ERRATA.

Page 22. n. 1. 27. for a folemn contract-read fidelity.

23. n. 1. 5. ditto.

67. 1. 10. for very feeble-read comparatively feeble to what it once was, before the abolition of the writ de hæretico comburendo, 29 Car. II. c. 9. 72. 1. 11. for valiies —read vallies.

79. n. 1. 8. for liver on the right fide, and heart on the left-read liver on the left fide, and heart on the right.

2

144. n. 1. 15. for 161-read 152.

207. 1. 6 from the bottom, for Tvn-read Tnv.

296. 1. 2. n. after p. add 249.

298. 1. 28. after p. add 175-177.

Of those well-intended Charities, and benefi-
cent Inftitutions

THE

HE AUTHOR of the following Treatife cannot fix on a more proper patronage for a work of this kind, than that of those noble and honourable persons, whose compaffion on the miseries of the female fex, has led them to institute public charities for its prefervation and relief.

As our laws are at prefent framed, women are exposed to seduction, prostitution, and ruin, VOL. I.

almoft

almost without controul;-they seem to be
looked upon as lawful
prey to the luft, trea-
chery, cruelty, and mean artifices of licen-
tious and profligate men, who can seduce
and then abandon them at their will.

1

That a want of good government among us in these respects, is one fource of all thofe evils, which your difinterested and humane endeavours are intended to prevent or remedy, is furely apparent on the slightest. confideration.

A fyftem of laws which leaves the horrid crime of adultery not only out of the list of its capital punishments, but even exempts it, as a public offence, from any animadverfion whatsoever in our courts of criminal judicature, must be attended with all those mischiefs that arife from the encouragement which impunity affords to vice.

The fame may alfo be observed, with respect to the defenceless state, in which the weaker fex in general is left against the Stronger; fo that any man may feduce, and abandon at his pleasure, the unhappy and deluded objects of his brutal appetite.

Το

To exhibit a system far different from this to fet forth the divine law as the contrivance of infinite wisdom, for the fecurity, peace, prefervation, and protection of the female fex, is the purpose of the following pages.-Were this to be made the bafis of our municipal laws, it would prove an adequate remedy for all those mischiefs, which, in comparatively few inftances, can now only find a partial palliation, from benevolence like yours, but which must, in general, be ftill the portion of those, whom GOD's law was formed to protect.

Many of you, my LORDS and GENTLEMEN, are members of the LEGISLATURE; and if, from what fhall be faid on the matters treated in this book, they should become the fubjects of your ferious confideration in your legislative capacity, the author will gain

one defirable end of his labours.

This furely must be allowed-that, in point of fact, the alarming increase of female proftitution and ruin, calls loudly for fome remedy the self-evidence of this, is the very foundation of thofe benevolent defigns,

which

a 2

which diftinguish the feveral public charities to which you fo generously contribute.

Let Government adopt the fyftem of heavenly wisdom, which adorns the pages of the SACRED VOLUME, and it will find a remedy in its own hands-what that fyftem is, it has been the author's most serious endeavour to enquire, and to recommend it to all, but more especially to the consideration of those, whose care, expence, and vigilance, for the good of their fellow-creatures, has occafioned them the trouble of this address from

Their most humble fervant,

And ardent well-wifher to their good defigns,

THE AUTHOR.