in the endless variety of places of amusement for all classesthe London season is now in full play: and in tens of thousands of happy homes all around, grow and flourish those domestic affections and domestic virtues, which are nowhere more carefully cultivated, and nowhere more beautifully bloom than in happy England. Meanwhile the desolate child of poverty and neglect feverishly paces up and down the drear and lonely bridge. Now, she stands still and gazes vacantly, as if searching the dark future. But here she is, as it were, sternly repelled. A start, a shivering, and a moan-and she resumes her rapid purposeless walk, to and fro. And now, she stands again, and reverts to the past. Her thoughts are carried back to her innocent childhood, amidst green fields and sunny glades. Her father, a farm-labourer, returning at evening from his day of toil, her mother and brothers and sisters-those loved familiar faces-are once more around her. Their humble cottage, and homely fare, their honest industry, the Sunday school, and little country church they regularly frequented, their simple rustic sports, their summer evening rambles, their uneventful happy days-all again are realized. She almost forgets her sorrows in these soothing recollections; her heart is deeply stirred; the fountain of her tears is opened: when, lo, startled by the rush and shriek of a passing train, she suddenly wakes up; the loved scenes of her childhood vanish like a dream; the form of her mother she is about to embrace melts into thin air; and once again she stands alone, in her utter desolation. She now approaches the parapet, and pauses, in a vain endeavour to collect her thoughts:

Where the lamps quiver,

So far in the river,

With many a light,
From window and casement,

From garret to basement,

She stands in amazement,

Houseless by night.

She mounts the parapet. Is there no charitable hand, even now-no casual passer-by, to arrest her in the fatal leap? No one is near. Her reason reels. A moment's ripple in the sullen tide-and all is over!

Had this poor girl been gently taken by the hand, and led to the Asylum of the Nuns of the Good Shepherd at Hammersmith, or to any other similar house of refuge, how different would have been the result! To each of these fallen ones—in most cases the victims of poverty and neglect, and far less guilty than those who have occasioned their fall-thoughts of repentance come, at one time or another; and it is all-important that there should be a home to receive them at such a moment, and kind friends to teach, and encourage, and aid them in their endeavours to lead henceforward exemplary lives. Such are the objects for which this congregation was instituted; such the functions to which the labours of the sisterhood are unceasingly devoted; and from the lips of the pure and holy daughters of religion the words of hope and encouragement are sure to fall with tenfold effect.

The Sisters, as we have seen, also take charge of female Reformatory and Industrial schools, as special objects of their institute. Of these I propose to treat fully in the next chapter.

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CHAPTER XVII.

REFORMATORY AND INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS.

There is nothing more certain than that first offences may, by proper treatment of the offenders, be also made last offences.-LORD BROUGHAM.

PERHAPS there are no more beneficial Acts in our Statute Book than the Reformatory and Industrial Schools Acts. That the classes, formerly either wholly neglected in our legislation, or mentioned only with a view to their being hunted down and extirpated, should now be so wisely and humanely dealt withthat their wants, physical and moral, should be so generously and judiciously provided for-that the children of poverty and ignorance, who, if left to themselves, must inevitably be absorbed in our criminal population, are now carefully educated by the State, and made useful members of society-opens a new and most hopeful page in our criminal jurisprudence. Each successive year attests, more and more fully, the great public benefit accruing from these Acts. Legislators, judges, magistrates, inspectors, all who are engaged in their administration-whether religious communities or paid officials-and above all the clergy of all denominations, are loud in their praise.

Our countrymen in Constantinople tell us (says the Recorder of Birmingham) how that city is infested by troops of ownerless dogs, who have to gain their livelihood by the exercise of their wits; and a very slight effort of the imagination will bring before us the annoyances which must be produced by this multitude of four-footed outlaws. we substitute in our minds young human beings for these dogs, we shall prepare ourselves for apprehending the characteristics of that portion of our urban population which has been called the 'City Arabs.' I do not mean to say that all, or even a majority, of the class

If

who will be found at Reformatory Schools are absolutely without friends or relatives (some would be less to be commiserated were that their condition), or that they are entirely their own masters. Still the ownerless dog is a fair type of the species. Like him they have received but little kindness-like him they live more or less by their wits-like him they are untaught-without occupation-restless— capable, from sheer necessity, of bearing hunger and cold—their instincts quick-their affections languid their religion a blank!1

The reformation of these poor neglected children-the bringing these City Arabs within the pale of civilized society-has most profitably engaged the attention of the statesmen of our day. The first legislation for this purpose was in August 1854, when an Act was passed for the better care and reformation of youthful offenders in Great Britain.' This was followed by the Irish Act of 1858. These are now merged in the Acts of 18662 and 18683 respectively. Under their provisions, it is enacted that the Secretary of State in England, or the Chief Secretary in Ireland, may, upon the application of the managers of any Reformatory School for the better training of youthful offenders, direct one of her Majesty's Inspectors of Prisons, who shall be styled the Inspector of Reformatory Schools, to examine into the condition and regulations of the school, and to report to him thereon; and, if satisfied with said report, the Secretary of State, or Chief Secretary for Ireland, as the case may be, may, by writing under his hand, certify that such school is fitted for the reception of such youthful offenders as may be sent there in pursuance of the Acts, and the same shall be a Certified Reformatory School. It is provided that the Inspectors of Reformatories shall, from time to time, visit these schools, and report thereon to the Secretary of State, or the Chief Secretary, the continuance or withdrawal of whose

1 Letter of Mr. Hill, Recorder of Birmingham, to Lord Brougham.

2 29th & 30th Vict., c. 117, 'An Act to Consolidate and Amend the Acts relating to Reformatory Schools in Great Britain.' (August 10, 1866.) 3 31st & 32nd Vict., c. 59, An Act to Amend the Law relating to Reformatory Schools in Ireland.' (July 16, 1868.)

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certificate shall depend on such reports. The Inspectors' reports, with the accounts of the receipts and expenditure of such schools, and of certificates granted and withdrawn, must be annually laid before both Houses of Parliament.

Any juvenile offender convicted of an offence punishable with penal servitude or imprisonment, who, in the opinion of the court, justices, or magistrate before whom he is charged, is under the age of sixteen years, and who is sentenced to imprisonment, of not less than ten days in Great Britain, or not less than fourteen days in Ireland, may also be sentenced to be sent, at the expiration of his period of imprisonment, to a certified reformatory school, to be there detained for a period of not less than two years and not more than five years.1

Many are of opinion that, generally speaking, it is desirable that juvenile offenders should not be exposed to the contamination of a gaol; but it would appear that the above short term of imprisonment, at least, was considered by the framers of the Acts a necessary test of the offenders being of the class for whom reformatory schools are intended. In the Irish Act, it is provided that the term of imprisonment shall be directed to be carried out and spent as far as possible in strict separation.' In the English Act, which is of two years' older date, this wholesome provision is not to be found.

An obviously wise provision of the Acts is, that juvenile offenders shall be sent only to Reformatory Schools, which are under the exclusive management of persons of their own religious persuasion. The Irish Act is positive on this point. In the English Act, it is provided that, in choosing a certified reformatory school, the Court shall endeavour to ascertain the religious persuasion to which the youthful offender belongs,

1 Where an offender is under ten years of age, he or she cannot be sent to a Reformatory School except by a Judge of Assize or Court of Quarter Sessions in England, or in Scotland by a Circuit Court of Justiciary or Sheriff. There is no such restriction as to very young offenders in the Irish Act.

31st & 32nd Vict., c. 59, sec. 12.