Why, with grief and anger strook, In his fleshless tomb no more can lie? Ah! mark those hands in iron bound, Art. VII. The Second Annual Report of the Society for the Relief of Distressed Widows, applying within the First Month of their Widowhood. Instituted October, 1823, and under the Patronage of H. M. G. M. the King. 8vo. pp. 44. London. 1826. ALTHOUGH the Report of a local Institution scarcely falls within the proper range of our critical notice, the interesting nature of the statements contained in these pages, as well as the excellent object and plan of the Society, will amply justify our pointing it out to the attention of our readers. The principle of the Institution, indeed, deserves to be adopted and acted upon wherever the population is sufficiently numerous to present more cases of the kind than can be effectually relieved by individuals. A hope is expressed by the Secretary of this Institution, that the perusal of the Report may lead to the formation of similar societies in all our large towns, or, if not to separate societies, to an extension of the plan and object of the benevolent associations which already exist for the relief of the Sick Poor. Among the numerous cases which fall within the province of those admirable Institutions, none are more interesting than that of the poor labourer, or mechanic, stretched upon the bed of sickness, surrounded by his wife and children, whom he can no longer maintain by the wages of his industry. The aid of a few shillings a week under such circumstances, and the soothing influence of spontaneous kindness and benevolent attention at such a season, may do much to alleviate the sufferings and to diminish the sorrows of the dis tressed family. But, during these visits,' remarks the writer of the observations prefixed to this Report, It not unfrequently happens that the poor man dies, leaving his wife in the greatest poverty; and to add to her sorrows, the Benevolent Society established solely for the Sick Poor, cannot continue to her any further aid indeed, were the funds not so restricted, the numerous claims made on them, render it impossible to do much for any individual case. The widow, seeing no longer those friends who visited her late husband, whose advice and assistance she more than ever requires, ventures to solicit the Benevolent Institution, to help her with a few shillings towards the expense of the burial of her husband. It is almost unnecessary to repeat, that her request cannot be complied with, nor can any further assistance be afforded her: her only resource is immediately to apply to the parish. Were we to follow this poor woman to the house, or rather to the room of mourning, a scene would be exhibited of a most afflictive description; as perhaps three or four days have elapsed without any step having been taken towards the funeral, owing to a fruitless endeavour to have it performed at her own expense. As the Suggester had often witnessed similar cases of distress, he was desirous that this Society should meet the widow at the beginning of her sorrows, and by its friendly advice and assistance, endeavour to prevent her experiencing these additional anxieties and distresses. For, though it is not intended prodigally to bestow on the dead that which is so much required for the living, yet, under particular circumstance, a small sum would be applied in aid of the funeral ; but, in all cases, the nature and extent of the relief to be given, would be at the discretion of the Committee. By this seasonable assistance, many a deserving woman would be spared that bitterness of affiction, which is commonly the portion of the friendless widow in such seasons of calamity; and would be induced rather to struggle with her family, than to cast them and herself upon the parish. What language can adequately describe the anguish that is experienced by the poor woman, on being told, and perhaps abruptly, that her husband, whom she parted with in perfect health in the morning, is no more, or has been taken bleeding and senseless to an hospital, where it may be he only survives a few days of suffering? In a moment, a family is thus deprived of its accustomed support. True it is, that calamities like these, often awaken the sympathy of generous individuals; yet, in very few instances, is the relief afforded of that nature to yield any permanent advantage.' Such is the general design of the Society. With regard to its truly benevolent and unexceptionable character, there can be but one opinion; and accordingly, no sooner was the idea suggested, than it met with the warmest support; and the yet infant Institution has obtained an extent of patronage which its first projectors never ventured to anticipate. His Majesty, on being made acquainted with the object of the charity, from the impulse of those humane feelings which form so marked a feature in his personal character, immediately consented to become its patron, accompanying the intimation with a donation of £25. Very recently, H. R. H. the Duke of York has transmitted a donation to the Committee, and has given them permission to add his name to the now illustrious list of patrons. These are facts which we have the more pleasure in making known, because the Institution itself has been indebted to no extrinsic recommendations, no party object, or popular attraction, nor even to any active canvass in its favour, for the distinguishing notice which it has received. Its beginnings were humble and almost secret. In the first year, the amount of the subscriptions and donations received was only £132; the cases in which relief was given, amounted to 36. The second year, the subscriptions and donations were £320, and the cases 84. A statement recently circulated by the Committee, and strongly appealing to the benevolence of the public, gives the total number relieved, within little more than three years, at upwards of 320. During the month preceding, the number of cases in which relief had been granted, was 35,- only one short of the entire number relieved 'during the first fifteen months of the Society's existence.' The consequence of this increase in the applications, was, that the funds were completely exhausted; and the Committee state that, unless seconded by the prompt and generous sympathy of the public, they would be compelled to turn away from scenes of affliction and sorrow, where their influence might be exerted with the greatest possible advantage.' It could hardly have been supposed, that even in London, the class of truly deserving objects to whom this charity is restricted, would have been so numerous as to furnish calls on the Society, amounting of late, on the average, to 20 in a month. When it is recollected, that the application must be made within the first month of the widowhood, and that the good character and marriage of the applicant are in every case ascertained by strict inquiry, it will appear not less surprising than affecting, that the increasing support which the Society has obtained, should have been wholly inadequate to meet the still extending demand upon their benevolent atten tion. The mode in which relief has been afforded, forms a distinguishing and highly laudable feature of the Institution. The Report states, that A very large proportion of the Widows whose names stand upon the Society's books, have been surrounded, on the death of their husbands, by a groupe of unprovided and, in some instances, afflicted children. Many poor creatures have been recommended to your Committee with SEVEN LITTLE ONES, and two have been effectually aided, with NINE. In such affecting cases, the Visitors do not overlook the best interests of the rising generation; for it not unfre quently happens, that one or more of the children are sent to school at the expense of some kind friend who is made acquainted with their distress; and there have been instances in which, through the instrumentality of the Visitors, a premium has been paid for the purpose of apprenticing the child of a Widow to some respectable trades man. Widows who have been left without incumbrance, have been introduced into situations of trust, where they have every prospect of respectability and comfort, and where sympathy is cherished on the one hand, and gratitude on the other. The strict enquiry which is made by the Ladies into the characters of individuals, enables them to speak with tolerable certainty as to the moral and social qualifications of those whom they venture to recommend. In the discharge of their interesting duty, your Committee have met with widows who had not one friend in, or near, the Metropolis, and who knew of nothing they could possibly do to prevent immediate destitution and wretchedness. Upon more minute enquiry, it has been discovered, that their connexions in the country could assist them, provided the Society would undertake to bear the expense of conveying them home. In several cases, this has been found to be a judicious and effectual mode of relief. Upon no occasion have your Committee felt a livelier glow of satisfaction, than when they have been enabled to mitigate the apprehensions, and to relieve the actual distresses, of the AGED WIDOW. This, too, it has been their happiness to do, partly by pecuniary contributions, but chiefly by interesting benevolent friends on her behalf. Amongst the numerous assistances your Committee have been called to render to the Widow and Fatherless, no one has been more generally required, or more obviously useful, than that of discharging small debts, thereby preventing that seizure of goods, which often takes place before the deceased husband is laid in his grave. Nor is it a little to the honour of British Tradesmen, that they have been found willing, in general, to relinquish one half of their claim. It has been whilst your Committee have been attending to this part of the practical economy of the Society, that they have been cheered by discovering the unshrinking honesty of individuals almost houseless and deserted. Some Widows have evinced more feeling on occasion of being relieved from a trifling debt, than they have done even at the thought of future provision for themselves and a numerous family. Thus has character been elicited, and confidence awakened. pp. 14-16. As a specimen of the cases, we must give insertion to the following: › ‹M. R.-The husband of this female had been a journeyman watchmaker, and earned, when in health, two guineas per week. Distress of mind, occasioned by his having accidentally shut up his youngest child in a press bedstead-thereby occasioning its death, brought on a nervous fever, from which he never recovered. His widow, aged 28, was left entirely unprovided for, in delicate health, and occasionally subject to very severe fits, with five children under eight years of age, and with the additionally distressing prospect of soon giving birth to another fatherless babe. The Visitors, after having devoted much consideration as to the best method of assisting this truly distressed individual, provided her with a mangle, made on a construction capable of being easily turned,-and they had soon the satisfaction of knowing that she was supplied with constant work. In the time of her confinement, pecuniary aid was granted, together with the Society's box of child-bed linen; and it was a circumstance of peculiar interest to the Visitors, to see the aged father and mother of this very deserving young widow alternately employed at the mangle during her illness. The widow, as soon as she had recovered her strength, resumed her employment, and the Committee have the satisfaction to know that their assistance has greatly contributed, under the blessing of Divine Providence, to support in comparative comfort, the widow and her numerous family. pp. 21, 22. These statements stand in need of no comment from us. We cannot dismiss the subject, however, without adding a few observations. The first remark which the details and disclosures of this Report suggest, is, the total insufficiency and unsuitableness of parochial relief to meet the most urgent and most deserving cases of suffering and hardship among the lower classes. Among other modern objections against the Poor Laws, this has sometimes been urged with more plausibility than justice; that they tend to supersede and intercept the bounty of the rich, and to stifle the feelings of benevolence and compassion toward the poor. The vast increase of pauperism arising from the misapplication and mal-administration of the law, may, to a certain extent, have operated in this manner. But surely, the great and opulent in this country are not less charitable and beneficent now, than they were in the sixteenth century, when the Poor Laws were first instituted with a view to repress the alarming increase of a desperate mendicity. That a great change has taken place in the relative position and feeling of the higher and lower classes towards each other, is, we fear, but too true; but this is attributable to very different causes. Owing to the alterations in the farming system, a great portion of husbandry labour has been superseded, so that the population in some parts of the agricultural countries has declined; and the relation between master and servant has been weakened by the increased distance interposed between the proprietary and the labouring classes. The rich and the poor VOL. XXVII. N.S. I |