Letter V. To Robert Dingley, Esq.; being a proposal for the relief and employment of friendless girls and repenting prostitutes / [Jonas Hanway].

Hanway, Jonas, 1712-1786.

Date:: 1758

Credit: Letter V. To Robert Dingley, Esq.; being a proposal for the relief and employment of friendless girls and repenting prostitutes / [Jonas Hanway]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$[ 9,] ■ n # | a , 4 • «* * When the generality of the common people have worn off a fenfe of fhame, and tho’ able to work, arc contented to eat the bread of idle- nefs, we mull expcCt to fee numberlefs abufes of almofi: every kind of charity. In the mean while corruption and bad examples often turn panders to excefs and luxury, and create wants, which otherwife would have no exiftence. But whilft we contemplate the evils which have made fuch inroads upon us, we mud Hand to our arms, and if poflible, prevent their progrefs. -1 We already complain of the want of inhabitants> and yet, I know not by what modern refinements, in which neither the laws of God, nor ' 1 *■ * \ . ^ V • V . I, 4 national policy have any fhare, we fay, the foldier [hould not marry, that * - .‘ .... :i ...... he may be the more ready to go to'war-, and barracks, which, without all doubt, are well calculated to eftablifh difeipiine, and make good fol- diers, it is to be feared, will hardly be productive of matrimony. “ \\\’, * ^ \« i . * * € •i- “ ' ' i •' •••U.i . .,:i i.i ■ I x . J f * * f » I •> • f, , # Again, we fay, the failor will be nothing bat a failor, and it will be in vain to encourage him to fpend any part of his time on fore, in attending the care of a family. But, what is yet more extraordinary, wc add, as part of our domeftic policy, it is improper in the domejlic to pretend to marry: and for fuch offence he is generally turned out of fer- vice, as if he were an enemy to his country, and had forfeited the right of protection from the community. ^ t ‘ v • ■ ■ ■ . • ; / j*|0 » A s to the practice of a great part of the common people, in the coun¬ try, they come together firft, and if the woman proves with child, they are generally obliged, through cuftom or compulfion, to marry. In a partial and contracted view of things, this ufage may appear not altogether B im- 4$