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have come down, with the little lad in it, and he must have been dashed to pieces.-No child ought to be subject to these dangers.

There was a trial not long since, where the father of a little boy brought an action against a master chimney sweeper, with whom the father had placed the boy. It was said that the boy's back was covered with marks from severe beating; and that his health was injured by lying on damp soot. The master was acquitted; for when the boy's back was examined, it appeared that there were no marks upon it, and, moreover, that the soot on which he slept was perfectly dry, and that though he had occasionally received correction, it was not severe. The master was, therefore, very properly acquitted, not having been found guilty of that which he was accused of; yet what a scene of misery does this open to us; and particularly so when we learn the truth, that the boy's father had himself sold his boy to the chimney sweeper; and that, now the boy had learned how to sweep, and was therefore worth more, the father wanted to get him into his power, that he might sell him again for more money. What a wretched business it must be, that opens a door to so much cruelty and misery!

I am, Sir, &c.

D. G.

We have received the following Letter on the same subject.

To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor.
SIR,

HAVING read with much interest, your account of the poor chimney sweepers, for whose situation I have always felt the greatest compassion, I address this to you as an evil not mentioned in any of your papers, which I therefore hope may not now exist;

Selections from different Authors.

141

but which I know did exist some years ago; I al lude to girls, as well as boys, being engaged in this sad employment. A friend of mine, a very benevolent lady, having been informed of this, and finding, in one instance at least, that it was true, obtained, I believe with some difficulty, her release, clothed her and put her to school, where she was taught to read and work, and appeared likely to make a good servant. My friend died not very long afterwards, and I have never heard more of this girl; but if such an evil still exists, I trust that the society established for the consideration of this subject, and which I hope has already done a great deal, may be able to put a stop to it.

Feb. 5. 1825.

0. L.

We hope it is not very common to employ girls, but we know that there are some women chimney sweepers, and these probably learned the trade when they were children. We are glad to be able to record the praise-worthy conduct of one chimney sweeper, who has his boys well washed every Sunday morning, and put into creditable clothes. This man attends a respectable dissenting chapel in the neighbourhood of London, and takes his boys with him. The money collected on the first of May, goes towards furnishing the boys with their Sunday clothes. ED.

SELECTIONS FROM DIFFERENT AUTHORS.

FAITH, revived and strengthened by prayer, and fixed on God alone, is a stranger to fear in the worst of times.-Bishop Horne.

If God will save, none can destroy; if He will destroy, none can save. Let Balak, then, curse Is

have come down, with the little lad in it, and he must have been dashed to pieces.—No child ought to be subject to these dangers.

There was a trial not long since, where the father of a little boy brought an action against a master chimney sweeper, with whom the father had placed the boy. It was said that the boy's back was covered with marks from severe beating; and that his health was injured by lying on damp soot. The master was acquitted; for when the boy's back was examined, it appeared that there were no marks upon it, and, moreover, that the soot on which he slept was perfectly dry, and that though he had occasionally received correction, it was not severe. The master was, therefore, very properly acquitted, not having been found guilty of that which he was accused of; yet what a scene of misery does this open to us; and particularly so when we learn the truth, that the boy's father had himself sold his boy to the chimney sweeper; and that, now the boy had learned how to sweep, and was therefore worth more, the father wanted to get him into his power, that he might sell him again for more money. What a wretched business it must be, that opens a door to so much cruelty and misery!

I am, Sir, &c.

D. G.

We have received the following Letter on the same subject.

To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor.

SIR,

HAVING read with much interest, your account of the poor chimney sweepers, for whose situation I have always felt the greatest compassion, I address this to you as an evil not mentioned in any of your papers, which I therefore hope may not now exist;

Selections from different Authors.

141

but which I know did exist some years ago; I allude to girls, as well as boys, being engaged in this sad employment. A friend of mine, a very benevolent lady, having been informed of this, and finding, in one instance at least, that it was true, obtained, I believe with some difficulty, her release, clothed her and put her to school, where she was taught to read and work, and appeared likely to make a good servant. My friend died not very long afterwards, and I have never heard more of this girl; but if such an evil still exists, I trust that the society established for the consideration of this subject, and which I hope has already done a great deal, may be able to put a stop to it.

Feb. 5. 1825.

0. L.

We hope it is not very common to employ girls, but we know that there are some women chimney sweepers, and these probably learned the trade when Ethey were children. We are glad to be able to record the praise-worthy conduct of one chimney sweeper, who has his boys well washed every Sunday morning, and put into creditable clothes. This man attends a respectable dissenting chapel in the neighbourhood of London, and takes his boys with him. The money collected on the first of May, goes towards furnishing the boys with their Sunday clothes. ED.

SELECTIONS FROM DIFFERENT AUTHORS.

FAITH, revived and strengthened by prayer, and fixed on God alone, is a stranger to fear in the worst of times.-Bishop Horne.

If God will save, none can destroy; if He will destroy, none can save. Let Balak, then, curse Is

MY GOOD FRIEND,

I HOPE that, by this time, your dumb child has learned his alphabet on his fingers, and that he can write his letters on a slate. I wish you to try whether he is quite perfect in his letters. When you have a leisure moment, now and then, try him in this way. Give him his slate and pencil, making a sign to him to write; then shew him some letter with your fingers, and see whether he will immediately write that letter on his slate. Perhaps you may have been able to teach him to write, on his slate, a few little words, such as cat, dog, ball, hat, box, and perhaps you find that he wishes to learn the names of things, and that he brings you his slate sometimes, and then points at something, of which he wishes to know the name, that you may write it down for him.

If this is the case, you should always attend to his wishes, and write down the most easy words that he wants to learn ; but if this does not happen, you need not be discouraged, for dumb children are, as well as others, of very different capacities, and those who get on very slowly at first, will make a sufficient progress in time, if they are taught gently and patiently. So do not be in a hurry, only go on constantly doing a little. I advise you to get a little paper book, and, whenever he has a fancy for learning a word, which you can teach him, first spell the word on your fingers, and then do you copy it out, as neatly as you can into his book, with pen and ink. Every evening, make him read over the new words he has got into his book in the day, and at the end of every week see whether he remembers all the words that you have written for him in his book, and whether he can shew you the right things, when he reads the names, or if the things are not in sight, whether he can make the right sign for each of them. Be sure never to let

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