New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-08-18
Rosa Govonn.
From Chambers Edinburgh Journal.

edTNIUL
which she showed great skill combined with the
most remarkable industry. Being Of a rejecting
mind she took no delight in those pleasures and
frivolous amusements which too often engage the
female heart. Conhding IN the resources OF an &C
tive and benevolent nature, she wished for DO com
panOns save those Of misfortune. and tor no recon-
pense save the blessing Of Heaven.
While Rosa was thus living and laboring by her
self she happened to meet with young girl who
had lost both her parents. and who had no means
Of supporting herself in an honest manner. NO
sooner did the good Rosa become acquainted win
the sad story Of the distressed girl than she gener
ously stretched forth her hand 20 help her: Come
and live with me-, said she you shall share ny
bed and drink out Of my cup. and, above AL hve
honestly by the work Of your hands. When she
had thus made a commencement, others joined
her and she soon congregated around her society
OF young girls all equally poor, and by the most as
siduous application procured the ncoessaries OF lie
for them all.
But the little house in which the young girls dvet
soon attracted the attention OF all the dissoue young
men Of the place who were forever seeking after
adventures Of some kind or other. They began by
following them whenever they left the house but
the Young women silently repulsed all their lmper-
tinences and even forced them, after some time 10
blush at their conduct The house incurred also the
displeasure OF those old people who, considering al
innov atoms whether Of beneficial character or
not as dangerous wish forever to abide by the Ola
forms and regulations which governed the actions
of their ancestors They could not divest themselves
Of mean suspicion that all was not right and
many Of the citizens observed Rosa with much Gu
riosity and began to whisper all manner oil things
10 her prejudice. Thus the retreat OF industry and
virtue became the object OF the most malignant
calumnies, and the good Rosa saw herself the SUB
iect of impertinent inquiries, OF rumOrs tne most
vexatious of suspicious the most unjust But the
wise and courageous girl fully assured OF the pu-
rity Of her actions and intentions opposed perseye-
rance 10 insinuations. and silence 70 cAiumny- Inc
truth could not long remain doubtiul-hosa soon
gained the applause of the vrtuous, ana the com,
mune granted her larger house, IN the PLAIN OF
Carasone as the number of her companions IN
creased daily. This augmented the Jealousy OF her
enemies who had been hitherto unsuccessful In
their endeavors to injure her character but these
new obstacles served only 10 redoublc the ardor OF
Rosa, and to raise her courage. There were now
about seventy young women in the house, all OF
whom worked in common with herself 10 procure
an honest livelihood. As the house they Inhabited
was scarcely large enough 10 accommodate The
number of worn. women she solicited the commune
to grant her another still larger habitaton. Inc
municipal body, 10 show their sense OF her ezef-
tions in the cause OF virtue, voluntarily made her
gift Of a very large and commodous dwelling IN the
valley Of Brao here she established work shop
for the manufacture OF wooden articles
The excellent Rosa who was now about - years
of age, had at this period by her indomitable per
severance triumphed over all obstacles AMI by
her exertions in extending the association and her
wisdom in superntending the affairs Of tho com.
munity created an asylum for poor and INDECENT
females The more she considered the utility OF
her institution. the greater became her desire TO
extend the benefits which such an asylum present
ed How many poor and destitute beings
thought she must there be in large and popu-
lous city who are deprived of all means OF procuring
nm honest livelihood " Filled with this idea and
relying entirely the sanctty Of the mission she
proceeded 10 Turin in the year 100 Arrived IN
the CITY of Sardinia, she asked the use OF build
ing suitable for the carrying out OF her intentions
and obtained from the priests of the Oratory oil -
Philip several capaciods rooms. Some chairs ia
hlas end different articles OF furniture, were also
provided for her use by the good priests She re
ceived the little they gave her with the greatest
delight and thus established, with some OF her
companions in the capital city Of the kingdom, she
resoutely set about prosecuting the object oil her
mission.
The novelty Of the idea soon engaged the atten-
ton of the citizens they saw. and what IS more
astonishing still, they applauded her design; and
her shop or rather factory, soon became the tale Of
the whole city. At this period, Charles Emanuel
the Third. having established on firm footing the
independence Ofhis people, gave himself up entire
y TO the parental administration OF the country.
As a protector Of labor, he accorded to the plous
Rosa some houses which had formerly belonged 10
religious establishment Rosa installed herself
I e.
greatly extended the branches Of labor TO which
they applied themselves. Two years after this by
order OF the same prince, the manufactures carried
on by Rosa were properly organized and registered
by the Magistrates OF Commerce; and regulations
were drawn up for the Government OF the lnstitu-
ton which now received the name OF ROslnes,
from that of the foundress and above the principal
entrance were inscribed the following words al
dressed by Rosa to her first companions on
shall live honestly by the work OF your hands
The prosperous condition of her Institution filled
the heart of the piOus ioundress with 10Y but she
could not divest herself Of desire TO extend its
blessings still farther She had left an establish
ment at Mondovi, and she wished now 10 form sim.
liar ones at other pOpulous places. With this end
in view she visited several provinces OF the king
dom, called around her all the young women VINO
were DESTROYS of finding decent means OF su0sls-
tence and founded asylums at NOyara Fossan,
Savigliano Saluces Chieri and St Damiano d'Asto,
all OF them towns of considerable note and popula
ton These were provided with the necessary
materials for work, and every other want was gen
erously supplied by the excellent and kind Rosa.
She lived twenty two years after quitting her ma.
tive city during all of which period she was engaged
in work, aborlsg increasingly for the establish
ment of her eight institutions, and providing asy-
ums for the sustenance both ofthe bodies and souls
of the unfortunate of her sex. On the 18th oil go
ruary, l776, this excellent woman expired IN the
midst of her sorrowing pupils, being quite worn OUT
/ not with age but with iatIgues. Her memory was
held in highest veneration well by those, many
of whom she had rescued from misery and idleness
/ if not from depths of sin and shame, and rendered
good useful members OF society, as by all classes
of the Sandman subjects who had experienced the
benefits arising from her exertions, and who knew
how TO applaud and take example from the virtue
of maiden who from the lowest condition OF pow
erty, had raised, by her wisdom and virtue, mon
ument in the hearts of all welldisposed and chari-
table persons. -,
In the establishments Of ROsines are received all
INDECENT young girls, Of from thirteen 70 twenty
years OF age, who have no means OF subsistence,
but who are qualified for manual labor. You shall
live honestly by the work of your bands such Is
the fundamental rule and the base OF the establish.
ments OF Rosines. which is never perverted. All
the means Of subsistence are derived from the labor
of the young girls and the resources Tor the sup.
port Of the aged and inhrm members are procured
irom the work Of their more youthful companions.
The establishment at Turin is centre OF manuiac.
lures and So are the other Affiliated houses, al OF
which flourish at the present time, with the excep-
ton of that at Novara, which was closed when that
city became part Of the kingdom Of Italy and which
has never been reopened since. To avoid al inter
ference with the manufacturers elsewhere hosa