that quickened the growth of this noble ftructure! The generofity of the contributors must have been equal to their attention, for the charge of the building amounted to no lefs a fum than 17,000l. And never, it may be truely afferted, were expence and trouble better bestowed: the Hofpital of Bethlem ftands an illuftrious monument of British charity; and, whether we confider the becoming magnificence of the building, the commodious arrangement of the interior apartments, or the effectual relief which it reaches out to the poor objects whom it felters, we may fafely pronounce, that it is not to be parallelled in the whole world*. In the clofe limits within which the old hofpital was confined, it was impracticable to referve room for thofe forlorn beings, of whofe return to the conforts of a found mind there were no hopes. The increating multitude of curable objects justly demanded admittance; nor did it feem reafonable that they fhould be excluded from the profpect of enjoying a bluffing which the former could not attain. When the New Houfe was erected, it was hoped that fome provifion might be made for fuch as were deemed incurable, and at the fame time dangerous to the public. But the great influx of infane perfons, from all parts of the kingdom, into the hofpital, fruftrated thefe expectations, and gave reafon to fuppofe, that few, if any, of its numerous apartments would, at any time, be vacant. It was, therefore, found neceffary to enlarge the building; a particular fubfcription was fet on foot for the purpofe, and, in the year 1734, two wings were added to the hospital. This addition of room has enabled the governors, in fome degree, to answer the wishes of the public; and there are now maintained one hundred incurable patients, fifty of each fex, who enjoy every advantage which their deplorable flate can adimit. The number of patients in the house, who are fuppofed capable of being relieved, commonly amounts to about one hundred and feventy, and of thefe, it has been found upon an average, that nearly two out of three are reftored to their underftanding. To fuch a degree of perfection have the liberal benefactions of the well-difpofed (for it is by benefactions that the deficient revenues of this hofpital have been, and must be fupplied) advanced this noble inftitution! And fuch is the folid and fubftantial good which it. derives to individuals and to the community! It is an object much to be defired, that the many diftracted perfons, whofe diforder no medicine can reach, might continue to find protection within thefe walls, and not be returned to their friends, a burthen very often too heavy for them to bear. The number of incurables, which the hospital can at prefent contain, is finall, when compared with thofe who wait their turn of admiffion. Perhaps it would not be fuppofed that there are generally more than two hundred upon what is called the incurable lift t; and, as inftances of longevity are frequent in infane perfons, it commonly happens that the expectants are obliged to wait fix or feven years, after their difmiffion from the hofpital, before they can be again The defign of the building was taken from the Chateau de Tuilleries, in Paris. Louis XIV. it is faid, was fo much offended that his palace thould be made a model for an hofpital, that, in revenge, he ordered a plan of St. James's to be taken for offices of a very inferior nature. The figures of the two lunatic. over the gates of the hofpital, were the work of CIRBER, the father of the comedian. My father, Caius Gabriel Cibber, was a native of Holftein, who came into England fome time before the reftoration of King Charles II. to follow his profeffion, which was that of a ftatuary. The batto relievo on the pedeftal of the great column in the city, and the two figures of the lunatics, the Raving and the Melancholy, over the gates of Bethlem Hofpital, are no ill monuments of his fame as an artilt." Cibber's Apology for his own Life. There is a tradition that the perfon reprefented by the figure of the melancholy lunatic was porter to Oliver Cromwell. + When a patient, after fufficient trial, is judged incurable, he is difmiffed from the hofpital, and if he is pronounced dangerous either to himself or others, his name is entered in a book, hat he may be received in turn among the incurables maintained in the houfe, whenever a vacancy Thail happen. again received. During this long interval, they must be fupported either by their respective friends or parishes. The expence of maintaining and properly fecuring them far exceeds the allowance that is ufually made for paupers; and in middling life, where the feelings of a worthy fon or husband revolt at the idea of a near relation becoming an object of parochial alms, the diftrefs and difficulties of the lunatic's unhappy friends must be greatly aggravated. Befides, for want of due care and fecurity, accidents, far too fhocking to be related, have sometimes happened. Thefe manifeft evils, which arife from the want of a proper provifion for fo great a number of incurable patients, have induced many benevolent perfons to wish that the hofpital might be enlarged. True policy must join with humanity in the wifh, that this may not any longer be, what at prefent it is, almost the only branch of charity in this great city that wants a fufficient establishment". The conduct and management of this hofpital is more immediately intrufted to a committee of forty-two governors, feven of whom, together with the treasurer, phyfician, and other officers, attend every Saturday, in monthly rotation, for the admiflion of patients, and for the regulation of fuch other matters, as may concern the cafe, welfare, and convenience of fo large a family. The committee is open to every governor, and receives all the benefit which it can derive from the prudence and information of refpectable perfons. As foon as the lunatic is judged a fit object for this charity, he is delivered to the fteward, who, under the direction of the phyfician, affigns him fuch a degree of care and confinement as his cafe may require. The wards are fpacious and airy+, and the convenience of the apartments allotted to each unhappy individual, together with the order, decency, and cleanliness that are confpicuous through the whole houfe, cannot but strike the curious and charitable vifitant. It is scarce neceffary to affert, that the unhappy patients enjoy the ableft medical affittance, administered with the greatest humanity. The provifions of the hofpital, the vegetables, milk, beer, &c. are all excellent in their kind: they are carefully inspected by the fteward, who is refident, and frequently viewed by gentlemen of the committee. The cells are vifited early every morning by the fervants of the house: thefe make their report to the apothecary, who goes round about eight o'clock to infpect them himself, and to give fuch orders and directions as may be neceffary. The phyfician vifits the hofpital three days in a week. There are certain days fixed for the proper medical operations; and the cold or hot bath is used in those cafes where it is judged to be falutary. Every pa tient is indulged with that degree of liberty which is found confiftent with his own and the general fafety. In the It may not be improper here to rectify a mistaken notion that has gone forth into the world. It has been prefumed by many, that the Hofpitals of Bethlem and St. Luke are connected: the latter, it has been thought, is appointed for the reception of incurables difcharged by the former; and to prevalent has been this opinion, that the steward of Bethlem Hospital has often received letters from perfons of education and credit, who were interested for patients difcharged incurable, defiring to know when they would be fent to St. Luke's? How fuch an idea could have obtained, except from the nearness of their fituation to each other, it is not eafy to fay; certain it is, that it has not the leaft foundation in truth. Both hofpitals are engaged in the fame good work, have the fame object in view, the reftoration of reason to the distracted; and both admit a limited number of incurables; but the governors, officers, and funds of each charity are totally separate and distinct. + The length of each ward or gallery is 321 teet, the width 16 feet 2 inches, and the height 13 feet. There are 275 cells, each of which measures 12 feet 6 inches by 8 feet. The phyfician to the hofpital is Dr. MONRO, and the furgeon, Mr. RICHARD CROWTHER. The committee have lately allowed vegetables, and a better fort of fmall beer. This liberality has produced the most falutary effects upon the general health of the patients, as the medical officers have obferved, that the patients have not been fince fo much afflicted with fcurvy or fluxes as formerly. Mr. HENRY WHITE. 1 Mr. JOHN GOsxa: he has apartments in the hofpital, and is constantly refident, the winter there are certain rooms with comfortable fires*, where thofe who are in a convalefcent ftate meet and affociate; and in the fummer, they walk in the large adjoining courtyards, and fometimes amufe themfelves with fuch diverfions as are deemed not improper to quict their fpirits, and compofe the agitation of their minds. The hofpital ufed formerly to derive a revenue of at leaft 400l. a year from the indifcriminate admiffion of vifitants, whom, very often, an idle and wanton curiofity drew to these regions of diftrefs. But this liberty, though beneficial to the funds of the charity, was thought to counteract its grand defign, as it tended to disturb the tranquillity of the patients. It was, therefore, judged proper, in the year 170, no longer to expofe the houfe to public view; and now, it is fcarce ever open to ftrangers, unlefs they are introduced by a particular order. The friends of the poor objects have a limited access to them. At the admiffion of a patient, a ticket is delivered, which authorifes the bearer of it to come to the hofpital, on Mondays and Wednesdays, between the hours of ten and twelve. And here it may not be amifs to contradict a moft injurious notion that has been adopted, chiefly indeed by that clafs of people who are molt prone to form prejudices against eleemofynary inftitutions. The patients in Bethlem Hofpital are never beaten, or in any other refpect ill treated, in order to compel them to fubmit to the neceffary operations. No fervant is allowed fo wanton an abufe of the authority that is given him; and it is ftrictly enjoined, that a patient fhall never be truck, except in cafes of felf-defence. The admiffion of patients into Bethlem Hofpital is attended with very little difficulty. It is firft neceffary to confider, whether the cafe of the fuppofed lunatic includes any of thofe LOND. MAG. Nov. 1783. circumftances which the prudence of the hofpital regards as objections to admiffion. Thefe are few in number; and the wifdom and propriety of them will be eafily allowed. Mopes, perfons afflicted with the palfy, or fubject to convulfive or epileptic fits, and fuch as are become weak through age, or long illnefs, are excluded. Objects of this defcription, it is prefumed, may be fufficiently protected and fecured by their friends, or in a parish workhoufe. It is peculiarly deferving notice that no perfon is confidered as difqualified for admiffion here, who may have been difcharged uncured from any other lunatic hofpital. When the friends of a lunatic are fatisfied that he is a proper cbject of the charity, and the petition and certificates of the patient's legal parish fettlement are prepared, it then becomes necessary to procure a governor's recommendation. The hofpital alfo requires, that, upon admiffion, two houfe-keepers refiding in or near London fhall enter into a bond to take the patient away when difcharged by the committee, and pay the expence of clothes, and of burial in cafe of death. If the lunatic is fent by a parish, or any other public body, the fum of three pounds four fhillings is paid for bedding, but if he is placed there by friends, the hofpital, anxious to lighten their burthen, reduces the fum to two pounds five fhillings and fixpencet. It is expected that the patient fhould be fupplied with clothing; in failure of fuch fupply, the hofpital provides proper garments at the loweft rate, and the bondfinen repay the expences. There is no particular time limited for the continuance of a patient in the hofpital, who is under cure. It is generally feen in a twelvemonth, whether the cafe will admit relief; and fometimes in a few months health and reafon are reftored. Nor does the care of the governors ceafe when the re3 E covered Thefe, to prevent mifchief, are defended by large guard-irons. The forms of thefe are readily obtained by an application at Bethlem, or at the clerk's office in Bridewell Hofpital; and a governor's recommendation is never refufed to the friends of any proper object. When an incurable patient is finally fettled in the houfe, the fum of half a crown per week is paid to the hofpital by his friends, or the parish to which he belongs. § BETHLEM HÓSPITAL. Ordered, That the apparel wanting for the patients, may be covered lunatic is difmiffed from the hofpital. At the time of difcharge, he is interrogated as to the treatment which he has received, and, if he has had caufe of complaint, required to declare it. He is encouraged to apply occafionally to the medical officer, who gives him fuch advice and medicines as are proper to prevent a relapfe, and, if it fhould appear that his circumftances are particularly diftreffing, the treafurer and phylician poffefs a difcretionary power to relieve him with a fmall fam of money at his departure. SIR, TO THE EDITOR OF THE LONDON MAGAZINE. HE diftreffes of the furvivors of the Grofvenor's crew have feldom been TH equalled. Four only have reached England, whofe names are Price, Lewis, Warmington, and Larey. Their relation has been fanctified by the approbation of the Court of Directors. It has been collected and published by Mr. Dalrymple. A fictitious account has been fent into the world. With its fuccefs we are not acquainted. Left it fhould, by any accident, be diffeminated, we have extracted the following narration from the genuine production, for your readers. But for the prefent race merely we do not confult. The pamphlet will probably be preferved by few: the contents ought to be recorded. Your mifcellany appears to me the beft receptacle. If you poffefs a better memorial publish it: "Si non, his utere mecum.” Clement's-Iun, Oct. 29, 1783. CAUSIDICUS. ACCOUNT OF THE LOSS OF THE GROSVENOR INDIAMAN, AUGUST 4, 1782. HE Grofvenor Indiaman was only the reflection of the fky. He in T by John ftantly came out, but the Coxon, and when the left Trincomalé, on June the 13th, there were an hundred and forty-two perfons on board. They faw no land till Sunday the 4th of Auguft, and but one vefici. The captain imagined that he was three hundred miles from land, and would not liften to a boy who had been juft aloft, during a high wind, which blew hard in fqualls, and thought he faw thore. About an hour after this, at half past four in the morning, the boatfwain told the captain, that they had plainly feen land from the deck, which the third mate faid was in wearing. They had time to call all hands once, but the vessel was foon full of water, which gained upon them with great rapidity. The yawl was hoifted out, but immediately went to pieces, and a raft, by the breaking of a rope, drove afhore with four men, of which one only was faved. Some efcaped inftant death, by the affiftance of a lead line, which two Lafcars had faftened to a rock, by fwimming off as foon as the fhip was loft. The whole of the crew, except fifteen, got to fhore; among these were feveral ladies and children. A tent provided by their friends; but, if not done, the steward fhall furnish what the weekly committee hall order, at the following prices: For MEN. A coat A waistcoat A pair of breeches A fhirt For WOMEN. *So our Magazine for July Lot, p‹ A tent was immediately erected on the flat part of the rock, and covered with a fail. Here they found fresh water. The fhip was loft to the northward of a rocky point, on the couft of Africa, between 28° 30' and 29° 20' S. Here the furf was high: the coaft rugged: the land covered with high grafs, which the natives ufe for fuel. The diftant country was hilly and woody. To the fouthward, the cliffs were perpendicularly fteep, which rendered a paffage along the fea-fide impracticable. To the northward were fome fands, which ended in a low blackish point. On these was a creek, which was full of rocks, these made it paffable at low The fhip's fteward diftributed among them all the clothes which they could find, and provifions for eight or nine days; and on Wednesday, Auguft the 7th, they fet out to travel to THE CAPE OF GOOD Hare, which Captain Coxon hoped that they would reach in ten days. They were armed with five or fix cutlaffes. The want of gunpowder rendered the fire-arms which had been caít a-fhore useless. It has been imagined, that the point to the northward of the fpot where the Grosvenor funk was Paint St. Lucia, and that that space of the coaft was Sand Downs, in the Caffree country, which is terminated on the fouth by Great Vich river, in about 30° S. latitude. This conjecture appears to us highly probable, from the defcriptions of the men who were preferved. When they were preparing to fet out, the natives pointed to the north eaft, which would have led them from the Cape. Thefe people are woolly headed, and came among them to gather the pieces of iron and metal which were driven afhore. The bales they difregarded. Their heads were dreffed high, with a hollow in the middle. Thofe the crew faw were not the Tallow Heads, which are mentioned in the account of the Caffree country, which is published with Dampier's Voyages. The natives, during the time of their remaining with the wreck, did not offer any violence. They pilfered whatever they could find, and ran off with the fpoil. When they began to depart, however, they threw itones, and hurled their lances at them. A The chief mate, as his illness prevented his walking, was carried." lame man, John Bryan, and Joshua Glover, an ideot, remained with the wreck. The fecond mate led the van, the captain was in the rear, and the ladies were in the centre. They kept a regular watch during the journey. The fleepnefs of the cliffs prevented their keeping the fea-fide conftantly. Along the tops of thefe they travelled. In fome places they found paths and long grafs, fometimes the fhore was fandy, and fometimes rocky. The day after leaving the wreck, from which the natives followed thein, they fell in with a man lighter-coloured than the natives, with straight-hair: they fuppofed him a Malayman, though the Dutch fuppofe it was a Dutchman namned Trout. He came up to them, clapping his hands, and calling Engles, Engles: he talked Dutch with John Suffman, Mr. Williams's fervant, and told thein the CAPE was a great way off: and being defired to guide them, faid he could not, as he was afraid of being killed if he went into the Chriftian country; they offered him any money if he would conduct them. He faid he did not want money but copper: they faid they would load him with copper; but he would not go. He advifed them to go along the cost, for that inland they would meet the Befchemen Hottentots, who would kill them allt this man was with the natires, who did not appear to be the fame people as thofe where the fhip waloft. They were taller, and not fo black, and had their cheeks painted red, with feathers on their heads. 3 E2 They |
