honesty is the best policy. She then dwelt upon the mos tives which had brought the ladies into Newgate; they had left their homes and their families, to mingle amongst those from whom all others fled; animated by an ardent and affectionate desire to rescue their fellow creatures from evil.

She then told them, that it was not intended that the ladies should command, and the prisoners obey; that not a rule should be made, or a monitor appointed, without their full and unanimous concurrence. That for this purpose, each of the rules should be read, and put to the vote; and she invited those who might feel any disinclination to any particular, freely to state their opinion. A set of rules were then read to them; and as each was proposed, every hand was held up in testimony of their approbation.

In the same manner, and with the same formalities, each of the monitors was proposed, and all were unanimously approved.

When this business was concluded, one of the visiters read aloud the 15th chapter of St. Luke-the parable of the barren fig tree, seeming applicable to the state of the audience. After a period of silence, according to the custom of the Society of Friends, the monitors, with their classes, withdrew to their respective wards in the most orderly manner.

During the first month, the ladies were anxious that the attempt should be secret, that it might meet with no interruption; at the end of that time, as the experiment had been tried, and had even exceeded their expectations, it was deemed expedient to apply to the corporation of

F

London; and the next day an answer was received, proposing a meeting with the ladies at Newgate.

In compliance with this appointment, the Lord Mayor, the Sheriffs, and several of the Aldermen attended. The prisoners were assembled together, and it being requested that no alteration in their usual practice might take place, one of the ladies read a chapter in the Bible, and then the females proceeded to their various avocations. Their attention during the time of reading; their orderly and sober deportment; their decent dress; the absence of every thing like tumult, noise, or contention; the obedience and the respect shown by them; and the cheerfulness visible in their countenances and manners, conspired to excite the astonishment and admiration of the visiters.

The magistrates, to evince the sense of the importance of the alterations which had been effected, immediately adopted the whole plan as a part of the system of Newgate, empowered the ladies to punish the refractory by short confinement, undertook part of the expenses of the matron, and loaded the ladies with thanks and benedictions.

About six months after the establishment of the school for the children, and the manufactory for the tried side, the committee received a most urgent petition from the untried, entreating that the same might be done amongst them, and promising strict obedience. In consequence, the ladies made the same arrangements, proposed the same rules, and admitted in the same manner, as on the other side, the prisoners to participate in their benefits.

The effect wrought by the advice and admonitions of the ladies, may, perhaps, be evinced more forcibly by a

single and slight occurrence, than by any description. It was a practice of immemorial usuage, for convicts on the night preceding their departure for Botany Bay, to pull down and break every thing breakable within their part of the prison, and to go off shouting with the most hardened effrontery. When the period approached for a late clearance, every one connected with the prison dreaded this night of disturbance and devastation. To the surprise of the oldest turnkey, no noise was heard, not a window was intentionally broken. They took an affectionate leave of their companions, and expressed the utmost gratitude to their benefactors; the next day they entered their conveyances without any tumult; and their departure, in the tears that were shed, and the mournful decorum that was observed, resembled a funeral procession; and so orderly was their behaviour, that it was deemed unnecessary to send more than half the usual

escort.

NUPTIAL FETE.

On the marriage of their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, they gave an entertainment to the inhabitants of the vicinity of Bagshot, which well deserves to be held in remembrance, for the many features of good old English hospitality which it presented. The cloth was laid for a thousand persons, on the lawn near An excellent dinner loaded the temthe royal mansion.

table erected for the occasion, consisting of roast porary beef and plumb pudding, with abundance of fine old ale. After the assemblage had taken their seats, the royal couple walked arm in arm round the table, to view

the enjoyment of their neighbours, who with due respect were rising from their seats to pay their grateful homage of respect, when the royal pair condescendingly insisted upon their not disturbing themselves, as they wished to see them all comfortable and happy. The healths of the royal pair were then drunk with enthusiasm, and fervent wishes expressed, that long life and happiness might attend them. Several bands of music attended; and after dinner the lads and lasses turned out and danced

merrily on the lawn. The assemblage consisted of young and old of various degrees. Among the latter, was a lady of ninety-eight years of age, who came in a chaise some distance, to pay her respects to the duke and duchess. She appeared highly gratified at having the honour of speaking to them, and their royal highnesses were marked in their attention to their venerable guest. The enter

tainment was kept up till a late hour.

THE ICELANDERS.

DR. HENDERSON, in his travels in Iceland, frequently experienced the hospitality of the inhabitants, particularly at Holum, where he was treated with the utmost kindness and attention, in the house of a Mr. Johnson. He says "When the hours of rest approached, I was conducted by my kind host and hostess into a back apartment, where was an ancient but excellent bed, on which I had every reason to conclude more than one of the Holum bishops had reposed. A ceremony now took place, which exhibits in the strongest light the hospitality and innocent simplicity of the Icelandic character. Having wished

me a good night's rest, they retired, and left their eldest daughter to assist me in pulling off my pantaloons and stockings; a piece of kindness, however, which I would a thousand times rather have dispensed with, as it was so repugnant to those feelings of delicacy to which I had been accustomed. In vain I remonstrated against it as unnecessary. The young woman maintained it was the custom of the country, and their duty to help the weary traveller. When got into bed, she brought a long board, which she placed before me to prevent my falling out; and depositing a bason of new milk on a table close to my head, bade me a good night, and retired. Such I afterwards found to be universally the custom in Icelandic houses. When there are no daughters in the family, the service is performed by the landlady herself, who considers it a great honour to have it in her power to show this attention to a stranger.

"Both at meeting and parting, an affectionate kiss on the mouth, without distinction of rank, age, or sex, is the only mode of salutation known in Iceland, except sometimes in the immediate vicinity of the factories, where the common Icelander salutes a foreigner whom he regards as his superior, by placing his right hand on his mouth or left breast, and then making a deep bow. When you visit a family in Iceland, you must salute them according to their age and rank, beginning with the highest, and descending according to your best judgment to the lowest, not even excepting the servants; but on taking leave, this order is completely reversed; the salutation is first tendered to the servants, then to the children, and last of all to the mistress and master of the family."