[1084] In the Capitulare, composed about the year 744, in Baluz. p. 151.
[1085] See Muratori Antiq. Ital. Medii Ævi, iii. p. 591.
[1086] See Greg. Rivii Monastica Historia Occidentis. Lips. 1737, 8vo cap. 34. The name of the author was Lauterbach.
[1087] The documents may be found in Von Murr Beschreibung der Merkw. in Nürnberg, 1801, 8vo.
[1088] Martenne, Vet. Script. amplis. Collectio. Paris, 1724, fol. iii. p. 15.
[1089] [The foundling hospital of London was founded in the year 1739, by charter of king George II., on the petition of captain Thomas Coram, and the memorial of sundry persons of quality and distinction. It maintains and educates 500 children, from extreme infancy to a period of life when they are capable of being placed out in the world. Illegitimate children are the objects of this hospital. The child must be under twelve months old when offered for admission, and the committee require to be satisfied of the previous good character and present necessity of the mother, and that the father has deserted both mother and infant; and that the reception of the infant will, in all probability, be the means of replacing the mother in the course of virtue and the way of an honest livelihood.]
[1090] [The number of illegitimate births in France is truly fearful. In 1831 there were 71,411, about 1-13th of the total number of births; in Paris the proportion is still larger, being about one in every three births!—Penny Cyclopædia.]
ORPHAN HOUSES.
As so ancient proofs are found of public attention paid to foundlings, it may be readily supposed that in well-regulated states care was employed at an early period to provide also for the maintenance and education of orphans. There is reason to believe that this was the case at Thebes, which took under its protection the children of all poor parents. Solon made a law, that children whose fathers had fallen in the defence of their country should be educated at the expense and under the inspection of government[1091]. The same thing was customary among the Iasei, who inhabited an island on the western coast of Caria[1092].