them. At the fame time they are expected to live creditably, and to maintain a decent hofpitality amongst their neighbours. To them the poor, the fick, the diftreffed part of their flock, naturally look up, as their chief refuge and support; and in fome small villages (if you except parochial relief) the minifter of the parish is almost the only resource they have. These demands he is commonly inclined to answer to the utmost of his power. Perhaps, too, he may have the misfortune of a little tafte for books, which is not indulged without expence ; and from his acquaintance with the best and pureft writers of antiquity, as well as from the habits and connections of his early years, he may have acquired fentiments and feelings far beyond the ftraitness of his circumstances, and the humility of his condition. Hence, befides the large fums which he is often obliged to expend on the neceffary repairs of his parfonage, he may poffibly be induced to add a few conveniences to it: he may even be tempted, by the natural beauties of its fituation, to expend more in improving and adorning his little territories, and in rendering them comfortable and delightful to himself and thofe

M 4

thofe that follow him, than in ftrict prudence.

he ought. In a few years his fons must be fent to schools and univerfities, or to trades and profeffions: and if, perchance, he should be ambitious of giving his daughters also a few useful accomplishments, let us pardon him this wrong; it is the only fortune he can give them. Thefe expences neceffarily oblige him to anticipate his narrow income, and to contract, perhaps, a confiderable debt; a load which often lies fo heavy upon his mind, that it brings him prematurely down with forrow to the grave. Then it is that his wife and children find themfelves plunged not only in the fevercft affliction, but in embarraffments out of which they are utterly unable to extricate themselves. It is then the widow may, with but too much propriety, address herself to every one of us in the words of the text,

༦

Thy fervant my husband is dead, and thou "knowest that thy fervant did fear the Lord, " and the creditor is come to take unto him my two fons to be bond-men." Her children cannot, indeed, in this land of freedom, be literally carried into bondage; but it is neceffary, both for their fubfiftence and her's,

that

that they should all, in one way or other, be taken away from her, and fubjected probably to much harsher usage than they had hitherto experienced. The head is gone, and the little society is diffolved; they must quit the beloved manfion where they have spent their lives, and which they have made so neat and chearful at their own coft, perhaps with the labour of their own hands. The small remnant of books and furniture, that constituted all their wealth, they see disposed of for the benefit of their creditors; and then-they have nothing to do but to difperfe themselves where they can to feek support.

In this critical moment it is that these charitable establishments open their friendly arms to receive them, and each bears its refpective part in ministering to their neceffities*. The Incorporate Society takes the widow under its immediate protection, and allows her a decent penfion fo long as her condition and her circumstances continue unchanged. The Society of Stewards and Subscribers, inflituted in the year 1749, undertakes the maintenance and education of her children till they are of age

* See the note above, pag. 152, 153.

to

to be apprenticed; and when they are of fuffiçient age, The Society of the Feast of the Sons of the Clergy provides them with proper mafters, and puts them into a way of obtaining a comfortable fubfiftence, and becoming useful members of fociety.

Thus, you see, each of these excellent inftitutions has its proper use and peculiar department; and all of them concur in forming one noble comprehenfive plan of national charity. But this plan can never be carried into execution without the aid of the wealthy and the great. The Corporation has indeed a fund of its own; but this fund, without occafional donations and benefactions, would be very inadequate to the objects that ftand in need of its affiftance. As to the other two humane focieties, one of which educates the poor orphans which the other places out in the world; thefe, I fay, are entirely fupported by voluntary contributions and fubfcriptions; and you will not, I am fure, through an ill-judged parfi"fuffer of our little ones to mony,"

"rifh. *"

any

pe

Yet, notwithstanding the apparent utility, and even neceffity, of thefe benevolent foun

* Matth. xviii. 14.

dations,

dations, their friends have with no fmall concern observed, that they have for fome time past been rather lofing ground than gaining it. For this, various reafons have been affigned; but none, I apprehend, of sufficient weight to abate any thing of our ardour in fupport of such generous defigns. It has been thought by some, that there is now the lefs need for a general contribution of this nature for the widows and children of the clergy, because there are in particular diocefes feveral local inftitutions of the fame kind. It is true there are; but they are not near fo univerfal as might be wished: they reach only, I conceive, to a small part of the kingdom, and their operation is of courfe confined within a narrow compass. But were they much more numerous than they are, were they even spread through every part of the island, yet still this original parent of them all ought to be preferved and foftered with religious veneration and care. For the growing increase of expence in many neceffary articles of life, makes a proportionable increase in the wants of the poorer clergy, which by this means keep pace with the provifions made in their favour; and they can but ill spare the

lofs