The third picture is the history of Ishmael, painted by Mr. Highmore, the subject of which is taken from Gen. xxi. 17. “And the angel of the Lord called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, What aileth thee, Hagar? Fear not, for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.”
The fourth picture is painted by Mr. Wills, and is taken from Luke xviii. 16. “Jesus said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
On each side of these pictures are placed small drawings in circular frames of the most considerable hospitals in and about London, done by Mr. Haytley, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Whale, and Mr. Gainsborough.
Over the chimney is placed a very curious bas relief, done by Mr. Rysbrack, and presented by him, representing children employed in husbandry and navigation; to which employments those in the hospital are destined.
The other ornaments of the room were given by several ingenious workmen, who had been employed in building the hospital, and were willing to contribute to adorn it. The stucco work was given by Mr. William Wilton; the marble chimney piece, by Mr. Deval; the table with its frame curiously carved, by Mr. John Saunderson; and the glass by Mr. Hallet.
In the other rooms of the hospital are the pictures of several of the governors and benefactors, viz. Mr. Thomas Coram, by Mr. Hogarth; Mr. Milner and Mr. Jacobson, by Mr. Hudson; Dr. Mead, by Mr. Ramsey; and Mr. Emerson, by Mr. Highmore. In the dining room is a large and beautiful sea piece of the English fleet in the Downs by Mr. Monamy; and over the chimney in another room is Mr. Hogarth’s original painting of the march to Finchley.
In the chapel the altar piece is finely painted by a fine Italian painter, representing the wisemen making their offerings to the infant Jesus, who is held in his mother’s arms. And here we ought not to forget the fine organ presented by Mr. Handel, who has even made this of great benefit to the hospital, and from the most benevolent views, has enriched the foundation by a new revenue raised from the powers of harmony, and has had a sacred oratorio performed several times in the year, to crowded audiences, in which he himself played upon the organ gratis.
Several very handsome shields done in lead, were given by Mr. Ives, and placed over the charity boxes, with proper inscriptions; and other artists have contributed their labours to the ornamenting of the hospital and chapel; for which they received the thanks of the corporation: and an inscription is put up, to inform the public, that these ornaments were the benefactions of the several artists whose names are wrote thereon; it being a fixed resolution of the Governors, that no part of the money given to this hospital be expended in any thing that is not proper to answer the good intentions of the benefactors.
After mentioning the above benefactions, it ought not to be omitted, that the Earl Marshal of England has been pleased to honour the corporation with the grant of a coat of arms; the kings at arms, and officers of the Heralds office, being so charitable as to remit all the fees due to them on that occasion: and that Dr. Cadogan, a Physician of Bristol, has been at the pains of writing an excellent pamphlet for the use of the hospital, containing instructions for the nursing and management of children from their birth to three years of age, which is published for the benefit of the hospital.
In the infancy of this hospital, those children not exceeding two months old, who were brought first were received, till the number the Governors had agreed to admit was completed; but this only continued for a short time, the number that came for admittance occasioned great disturbance among the persons who brought them, every one striving to deliver her child first, for fear of being excluded by delivering it too late. This necessarily occasioned a new regulation.