Star.
London, England, 1808-07-09 00:00:00

ED1TC.47701.1 OF ri!E POOR.

We matelot; that an end will be pot to the discussions on
atthject, by a letter abounding in the meet irhportant facts, re-
cently sent by Sir RICHARD Palmate, Sheriff of London, t,
G. CONICS LAN., Esq. of Bristol; in mph, claim Queries of
the latter Gentlemen, midi...wed to the former. the corre-
spondence dab= the attentioe of every one who feels an Inte-
rest in thewefi-being of Society, and will we trim lead to some
decisive and prompt rnewituts foe the Valeta education of the
Children of the Poor.
• -- •
e.
cuaiIIERLAND, ESC} TO SIR RUM. PHILLIPS, ONE Or
THRUIERIFFA OF LONboN.
31R-s.-When on my late visit to London, you sur-
prised me with a view of the prison of Newgate in a
state of cleanliness that would have revived the de-
parting spirit of a How Ann, I inked you some ques-
tions relative to the state of the literary acquirements
of the generality of the prisoners, and if it was com-
mon to find amongst these of the lower orders a
knowledge of reading, wi king, and accounts ?
that time you were so mach engaged in taking the
amount of the poor women's pledges, distributing
clothes, and noting the desires Of such as wished to
take their children with them to Botany Bay, as not
to be able to find time to satisfy my curiosity.
I suspected, however, from what' I saw, and have
indeed long suspected, that we owe many of the evils
our criminals produce, to their being in a mate of ex-
treme ignorance, and as many well meaning people here
were found, at the time we attempted to establish
Lancaster's schools in Bristol,to entertain the directly
opposite opinion, and to think that that sort of edu-
cation led to the increase of criminal actions, I have
been desirous of availing myself of your knowledge
of the characters and habits of the prisoners under
your care, from observing how intimately you seemed
acquainted with the different interests, and how kindly
you endeavoured- to ameliorate their condition as far
as was compatible with the discipline that secures
their safe custody.
You will therefore greatly oblige me and some
friends of mine in this city, by stating what is the
average number of the prisoners confined for criminal
cases who have had a decent education, and if the
majority are even able to read, ollowiig me to MOLL
jivLlulour reply, as nothing can, in my opinion, be of
more importance to the community in the present
moment, than the decision of this momentous ques-
tion. I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
• (Signed) . G. CVSUIERLA!.D.
Bristol, June 14,1508.

FROM SIR R. PHILLIPS.TO G. CtrUBMLAND, ESQ.
DWI Sin—You do me justice in supposing that I
have not been inattentive to the state of education
among the numerous criminals who till the prisons of
the metropolis. I have always considered that the'
result of such an investigation would afford a certain
criterion by which to decide finally on the question,
Whether the poor ought,er ought net lo be educated ? end I.
have therefore bestowed a constant attention to ;his
subject since I have had .the honour to till my present
office.
The first opportunity which presented itself to me ,
of forming some general conclusion, on the subject;
was by means of a memorial addressed to
.the She-
riffs, signed by 152 of the crimina's in Newg,i:e-4
these 25 signed their own names in a'fair hand. %an.
a bad and partly illegible hand, and the reniathil,
101 were marionen (persons who sign with a cross
having never learned to write.

'`

On-another otiewsipli having applied to. the various.:
excellent institutions which exi".t in th's ,xnet: 0p014.,
for a supply of Bibles, Te _Emus, and Religiotts.
Tracts, to circulate in the-various wards, and thereby:
to enable criminals to take advantage of the idle.
hours spent in a prison, I found, cn suptrintending ..
myself the distribution of these books, an almost' se.. .
neral indifference about the receipt of them. On. inr - .
quirt' it appeared that as few of the priscners conid
read with facility, and as more than half of them .
could not read at all, a large majority were altoge. :
Cher insensible of the uses of such presents, and were -
totally ignorant of the nature, died, and end of religion •
ittrY!
I have often interrogated a gronpe of these per-
sons as I have seen them standing together in their
yards and wards, and I have found generally that
about three in ten unite the qualifications of reading
and writing, and one or. two others in every ten, able
fo read, bat unable to write. . At the present time,- of
the men in.the condemned Oils,• ender sentence of
death, five can neither read nor write; and the three
women now under the same sentence can neither of
their' either read or write.
I have thus answered your, questions, and I have
no doubt but, on the average, the same state rf igno;
ranee will be found to exist in ether prisons now,
and in Newgate at all other times. I shall forbe ir to
s if yf the conclusions which cannot fail to he drawn
these facts—but I should hope they will tend to
sfiake the confidence of those who oppose plans for
the general educatiim of the poor, and thus in due
time lessen the number of . unfortunate persons •
Fuck coinuir CRIMES in perfect ignorancerat4H, ,
LAWS AND OBLJOATTONS OF 11001631, AND IN TVGN
TAL AB.SENCit OF AbL MORAL AND RELIGIOUS VEILING; '.
I am, Dear Sir, faithfully, your obedient servanti-'
~. (Signed) .-....-- -.. ..a. PiIILLIFii. 5...
Briase-street, June 29, 1806. . •
ECCLESIASTICAL aItd_ACADEMiCAL PROMOTIONS.
(Apes:), JOLT •70.--Tble day the Rev. George Hanon, of
Magdalen College; and Rev. Samuel Smith, Canon of Christ
Church, B. 1). were admitted Doctors in Divinity, Grand Com-
pounders.
The Rev. John James Watido, of University College, M. A.
and Student in Divinity, was admitted Bachelor and Doctor to
pivinity.
Rev. Thomas Speidell and Rev. John Nett, of St. John's Col-
• lege, M. A. and Students in Divinity, were admitted Bach( lore in
' Diviz.ity.
The Rev. William Loh., of Queen's College, B.A. was admitted
Master of Arts, Grand Compounder.
The Rev. James Mentor, of Magdalen Hall : Rev. Paid Leie
and Mr. Charles 'Fulton .Blieke, of Queen's College; Rev. The.
mas Ninon Itiagden of Magdalen College ; her. Wm. Harry
Edward Beatineh gad Rev. uharl.s Paimcr. of Christ Chirch,,
ale, were admitted Masters of Arts. 1- <
'.—... THE COURSE OF EXCHAANOf.
Amsterdam, Si 7 2•U Palermo, es Pone per oc
Dab at ages,, RS IT Leghorn, 401
; Rotterdam, -- '4l-.44, -I ii'' Genoa, 44 '
I Haenbargiti - - ..''' - If-: iir,' on Lit.

_ , till • 24 %.
Attlee, - vIL tr. u
Paris 1 dav's da.lll 10 Liv.
Ditto, IC IttsrY4t" TOL' 0 •
Ihundoanz, ditto 24 0
Madrid, 42 Md.
Cadiz, 42 /abet.
bilboa, 41 Effect.
Agio the Beak of

ieuice, Plreois
Otestive per 1. stet
Naples. 42
Lisboa, 60
Oporto, 67
Dublin, 11
•
Cork, 111
New Dollars, Ss. Sd. per or.
°Mad, Si per Cont.