daily put in practice against the lower class of women, and by men in whom religion, education, and rank in life, ought to have infused far other principles of honour, dignity, and compassion; who, besides all other considerations, ought to know, that he who sacrifices the innocence of a woman, who looks up to her character, and her labour for honest support, gives up a human creature to want, and to crime, to untimely depravity, and to early death.

1

The tender age of many of these poor creatures, is a circumstance which pleads powerfully to your compassion. The necessary sacrifice of prudence to poverty, is the source of many vices, as it ought to be of much indulgence, to the lower classes of mankind. At the very period when the child requires most the advice, and vigilance of the mother, she is compelled to quit her home for new, and dangerous scenes, and is left to her own fatal guidance, at the most perilous moment of life. There are women in this Society of fifteen, and sixteen years of age, fit objects truly of that pious

compassion they have moved, and that fatherly protection they have received; thus, while the human body slowly toils on to its last stature, and the soul late unfolds its power, and its might, every bad passion is swift to increase, and before nature has finished her work, vice has sunk it to decay.

You feel less pity for these women, perhaps, because you associate to their former life, riot, extravagance, and mad luxury; rather associate to it the feelings of infamy, of hunger, of remorse, of houseless, friendless, and unpitied want: The sufferings of the respectable poor are bad enough; but if you will fathom to the lowest the misery of our nature, look to the union of poverty, and vice. Behold the dying prostitute, so joyous once, SO innocent, and so good, behold her in some dismal recess of a crowded city, slowly yielding up her life to sorrow, and to pain. So lies this poor forgotten creature, without the blessing of parents, or the voice of kinsmen, or the sweet counsel of friends; and when you see her face pale with weakness, and her limbs withered with

disease, and her dwelling loathsome from want, forget not that she has yet a sorrow which no human eye can reach, the' remembrance of a mispent life has broke her heart; and though she send forth no plaintive voice, and though she shed no idle tear, she is mastered by an unknown spirit within, and sinks sadly down to her long, and lasting home.

To such scenes as these, sound policy, and genuine piety, unite to call your attention; to educate, to reclaim, to diffuse morality, and religion, is the most comprehensive wisdom, and the truest philanthropy. If laws give efficacy to morals, morals give efficacy to laws; and it is rather, perhaps, in the disposition to obey, than in the power to enact, that the security for human happiness consists.

The number of these deluded women is so great, and their sufferings, in process of time, so lamentable, that, considered by themselves, they become an object of political interference, and christian compassion; considered as to its general effects, the in

crease or diminution of this species of profligacy, becomes of the highest civil importance. Who, then, shall set bounds to those labours which go to increase the sum of virtue in a state; or who shall assign the precise limits where the work of reformation shall stop, and the bad be abandoned ? If education have been tried in vain, we will set to work the great engine of repentance, which rests upon experience, and model afresh the human mind softened by affliction. The fears of mankind are in general resorted to, rather than their ductility; and it is more common to punish than reclaim; a supposed necessity alone can justifyt his rough melioration of our species; but the voluntary labours of the truly good, and respectable men who preside over this Society, show you that no such necessity exists, and deserve your warmest protection, as they substitute for severity, persuasion, and effect the purest end by the gentlest

means.

The great attention which has always been paid to reconcile reclaimed children to their parents, is a very pleasing feature in

the conduct of this charity; the protection, and countenance of the parent gives stability to the new virtue of the child; and the renewal of this endearing relation is strictly congenial to our most lively feelings.

A young female was received some time since into the Society, who, in consequence of the infamous character she had incurred, had been wholly abandoned by her poor, but respectable parents, for above four years. You all know the extreme care with which the poor people attend to the religious, and moral education of their children in this part of the world; and will, I am sure, in the goodness of your hearts, anticipate the feelings of two poor villagers as they speculated on the future prospects of their late beloved inmate, their fears for her safety, their humble ambition, their hope that they had not in vain suffered want for her improvement, their ardent prayer to Almighty God for their child. Not to dwell upon intermediate scenes, by the interference of the Society; the father agreed to receive his daughter, and they were brought together; the appearance of