frequently betrays an utter ignorance of the rules of propriety. The many fine remains of castles and abbeys which adorn our land are no doubt worthy of admiration, but there is just as much propriety in imitating them in our modern dwelling houses, as there would be in a man going about in a monk's habit and cowl, or adopting the manners and defence of the twelfth century. A great deal might be said on this point, but I shall reserve further remark to a future occasion, when I hope to speak of architectural principles as applied to particular classes of buildings. As regards Enrichment, my limited space will not allow me to say so much as I could wish. The grand rule for its regulation, as laid down by Pugin, is, that "we should decorate our construction, instead of constructing our decoration." All the parts or features of a design should be useful first, and then ornamental or plain, as determined by propriety and consistency. No part should be constructed for the sole sake of ornament or effect, or which has not some significance. The essential parts of a fabric should be the only medium for rendering it beautiful. This rule exists, irrespective of any particular style: but in passing, I may mention that it is an additional argument in favour of our own national style. We too often lose sight of propriety and consistency in decoration, which is apt to be regulated more by consideration of expense than any thing else. The almost universal desire is "to have as ornamental a structure as the means will allow." This mania for indiscriminate ornament is chiefly owing to the facility enjoyed at the present day of obtaining it without limit by casting. In ninety-nine buildings out of every hundred, where there is any quantity of ornament, it is sure to consist of casts, either in metal, plaster, cement, artificial stone, compo, papier machè, &c. &c. In speculation-houses, the ceilings and cornices are covered with ornament, (especially if the builder happen to be a plasterer, who has thus a fine opportunity of displaying his taste and his patterns,) and the same character of ornament, if not the same degree, is carried into halls, drawing-rooms, and bed-rooms, and thrust into all sorts of positions where it can be most seen. We see in cottages, and workhouses, grates and fenders literally covered with ornament, and rich enough for a gentleman's drawing-room. But, as it would not do for the same patterns to be used indiscriminately, in the houses of the rich and poor, numerous grotesque and meaningless forms have been devised to increase expense, and thus render the patterns fit for genteel residences. The same principles are acted upon in other materials, as cement capitals to stone columns, composition trusses supporting wooden friezes, all painted in imitation of stone. I do not mean to censure in toto the use of cast ornament; but what I insist on is, that it should be used consistently with propriety; and the tendency is, without great caution, to apply without discrimination, ornaments which in this manner can be obtained without a corresponding cost. I think very false and pernicious notions regarding the value of ornament are commonly entertained. A great part of the charm of ornament consists in the importance it gives to the parts where it is used, and in the evidence it conveys of the high estimation in which such parts were held,-of the taste, imagination, and love of beauty in the mind which produced it; and of similar qualities together with masterly execution, in the artificer. Now, when ornament is produced mechanically, and consists merely of plaster or cast iron, all the interest derived from this latter source is utterly lost. It ceases to be any criterion either of the liberality of the owner, or of the taste and talent of the artist. Besides, cast ornaments have never that freedom and boldness of relief which belongs to genuine carving. In conclusion, while I urge the curtailment of the excessive use of decoration into which we are so apt to run, I would remark that if judiciously and consistently employed, its loss in quantity would be much more than counterbalanced by its gain in value and interest. H. B. I LOVE THE NIGHT. I love the night when the stormy blast I love the night when the seabird's scream I love the night when the tempest's blast Hath the ancient oaks on the green sward cast! And the knarled king of the forest trees Comes down 'neath the sweep of the mighty breeze. I love the night when the thunders crash! Oh night! oh night! what a glorious hour Such boisterous sport-such wild delight- L. G. W. 37 THE PHYSICAL AND MORAL CONDITION OF THE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS EMPLOYED IN MINES AND MANUFACTURES.-London: Parker, 1848. The result of the labours of the commissioners for inquiring into the employment of children and young persons in mines and collieries, and in the trades and manufactures in which numbers of them work together, is here laid before the public in a cheap and condensed form. Those employed in cotton, wool, silk, and flax factories are not here included. We are desirous of assisting, as far as possible, in calling public attention to the deeply interesting and important facts contained in this publication. Its perusal has impressed us with the conviction that though the entire removal of the evils disclosed is scarcely to be looked for, yet that much may be done towards their mitigation. The general diffusion of information as to the real condition of the children and young persons engaged in labour must itself have a beneficial tendency, and will afford the only secure basis for the advocacy of measures really calculated to effect improvement. We cannot but think that the Legislature has yet some duty to perform in the protection of weak and inexperienced childhood against the impositions and exactions of unprincipled employers and selfish parents, as well as in facilitating the exposure of every wrong and injustice which may be perpetrated. A very manifest and onerous duty rests with employers, to protect the health and moral and intellectual welfare of those in their employ. It is lamentable that so few of them appear to be sensible of this responsibility. But it is at the same time matter of congratulation that various instances have proved how much good masters have it in their power to effect, and we may fairly hope that, when their eyes are opened to the subject, many more of them will exert themselves to use fully their influence in the right direction. The duty of the parents of the children is shown in the work before us to be often grievously neglected, and needs to be forcibly impressed upon them. And there is a duty incumbent upon all, to inquire into the truth upon these matters, and to use what influence they have towards the adoption of fair protective measures, and to urge, wherever they can, employers and employed, not to allow the selfish principle to overpower the claims of justice, humanity, and sound policy. Our notice of this work must be chiefly confined to a few extracts. In its arrangement, the PHYSICAL CONDITION is first brought under notice. In coal mines, though there is considerable difference in different parts of the country, there is general complaint of excessive fatigue; and crippled gait; and various diseases affecting the skin and organs of respiration extensively prevail. "From a consideration of the whole of the preceding evidence it appears that persons employed in coal mines in general acquire a preternatural developement of the muscles, especially about the arms, shoulders, chest, and back; that for some time they are capable of prodigious muscular exertion; that in a few years their strength diminishes, and many lose their robust appearance; that these then become pallid, stunted in growth, short of breath, sometimes thin, and often crooked and crippled; and that in addition to several minor ailments, which, however, occasion no inconsiderable suffering, they are peculiarly subject to certain mortal diseases, the direct result of their employment, and of the state of the place in which they work."-p. 78. In mines of tin, copper, lead, and zinc, the condition of the young persons employed is in general much better, the evils which are felt resulting chiefly from noxious air, and manifesting themselves later in life. In the manufactures included in this inquiry, we are first struck with the very early age at which the children, in many instances, commence work, seven and eight being general, five not infrequent, and sometimes at three and four. In Birmingham the very young children mostly work with their parents; often large numbers are employed under mistresses. They are hired and paid by the workmen in the majority of instances, the employers knowing little or nothing about them. Apprentices are employed to a great extent, and very often oppressively used. Places of work are very defective in the means of protecting health and providing comfort, though the work itself is seldom oppressive or laborious. The children almost always work as long as the adults, and in many trades and manufactures are liable to night-work. Recreation for the children is rarely provided, and the treatment of them is often rough and harsh, sometimes cruel and even brutal; in which respect the neighbourhood of Wolverhampton seems to have acquired a bad pre-eminence. The children suffer in general from want of sufficient wholesome food, and often from want of warm and comfortable clothing. They are reported to be in great numbers of instances pale, weakly, and sickly, and more liable than other children to diseases which shorten life. These statements are supported by more particular reference to the children engaged in the metal manufactures of Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Warrington; the machine-lace makers of Nottinghamshire, Derby, and Leicestershire; the pillow-lace makers of Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, and Buckinghamshire, who work in very close rooms and constrained postures, and "live very bad, have meat only once aweek." The earthenware manufacture is injurious to the mould-runners, from the high temperature and excessive labour, and to the dippers, by bringing the skin in contact with preparations of lead. Glass-making operates prejudicially on the children employed, by the intense heat and irregular employment. In the hosiery manufacture the hours of work are very long, and the sedentary occupation and strain on the eyes very injurious. The female children are usually so much injured, that they become to a great extent disqualified for afterwards performing the duties of wives or mothers, "in consequence of their debilitated frames being unequal to the performance of common household work." In tobacco manufacturing the children employed are of the most wretched class. The condition of the London milliners and dress-makers is fitted to excite feelings of deep commisseration. Their enormously protracted hours of work, their close rooms, short intervals for meals, and the poor recompense for their toil, are much to be deplored and ought to be altered. Even the food allowed them is often insufficient, and in coarseness ill adapted to their weakened digestive organs. In some establishments care is taken to provide for them good and sufficient food, and to look after their comfort; but in most the reverse is the case. One employer says, "the food, to witness's knowledge, is in many houses very plain or rather coarse. Salt boiled beef is frequently used. The food is of so coarse a kind that the young women, being usually in a delicate state of health, have no appetite for it, and consequently they often do not take sufficient to support their strength." "In order to save the expense of providing them with food on Sunday, some proprietors render the house very uncomfortable to their young people, and others positively refuse to provide dinner for them on that day, unless it should happen to be a day on which they are required to work." Indi "The employers and the young people themselves alike affirm that the effect of their employment, thus pursued, on the health is most injurious." One proprietor says, "the effects upon the health are lassitude, debility, loss of appetite, pain in the back, shoulders, and loins; should think there is not one in twenty who does not suffer from this. gestion is very common. Pulmonary affections, such as cough and tightness in the breath are also frequent. Headache is very common; you would never be in a work-room half-an-hour without some one complaining of that." Of the abundant medical evidence adduced, we quote that of Sir James Clark only: "I have found the mode of life of these poor girls such as no constitution could long bear. Worked from six in the morning till twelve at night, with the exception of the short intervals allowed for their meals, in close rooms, and passing the few hours allowed for rest in still more close and crowded apartments;—a mode of life more completely calculated to destroy human health could scarcely be contrived, and this at a period of life when exercise in the open air, and a due proportion of rest, are essential to the developement of the system. Judging from what I have observed and heard, I scarcely believe that the system adopted in our worst regulated manufactories can be so destructive of health as the life of the young dressmaker; and I have long been most anxious to see something done to rescue these unfortunate girls from the slavery to which they are subjected."-p. 143. Various witnesses testify that a limitation of the hours of work would not be injurious to the trade. The sub-commissioner reports :—" the evidence of all parties establishes the fact that there is no class of persons in this country, living by their labour, whose happiness, health, and lives are so unscrupulously sacrificed as those of the young dressmakers. They are, in a peculiar degree, unprotected and helpless, and I should fail in my duty if I did not distinctly state that, as a body, their employers have hitherto taken no steps to remedy the evils and misery which result from the existing system." "It may, without exaggeration, be stated that, in proportion to the numbers employed, there are no occupations, with one or two questionable exceptions, such as needle |