AN 'ESSAY ON CHARITY-SCHOOLS. 37 bishop describes? What if their children should abhor, mock and ridicule the particular modes of religion which their parent s practise ; if they should ridicule and curse their parents for fanatics and presbyterians ? And at the same time, if these young creatures, should be in danger also of growing up to practise sedition and rebellion against our excellent king and his posterity in years to come. 1 heartily join with his lordship to hope better things, and wish his zeal for a reformation may have great success. Yet I think I ought to add a word in this place also, in favour of the poor of the church of England, who love and va- lue the present government, and the protestant succession : What a grief would it be to them, if ,they should find their own children when grown up, to become enemies to the illustrious louse of Hanover, and to be deeply tinctured with such princi- ples as are contrary to the interest of Great Britain, and to the civil and religious liberty of men and Christians? On this occasion therefore, I think it may not be amiss to request every subscriber for the support of any charity-school, to make due and strict enquiry, Whether the teachers and gover- nors of it, are hearty and zealous friends of the present government ? That they may not lay out their money to pro- pagate sedition instead of virtue, and to nourish the seeds of rebellion in the rising age, and lay a foundation for our future slavery and ruin. Wheresoever thereforethere is the least danger of this kind; surely every true Briton must consent to say, " Let charity- schools among protestant dissenters go on to clothe the naked, and to furnish the poor with trades, and to breed them up in all the forms of useful knowledge and industry, lest their needy parents should be tempted to venture them into dangerous nur- series, and lest their children should grow up to become the factious disturbers of our protestant government, as well as the persecutors and tormentors of their parents." If some persons are still of opinion, that the clothing of poor children may be attended with some inconvenience ; I think it is but a small one, and it ought to be endured rather than the danger of a far greater evil should be incurred. Upon the whole, I conclude, That those who are dissatis- fied with the clothing of children in these schools of charity among the dissenters, are desired to contribute something towards their being taught to read, andwrite, and cast accompts; that they may be disposed of to some of the lowest businessesof life : Those that are displeased with their using the pen, or their learning to make figures, let them contribute something towards their learning to read the bible : Or if there are any persona that can suppose that this is too much knowledge for them ; yet c3
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