be necessary, in default of better provision, to employ large Government institutions for the maintenance and education of such children, it is important to enlist in these as much individual and voluntary effort as possible, as the best means of supplying to the child the parental relation; but that every inducement should be held out to lead individuals or individual bodies themselves to establish such institutions, where the child may be in a measure restored to the natural condition of a family, and brought under individual influence. The State should, however, always exercise a close inspection of such institutions."

"These principles have a general application to all the children now in our workhouse schools—to all those who are vagabondising in our streets or in the country, and preparing to be highly injurious to society, if they have not become so- and to those already designated juvenile delinquents. Most instructive examples have been given, in various existing institutions, how valuable is the aid afforded when individual exertions can be brought to bear upon parochial establishments for children, and how important would be the help to Christian effort if government support were afforded in the training of the morally destitute. But our present inquiry more particularly regards convicted children. Any legislative measure especially intended for them should not only be provided on the foregoing principles, but distinctly recognise the following, which arise from them :-That the child, when by conviction of crime he becomes a child of the State, must still be treated as a child, and be dealt with by corrective training, not by mere punishment as at present. That he should for this end be placed in a reformatory school, where he shall be submitted to such training and discipline as may best prepare him to become a useful member of society; and that, wherever practicable, such schools should be conducted by individual bodies, with inspection from the State.

"Such a measure will have for its object:-1. To give power to magistrates and judges to sentence any young person convicted of offence against the laws to detention in a reformatory school for a period not less than a year or not exceeding his minority; the period to be dependent on his reformation, and decided by the managers of the school and the government inspector: a discretionary power to rest with the magistrates and judges to restore the child to his (or her) parents or guardians on the first offence, provided they give satisfactory security for his future good con

aforesaid, to charge the parents of such offender with a weekly contribution in aid of his (or her) maintenance in the reformatory school; such amount to be paid by the parish, and in all cases to be recoverable by the parish officers from the parents. 3. To enable the Secretary of State to pay an annual sum from the public funds towards the expense of such reformatory school, and a sum towards the erection of the same; provided always such school be duly certified, by Her Majesty's Inspectors, as to be so conducted as to carry out a reformatory discipline calculated to train up useful members of society. 4. To enable magistrates, in all districts where such schools have not been established within a certain specified time, or do not exist in proportion to the wants of the district, to erect and establish such schools by aid of a local rate. 5. To give sufficient power to the managers or directors of such schools for the necessary correctional discipline of offenders committed to them, for the detention of the same, and for the recovering them in case of absconding, such managers or directors being responsible for their safe custody. 6. To appoint inspectors, who shall frequently examine the working and management of the school, and its reformatory effect on the children, the care of the religious instruction being left entirely to the managers of the school. An Act of Parliament founded on such principles will, it is believed, be the means of calling into action a large amount of Christian effort in behalf of these 'moral orphans.' An earnest of this is afforded by the fact that, during the course of the present year, 1852, three experimental institutions have been commenced, and it is known that the due support and success of these will lead to the establishment of others."

Two of the institutions which Miss Carpenter mentions are that at Kingswood, near Bristol, founded by herself and Mr. Scott, and which appears to be fulfilling all the expectations of its founders and to be rewarding her for the indefatigable exertions she has made in its behalf; and that at Birmingham, which owes its establishment to Joseph Sturge, and has the advantage of possessing John Ellis for a master. We have before us the Report of the committee of noblemen and gentlemen residing in the town and neighbourhood, appointed at a meeting convened by circular to inquire into the practical working of that institution, and which has led to the founding of another in the neighbourhood. By that Report it appears that "the institution consists of a

family group of twenty persons of whom Mr. Ellis is the head, residing in three cottages in the Ryland Road. All the inmates have been of the criminal class, except Mr. Ellis and his son, the matron and the field labourer. There are thus sixteen persons in the family who have been criminals. Their ages vary from twelve to twenty, with the exception of one child of only six and a half, and one young man of twenty-two years of age. They are occupied in various ways according to their capacity, and the Committee found that Mr. Ellis has thoroughly carried out the principles which he announced to the Parliamentary Committee in the reformation of criminal children, in his evidence respecting a similar establishment formerly under his care in London. . . . The Committee have satisfied themselves that the method of treatment adopted by Mr. Ellis may be relied upon for producing a considerable amount of success. Three principles appear to be uniformly kept in view, all of which are essential to the attainment of the desired reformation of the youthful criminal. His affections must be acted upon, and the moral faculties strengthened by voluntary exertion, which must be directed towards right objects; he must be habituated to labour; and his intellect must be cultivated. The Committee feel assured that the neglect of any one of these principles would be sufficient to destroy all reasonable hope of reformation, and they are disposed to rely very much upon the vigour and skill with which Mr. Ellis constantly applies them in his management of his present school.... The Committee unanimously recommend the establishment of a Reformatory School in the vicinity of Birmingham. The Committee estimate that twenty boys will cost, one year with another (at the rate of 4s. a head per week), a total sum of 2007.; but it is proposed that the candidates shall be received into the institution gradually, and therefore the full weekly cost will not accrue for the first nine months. This being the case, 1507. may be a fair estimate for the expenses of food, clothing, washing, and all domestic current outlay for the first year. The joint salaries of matron and field superintendent may be put at 17. per week, or 521. for the year. The first cost of furniture, hammocks for the dormitories, kitchen utensils,

and a few tools and materials, will not exceed 1007. These figures added together give 3027. as the entire estimate for the cost of twenty boys for the first year, irrespective of house-rent and taxes and of charges for head superintendence. In reference to the cost of a suitable dwelling house, the Committee have had under their consideration the proposal made by Mr. Adderley, at the meeting in December, to the effect that he would build at Saltley a house with workshop and dormitories for twenty boys, and attach to it five acres of land, with space reserved for future additions. The Committee recommend that the Society, which they trust will be formed this day, should accept the offer made by Mr. Adderley, and that as soon as the house is ready, such Society should place Mr. John Ellis at the head of the establishment."

With respect to both the establishments we have named, we can bear personal testimony to their efficiency. They are both capable of carrying out the object of restoring to society the children committed to their care, in a state of moral health and fitted to obtain an honest, livelihood.

The treatment of convicted children, however, forms but a part of a still larger subject. Why should we postpone the right training of our child-population until owing, to neglect, crime has been developed? The wise course, surely, would be to do away with the cause, rather than to wait for the consequence, in order to remedy it. The reformation of the young criminal is a good thing, but to prevent the child from becoming criminal, is infinitely better. But the consideration of this branch of the subject would lead us beyond the limits of an article. In the remarks we have made, the whole subject has always been present to us; in the principles we have advocated our constant aim throughout has been the prevention of crime; and we confidently believe that, if those principles were acted upon in the treatment of convicted children, they would lead us to the right measures to be adopted towards those children who are destitute and perishing, although they have not yet fallen within the grasp of the law.

ART. VIII.-CRIME AND ITS REMEDIES.

Crime its Amount, Causes, and Remedies. By FREDERICK HILL, Esq., Barrister-at-Law, late Inspector of Prisons. Murray, 1853.

A WORK on this important and difficult subject, by an author who brings to its discussion the advantages of comprehensive benevolence, enlightened judgment, persevering study, and an experience of sixteen years as inspector of prisons, must be welcomed by friends to virtue and humanity; and such a work is Mr. Frederick Hill's. It will not be the less welcome, because some of the many complicated questions which it embraces yet remain in doubt and under controversy. Such questions can be settled only by careful and repeated discussion. The testimony and arguments of Mr. Hill may complete the solution of some of them, and will contribute materially towards the elucidation of others which have still to remain for a time under trial at the bar of public opinion.

A mere enumeration of the leading topics included in the work will show that it is impossible, within our limits, to comment on more than a few of them. They are; the amount and description of crime in this country, both absolutely and in comparison with previous times; the imperfection of our Criminal Statistics; the grounds for expecting improvement; and the six chief causes of crime, viz. 1. bad training and ignorance; 2. drunkenness; 3. poverty; 4. habits engendered by creating artificial offences; 5. unnecessary or unjust legislation; and 6. temptations from the prospect of escape or insufficient punishment. Under these six heads are introduced; the general question of education, with its accessories of cheap literature, cheap postage, factory and industrial schools, State interference, and parental responsibility; the prevalence and cure of drunkenness, the mode of paying wages, the encouragement of popular amusement (such as the drama and music), and the comparison of drunkenness with other kinds of profligacy; the increase of