in every particular which concerns this bright Example of unbounded Philanthropy. I shall refer the Reader to his ample and well-merited Eulogium (which was written by his friend Dr. Glasse) in Gent. Mag. vol. LVIII. pp. 11–15.

The Establishment of Sunday Schools being an Epoch in the Literary History of the Eighteenth Century, I shall preserve a short state of facts, which will fully explain their origin.

Mr. Raikes one day mentioned to Mr. Stock, a Clergyman of most distinguished benevolence in his parochial charge, a complaint which he had just heard from a person, respecting the disorderly behaviour of poor children on the Lord's-day. Upon this Mr. Stock, who had himself founded Charity-schools in two parishes, of which he had before been Curate, invited Mr. Raikes to attend him into his own parish, in order to adopt some mode of doing good to the Children of the Poor. No previous plan had been concerted; nothing was thought of, tending to an Establishment of this nature, but what arose from the immediate suggestion of the moment as they visited the houses of the Poor. As the complaint had been directed to the profanation of the Sabbath, by the noise and riot of these untaught Children, it readily occurred to both these Gentlemen, that proper persons should be sought for to keep them under their eye and management during a certain portion of the Sabbath, and that the hours of confinement should be employed in instructing them in the principles of Christianity. They therefore took the number of Children, and, having found as many Instructors as were requisite, established four Schools immediately for the resort of these Children on the Sunday. Rules were formed by Mr. Stock for the conduct of the Children; and the Persons appointed to the management of the Schools undertook the important charge. Mr. Stock then took upon himself the inspection of the Schools; and Mr. Raikes agreed to bear two thirds of the expenditure necessary to their support, and Mr. Stock the other third. Such was the origin of Sunday Schools. Whatever, therefore, may be the merit of Mr. Raikes in this business, Mr. Stock is at least an equal sharer in the honour of this excellent Institution.

The following Letter was addressed by Mr. Raikes to the Society established in London for the Support and Encourageinent of Sunday Schools in the different Counties of England: "GENTLEMEN, Gloucester, Oct. 7, 1786.

"The Parish of Painswick exhibited, on Sunday the 24th ult. a specimen of the Reform which the Establishment of Sunday Schools is likely to introduce. An Annual Festival has, for time immemorial, been held on that day; a festival that would have disgraced the most Heathenish Nations. Drunkenness and every species of clamour, riot, and disorder, formerly filled the town upon this occasion. Mr. Webb, a gentleman who has exerted the utmost assiduity in the conduct of the Sunday Schools in Painswick, was lamenting to me the sad effects that might be

naturally

naturally expected to arise from this feast. It occurred to us that an attempt to divert the attention of the vulgar from their former brutal prostitution of the Lord's-day, by exhibiting to their view a striking picture of the superior enjoyment to be derived from quietness, good order, and the exercise of that benevolence which Christianity peculiarly recommends, was an experiment worth hazarding. We thought it could do no mischief- it would not increase the evil. It was immediately determined to invite the gentlemen and people of the adjacent parishes to view the Children of the Sunday Schools; to mark their improvement in cleanliness and behaviour; and to observe the practicability of reducing to a quiet peaceable demeanour the most neglected part of the community, those who form the great bulk of the people. In the parish of Painswick are several gentlemen who have a taste for musick; they immediately offered to give every assistance in a Church Service; and my benevolent friend, the Rev. Dr. Glasse, complied with our entreaty to favour us with a Sermon. Mr. Campbell, a very active Justice of Peace, Mr. Townsend, Mr. Sheppard, Mr. Webb, of Ebworth, and several other Gentlemen, engaged to give their countenance. We were highly gratified too with Mr. Boddington's company, who kindly came from Cheltenham to take a view of this progress in civilization. He is one of your Vice-Presidents; and from his report you will receive a far more perfect idea than my pen can give. On the Sunday afternoon the town was filled with the usual crowds who attend the feast; but, instead of repairing to the alehouses as heretofore, they all hastened to the Church, which was filled in such a manner as I never remember to have seen in any church in this country before. The galleries, the ailes, were thronged like a play-house. Drawn up in a rank around the church-yard appeared the Children belonging to the different Schools, to the number of 331. The Gentlemen walked round to view them - it was a sight interesting and truly affecting young people lately more neglected than the cattle in the field, ignorant, profane, filthy, clamorous, impatient of every restraint, were here seen cleanly, quiet, observant of order, submissive, courteous in behaviour, and in conversation free from that vileness which marks our wretched vulgar. The Inhabitants of the town bear testimony to this change in their manners. The appearance of decency might be assumed for a day; but the people among whom they live are ready to declare that this is a character fairly stated. After the public service, a collection for the benefit of the Institution was made at the doors of the Church. When I considered that the bulk of the congregation were persons of middling rank, husbandmen, and other inhabitants of the adjacent villages, I concluded that the collection, if it amounted to 24 or 251, might be deemed a good one. My astonishment was great indeed when I found that the sum was not less than 571. This may be accounted for from the security which the Establishment

of

of Sunday Schools has given to the property of every individual in the neighbourhood. The farmers, &c. declare that they and their families can now leave their houses, gardens, &c. and frequent the public worship, without danger of depredation. Formerly, they were under the necessity of leaving their servants, or staying at home themselves, as a guard; and this was insufficient; the most vigilant were sometimes plundered. It is not then to be wondered at that a spirit of liberality was excited on this occasion. A carpenter put a guinea in the plate, and afterwards brought four more to Mr. Webb. "It was my fixed design," says he, "to devote the sum that I received for a certain job of work to the support of Sunday Schools. I received five guineas one only I put in the plate- it did not become me to put more it would have looked like ostentation - but here are the other four,"—giving them to Mr. Webb. Another instance of spirit occurred in a man, upwards of eighty years of age, who seemed about the rank of the yeomanry. "Oh! that

I should live," said he, "to see this day, when poor Children are thus befriended, and taught the road to peace and comfort here, and happiness and heaven hereafter!" The old man gave a guinea; and said he would leave another in the hands of a friend, if he should die before the next anniversary. When the matter of the collection was settled, we went to the Schools, to hear what progress was made in reading, &c. The emulation to shew their acquirements was so very general, that it would have taken up a day to have gratified all the Children. In the mean time the town was remarkably free from those pastimes which used to disgrace it. Wrestling, quarreling, fighting, were totally banished-all was peace and tranquillity. I fear I have been too prolix; but I could not convey the complete idea that I was desirous of imparting to the generous Promoters of Sunday Schools without writing these particulars. I forgot to mention that Mr. Fox, one of the worthy Members of your Committee, was present with us at Painswick. The Sunday Schools were first established at Painswick in the Summer of the year 1784. The Children had been bred up in total ignorance. Of the number that attended the Schools, 230 can read in the Bible or Testament, 80 can read in the Sunday Scholar's Companion, and about 21 are in the Alphabet. These Children have no teaching but on the Sunday; what they learn at the leisure hours in the week is the effect of their own desire to improve. Many have their books at their looms, to seize any vacant minute, when their work is retarded by the breaking of threads. To relieve the Parish from the burthen of cloathing these poor creatures, Mr. Webb proposed that such Children as by an increase of industry would bring a penny every Sunday towards their cloathing should be assisted by having that penny doubled. This has had an admirable effect; the Children now regularly bring their pence every Sunday; many of them have been cloathed; and the good consequences of laying-up a little are

powerfully

powerfully enforced. It is pretty evident that, were every Parish in this kingdom blessed with a man or two of Mr. Webb's active turn and benevolent mind, the lower class of people, in a few years, would exhibit a material change of character, and justify that superior policy which tends to prevent crimes rather than to punish them. The liberality with which the Members of your Society have stood forth in this attempt to introduce a degree of civilization and good order among the lowest ranks entitles them to the thanks of the community, and particularly of 'an individual, who will be ever proud to subscribe himself,

Your most obedient servant,

R. RAIKES." "The Gentlemen of Painswick intend making a request to Dr. Glasse to publish his Sermon. The happy choice of the text had a remarkable effect in commanding the attention of the Audience. The Scriptures could not have furnished a passage more literally applicable to the subject. It was taken from Deut. xxxi. ver. 12, 13: "Gather the people together, men, women, and children, and thy stranger which is within thy gate, that they may hear, and that they may learn and tear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law; and that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as ye live." Of Dr. Glasse's Sermon, see Gent. Mag. vol. LVI. p. 977.

In a Letter to the Rev. Bowen Dickens, of Ross, June 27, 1788, Mr. Raikes says, "I rejoice to hear that Sunday Schools are producing the same happy effects with you that are seen springing up in all parts of the Kingdom where the higher ranks of people will condescend to overlook the management. At Windsor the Ladies of Fashion pass their Sundays in teaching the poorest Children.-The Queen sent for me the other day, to give her Majesty an account of the effects observable on the manners of the Poor; and her Majesty most graciously said, that she envied those who had the power of doing good by thus personally promoting the welfare of Society, in giving instruction and morality to the general mass of the common people; a pleasure from which, by her situation, she was debarred. What a glorious sentiment is this for a Queen! Were this known among the Ladies of the British Nation, it would serve to animate them with zeal to follow the example which the Queen is desirous to set before them. You may mention it to the Ladies of Ross, who will not then perhaps be above noticing the Children of their poor Neighbours, if they are at present."

P. 449. Mr. John Robinson died Dec. 2, 1813, in his 61st year, leaving a widow, and two sons, John and Richard, the former a Bookseller in Paternoster-row, who is assisted by his Brother.

P. 475. The Rev. Haviland John Hiley (related to the Hileys of Dorsetshire, the descendants of Haviland Hiley, Merchant, of Poole, who had the name from James Haviland of that place, who died, according to Hutchins, in 1552) was born at Stapleton

near

near Bristol in 1688. He was of Baliol College, Oxford; took the degree of M. A. in May 1714; was presented to the Rectory of Salford in Somersetshire by Mr. Bridges of Keynsham; and had an estate in that county, which once belonged to the Abbey of Bath. He was in 1716 chosen Master of the Free Grammar School at Reading (frequently called Archbishop Laud's School, from his having been educated in it); and continued in that office, with the most distinguished reputation, to Midsummer-day 1750. He married Eleanor the daughter of Mr. Francis Terrell, an Alderman of Reading, by whom he had nine children; the only survivor of whom was a daughter, married to the late Dr. Addington; and to this marriage may the Doctor's surprising success in life be primarily attributed. Dux Fœmina facti. He afterwards practised in London; and then retired to Reading. Spectatus satis et donatus jam rude. A Portrait of Mr. Hiley (a name still remembered and revered in that neighbourhood as the Busby of that Seminary) is in the possession of Dr. Valpy, the present Master of Reading School. A full account of this famous Seminary may be seen in Mr. Coates's "History of Reading."

Dr. Anthony Addington was educated at Trinity College, Oxford, where he proceeded M. A. May 13, 1740; M. B. Feb. 5, 1740-1; and M. D. Jan. 24, 1744; was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 1756; and practised in London till his health obliged him to retire into the Country, when he settled at Reading, where he particularly attended to cases of insanity. As such, he was joined in the Report printed in Gent. Mag. vol. LIX. p. 44; and was the person who, during the illness of the Sovereign in 1788, held forth so strongly the idea of convalescence; and whose hopes on that occasion, so happily realized for the Nation, had great influence on the political faith of Mr. Pitt. He had been the confidential friend and physician of the great Lord Chatham; and a friendship grew up between their respective families, which produced the happiest effects to both. He published "An Essay on the Scurvy, with the Method of preserving Water sweet at Sea, 1753," 8vo; and "An authentic Account of the Part taken by the late Earl of Chatham in a Transaction which passed in the Beginning of the Year 1778," concerning a Negociation between Lord Chatham and Lord Bute. He died March 21, 1790; when his eldest son Henry (then Speaker of the House of Commons, and now Lord Viscount Sidmouth) succeeded to a fortune of 2000l. a year. The Right Honourable John Hiley Addington, (now M. P. for Harwich, and Under Secretary of State) is another son. His third daughter was married, in 1782, to William Hoskins, esq. of South Perrot, co. Somerset; his youngest, in 1789, to Charles Bragge, esq. (now the Right Hon. Charles Bragge Bathurst, M. P. for Bodmyn, and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster); another, in 1771, to Richard Sutton, esq.; another, 1770, to Dr. Samuel Goodenough, of Oxford (now Bishop of Carlisle).

P. 475.