barrowfuls of manure into his field, he would (since he was starving and so badly off) give him a breakfast; and, behold, when he had turned the corner, this same starving man was seen scudding away across the fields, leaving the barrow upset on the roadside; determined not to give one drop of his precious sweat even for a good substantial breakfast. Such a one as once upon a time was carried in our country from door to door, in a barrow, because he was so poor, infirm, and lame; and one day, as he was thus being carried across a field, a bull happening to come galloping up, and the men throwing him down for fear of their own bodies becoming acquainted with the bull's horns, jumped to his feet, and was over the wall at the end of the field before his scampering and affrighted assistants. Such a one as we long to see tied to a tree and well thrashed, or well ducked in a horse-pond. Vagrants upon principle; for why should they work when there are plenty of workers already, and plenty of food, too, and plenty of silly folks who will give them to eat if they can only manage, by a well got-up story, to touch the tender feelings of the gentle and the humane? Such are to be met with everywhere. In our pages we have occasionally shown them up; take for example, "Promiscuous Almsgiving," (See 'Magazine" for November, 1852.) 66 Such we can see every night we walk home, whether in the form of "poor shipwrecked mariners," or "desolate widows," or sailors' little boys rigged out in the extreme of neatness for the occasion, by the road-side; in all and every such case one is almost certain to find on inquiry that the cases are impositions, the beggar is generally an arrant rogue. Would that our friends would believe this, and never give money in the street to such cases If they would only look a little into the evil they tend to perpetuate by such indiscriminate charity, sure we are, they would hesitate, and perhaps never again give money in that way. ! Not only do parents thus bring up their offspring to vagrancy and to idleness, but they are found to compel their poor children to steal as well as beg, to supply the craving of their sensual appetites. Cases are by no means rare of parents idling in their own lodging-house, or low public-house, while their children are forced by them to beg or steal, and beaten if they do not bring them money; The children who are thus schooled in vice and trained to crime, are sometimes very young-even under six years-as was the case with two, one six and the other three years, lately brought before the magistrate in Scotland, for setting traps to catch game. There can be no doubt as to who are the guilty parties in such cases, and the pity is that they should escape, and the poor children be the sufferers. Even where the parents do not openly drive them to vicious courses, yet if they so neglect them as to lead them to begging and theft in order that they may live, surely something should be done for such children, and something should be done WITH such parents. We may labour in our Ragged Schools-and thank God we rescue manybut while such houses continue, and such an example is set, how very little way we make with children of such a class! Surely something more effectual should be done to rescue such unfortunate neglected ones; and parents who can work, and yet live idle-and those who are in work, and yet neglect their families should be made to provide, not only food, but education for those, who, if thus suffered to grow up ignorant and neglected, must inevitably become a curse to society. Here is a gigantic evil in the midst of us-professional beggary, leading to professional thievery. Is it to be allowed to go on? If not, what are the most palpable and the most simple remedies? We have Ragged Schools, but thousands of children will not come, or their parents can get more money by keeping them away. Does it not become the part of a wise legislature to step in and compel such parents to do their duty? Enjoying as they do the protection of the State, and living in a Christian country, are they not bound to give something in return? If the matter were harmless, it would be another affair; but it causes mischief to all around. Property is not safe-the morals of families are not safea volcano is at our doors-what then is to be done? Our friends at Aberdeen grappled with the evil long ago. They found, although they opened Free Industrial Schools, many would not come, and begging went on as before. They proceeded to apprehend all children found idling or begging in the streets, and to carry them off to the Ragged School, telling them that they were welcome to return next day, and get food and work as before, but that street-begging would not be allowed. They had no law for this beyond a Local Police Act, which regards street beggary as an offence. But the proceeding did a vast deal of good, and they have continued to pursue some such plan ever since. By bringing such children before a magistrate they suspend his punishment, and send him to the school; if he continue to go there, good and well; if not, punishment is resorted to. This system has nearly extinguished juvenile vagrancy in Aberdeen. Some think that our friends there have a law that permits them to do this. This is not the case; they have petitioned to have such a law for years, but have not got it yet. In a letter just received by the writer from the founder of the Aberdeen School, Sheriff Watson says:— "Till we get an act authorising the magistrate to deal summarily with this class, our prison returns will always show a fair proportion of juvenile delinquents. It seems very strange that our legislators should hesitate so much about giving the magistrates power to send a child to school, when they invest him with such large powers in the matters of whipping and imprisonment; so true it is, that Wisdom crieth out in the streets, and no man regardeth it." At a late Public Meeting in Aberdeen on this subject, the Lord Provost presiding, Mr. Thompson, Justice of the Peace, and Chairman of the Prison Board, observed, "While they had got hold of a large class of the outcast population, there was still a great number that they could not get hold of till they had a new law on the subject, and he hoped the time was not very far distant when they should have a law that would not only allow a magistrate to send juvenile criminals to an Industrial School, but that would compel him to do so, instead of sending them to prison. Many objections had been urged against such a measure, as interfering with the authority of the magistrate and the parent, and with the liberty of the child; but he was aware magistrates often felt themselves in a very painful position when obliged to send juvenile criminals to prison, and they would be very glad if Government would take a part of the responsibility off their hands by such a law as he had indicated. He thought the law should be very chary in interfering with the authority of parents, but it was matter of notoriety, that some parents cared nothing for the education of their children, and all they wished was that they could say to the parents, educate your child if you please, but it shall not remain uneducated." Our friends in Aberdeen have had a Bill ready for some time, but cannot obtain the legislative sanction to its provisions. These are chiefly as follows:That when any boy or girl, under sixteen years of age, is brought up, charged with any offence which the magistrate could try summarily, it shall be lawful for such magistrate, (instead of adjudging the offender upon conviction to suffer punishment,) to continue the diet sine die, and to order such offender to be sent to a School of Industry instead; but if such boy or girl desert, then he or she shall be brought up again, and punished. Also, that when any idle, or vagrant boy or girl, under sixteen, shall be brought up, though not accused of any actual offence, it shall be lawful for the magistrate to do as above, the parents in both cases to be made to pay towards their support, or failing them, the parish where such vagrant children are found, or in cases of conviction for any offence, the prison board of the county within which the offence was committed. It is rather curious, that while in Aberdeen they practise a certain course without a law, in Glasgow they have a local Act, which gives them the power to do the very same thing. One of the clauses of the Glasgow Police Act, 6th & 7th Vic. c. 99, entitled, "Procedure as to persons sending out children to beg," is as follows: "And be it enacted, That it shall be lawful for the officers of police to apprehend and bring before any of the said magistrates all young persons found begging, or sent out for that purpose, within the limits of this Act, and also the parents or other relations of such young persons, or other parties by whom they have been so sent or suffered to go out, and on complaint being established that such young persons have been sent out, or suffered to go out for that purpose by their parents, or either of them, or by any other relation or any other person, to whose control they had been subject, and that such parents or relations, or persons respectively, are of profligate habits, it shall be lawful to the said magistrates, or any of them, to punish such parents or relations, or persons, as vagrants or disorderly persons, by imprisonment for a period not exceeding sixty days; and such young persons may be sent to either of the Houses of Refuge provided in the said city.” The good effects of this Act in Glasgow are said to be very remarkable. The question comes now to this. Why should we not try some such plan in England, and especially in London,-the rendezvous for professional beggars, of all grades and of all ages? The Committee of the Ragged School Union have brought this important subject under the consideration of the friends of the Ragged Schools of London. A special meeting of delegates was convened, on April 27th, in St. Giles's School-room, when the Earl of Shaftesbury presided. His lordship explained the law in Glasgow, and the practice adopted in Aberdeen, as applied to vagrant children and their parents. The subject was then discussed by a very full meeting, and the following resolution was adopted by a very large majority: :- "That the Glasgow and Aberdeen plan of dealing with vagrant children who are neglected or perverted by their parents or other natural protectors, as explained to this meeting by the noble Lord, the Earl of Shaftesbury, would be a great blessing to this Metropolis, both to the children, the parents, and the public; and that the noble Lord be encouraged to endeavour to obtain from Parliament powers to carry out such a plan in England.” Many authorities could be here quoted for such a system: first, that a child should not be subjected to criminal punishment for petty offences, when, from its ignorance and destitution, arising from parental neglect, it is out of its power to know, or even knowing, to obey the laws; and secondly, that when parents can be proved to neglect their duty towards their offspring, by neglecting or perverting them, so that they become a nuisance to society in general, the public have a right to step in and protect such children, but not to suffer the parents to escape responsibility. The Birmingham Conference on Juvenile Delinquency, and the Parliamentary Committee resulting from it, almost unanimously confirmed these views, and the only difficulty is to carry out the idea, without unduly interfering with the liberty of the subject, or entailing upon public funds, expenses which private persons themselves ought to pay. In another paper, we shall proceed to discuss these topics more at large, and give quotations from evidence just taken before the House of Commons on this subject. Notices of Meetings, etc. FIELD LANE RAGGED SCHOOL. THE Eleventh Annual Meeting of the Field Lane Ragged School and Night Refuge for the Destitute was held in the large school-room, West Street, Victoria Street, Holborn, May 4th. The meeting was numerously attended, and was presided over by the Right Hon. the Earl of Shaftesbury. The Noble Chairman, in opening the proceedings, remarked, that it had been his lot to address them so often on the subject of Ragged Schools that he could now say little that was new upon the subject. Neither, he suspected, would the Report put before them anything that was new; but, at all events, he had no doubt that it would state to them this, that they stood in as good a position as they formerly did, and that they were in a situation well adapted for enabling them to go forward; and he hoped, therefore, that they would not fall into a state of stagnation, for in institutions of this nature if they did not go forward, they were sure to go backwards. There was, in fact, no standing still; and let their watchword therefore be, Forward. There could be no doubt that they never had greater facilities for extending their efforts than they had at the present time, and he thought it would be extremely desirable if they could now commence a wellorganized effort for the cleansing of this metropolis. They knew what their own institution had already done; but although it and similar institutions had done much, they only touched the fringes of the case. There was a necessity that this and similar institutions should be extended. Without saying whether men in power were doing right or were doing wrong, it was clear that in a very short time they were about to see an end of the punishment of transportation. It was, therefore, necessary that some provision should be made to meet such an event. Let them conceive what a state of things it would induce were three or four thousand convicts let loose upon it every year, which they must be were the punishment of transportation done away with. He confessed it appeared to him a question of so formidable an appearance, that he looked at it with fear and trembling, and he was convinced that the only mode of meeting it would be to devise some system for the prevention of crime. What was the use of men sitting down and exhausting their ingenuity for days, and months, and years, in devising schemes for the punishment of crime? If they wanted to meet the case effectually, they ought to do something for the prevention of it. If, by such a system of prevention, they could diminish it, then the difficulty would, to a certain extent, be obviated. No doubt crime there ever would be, in whatever state of society they existed, but, were a sound and thorough system of prevention put in operation, it would do much in lessening the amount of it; and as it was agreed on all hands that the period at which it, for the most part, developed itself was between the ages of twelve and fifteen or sixteen, there could be no better means of preventing it than by working institutions such as this on an extended and efficient scale. Mr. S. Tawell, the Honorary Secretary of the Institution, then read a most gratifying Report P of the proceedings in connexion with it during the past year. It stated that in connexion with the Institution, a Free Day School was conducted for Infants, Boys, and Girls, into which 200 fresh admissions had taken place during the year, making 1,538 since its opening; the average attendance being in summer from 120 to 160, and in winter from 130 to 140. There was also a school for youths and adults engaged in daily occupation, into which 181 boys and 272 men had been admitted since the last report, the attendance averaging from 130 to 160. The Women's Evening School for improving character, and extending domestic usefulness, thereby making tender mothers and insuring comfortable homes, had been attended on an average by 30 women and 24 girls. The night refuge for the utterly destitute, which was opened in May, 1851, had been eminently successful. By its instrumentality 56 youths had been restored to their friends, while, since last report, 8,807 persons had participated in its benefits, 149 had obtained employment, and 89,284 loaves had been distributed among those who sought shelter in it. Besides these, there was also in connexion with the institution, industrial classes to teach youths tailoring and shoe-making, and employment in the shape of wood-chopping, as an industrial test for recommendation to situations; a home for boys when first engaged or placed apart from unwholesome contamination; a clothing society for the naked, and distribution of bread to the starving; baths for the filthy, and a room to dry clothes worn in the rain during the day; Bible classes under voluntary teaching, by means of which 10,000 persons of all ages, but of one class, all in a state of physical and spiritual destitution, have heard set forth the glad tidings of salvation during the past year; a school missionary to supply the spiritual want of the sick, to scour the streets and bring youthful wanderers to the school, and a Ragged Church for the proclamation of the Gospel and the worship of God, the average attendance at which had been 140. The report also stated that the employment of the school missionary and the wood-chopping, augmented the annual expense of the institution by about 150, and it was hoped those who wished it to prosper would come forward and enable the Committee to meet that additional demand. From the Treasurer's accounts it appeared that the income during the past year, including £104 carried from the previous year's account, and 220, being a legacy bequeathed to the institution by Miss Hardwicke, amounted to £1,029 15s. 9d., while the expenditure was £764 12s. 5d., leaving a balance in favour of the institution of £265 2s. 4d. BREWER'S COURT, GREAT WYLD STREET. THE Fifth Annual Meeting of this School was held at Freemasons' Hall, on May 23rd. Admiral Vernon Harcourt presided. The choir of the Crown Court Scottish Church kindly attended, and sang at intervals appropriate anthems. The Report presented an historical summary of the proceedings of the school from its com mencement, showing that it had its origin in the efforts of a devoted missionary, who having obtained the aid of a benevolent gentleman took two parlours of a dilapidated house in Brewer's Court. A Committee of 13 persons, obtained from five different denominations, was formed, and a Sabbath Evening School was opened in February, 1848. The attendance at first was 27 boys, but these soon increased to 50. They were collected from street prowlers and venders of sundry articles, such as oranges, onions, stay-laces, &c. The ignorance of some of the children was extreme. These rooms soon became too small, and part of the adjoining house was added. Week Evening and Day Schools were added to the operations, and to these again Industrial Classes for girls. Much opposition had been experienced from the Roman Catholic priests, but notwithstanding, the school had been a blessing to many of the children, who in consequence of the migratory habits of their parents, have but a short stay in the school. This is obvious from the fact that above 2,000 children have been admitted since the establishment of the school. The establishment of a Free Dispensary in connexion with the school has been found to be a means of great good. The average attendance of scholars at day school is 120; week evening, 40 girls and 30 boys. Sabbath afternoon, 70. As many as 129 of the scholars have been provided with situations, and 218 drafted off to paying schools. The Report concluded by stating that voluntary teachers were much wanted; that the balance due to the Treasurer amounted to £30; and as the lease of the premises is expiring, and the premises are too small for the operations, a Building Fund is about to be established. FOSTER STREET. THE Fourth Annual Meeting of this School was held at the Centenary Hall, Bishopsgate Street, on June 2nd; Sir James Duke, Bart., M.P., in the chair. Sir James Duke in opening the proceedings of the evening said, that as an alderman he felt bound to aid to the utmost of his power the Ragged School effort, believing that it was a means of extensive good to the metropolis, and he felt happy to see so many influential and able gentlemen, on the platform who had attended to advocate the claims of the institution. The Report stated that since the commencement of the Day Infant School, 585 children have been admitted; the average attendance being 100; and 523 boys, and 460 girls had been admitted to the Evening School, which is open five evenings in the week; the usual average attendance being 55 girls, and 60 boys. The Sabbath Evening School attendance is 160. In addition to education, there is an industrial class of 38 girls, who are trained to needlework and scrubbing. During the winter, 2,749 quarts of soup were distributed to the families of the children connected with the schools, provided by special contributions. HUNTSWORTH MEWS AND HILL STREET SCHOOL AND REFUGE. THE Fourth Annual Meeting of these Schools Iwas held in the School-room, Hill Street, on June 8th. The meeting was presided over by J. O. Hanson, Esq. The operations of these schools consist of a Sabbath School, at which on the average the attendance is in the afternoon 30 boys and adult men, and 54 girls and adult women, and in the evening 27 boys. Infant Girls' Day School 116, Boys' Day School, 59. Week Evening School for boys and men 17; and also for girls and women, 19. Industrial Class for boys, who are taught tailoring, 12, and also for girls, who are instructed in needlework, 14. A Refuge for girls, which has now 18 inmates. Several girls, through the instrumentality of this department, have been placed out in respectable situations, and are conducting themselves satisfactorily. The Infant Nursery is now more known and better appreciated by the poor mothers, who gladly avail themselves of the benefits it confers on them. 61. 58. 8d. has been contributed by the boys towards clothing. Seven boys are now obtaining their living as shoe-blacks. One of them has saved £8 and is about to emigrate, and another £9, who is about to apprentice himself to a painter. The Reading Room was well used during the evenings of the past winter, and the Committee purpose opening it again in the ensuing winter months. Eighty-four Bibles have been purchased by the scholars during the year. RED CROSS STREET. THE First Annual Meeting of this School was held in the Infant School-room, Victoria Place, Union Street, on Wednesday evening, June 8th, 1853. The chair was taken by the Right Rev. Bishop Carr, D.D., late Bishop of Bombay. The chairman observed, that he considered the institution of Ragged Schools, a sign of a great improvement in the views, feelings, and practices of the religious, middle, and upper classes of society. Forty years had elapsed since he had had some official acquaintance with the locality in which they were then assembled, and he remembered, that then, the feeling that generally existed concerning the degraded class was, that they were sunk too low ever to be benefited by any philanthropic effort. They were left as a living illustration of the truth that "evil communications corrupt good manners." But of late years, Christians of various denominations and rank and station of life, in imitation of their Lord and Master, had gone among these degraded ones. It is true they have been blamed for so doing, but the good results, by the Divine blessing, have shown that it has been a step in the right direction. Ignorance, infidelity, atheism, and vice in its worst forms had accumulated like a pool of stagnant water. It was the Christian's duty to open the sluices upon it-the water of life-and by God's blessing it might be cleansed. But all such efforts must be in the exercise of faith and prayer, for he regarded all exertion apart from prayer as practical atheism, and on the other hand, prayer without corresponding effort as fanaticism. The Report stated that this school had been established to meet the necessities of a numerous class of children who in consequence of their ragged and filthy condition, and immoral and vicious habits, could not be admitted into the schools affording a cheap education to the children of the decent and labouring poor of the neighbourhood. The building which consists of an old out-house in the rear of some premises, put into a state of repair at a cost of £30, is situated near what is called the "Mint." It affords accommodation for about |