools, or charitable foundations. The Baptist Education Society, where young men are educated for the ministry, deserves notice. It is a valuable institution, and has been enriched by several legacies, particularly by the library of Dr. Llewellyn, and that of Dr. Andrew Gifford, a learned minister of that persuasion, and an intelligent antiquary. He was many years assistant librarian at the British Museum, and died in 1784. The museum belonging to this institution contains some excellent natural and artificial curiosities, particularly a collection of Hindoo images, formerly objects of divine adoration. This is a long room over the library, which has a beautifully painted window, representing several subjects of sacred history. A new building, for the use of this society, has recently been begun, and is now carrying on. It promises to be a handsome and substantial structure. It is proper, in this place, to take some notice of Kingswood,

especially

especially as no mention was made of it when delineating the county of Gloucester.* Kingswood Forest, containing about 6000 acres, is in the lower part of the vale district of Gloucestershire. It has long been celebrated for its extensive collieries, but perhaps still more for the uncivilized state of the colliers, and the influence of methodism on their morals. It is about three miles from Bristol; and we mention it in connection with this city, on account of the celebrated school established there by the Wesleyan methodists. This institution was founded by the late Rev. J. Wesley, in 1748, who designed it as a school for the children of his societies in general. In some years, however, the place was found too small to answer the full extent of the founder's wishes, and it became accessible only to the sons of preachers; that is, of those preachers who are wholly supported by the society. The "local preachers," who are such as follow trades, and have no pecuniary reward for their labours, have no interest in this foundation. The children are initiated into the various branches of education taught in other similar establishments. Pupils are admitted from the age of eight years, and are continued on the foundation till they are fourteen. It is singular to remark, that among their school exercises they are taught to translate John Bunyan, and read Shakespeare. The discipline of this school has been often, and justly, censured, as much too severe; and indeed it is notorious, that comparatively few of the children educated here afterwards join, or continue in, the society of methodists; and that very few of them become preachers. One of Mr. Wesley's rules of discipline enjoins, "that the children must never play; and that a master must always be with them." "Instead of play," says one of their own writers, " Mr. Wesley VOL. XIII.

• Vide Beauties, Vol. V.

Xx

wished

+ Rudge's Agricultural Survey, p. 22. Portraiture of Methodism, p. 128.

By an order of Conference, in 1808, it was settled, that in some cases

a boy may be allowed to continue at school a year longer. Minutes of Conference, 1808.

wished them to learn husbandry, or some mechanic art."* The school-house is large, and the whole establishment, entirely supported by annual subscriptions throughout the united. kingdom.

The PUBLIC BUILDINGS devoted to the administration of justice and to commercial purposes, and the institutions connected therewith, are numerous and important. The Guildhall is an old curious structure, standing in Broad Street. It is a large and lofty building, with a modern front, bearing the arms of Edward the First, and a royal statue. Here the mayor is chosen, and other city and county business transacted. The Council House is a stone building, erected in Corn Street, in the year 1703; but it is much too small for the purposes for which it was built. The mayor and aldermen sit here daily to administer justice. The council chambers contain some pictures, among which is a portrait of the Earl of Pembroke, a whole length, by Vandyke, a present to the city; and another of Lord Clare: both very good paintings. Here are several public offices connected with the city. The Custom House is a good building of brick, with a colonade of freestone pillars, having Ionic capitals in front: the room in which business is conducted is about seventy feet in length. The Excise Office is also a brick building, near the Custom House, in Queen Square. The Post Office is of freestone, near the Exchange; and is a very large, elegant and good structure: it was built by that ingenious architect, Mr. Wood, of Bath, and is said to have cost 50,0001. It was opened for public business in the year 1743; and measures 110 feet in front, and 148 in depth. The north, or principal front, has a bold and stately tretastyle, the columns having Corinthian capitals, supporting a pediment, and on the tympan of which are his majesty's arms, carved in stone. The entire front of the building, between the capitals of the pilas

ters

* It would be a curious fact to ascertain, how far this regulation goes to verify the nursery adage, that "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."