guinea. Is any part of that given to the boy? | the practice to take the smallest boy, to let him No, but very often the boy gets half a crown, through the hole without taking up the seat, and and then the journeyman has half, and his mis- to paddle about there until he finds it; they do tress takes the other part to take care of against not take a big boy, because it disturbs the seat." Sunday. Have you never seen water thrown-Lords' Minutes, p. 38. down from the top of a chimney when it is on fire? Yes. Is not that generally done? Yes; I have seen that done twenty times, and the boy in the chimney; at the time when the boy has hallooed out, 'It is so hot I cannot go any further; and then the expression is, with an oath, 'Stop, and I will heave a pail of water down.'' -Ibid., p. 39.

"Do they go out in the winter time without In climbing a chimney, the great hold is by stockings? Oh yes.-Always? I never saw one the knees and elbows. A young child of 6 or go out with stockings; I have known masters 7 years old, working with knees and elbows make their boys pull off their leggins, and cut against hard bricks soon rubs off the skin from off the feet, to keep their feet warm when they these bony projections, and is forced to climb have chilblains.-Are chimney sweepers' boys high chimneys with raw and bloody knees and peculiarly subject to chilblains? Yes; I believe elbows. it is owing to the weather: they often go out at two or three in the morning, and their shoes are generally very bad. Do they go out at that hour at Christmas? Yes; a man will have twenty jobs at four, and twenty more at five or six.Are chimneys generally swept much about Christmas time? Yes; they are in general; it is left to the Christmas week.-Do you suppose it is frequent that, in the Christmas week, boys are out from three o'clock in the morning to nine or ten? Yes, further than that; I have known that a boy has been only in and out again directly all day till five o'clock in the evening. Do you consider the journeymen and masters treat those boys generally with greater cruelty than other apprentices in other trades are treated? They do, most horrid and shocking."-Lords' Minutes, p. 33.

The following is the reluctant evidence of a

master.

"Are the boys' knees and elbows rendered sore when they first begin to learn to climb? Yes, they are, and pieces out of them.-Is that almost generally the case? It is; there is not one out of twenty who is not; and they are sure to take the scars to their grave: I have some now.-Are they usually compelled to continue climbing while those sores are open? Yes; the way they use to make them hard is that way.— Might not this severity be obviated by the use of pads in learning to climb? Yes; but they consider in the business, learning a boy, that he is never thoroughly learned until the boy's knees are hard after being sore; then they consider it necessary to put a pad on, from seeing the boys have bad knees; the children generally walk stiff-kneed.-Is it usual among the chimney sweepers to teach their boys to learn by means of pads? No; they learn them with nearly naked knees.-Is it done in one instance in twenty? No, nor one in fifty."-Lords' Minutes, p. 32.

According to the humanity of the master, the soot remains upon the bodies of the children, unwashed off, for any time from a week to a year.

year.-Did not he find you soap? No; I can take my oath on the Bible that he never found me one piece of soap during the time I was apprentice."-Lords' Minutes, p. 41.

"At what hour in the morning did your boys go out upon their employment? According to orders. At any time? To be sure; suppose a nobleman wished to have his chimney done before four or five o'clock in the morning, it was done, or how were the servants to get their things done?-Supposing you had an order to "Are the boys generally washed regularly? attend at four o'clock in the morning in the No, unless they wash themselves.-Did not month of December, you sent your boy? I was your master take care you were washed? No. generally with him, or had a careful follower-Not once in three months? No, not once a with him. Do you think those early hours beneficial for him? I do; and I have heard that early to bed and early to rise, is the way to be healthy, wealthy and wise.'- Did they always get in as soon as they knocked? No; it would be pleasant to the profession if they could. How long did they wait? Till the servants please to rise.-How long might that be? According how heavy they were to sleep.How long was that? It is impossible to say; ten minutes at one house, and twenty at another. Perhaps half an hour? We cannot see in the dark how the minutes go.-Do you think it healthy to let them stand there twenty minutes at four o'clock in the morning in the winter time? He has a cloth to wrap himself in like a mantle, and keep himself warm."-Lords' Minutes, pp. 138, 139.

We must not forget sore eyes. Soot lodges on their eyelids, produces irritability, which requires friction; and the friction of dirty hands of course increases the disease. The greater proportion of chimney sweepers are in consequence blear-eyed. The boys are very small, but they are compelled to carry heavy loads of soot. "Are you at all lame yourself! No: but I am 'knapped-kneed' with carrying heavy loads when I was an apprentice. That was the occasion of it? It was. In general, are persons employed in your trade either stunted or knockkneed by carrying heavy loads during their childhood? It is owing to their masters a great deal; and when they climb a great deal it makes them weak."-Commons' Report, p. 58,

The life of these poor little wretches is so miserable, that they often lie sulking in the flues unwilling to come out.

"Did you ever see severity used to boys that were not obstinate and perverse? Yes.-Very often? Yes, very often. The boys are rather obstinate; some of them are; some of them will get half-way up the chimney, and will not go any further, and then the journeyman will swear at them to come down, or go on; but the boys are too frightened to come down; they halloo out, we cannot get up, and they are afraid to come down; sometimes they will send for another boy, and drag them down; sometimes get up to the top of the chimney, and throw down water, and drive them down; then, when they get them down, they will begin to drag, or beat, or kick them about the house; then, when they get home, the master will beat them all round the kitchen afterwards, and give them no breakfast, perhaps."-Lords' Minutes, pp. 9, 10.

When a chimney boy has done sufficient work for the master he must work for the man; and he thus becomes for several hours after his morning's work a perquisite to the journeyman.

"It is frequently the perquisite of the journeyman, when the first labour of the day on account of the master is finished, to call the streets,' in search of employment on their own account, with the apprentices, whose labour is thus un

through a small hole in the wall previously made by the mason-but the boy did not answer Panel's brother told witness to come down, as the boy's master knew best how to manage him. Witness then threw off his jacket, and put a handkerchief about his head, and said to the

reasonably extended, and whose limbs are weakened and distorted by the weights which they have to carry, and by the distance which they have to walk. John Lawless says, 'I have known a boy to climb from twenty to thirty chimneys for his master in the morning; he has then been sent out instantly with the jour-panel, let me go up the chimney to see what's neyman, who has kept him out till three or four o'clock, till he has accumulated from six to eight bushels of soot.""-Lords' Report, p. 24.

The sight of a little chimney sweeper often excites pity: and they have small presents made to them at the houses where they sweep. These benevolent alms are disposed of in the following

manner:

"Do the boys receive little presents of money from people often in your trade? Yes, it is in general the custom.-Are they allowed to keep that for their own use? Not the whole of it, the journeymen take what they think proper. The journeymen are entitled to half by the master's orders; and whatever a boy may get, if two boys and one journeyman are sent to a large house to sweep a number of chimneys, and after they have done, there should be a shilling or eighteen pence given to the boys, the journeyman has his full half, and the two boys in general have the other. Is it usual or customary for the journeymen to play at chuck farthing or other games with the boys? Frequently.-Do they win the money from the boys! Frequently: the children give their money to the journeymen to screen for them. What do you mean by screening? Such a thing as sifting the soot.The child is tired, and he says, 'Jem, I will give you two-pence if you will sift my share of the soot; there is sometimes twenty or thirty bushels to sift. Do you think the boys retain one quarter of that given them for their own use? No." -Lords' Minutes, p. 35.

keeping him. The panel made no answer, but pushed witness away from the chimney, and continued bullying the boy. At this time the panel was standing on the grate, so that witness could not go up the chimney; witness then said to panel's brother, there is no use for me here, meaning that panel would not permit him to use his services. He prevented the mason making the hole larger, saying, Stop, and I'll bring him down in five minutes' time. Witness then put on his jacket, and continued an hour in the room, during all which time the panel continued bullying the boy. Panel then desired witness to go to Reid's house to get the loan of his boy Alison. Witness went to Reid's house, and asked Reid to come and speak to panel's brother. Reid asked if panel was there? Witness answered he was; Reid said he would send his boy to the panel, but not to the panel's brother. Witness and Reid went to Albany street; and when they got into the room, panel took his head out of the chimney and asked Reid if he would lend him his boy; Reid agreed; witness then returned to Reid's house for his boy, and Reid called after him, 'Fetch down a set of ropes with you.' By this time witness had been ten minutes in the room, during which time panel was swearing, and asking what's keeping you, you scoundrel? When witness returned with the boy and ropes, Reid took hold of the rope, and having loosed it, gave Alison one end, and directed him to go up the chimney, saying, do not go farther than his feet, and when you get there fasten it to his foot. Panel said nothing all this time. Alison went up, and having fastened the rope, Reid desired him to come down; Reid took the rope and pulled, but did not bring down the boy; the rope broke! Alison was I sent up again with the other end of the rope, James Thomson, chimney-sweeper. - One which was fastened to the boy's foot. When day, in the beginning of June, witness and panel Reid was pulling the rope, panel said, 'You (that is, the master, the party accused) had been have not the strength of a cat;' he took the sweeping vents together. About four o'clock rope into his own hands, pulling as strong as he in the afternoon, the panel proposed to go to could. Having pulled about a quarter of an hour, Albany street, where the panel's brother was panel and Reid fastened the rope round a crow cleaning a vent, with the assistance of Frazer, bar, which they applied to the wall as a lever, whom he had borrowed from the panel for the and both pulled with all their strength for about occasion. When witness and panel got to the a quarter of an hour longer, when it broke.house in Albany street, they found Frazer, who During this time witness heard the boy cry, and had gone up the vent between eleven and twelve say, 'My God Almighty!' Panel said, 'If I had o'clock, not yet come down. On entering the you here, I would God Almighty you.' Witness house they found a mason making a hole in the thought the cries were in agony. The master wall. Panel said, what was he doing? I sup- of the house brought a new piece of rope, and pose he has taken a lazy fit. The panel called the panel's brother spliced an eye on it. Reid to the boy, What are you doing? what's keep-expressed a wish to have it fastened on both ing you? The boy answered that he could not thighs, to have greater purchase. Alison was come. The panel worked a long while, some- sent up for this purpose, but came down, and times persuading him, sometimes threatening said he could not get it fastened. Panel then and swearing at the boy to get him down. Panel began to slap at the wall. After striking a long then said, 'I will go to a hardware shop and get while at the wall, he got out a large stone; he a barrel of gunpowder, and blow you and the then put in his head and called to Frazer, Do vent to the devil, if you do not come down.'-you hear, you sir?' but got no answer: he then Panel then began to slap at the wall-witness put in his hands, and threw down deceased's then went up a ladder, and spoke to the boy breeches. He then came down from the ladder

To this most horrible list of calamities is to be added the dreadful deaths by which chimney sweepers are often destroyed. Of these we once thought of giving two examples; one from London, the other from our own town of Edinburgh: but we confine ourselves to the latter.

At this time the panel was in a state of perspi- | legislative enactments for their improvement, ration: he sat down on a stool, and the master have made, and are making, the world someof the house gave him a dram. Witness did what happier than they found it. Upon these not hear panel make any remarks as to the principles we join hands with the friends of the situation of the boy Frazer. Witness thinks chimney sweepers, and most heartily wish for that, from panel's appearance, he knew that the the diminution of their numbers, and the limiboy was dead."-Commons' Report, pp. 136- tation of their trade.

138.

We are thoroughly convinced, there are many respectable master chimney sweepers; though we suspect their numbers have been increased by the alarm which their former tyranny excited, and by the severe laws made for their coercion: but even with good masters the trade is miserable,-with bad ones it is not to be endured; and the evidence already quoted shows us how many of that character are to be met with in the

We have been thus particular in stating the case of the chimney sweepers, and in founding it upon the basis of facts, that we may make an answer to those profligate persons who are always ready to fling an air of ridicule upon the labours of humanity, because they are desirous that what they have not virtue to do themselves, should appear to be foolish and romantic when done by others. A still higher degree of depra-occupation of sweeping chimneys.

ing of chimneys by boys-because humanity is a modern invention; and there are many chimneys in old houses which cannot possibly be swept in any other manner. But the construction of chimneys should be attended to in some new building act; and the treatment of boys be watched over with the most severe jealousy of the law. Above all, those who have chimneys accessible to machinery, should encourage the use of machines,* and not think it beneath their dignity to take a little trouble, in order to do a great deal of good. We should have been very glad to have seconded the views of the Climbing Society, and to have pleaded for the complete abolition of climbing boys, if we could conscientiously have done so. But such a measure,

vity than this, is to want every sort of compas- After all, we must own that it was quite right sion for human misery, when it is accompanied to throw out the bill for prohibiting the sweepby filth, poverty and ignorance,-to regulate humanity by the income tax, and to deem the bodily wretchedness and the dirty tears of the poor, a fit subject for pleasantry and contempt. We should have been loath to believe that such deep-seated and disgusting immorality existed in these days; but the notice of it is forced upon us. Nor must we pass over a set of marvellously weak gentlemen who discover democracy and revolution in every effort to improve the condition of the lower orders, and to take off a little of the load of misery from those points where it presses the hardest. Such are the men into whose heart Mrs. Fry has struck the deepest terror,-who abhor Mr. Bentham and his penitentiary; Mr. Bennet and his hulks; Sir James Mackintosh and his bloodless assizes; Mr. Tuke and his sweeping machines,-and every human being who is great and good enough to sacrifice his quiet to his love for his fellow-creatures. Certainly we admit that humanity is sometimes the veil of ambition or of faction; but we have no doubt that there are a great many excellent persons to whom it is misery to see misery, and pleasure to lessen it; and who, by calling the public attention to the Worst cases, and by giving birth to judicious

we are convinced from the evidence, could not be carried into execution without great injury to property, and great increased risk of fire. The lords have investigated the matter with the greatest patience, humanity and good sense; and they do not venture, in their report, to recommend to the House the abolition of climbing boys.

The price of a machine is fifteen shillings.

AMERICA.*

[EDINBURGH REVIEW, 1820.]

THIS is a book of character and authority; per annum. None of the separate states have but it is a very large book; and therefore we been retrograde during these three enumerations, think we shall do an acceptable service to our though some have been nearly stationary. The readers, by presenting them with a short epi- most remarkable increase is that of New York, tome of its contents, observing the same order which has risen from 340,120 in the year 1790, which has been chosen by the author. The to 959,049 in the year 1810. The emigration whole, we conceive, will form a pretty complete from the eastern to the western states is calcupicture of America, and teach us how to appre-lated at 60,000 persons per annum. In all the ciate that country, either as a powerful enemy or a profitable friend. The first subject with which Mr. Seybert begins, is the population of the United States.

American enumerations, the males uniformly predominate in the proportion of about 100 to 92. We are better off in Great Britain and Ireland,-where the women were to the men, by the census of 1811, as 110 to 100. The density of population in the United States is less than 4 persons to a square mile; that of Holland, in 1803, was 275 to the square mile; that of England and Wales, 169. So that the fifteen provinces which formed the union in 1810, would contain, if they were as thickly peopled as Holland, 135 million souls.

The next head is that of Trade and Commerce.

Population. As representatives and direct taxes are apportioned among the different states in proportion to their numbers, it is provided for in the American constitution, that there shall be an actual enumeration of the people every ten years. It is the duty of the marshals in each state to number the inhabitants of their respective districts: and a correct copy of the lists, containing the names of the persons returned, must be set up in a public place within-In 1790, the exports of the United States were each district, before they are transmitted to the secretary of state:-they are then laid before Congress by the president. Under this act three census, or enumerations of the people, have been already laid before Congress-for the years 1790, 1800 and 1810. In the year 1790, the population of America was 3,921,326 persons, of whom 697,697 were slaves. In 1800, the numbers were 5,319,762, of which 896,849 were slaves. In 1810, the numbers were 7,239,903, of whom 1,191,364 were slaves; so that at a rate at which free population has proceeded between 1790 and 1810, it doubles itself, in the United States, in a very little more than 22 years. The slave population, according to its rate of proceeding in the same time, would be doubled in about 26 years. The increase of the slave population in this statement is owing to the importation of negroes between 1800 and 1808, especially in 1806 and 1807, from the expected prohibition against importation. The number of slaves was also increased by the acquisitions of territory in Louisiana, where they constituted nearly half the population. From 1801 to 1811, the inhabitants of Great Britain acquired an augmentation of 14 per cent.; the Americans, within the same period, were augmented 36 per cent.

Emigration seems to be of very little importance to the United States. In the year 1817, by far the most considerable year of emigration, there arrived in ten of the principal ports of America, from the old world, 22,000 persons as passengers. The number of emigrants, from 1790 to 1810, is not supposed to have exceeded 6000

Statistical Annals of the United States of America. By

Adam Seybert, 4to. Philadelphia, 1818.

above 19 millions of dollars; in 1791, above 20 millions; in 1792, 26 millions; in 1793, 33 millions of dollars. Prior to 1795, there was no discrimination, in the American treasury accounts, between the exportation of domestic, and the re-exportation of foreign articles. In 1795, the aggregate value of the merchandize exported was 67 millions of dollars, of which the foreign produce re-exported was 26 millions. In 1800, the total value of exports was 94 millions; in 1805, 101 millions; and in 1808, when they arrived at their maximum, 108 million dollars. In the year 1809, from the effects of the French and English orders in council, the exports fell to 52 millions of dollars; in 1810 to 66 millions; in 1811, to 61 millions; In the first year of the war with England, to 38 millions; in the second to 27; in the year 1814, when peace was made, to 6 millions. So that the exports of the republic, in six years, had tumbled down from 108 to 6 millions of dollars: after the peace, in the years 1815-16-17, the exports rose to 52, 81,87 million dollars..

In 1817, the exportation of cotton was 85 million pounds. In 1815, the sugar made on the banks of the Mississippi was 10 million pounds. In 1792, when the wheat trade was at the maximum, a million and a half of bushels were exported. The proportions of the exports to Great Britain, Spain, France, Holland and Portugal, on an average of ten years ending 1812, are as 27, 16, 13, 12 and 7; the actual value of exports to the dominions of Great Britain, in the three years ending 1804, were consecutively, in millions of dollars, 16, 17, 13.

Imports. In 1791, the imports of the United States were 19 millions; on an average of three consecutive years, ending 1804 inclusive, they