of these Schools, there cannot any offer more worthy
a generous Mind. Would you do an handsome thing
without Return? do it for an Infant that is not sensible
of the Obligation: Would you do it for publick
Good? do it for one who will be an honest Artificer:
Would you do it for the Sake of Heaven? give it to
one who shall be instructed in the Worship of him
for whose Sake you gave it. It is methinks a most
laudable Institution this, if it were of no other Expectation
than that of producing a Race of good and useful Servants,
who will have more than a liberal, a religious Education.
What would not a Man do, in common Prudence, to lay
out in Purchase of one about him, who would add to
all his Orders he gave the Weight of the Commandments
to inforce an Obedience to them? for one who would
consider his Master as his Father, his Friend, and
Benefactor, upon the easy Terms, and in Expectation
of no other Return but moderate Wages and gentle Usage?
It is the common Vice of Children to run too much
among the Servants; from such as are educated in these
Places they would see nothing but Lowliness in the
Servant, which would not be disingenuous in the Child.
All the ill Offices and defamatory Whispers which
take their Birth from Domesticks, would be prevented,
if this Charity could be made universal; and a good
Man might have a Knowledge of the whole Life of the
Persons he designs to take into his House for his
own Service, or that of his Family or Children, long
before they were admitted. This would create endearing
Dependencies: and the Obligation would have a
paternal Air in the Master, who would be relieved
from much Care and Anxiety from the Gratitude and
Diligence of an humble Friend attending him as his
Servant. I fall into this Discourse from a Letter
sent to me, to give me Notice that Fifty Boys would
be Cloathed, and take their Seats (at the Charge of
some generous Benefactors) in St. Brides Church on
Sunday next. I wish I could promise to my self
any thing which my Correspondent seems to expect from
a Publication of it in this Paper; for there can be
nothing added to what so many excellent and learned
Men have said on this Occasion: But that there
may be something here which would move a generous
Mind, like that of him who writ to me, I shall transcribe
an handsome Paragraph of Dr. Snape’s Sermon
on these Charities, which my Correspondent enclosed
with this Letter.
The wise Providence has amply compensated the Disadvantages of the Poor and Indigent, in wanting many of the Conveniencies of this Life, by a more abundant Provision for their Happiness in the next. Had they been higher born, or more richly endowed, they would have wanted this Manner of Education, of which those only enjoy the Benefit, who are low enough to submit to it; where they have such Advantages without Money, and without Price, as the Rich cannot purchase with it. The Learning which is given, is generally more edifying to them, than that which is sold to others: Thus do they become more exalted in Goodness, by being depressed in Fortune, and their Poverty is, in Reality, their Preferment. [2]
T.