persons who do die of destitution in this charitable metropolis. It is true they might no doubt have applied to the workhouse; but do we never read also of refusals to relieve, and coarse rejection of the destitute when they do apply for parish relief? And when relief is bestowed, is it not too often with the hard hand of necessity, not of brotherly love and charity? "Relief is flung to the poor by law, not given in love," was the remark once made of our system of public charity. And this seems the more remarkable, when we find no other country so prominent for its endless forms of charity. No kind of sorrow or misfortune or suffering is known to exist, but Englishmen rush forward to its relief. Yet for the wants and sorrows of this one portion of their fellow-creatures, they have seemed neither to think nor care. An interest in them has been limited to those few who have visited inmates of the workhouses, old acquaintances probably, whose prospects in entering have been cheered by the promise of a visit from a friend. In this way only have the visits of ladies here and there been permitted; for the care of this class has been thought to belong entirely to the "guardians of the poor," who were supposed to be in reality what their name implied.
I shall now endeavour, as briefly as I can, to put together the opinions and suggestions I have received from various quarters, in the hope that they may fall upon the willing ears of some who may have also the power of carrying them out into practice.
I have said that the feeling about the existence of grievances seems to be unanimous. They are not imaginary evils that we are dealing with, but such as all thinking and benevolent men and women believe demand earnest attention and speedy remedy. The following opinions of eminent men will confirm this. One says (speaking of a remedy), "That which seems chiefly necessary is that kind and degree of publicity in these institutions which is obtained by the free admission of non-official persons. This is one of the chief advantages of medical schools in hospitals, many of which, but for the schools, would soon be as bad as workhouses." Another believes that "workhouses are as much 'habitations of cruelty' as any other recesses where unlimited power prevails, and where the victims have no friends. The officials hate inspection and interference, and every difficulty will be thrown in the way. A good, sustained system of visitation would produce most happy effects." Another says, "You have grappled with an evil which most sorely needs a remedy, and the remedies proposed by you are the only ones which will be effectual."
In the next place, I may be allowed to give a few instances of mismanagement which have come under my own observation, and that of my friends who have had experience in the matter, to prove that we do not complain of imaginary grievances. And
