*them, and who compel them to accost all the other sex whom "they meet. I then allow that there are 7,400 Jews engaged in "this traffic, who are living on the degradation of Christian girls"the children of Christian parents, and who are plunging them"selves and their unhappy victims into irremediable ruin.

"Now all respectable Jews condemn this infamous pursuit. "There is not a mark of odium that can be attached to the human "character that is not fixed upon the Jew who is known to have 66 any connexion with this monstrous iniquity. I have the authority ❝ of Dr. Solomon Herschell, the high priest of the Jews, as well as "the concurrent testimony of other respectable Jews, for the state"ments I have made. I quote the following communication which "I received from the learned and philanthropic Doctor:

"""I beg to say that this growing evil has long engaged my "serious attention, and that I endeavour, by all clerical means in my power to diminish the number of those who, within the sphere "of my influence, are guilty of abetting the progress of this vice, by holding them up to public disgrace, and excluding them from every mark of respect which the synagogue confers."'" Mr. Talbot further says, that

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"The parties engaged in encouraging vice are well known to "the heads of the Jewish persuasion, and on no account are they "suffered to associate with the moral and the virtuous; they are "excluded from a communion in any of the civil or religious "privileges of the Jews; they are not allowed to be married in the "usual way, but the ceremony is performed by one of the most "inferior officers; they cannot gain admission into a Jewish benefit "society; they are prevented from participating in Jewish cha"rities; and when death claims them, as the messenger sent to "convey them to the dark regions of despair, they are deprived of "the common and ordinary rites of burial; they are not interred "in the same hallowed spot with their fathers, but their bodies are "cast out, as being unworthy to sleep by the side of virtuous men. "This is the invariable course pursued by the Jewish people; and, "I may venture to say, that there is not a Jew of any respectability whatever, who does not, from his heart, abhor and depre"cate these horrible practices.'

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We are now making some inquiries respecting the Jewish population in the metropolis, not however in reference to this subject, and we find that it is computed by the Jews themselves that the total number of Jews in London is only 15,000.-Now if the Jewish population be double the number we have stated, then there would only be 7,500 Jewish families, and can it be true that out of these, ❝7,400 Jews are engaged in this traffic," and are submitting to the terrible penalties referred to in the above extract?

For Mr. Talbot, personally, we have great respect; and if he be in error, we know that it is altogether unintentional. No one has given more time and attention to the subject than he has, and where

he has correct information, it is of great value. The unintentional exaggeration has originated in the following manner:-Colquhoun's statement that there were 50,000 at the close of the last century, has been too much confided in, when it is well known that many of his calculations were singularly inaccurate. The proportionate increase of population has been another ground for calculating an increased amount of the evil, overlooking the state of London ar that period as contrasted with the present—and also, calculations of the numbers crowded together in some houses and localities, and then forming a general estimate of the number in the whole metropolis from these partially collected facts.

That there are gentlemen who estimate the number very differ ently, will appear from the testimony of Mr. Mayne, the Commis sioner of the Metropolitan Police, who politely supplied it to Dr. Ryan:

"From all the information he had obtained from seventeen "inspectors of police and other sources, he felt convinced that the "number of prostitutes in London and the surrounding districts, "except the city, WAS UNDER SEVEN THOUSAND, the brothels "were nine hundred and thirty-three, houses of ill fame eight "hundred and forty-eight, and lodging-houses for prostitutes, one "thousand five hundred and fifty-four."

We have been thus particular on these points, on account of the character of the female population in the metropolis, and because we were misled in 1836 by the publications on the subject, and we deem it imperative to continue to do all in our power to correct it.

The question now forces itself upon us-Is the crime of prostitution increasing among us? and, if so, what are the most likely means of its abatement? We honour the benevolent labours of all who are seeking to rescue the fallen; but it is surely well to have our benevolence properly and judiciously directed. If we save ten persons from death, with the knowledge that ten others must take their places, the value of our benevolence is greatly lessened; for if it be attended with good to some, it is attended with proportionate evil (though unintentionally) to others. We have long held and expressed the opinion, that our remedial measures, by means of penitentiaries, are imperfect and inadequate. Another session of Parliament ought not to pass without the Committee of every Institution of this class petitioning the Legislature for a revision of the laws on the subject, so that the procurers and the keepers of houses should be easily and summarily punished, and a check given to those who are now pursuing their course almost with impunity, because of the state of the law. The Society of which Mr. Talbot is the Secretary, has rendered great service in this respect, and if it will spend a little money in getting correct information, it will greatly increase its power and usefulness.

In confirmation of our views upon the necessity of legislative interference, and the unintentional injury inflicted by our peniten

tiaries in the present state of the law, we give the following quotation from a letter we recently received: it was occasioned by some remarks we had made at a public meeting relative to there being both thieves and fallen females anxious to lead a different life, if they could enter into asylums :

"You said, "That there were hundreds of fallen females who "were most anxious to abandon their wicked courses, but that "there were no asylums into which they could be admitted.' This "is lamentably true; but it must be apparent to you, that although "the number of penitentiaries might be tripled, and even more "than this, yet that the amount of prostitution would remain the same-consequently the same glut in the market—and the same "number of females discarded, and ruined, and anxious to avail "themselves of any means to return to virtuous society.

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"There is a certain demand for prostitution, and until the faci "lities for supplying that demand are dried up, applicants to the "various penitentiaries will be numerous. In my judgment, the

vice itself, as it is personated in those who carry it forward, must "be attacked by every moral and legal means, and thus will be "cleared away one of the most formidable obstacles to the progress "of religion and virtue."

We

This is the testimony of an efficient Secretary of one of the Metropolitan Institutions for the benefit of Fallen Females. can only add, (for we have neither space to say what we wished, nor inclination to make the subject unnecessarily prominent in our columns,) that the classification of those who are received into the asylums is of the first importance, and that a large establishment well conducted on this principle, would not only do great good, but at a comparatively little cost; for we see by the last Report of the London Female Penitentiary (an Institution admirably conducted), that the receipts for " needle-work and washing done by the women,' amounted to 9421. 3s. 1d.; while the expenses for housekeeping, clothing, medicine, and attendance, and articles for the manufactory and laundry, amounted, for more than one hundred women, only to 1,880l. 138. 8d. The whole question should be immediately taken up by competent persons, (and these are numerous in the different institutions,) and we have do doubt that London would thus be greatly benefited. We heartily desire it, and we earnestly pray that wisdom and perseverance will be given from above, and that the Divine blessing may rest upon and accompany all deliberations and movements for the happiness of mankind, and the glory of Him who came to seek and to save the LOST.

THE NECESSITY OF CITY MISSIONARIES.

(An extract from the "Times" newspaper.)

"THE purlieus of St. Giles's, Seven Dials, Westminster, Clerkenwell, Lisson-grove, the Borough, the Minories, and Stepney, are the

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nurseries of crime. It is to these vicinities that attention should be turned, in order to meet the evil in its bud. There is a squalidness and filth about the houses and the inmates, which seems to operate upon their dispositions, and to render their characters and pursuits as loathsome as their dwellings. Cleanliness of habit is an index of cleanliness of mind; and cleanliness should be enforced in these districts, which are now filthy even to unwholesomeness. It is in these wretched districts that herds of men, but little removed from the savage state, are grouped. It is from these regions that the population of our gaols is supplied; and in these eddies of civilized society is gathered all the filth, the crime, the savage recklessness which is subsequently carried to the antipodes, and causes the sad and melancholy statement from New Zealand, that the white settlers have more to fear from the white man, their countryman, a member once of a refined state of society, than they have to dread from the savage and the cannibal! But whence came this white savage? From this vast metropolis, the seat of wealth, splendour, and refinement! It is in the purlieus of crime that the zealous should labour to disseminate the holy precepts of our religion, and man there dwelling should be taught the relative duties of society. This is the fountain head of that dark stream of pollution, and it is at the source that the evil should be grappled. This is the plainest and most common-sense preventive. Home Missionaries and welldirected philanthropy would do more real service to the cause of humanity than at first might strike the imagination. It would be a check to crime, and it would be in these districts that the zealous Missionary would meet the offender fresh from prison, before he has time to relapse into evil courses, and the observations made by him on the subsequent habits of offenders would afford to the Legislature a greater insight into the workings of any system than any commissioners' reports. The greater difficulty in working out this plan would be the selection of persons of talent, who, while they ought to possess a thorough knowledge of mankind, should be careful not to allow their religious exhortations to dwindle into drawling cant; for the thief is no fool-if he was, he would not be fit for a thief. The object would fail in its effect if it became a laughing stock in the eyes of these strangely organized, or rather disorganized, members of society; who, though they might abhor the cannibal for eating a human being, yet have no objection themselves to prey upon their fellow-creatures. The Home Missionary would have great opportunity of observing the sincerity of men who, having undergone imprisonment, might wish to reform. His opportunities would be far greater, and likely to be far more correct, than of any chaplain in a prison, who sees his man caged and cooped in a cell.

"The reports of these persons would enable the philanthropist to recommend some honest course to a man disposed to avoid his former evil associations: he might be enabled to assist him in free

emigration. In short, the benefits would be so clear, and the want of these benefits is so glaring, that it is much to be hoped the high prelates of the land may peruse, approve, and ultimately urge the ministry to adopt these simple, but efficient, plans to prevent juvenile and adult crime, and save this country the disgrace of sending out a population more brutal than a savage, and more savage than a brute."

EXTRACTS FROM THE MONTHLY REPORTS OF THE MISSIONARIES.

"THE WAY TO BE HEALTHY AND HAPPY."

MR. G —, a shoemaker, at No.

court, informed me that himself, his wife, and two men who worked with them, had received very great benefit from reading the tract entitled "The Way to be Healthy and Happy." The constant perusal of this tract had produced on their minds such a conviction of the degradation, misery, and wretchedness which drunkenness had exposed them to, that they at once resolved to relinquish it. They therefore signed the "Total Abstinence Pledge ;" and, although they have had since to encounter much obloquy and reproach, they have, notwithstanding, persevered in their resolutions, and have never since spent a farthing for drink. Mr. G- told me, that so far was he from sustaining any diminu tion of trade by it, he assured me, as a certain fact, that he was ten pounds the better for it since Christmas. "When you first visited here," he said, "we were becoming almost confirmed drunkards, but from perusing that tract, we were led to see the great sinfulness of intemperance, and we are now become, I am happy to say, sober men." His wife fully corroborated this statement. Indeed I was happy to find that their dwelling presented a most delightful picture of social and domestic happiness; every heart seemed to glow with love, and every countenance to beam with delight. Mrs. H observed, "We can now have some comfort in our family, we can pay our way, and get a good dinner two or three times a-week, which is more than we could do for years before;" adding, that she could never be sufficiently grateful for that tract. All this, she said, was a fact, which she desired might be made public, and was willing to add her testimony to it.

At No. 17, in the same court, I was glad to find that the tract "The Way to be Healthy and Happy" had produced very favourable results. Mr. H, a shoemaker, and also his wife, both acknowledged that a few months ago drunkenness had got so much the ascendancy over them, that their reputation, health, and reason were nearly lost. Hr. H- told me he was for many years a merry and jovial companion of gin-drinkers, and both himself and