and, should it be honoured with your approbation, it will strengthen my hope of one day seeing the waste lands of this country rendered subservient to the industry of its poor, as well as to the national prosperity, by distributing at home the immense sum which is annually remitted to a foreign market. I selected two square yards from the thickest, and two from the thinnest part of the crop. It was pulled up by the roots. I tied them together, and again repeated the same; one bundle I caused to be manufactured at my school in Norfolk, the other at my house on Ludgate-hill; and averaging both experiments, they produced as follows: From four square yards the bundle measured ten inches in circumference, and weighed one pound with the seed. The straw was of four different sizes: the finest not measuring more than fifteen inches in length, the coarsest only twenty-four, including root and ear; when plaited it produced ten yards of Leghorn, of four different qualities, and the weight was one ounce. The seed measured one third of a pint, and weighed five ounces; the refuse straw eight ounces; the other two ounces were lost in the working. By this calculation one acre will produce forty pieces of Leghorn, of fifty-five yards in length; and employ for one week thirteen children to pick and sort the straws, and eighty to plait it. Allowing the children four shillings each, the produce of one acre of waste land will produce eighteen pounds, twelve shillings for industry. The Right Honourable George Rose obligingly favoured me with the imports of Leghorns for the last ten years, up to Christmas 1803, and they amounted to eighty-three cases annually; but the last year there was one hundred and eighty cases imported. Eighty-three cases contain seventy-nine thousand, six hundred and eighty hats: to manufacture which quantity in this country, would annually require the cultivation of two thousand acres of waste land, and furnish employment for nine months in the year, for five thousand females, from seven to fourteen years of age; and the produce of their united industry would amount to thirty-six thousand pounds. I have not noticed the number of hands that would be required to make them into hats, nor those employed in the culture of it. I am much indebted to the Honourable Mrs. Harcourt, for having procured three acres of Bagshot Heath to try the experiment on. That barren soil, the General's steward has sowed for me, with rye grown in Norfolk, upon the five acres alluded to, and he has no doubt but it will answer; but this will be ascertained in August next. I trust the earnestness of my wish to promote its establishment by every information, will plead my excuse for so long intruding upon your time, and beg to subscribe myself, (Copy.) Gentlemen, Your obedient humble servant, Copy of a Letter from the Society of Arts, &c. Adel phi, March 4, 1805, addressed to Mr. William Corston, Ludgate-hill. "SIR, "I HAVE the pleasure to acquaint you, that the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, have voted to you their Gold Medal, for your ingenious invention of a substitute for Leghorn plait for ladies' hats. "You are therefore desired personally to attend on Tuesday morning, the 28th May next, to receive the said reward, at the Society's house in the Adelphi, from the hands of his Grace the Duke of Norfolk, the President. "Requesting your answer, and wishing you suc cess in a manufactory so well deserving public patronage and attention, I have the honour to be, &c. Your obedient servant, CHARLES TAYLOR, Secretary." Mr. WILLIAM CORSTON. ON THE RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION OF YOUTH. MAN, without religion, is in general little better than the brute creation, and often manifests by his conduct that he is worse. The man who acts from religious motives, acts for eternity. He considers himself a being formed, not merely to flutter awhile on the stage of existence, and then, like the morning cloud, to vanish for ever, but as placed here in a state of probation, to cultivate and improve the talents given him; and thus, by the Divine blessing, be qualified for a future state of immortality and happiness. He fears, loves, and adores the Great Father of Spirits. He looks forward to a future day of account, and remembers that he is an accountable being: that for every idle word and thought he must be brought into judgment. He is well acquainted with the omnipresence of God; and knows that all things are open unto his view. In every scene, in every step of life, he sees the hand that bestows all the blessings he enjoys; the hand that is ever extended to do him good. Every pure motive that can exist in the human mind, unites to make him act the same in darkness as in light; in secret, as openly. When tempted to commit evil, disguised by every alluring pleasure it can assume, his feelings are repugnant to the deed, and he queries, "How can I commit this great evil, and sin against God?" What dependence may M not be placed on such a man? What a blessing are such members to society! How exalted do such appear; and that with true dignity, even the dignity of the mind! It is under the influence of religion, not merely nominal, filling the head with speculative notions;but as reforming the heart, and reducing it to practice in life and conduct-it is under this influence that men become the best members of society, and dare not violate the rights, or in any way injure their fellow men. It is under this influence men become the best husbands, parents, relatives, and friends; for real religion operates to purify the heart-not only subdues evil propensities, but fills it with propensities to good. The mock religions, so prevalent among many of the nations of the earth, have frequently originated in trick and corruption. The object often was, by foppery and parade, to keep fools in awe.. Instead of making men better, they all, more or less, entered into a composition to tolerate their vices; and thus prostituted the sacred character of religion to the basest of purposes. Christianity, in its beautiful simplicity, is the greatest friend of man; it begins at the foundation, and lays the axe to the root of corruption. It does not suffice only to prune, graft, or water the tree. The object of Christianity is first to make the tree good, and the fruit will be good also. It destroys corruption, by discovering and destroying its embryo. It strikes at the motives to action. It brings every idle (much more profane or evil) word or thought into judgment, and passes condemnation thereon. There is no offence to God or man, that is trifling in the eye of the true Christian. He knows that if it be a small thing in itself, it may prove an inlet to greater evil. That, when the flood-gates are broken down, inundation follows. That the be |