Institutions for Charitable and Humane Purposes.

Humane Society, for the recovery of drowned and suffocated Persons, Spital-square and London Coffee-house1773
Society for the Relief of Clergymen's Widows, Paper Buildings, Temple
Society for the Relief of Widows and Orphans of Medical Men, founded by Dr. Squires and Mr. Chamberlaine1788
Laudable Society, for the benefit of Widows, Crane-Court, Fleet-street
Society for the support of Widows, Surry-street, Strand
Society for the support of poor Artists, and their Widows, Strand
Three Societies for the support of decayed Musicians, their Widows and Children
Society for the Relief of decayed Actors
Abc-darian Society, for the Relief of decayed School-masters
Society for the Relief of Authors in distress
Society for the Relief of Officers, their Widows, Children, Mothers, and Sisters
Society for Annuities to Widows, Old Fish-street, St. Paul's, No. 25
Society for the Relief of sick and maimed Seamen in the Merchant's Service1747
Society for the Relief of poor Widows and Children of Clergymen, instituted by Charter1768
Rayne's Hospital for 40 girls, who receive 100l. portion on their marriage1736
Society called the Feast of the Sons of the Clergy, for apprenticing their indigent Children, No. 5, Gray's Inn Square
Freemason's Charity
Society for the relief of Persons confined for Small Debts, Craven-street, Strand
Society for bettering the condition, and increasing the comforts of the Poor
Society for improving the condition of Chimney-Sweepers
Five Soup Societies
Workhouses
Private Asylums for Lunatics
91 Public Companies in the City of London, who give in charity above £.75,000 a year
Stock's Blind Charity, distributed by the Painters-Stainers' Company1786
Hetherington's Blind Charity, payable at Christ's Hospital1787
Asylum for Deaf and Dumb Poor, Grange Road, Bermondsey1792
Charitable Society for Industrious Poor, School House, Hatton Garden
Society for Charitable Purposes, Wardour-street, Soho1773
1600 Friendly Societies in the Metropolis and its vicinity, of which about 800 have enrolled themselves under the Act of Parliament, 33 Geo. III. cap. 54. They are composed of mechanics and labouring people, who distribute to sick members, and for funerals, sums raised by monthly payments, amounting on an average to 1s. 8d. a month, or 20s. a year, and consisting of about 80,000 members, who thus raise annually 80,000l.

Reflecting on the foregoing list of various laudable Institutions, which it cannot be expected should be altogether perfect, but which may be said to be unparalleled in point of extent, as well as munificence, and conferring the highest honour on the National Character for Charity and Humanity; the mind is lost in astonishment, that greater and more extensive benefits have not arisen to the inhabitants of the Metropolis; not only in improving their morals, but in preventing the lowest orders of the People from suffering that extreme misery and wretchedness, which has already been stated to exist in so great a degree in London.

When it is also recollected, that large sums are annually expended by Societies instituted for promoting religion, virtue, and good morals, it must be evident, as human misery does not appear to be alleviated, and the morals of the People grow worse—that there must be some cause to produce effects so opposite to what might have been expected from such unparalleled philanthropy; the cause, indeed, may easily be traced to that evident deficiency in the general System of Police, which has so often been mentioned in the course of this Work.[182]

In the next place, it may be useful, and certainly cannot be improper, in a Treatise on the Police, to insert a brief detail of the different Courts of Law, and public Prisons, established in the Metropolis; for the distribution of Justice, and the punishment of delinquents, for civil as well as criminal offences; together with the number of professional men attached to these various Law establishments.


COURTS OF JUSTICE
IN THE
METROPOLIS.

Supreme Courts.

The High Court of Parliament.

The House of Lords; being the Appeal in the last resort in all causes criminal and civil.