The sun., 1891-06-14
Thoughts on a Founding Asylum.

in lOICe III htneTCu IL 10 Oiteh u h"iu Jop
to make tho facts accord with the theory.
Thoughts on a Founding Asylum.
It Is a rare pleasure to find in the blue
covered magazine established by Uncle
EyARTs q contribution from literary Con.
sui of tho old-fashioned sort. The Reports
In recent years havc run mostly to tarin
statistics and arid tabular statements OF
trade The cultivation Of style for Its own
sake, the formulation in fellcitous phrases
OF graceful and well-consldered sentiment,
have been too much neglected by the Con-
suls in their official communications to
the Department Of State. Give us back
the literary Consul, and may his adjectives
never withcr!
Our very able and intelligent representa-.
two at Bordeaux. Mr.. HORACE q. KNOWLES
Of Delaware. has recently visited the inter-
esting institution established near that
town In 1919 by Mademoiselle TANzIA for
the reception Of foundlings, and known as
L'Hospice des Enfants Asslstes. His i'm
pressions and reflections have been COM
municated to Secretary BLAINE and pub
lished by the latter in tho last number OF
Consular Reports. We need not apologize
for reproducing in generous extracts the
hest parts OF this notable essay on found
ling asylums. Consul KNOWLES begins with
description:
Facing the busy quay that ravsrses the western
portion the city OF Bordeaux and overookiug the
fertile banks OF River the opposite s,de
10 . low. sombrs thrss-storied buicine OF Munich
grauta The structure possesses neither maenncenss
nor attraction and few tail poplar trees throwing
shsr .hs sdo porflC
the picture There nothing particularly noticeable in
this pile Of stone and mortar with the ex
cepion psrhapa OF curious look Ing double reversible
armchair fixed into the wall at the right OF the en-
pivot that il one side be directed toward the s1
teror bnidns and facing the observer the other
must necessarily bs directed award"
This chair Is the well-known tour. intended
for the reception Of abandoned infants. but
now fallen into disuse throughout France.
Even in 1870 there we're only four tours still in
operation In that country. The modern
method of reception requires minute in
terrogation OF the mother by the asylum
clerk, and the full record OF her name, age,
occupation, and future Intentions with re-
spect to the infant she brings. II she desires
to claim the child at some future time. q
colored ivory necklace is hung about its
neck, blue beads for boy babies and red for
girls. II the mother abandons the child for
ever, the necklace Is white. A silver medal,
with the figure OF st. VINCENT DE PAUL on
one side and number on the reverse Is at
tached to the necklace, and both the neck
lace and the tag remain upon the foundling
until 1t Is IL years old.
Consul KNowLEs'S Imagination. however,
dwells longer on the earlier and more dra-
matte method OF reception by the turn OF
the wheel:
An infant had but to be placed BY any one wishing
to rid themselves Of little upon the chair
turn given the and Immediately asit BY magic.
the barrassnR object has disappeared within and
another chair awaits the newcomer
"Itis rare that apparently insignificant an object
has given rise violent discussion has this
chair or f0sr In France Bv its existence 10 held
as nsverfaing incentive to Illicit love: by Others It
II held abolishmsnt would promote infancds
-Ths immortal author Of the famous Memoir on the
Integral Cacuiua JEAN R0sp pALknsrRr. has given
expression the idea that no law revolution In
morals ever entirely prevent the abandonment OF
infAntA that the evil has been to all and
that shall probably have to dsplor. II a. long
society Is governed By the same vices"
The Consul himself regards the fact that
of all European countries France has estab-
lished the greatest number Of such asylums,
as merely vital illustration OF the infalll-
bility OF cause and effect, OF the inexorable
laws Of supply and demand" He proceeds
to discuss the philosophy OF the treatment
Of foundlings In a passage showing inde-
pendent thought and research into the his
torical aspects OF the subject:
The revolutions,s Of I7eo-ths DAsroxs the NAnlrs
the NIRAsEArs the RosEsrEEsKs and other ssrstyIed
reformers Of society and morais-wsre eager
life and b ood-I speAk nguraAveiy-that rather than
discourage the birth OF ileEttmats children premium
put upon them The best that may bs said In sup.
port OF these 10 that Il waA bsyond all doubt most
excellent way to reporulats the nation with Dan
tons new MArAra new AisisEAus, and new RosEs-
rURaEs.
"ons of the sain,s who holds exceptionally sx.
allied rank IN the French calendar Is v,scxSr PArL
This man who had been slave. came from the south
OF France early In the seventeenth ceutury and with
The cooperation of nvs other Lazarsts Of his cloth
founded society known - the Congregation OF the
Order OF the Mission the object Of the being to re-
claim unsody Inhabitants tho province OF Cha.
tnon sur. Chalsronns Afterward In 1882 st. vIscxsr
ParL obtained the papal bull to rsorzaaixs the 40
cisy, with hinssf at the head aud to establish per.
manent mission In the city OF Paris The chief OBJ sct
or end OF is society 10 offer sylrm to iilsgt
chdrsn whose parents found this way Of riddinr
thsmssivss OF them more agreeable than iafauti,ids
They kept together for century and hst until the
leaders Of the Revolution thought proper 70 dspsrss
them But the Lsxarists took life under the I'm
pirs and to-day than ever with fourteen
branches In the United Statea"
From st. VINCENT DE PAUL. the well-ln-
formed and critical pom OF our consular repre-
sentative at Bordeaux turns away to sketch
the character OF an apostle of q very differ
ent creed:
"PerhAps NO better illustration OF the Indifferent way
In which children are construed surrsptitiousy TO
founding asylums 10 France 10 afforded than In tn,
OF JEAs JAcauEs RorsEAu the author of
Contract and Emile and whose moral inn usacs ON
contemporary thought previous to the Rsvoutioa Was
than that Of all his enemies aad frsads pat to-
gsther. Here Vas man. who. when he came a second
time establish himself in Psria nothing ahead
but disappointment and felt poverty and hunger tug
SinE ss his He lad little else offered him thsa
occasional music copying At bssxariy eompsn.
snd uncertain bsssAriv But he sat and