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
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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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    I [ 34 ] embraced this retirement.—She faid fhe had intirely forgoten the world, and London in particular, even though fhe faw the fleeples of the churches from her window every morning — That all the day was fpent in work, prayer, or innocent talk, but few books being allowed—That if providence had forgiven her, fhe freely forgave thole who had injured her •, and faid, fhe thought her fufferings were a blefling, as without them fhe could never have obtained fuch a fweet retirement.-She was going on, as I thought, when the chapel bell rung, and fhe faid there was no allowance, except in illnefs, to be abfent ; but that, if I would flay, fhe would come again. The bell continued ringing, as I thought, and it waked me ; and what was this bell, but that of the temple church tolling for a gentleman, who was to be buried there that evening !-I allure you I was very forry to find it was a dream, but hope it may give an hint for forae noble-minded chriflians to eredt fomething of the kind, though in an inferior manner.’* Inner-temple. Q. Q. Though fome part of the plan, contained in the above Letter, fhould ap¬ pear to be a little vijionary, yet the whole is certainly not a dream \ but the refult of good fenfe, fupported by the truefl charity and policy. By the help of God, and the Legijlature, if the lafl fhould be abfolutely necefiary, I make not the leafl doubt, we fhall foon give proof that great good may be done in fup- port of a caufe which ought to be held the moil dear and facred : and fo far as I can difcover, after the molt diligent refearches, this may be effedted with very little, if any mixture of evil. I It would be a dream indeed, to think of a total reformation of manners in this inflance : yet were we to employ preventive wifdom, and trace the evil to its fource, though the execution would be arduous, the attempt might not appear