By his kind hand the shaken reed: And kindle to a flame. LOGAN. When we rise from the perusal of the most celebrated writers, either of ancient or of modern times, and turn to the pages of the evangélic narrative, we find ourselves in a new world. A new creation rises up around us; and we listen to a mode of instruction very different from any thing to which we have ever attended before. From the whole of the sacred history we feel convinced, there must have been something in the manner as well as in the matter of our Lord's teaching, which produced such a peculiar charm upon the minds of his hearers. It was not so much he that spoke as all nature uttering her voice. Every sight they saw, every sound they heard, the birds of the air, and the beasts of the field, and the lilies of the valley, the Heavens and the Earth, the joys of the blessed and the torments of the sinner-all from his lips became vocal. It was a living picture of the most interesting and ever-varying images, which were continually passing before the mind. Besides this, from his very forcible appeals to the heart and conscience, he made his audience instructors of themselves. We do not then wonder that they marvelled at him, for "his word was with power." An attentive reader of the Gospel history must have noticed, that our blessed Lord generally draws his instructions from the conversation that is passing, or the objects that surround him, or from the various occurrences of life. "When he exhorted his disciples to trust in God, he directed them to the fowls of the air, which were then flying about, and were fed by Divine Providence, though they did not sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns and he bade them take notice of the lilies of the field, which were then blown, and were so beautifully clothed by the same power, and yet toiled not like the husbandmen, who were then at work. Being in a place where they had a wide prospect of a cultivated field, he bade them observe how God caused the sun to shine and the rain to descend upon the fields and gardens, even of the wicked and ungrateful. And he continued to convey his doctrine to them under rural images; speaking of good trees and corrupt trees; of wolves in sheep's clothing; of grapes not growing upon thorns, nor figs on thistles; of the folly of casting precious things to dogs and swine; of good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over. When he was speaking to fishermen, whose families lived much upon fish, he says, What man of you will give his son a serpent, if he ask a fish? And when, in the same discourse to his disciples, he compared every person, who observed his precepts, to a man who built his house upon a rock, which stood firm; and every one, who slighted his word, to a man who built his house upon the sand, which was thrown down by the winds and floodswhen he used this comparison, it is not improbable, that he had before his eyes houses standing upon high ground, and houses standing in the Vol. XVII. N. S. X valley, in a ruinous condition, which had been destroyed by inundations." Most highly beneficial will these observations be, if young people, after their perusal, read the Gospels with a new interest, which they never felt before, and think it their highest honour, like Mary, to sit at Jesus' feet, and hear his words.' pp. 13-17. Art. XII. Third Report of the Committee of the Society for the Improvement of Prison Discipline and for the Reformation of Juvenile Offenders. With an Appendix. 8vo. pp. 228. Price 3s. 1821. WE have repeatedly called the attention of our readers to the important subject of Prison Discipline, as one which loudly demanded the attention of the public. It is with the highest satisfaction that we now refer them to this very interesting Report, as a body of evidence fully establishing the principles on which the necessity and the practicability of a reform in the existing system were contended for. No subject connected with our domestic policy is of more intrinsic and permanent interest. But the labours of this Society have not stopped short at the melioration of prison discipline in our own country. They have availed themselves of every opportunity of circulating information on the subject in foreign countries. In the Russian capital, an institution denominated" the Society for the Care of Prisons, was formed in 1819, under the immediate patronage and by a decree of the Emperor, which owes its establishment to the indefatigable exertions of an invaluable member of their Com mittee, now no more, Mr. Walter Venning, whose name posterity will associate with those of Howard and Wilberforce among the illustrious benefactors of mankind. An auxiliary Prison Society bas since been formed at Cronstadt under the Imperial patronage. In Sweden and Norway, the cause of prison discipline has also made some way, and is likely to prosper. In France, a "Royal Society for the Melioration of Prisons," was established in 1819, of which the King is the Protector, and the present Report comprises some interesting particulars relative to its proceedings. In Switzerland, considerable exertions have been made for the improvement of prisons, and a great desire is manifested by all classes of society to further the design. In the Canton of Berne and in the Pays de Vaud, new prisons are to be erected, and at Geneva, a house of correction is to be built, for which the Committee have furnished plans. A pamphlet in French, entitled "Observations on the Prisons of "Switzerland," with a translation of Mr. Buxton's work on prison discipline, and the Report of the Ladies' Committee of Newgate, has been extensively circulated throughout. France, Switzerland, and Italy; and the Committee express their sans guine hope, that both in the dominions of the King of Sardinia and in the kingdom of Wurtemberg, the state of the prisons will speedily undergo most important improvements. A commission to investigate the state of the gaols in the former of these states, has been given to Comte D'Agelio, a nobleman who has very warmly at heart the improvement of the criminal. In the prison at Turin, where the prisoners were crowded, exposed to the excesses of heat and cold, without allowance of clothes or the means of employment, and where one third of the number were on the sick list, a Lady of rank, urged by the example of a distinguished female in this country, was found labouring alone, giving work and providing clothes for the prisoners, allowing them a portion of their earnings till they left the prison, ministering to their bodily wants, and extending to them the consolations of religion.' This is an imperfect outline of the attention which has been excited by the Society, and the success of their labours in foreign countries, where the sum of human misery which they have been instrumental in preventing or alleviating, is immense. Some of the instances of heroic philanthropy which are recorded in these pages, may serve to teach us, that Protestant England is not, however, the monopolist of generous deeds and Christ-like charities. The Report of the Paris Society holds up as an example to chaplains of prisons, the excellent Perè Joussony, who, being sent by the Consul at Algiers, to minister to the slaves, fixed his residence in their prison; and during a period of thirty years, never quitted his post. Being compelled to repair to France for a short period, he returned again to the prison, and at length resigned his breath in the midst of those for whose interests he had laboured, and who were dearer to him than life.' Let our guinea and ten guinea philanthropists learn from such an instance as this, to estimate the true value and merit of their contributions to the cause of benevolence. At home, improvements in the construction and management of gaols have been effected to a great extent, and the magistrates generally, much to their honour, have warmly seconded the views of the Committee. The Report states that the spirit ' with which exertions have been made to introduce labour into prisons, has been highly gratifying.' The following particulars are given in order to furnish the reader with a general idea of the trades and occupations at which the prisoners have been employed. At the new house of correction at Bedford, very considerable altera. tions and additions are making, and a stepping-mill is building, in which the prisoners are to be employed, in separate classes. In the county gaol also, employment is provided by the establishment of a mill, The employment of the prisoners at Knutsford is very various and considerable, viz. weaving of woollen, silk, and cotton articles, blankets and druggets;a tailoring, shoe-making, joinering, loom-making, coopering, whitewashing, painting, nail-making, bricklaying, masonry, blacksmithswork, straw-mattress, and chip-hat making. At this prison, the netearnings, from 25th December 1820, to 25th March 1821 (for which period the average number in confinement amounted to 125 daily), were -1961. 78: 7d.; the cost of food 1677. 19s. 3d. being a clear profit to the county, beyond the cost of food, of 281. 8s. 4d. At Bodmin, the prisoners are employed in threshing and grinding corn, sawing and polishing stones for chimney-pieces, tombstones, &ca; also in making clothing, shoes, and blankets. The females are employed in spinning and knitting; making, mending, and washing clothes for the service of the prison. The county house of correction at Exeter, although, deficient in space for accommodation, presents a gratifying scene of systematic industry. The prisoners are employed in sawing, grinding, smoothing and polishing marble. Vases are turned, and beautiful specimens of chimney-pieces executed. The flax manufactory also in this prison is well-managed, and carried on from the first process of dressing the dried vegetable to that of weaving it. To this manufacture those prisoners are placed who are committed for long periods of confinement: those for shorter terms are employed at dressing hemp. This process is carried on by means of a bruising-mill, which is worked by the manual-labour of twelve men in a set. Vagrants are also kept at hard labour. The women are fully employed in washing, making, and mending the prison clothing. At Durham gaol, weaving, spinning, beating flax, and making doormats, are the general employments. At Chelmsford county house of correction, a master weaver is employed by the county, to teach some of the prisoners to weave coarse linens. A corn-mill has been erected, at which the prisoners work in companies of twenty at a time. Shoemaking, spinning and weaving, have also been introduced. At Gloucester, a mill has also recently been erected, and there is a forcing-pump, worked by a tread-wheel. The prisoners weave and manufacture cloth, sacking, saddle girths, towels, and stockings. 1. At Winchester house of correction, two corn-mills are in daily operation, which employ twenty-eight men at one time. The convicts' v. dresses and shoes are made in the prison; and the women card and spin, and make the clothing. At Hereford Penitentiary, a corn-mill has been built; and the prisoners are employed in making clothing, shoes, bedding, and in the manufacture of bags, for sale, from the raw material. At Lancaster castle, from thirty-eight to fifty pieces of Manchester cottons are worked off per week. The amount of earnings for the last year is stated to be 8601. At the Manchester New Bailey, weaving is the general employment of the prison. The amount of earnings, up to July 1820, for one year, tamounted to 20561. 6s. 10d. Preston house of correction is justly distinguished by the industry which prevails. Here an idle hand is rarely to be found. There were lately 150 looms in full employ, from each of which the average weekly earnings are 5s. About 150 pieces of cotton goods are worked off per -week. A considerable proportion of the looms are of the prisoners own manufacture. In one month, an inexperienced workman will be able to earn the cost of his gaol allowance of food. Weaving has these advantages over other prison labour: the noise of the shuttle prevents conversation, and the progress of the work constantly requires the eye. The accounts of this prison, contained in the appendix, deserve particular attention, as there appears to be a balance of clear profit to the county, from the labour of the prisoners, in the year, of 13987. 9s. 1d. This sum was earned by weaving and cleaning cotton only, the prisoners being besides employed in tailoring, whitewashing, flagging, slating, painting, carpentring, and labourers' work; the earnings at which are not included in the above account. At Leicester county house of correction, the employments are grinding corn, carding wool, spinning, and a stocking manufactory. At Boston, the prisoners are employed in the manufacture of worsted, and the grinding of corn. At the Millbank Penitentiary, a mill has been erected for grinding corn consumed in the Establishment; also a machine for raising water; and another mill, with a similar machine, is to be erected for the employ. ment of other prisoners, in a distinct part of the building. The amount of the prisoners' earnings, during the last year, was 40471. 4s. 1 At Shrewsbury, a mill has been erected, which employs eighteen men at one time, and the prisoners change this labour three times a day; the remaining prisoners are employed in weaving laces, making list shoes, &c. The female prisoners are employed in baking, washing, spinning, knitting stockings and gloves, also making the sheets and wearing apparel consumed in the gaol. At Stafford, all the prisoners, excepting those before trial, are employed in dressing flax, spinning, weaving cloth for prison clothing, rugs, blankets, knitting stockings, heading pins for the Birmingham manufacturers, shoemaking, tailoring, and grinding corn. At Lewes house of correction, the prisoners are employed in dressing flax and beating hemp. In the house of corection at Warwick, work appears to be carried on with much spirit. The mill for grinding corn employs twenty men or upwards, and from a bakehouse adjoining supplies of excellent bread are regularly conveyed to this and the county gaol, and the saving to the county from this alone is estimated at some hundreds of pounds per annum. Wire-drawing is carried on, and the prisoners perform the whole process. They are also employed in a woollen manufacture, which is very successful. Rugs, blankets, horse-cloths, carpets, girths, and other coarse articles are also made. The females are chiefly employed in spinning and carding wool. At Devizes, some of the prisoners in their working-cells, are employed in knitting their own stockings, making gloves, shoes, straw hats, weaving shirting, blanketing, and cloth. Another class of prisoners is employed at various kinds of work for the use of the prison-tailoring, |