chain passing through three rings that are at proportionate distances on the ground, and fastening outside of the door, through a passage underneath. This is rarely used now, but the unruly have been sometimes chained to the floor in this manner for two or three days together.

We firmly hope that if this species of torture be not at present laid aside, that some virtuous independent character will convince those who use it, that TORTURE, BY THE ENGLISH LAWS,

IS FOR EVER ABOLISHED.

There is also Tothill-fields Bridewell, to which the magistrates of Westminster provisionally commit those who are supposed to be guilty of crimes; the Borough Compter, in Tooley-street, applied to felons and debtors; the New Gaol in the Borough, for the county of Surry, on the top of which is frequently exhibited the horrid spectacle of public executions.

The Marshalsea.

This gaol is of great antiquity, though the precise period when it originated is uncertain. It is situated up a court near St. George's church, in the Borough, and consists of different divisions of buildings, but all, as well as the gaoler's house, are very old and very ruinous.

Here are committed persons arrested for very small debts, within twelve miles of the palace of St. James's, though not in the city of London. The head of it is the marshal of the king's household, who appoints a substitute.

The cruelty and even injustice of confining people for small debts, according to the present process, may be illustrated every day by a walk in this prison. There are sixty rooms in all; four only for common side debtors, and four for the women. There being no allowance, the prisoners, if they cannot support themselves, have nothing to look

to but their groats, which they often cannot, and indeed seldom can procure. The common side debtors, it is true, are assisted by several charities and legacies, particularly that left by a Mr. Allnot, formerly a prisoner in the Marshalsea, who had an estate left him while in prison, and very conside: rately bequeathed 100l. a year for discharging debtors from this prison, whose debts in the whole, or when reduced by composition, did not exceed four pounds.

Spunging Houses,

Besides the public prisons belonging to the country, there are numerous provisional prisons, kept by the sheriffs' officers, called lock-up houses, where, for twelve or fourteen shillings a-day, a debtor may remain, either till he has found means of paying his debt, or finds it necessary to go to a public prison, when the writ against him becomes returnable. We have heard that great abuses prevail in these spunging-houses, and that many of the impositions practised in them ought to be rectified.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.

It would be wrong to quit the melancholy subject of prisons, without observing, that such is the bad arrangement of the laws between debtor and creditor, that ruin to both is greatly accelerated by the expensiveness of every step in the proceedings, insomuch, that not one debtor in ten ever pays his debt after he enters a prison.

If abuses ever exist in prisons, the fault is less in the keeper than in his superior officer, whose duty it is scrupulously to visit prisons subject to his cognizance, to redress all grievances, and to prevent the employment of improper persons. Nothing can be more absurd, than for superior officers or magistrates, to visit the cells and yards

of a prison, in company with the keeper or his turnkeys: the fear of the future vengeance of these persons, always deters the injured prisoner from stating his grievances, and these sort of pub. lic visitations are a most ridiculous mockery of duty in those who hold the supreme jurisprudence of prisons. In performing this important duty, to apply Scriptural language, the officers, or magistrates, should exchange characters with their prisoners, and visit the prison which is under their superintendance, "Like a thief in the night, and in an hour when no man expecteth them."

No stranger who visits London should omit to view these mansions of misery, and it would be an interesting employment to the opulent and humane if they were occasionally to seek unfortunate objects in these prisons, upon whom to be. stow their superfluous wealth. It has occasionally happened, that a single twenty pounds, judiciously disposed, has set at liberty ten fathers of families. Even the trifle thrown into the poor'sbox, from its being properly distributed, gladdens. the hearts of hundreds of distressed men, women, and children,

PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS.

THE public spectacles in London may be classed as follows:

Musical Performances.

The Academy of Ancient Music.
The Concert of Ancient Music.
Harrison's and Barthelemon's Vocal Concerts,
Other occasional Concerts.

Winter Spectacles.

The Italian Opera.
Drury Lane Theatre.

Covent Garden Theatre. 1

The Royalty Theatre.

Astley's Theatre, in Wych Street. Masquerades at the Pantheon and other places.

Summer Spectacles.

Haymarket Theatre.
Sadler's Wells.

Amphitheatre of Arts (Astley's.)
The Royal Circus.
Vauxhall.-Bermondsey Spa.

MUSIC, AND MUSICAL PERFORMANCES. Music has rarely held a higher rank among the fashionable amusements of this metropolis, than at the present time. New compositions of considerable merit, and of every species, are daily issuing from the press; most of our bands exhibit specimens of high taste and manual skill, and some of the first singers in Europe add their names to our usual list of vocal performers.

1

Among the great composers of the present day, we have to mention Dr. Busby, whose science, taste, and fancy, are universally acknowledged; and whose productions in the sublimer walks of composition, prove his profound theory and original powers of mind; Dr. Callcott, distinguished by his numerous and happy productions in the glee style; Mr. Shield, by whose copious imagination, and truly dramatic taste, the theatres have been so largely, and so successfully supplied; Mr. Mazzinghi, whose talents have been amply displayed, both in theatrical and chamber music; Bianchi, who, though somewhat exhausted in his fancy, is a solid and masterly composer; Winter and Nasolini, both masters of a free and florid style; and Mr. Stevens, several of whose excellent glees have been so deservedly admired and applauded. Mr. Kelly, Mr. Davy, Mr. Reeve, Mr. Hook, Mr. Corri, Mr. King, Mr. Clementi, Dr. Baker, and Mr. Fisin.

At the head of our female vocal performers, we have Mrs. Billington, whose extraordinary sweetness and elevation of voice, are no less astonishing than her forcible expression, and flexible and vola tile execution; Madame Mara, we are sorry no longer to be able to include: a singer, whose voice, notwithstanding her age, is still rich and sweet, whose stile is pure and classical; and whose unrivalled merits in the performance of oratorio music long delighted the town, and rendered her late departure from this country a subject of serious regret to the lovers of that noble species of composi. tion. Grassini, whose fine counter alto can never be heard without interest, claims our most respectful notice. Her style is graceful, impressive, and always so characteristic as to evince her general knowledge of nature, and perfect acquaintance with the meaning of her author and composer. Mrs. Dickens, (late Miss Poole) we are glad to