:

Pharsalia glowing genius, which appears sometimes in his descrip" tions, and very often in his sentiments, his great defect Phasis in both is want of moderation. He carries every thing to an extreme. He knows not where to stop. Froni an effort to aggrandize his objects, he becomes tumid and unnatural and it frequently happens, that where the second line of one of his descriptions is sublime, the third, in which he meant to rise still higher, is perfectly bombast. Lucan lived in an age when the schools of the declaimers had begun to corrupt the eloquence and taste of Rome. He was not free from the infection; and too often, instead of showing the genius of the poet, betrays the spirit of the declaimer; but he is, on the whole, an author of lively and original genius."

Fall of the

Roman

PHARUS, a genus of plants belonging to the monœcia class; and in the natural method ranking under the fourth order, Gramina. See BOTANY Index.

PHARYNX. See ANATOMY, No 92. PHASCUM, a genus of plants of the order of musci, belonging to the cryptogamia class. See BOTANY Index.

PHASEOLUS, the KIDNEY-BEAN; a genus of plants, belonging to the diadelphia class. See BOTANY Index.

66

PHASES, in Astronomy, from the Greek word Paiva, to appear;" the several appearances or quantities of illumination of the moon, Venus, Mercury, and the other planets. See ASTRONOMY.

PHASGA, or PISGAH, (Moses), a mountain on the other side Jordan, joined to Abarim and Nebo, and running south to the mouth of the Arnon: from which Moses had a view of the promised land, and where he died, having before appointed Joshua his successor. Wells takes Pisgah and Nebo to be different names of one and the same mountain, a part or branch of the mountains Abarim (Deut. xxxii. 49. compared with Deut. xxxiv. 1.). Or that the top of Nebo was peculiarly called Pisgah; or some other part of it, cut out in steps, as the primitive word denotes: and thus it is rendered by Aquila, by a Greek word signifying cut out (Jerome). There was also a city of this name, id.; and the adjoining country was in like manner called Pisgah, id.

PHASIANUS, a genus of birds belonging to the order of gallinæ. See ORNITHOLOGY Index.

PHASIS, a river which falls into the Euxine sea about 700 miles from Constantinople. "From the Decline and Iberian Caucasus (says Gibbon), the most lofty and craggy mountains of Asia, that river descends with Empire. such oblique vehemence, that in a short space it is traversed by 120 bridges. Nor does the stream become placid and navigable till it reaches the town of Sarapana, five days journey from the Cyrus, which flows from the same hills, but in a contrary direction, to the Caspian lake. The proximity of these rivers has suggested the practice, or at least the idea, of wafting the precious merchandise of India down the Oxus, over the Caspian, up the Cyrus, and with the current of the Phasis into the Euxine and Mediterranean seas. As it successively collects the streams of the plain of Colchos, the Phasis moves with diminished speed, though accumulated weight. At the mouth it is 60 fathoms deep, and half a league broad; but a small woody island is interposed in the midst of the channel: the

water, so soon as it has deposited an earthy or metallic Fhasis sediment, floats on the surface of the waves, and is no longer susceptible of corruption. In a course of 100 Phègor. miles, 40 of which are navigable for large vessels, the Phasis divides the celebrated region of Colehos or Mingrelia, which, on three sides, is fortified by the Iberian and Armenian mountains, and whose maritime coast extends about 200 miles, from the neighbourhood of Trebizond to Dioscurias and the confines of Circassia, Both the soil and climate are relaxed by excessive moisture: 28 rivers, besides the Phasis and his dependent streams, convey their waters to the sea; and the hollowness of the ground appears to indicate the subterraneous channels between the Euxine and the Caspian."

PHASMATA, in Physiology, certain appearances arising from the various shades of colour in the clouds by the light from the heavenly bodies, especially the sun and moon. These are infinitely diversified by the different figures and situations of the clouds, and the appulses of the rays of light; and, together with the occasional flashings and shootings of different meteors, they have, no doubt, occasioned those prodigies of armies fighting in the air, &c. of which we have such frequent accounts in many writers. See 2 Maccab. xi. 8. Melancth. Meteor. 2. Shel. de Comet. ann. 1618.

Kircher and Schottus have erroneously attempted to explain the phenomenon from the reflection of terrestrial objects made on opaque and congealed clouds in the middle region of the air, which, according to them, have the effect of a mirror. Thus, according to those authors, the armies pretended by several historians to have been seen in the skies, were no other than the reflection of the like armies placed on some part of the earth. See Hist. Acad. Roy. Scienc, ann. 17.26, p. 405, et SEASANT. See PHASIANUS, ORNITHOLOGY.

Index.

PHEASANT'S Eye, or Bird's Eye. See ADONIS, BOTANY Index.

PHEBE, a deaconess of the port of Corinth, called Cenchrea. St Paul had a particular esteem for this holy woman; and Theodoret thinks the apostle lodged at her house for some time, while he continued in or near Corinth. It is thought she brought to Rome the epistle he wrote to the Romans, wherein she is commended and recommended in so advantageous a manner. He says (Rom. xvi. 1, 2.), "I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: that ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you; for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also." Some moderns have advanced a notion, that Phebe was wife to St Paul; but none of the ancients have said any thing like it. It is thought, in quality of deaconess, she was employed by the church in some ministrations suitable to her sex and condition; as to visit and instruct the Christian women, to attend them in their sickness, and distribute alms to them.

PHEGOR, or PEOR, a deity worshipped at a very early period by the Midianites and Moabites, and probably by all the other tribes which then inhabited Syria. Much has been said concerning the functions of this god, and the rank which he held among the Pa

gan

PHEOS, in Botany, a name which Theophrastus, Pheos Dioscorides, and others, give to a plant used by fullers in dressing their cloths, and of which there were two Pherecydes. kinds, a smaller called simply pheos, and a larger called hippopheos. This plant is sometimes called phleos; and is thus confounded with a kind of marsh cudwced, or gnaphalium, called also by that name; but it may always be discovered which of the two plants an author means, by observing the sense in which the word is used, and the use to which the plant was put. The phleos, properly so called, that is, the cudweed, was used to stuff beds and other such things, and to pack up with earthen vessels to prevent their breaking; but the pheos, improperly called phlcos, only about cloths: this was, however, also called stæbe and cnaphon.

Fuegor gan divinities (see (BAAL-Peor); and many conjectures have been formed concerning the origin of his name. Pheons. Most of these seem to have no better foundation than the senseless dreams of the Jewish rabbies. PHEGOR, or PEOR, is undoubtedly the same with the Hebrew word pechor, which signifies aperuit, and probably refers to the prophetic influence always attributed to the solar deity, by which he opened or discovered things to come. Accordingly we find PHEGOR or PEOR generally joined to Baal, which was the Syrian and Chaldean name of the sun after he became an object of worship; hence Baol-PHEGOR must have been the sun worshipped by some particular rites, or under some particular character. What these were, a resolution of Pechor into its component parts may perhaps inform

P. 490.

us.

As this word, wherever it occurs in Scripture, has some relation to distending or opening the mouth wide, it is probably compounded of PHAH the mouth or face, and EHAR naked. In those countries we know that the women wore veils; but it would appear, that in celebrating the rites of this deity they were unveiled. It seems even not improbable, that on these occasions the sexes danced promiscuously without their clothes; a practice which would naturally give birth to the licentious amours mentioned in the 25th chapter of the book of Numbers. If this be admitted, it will follow that Phegor was the sun presiding over the mysteries of Venus.

PHELLANDRIUM, WATER-HEMLOCK; a genus of plants belonging to the pentandria class. See BoTANY Index.

PHENGITES, among the ancients, the name of a Hill's Hist. beautiful species of alabaster. It is a rude irregular of Fossils, mass, very shattery and friable, but of a brightness superior to that of most other marbles, and excelling them all in transparence. The colour is an agreeable pale, yellowish white, or honey colour; the yellowish is more intense in some places than in others, and sometimes makes an obscure resemblance of veins. It is very weak and brittle in the mass; and when reduced to small pieces, may be easily crumbled between the fingers into loose, but considerably large angular pieces, some perfect, others complex, irregular, or mutilated, and all approaching to a flat shape. The ancients were very fond of this species in public buildings; and the temple of Fortune, built entirely of it, has long been celebrated. Its great beauty is its transparence, from which alone this temple was perfectly light when the doors were shut, though it was built without a window, and had no other light but what was transmitted through the stone of which the walls were built. It was anciently found in Cappadocia, and is still plentiful there: we have it also in Germany and France, and in our own kingdom in Derbyshire, and some other counties. It takes an excellent polish, and is very fit for ornamental works, where no great strength is required.

PHENICE, a port of the island of Crete to the west of the island. St Paul having anchored at Phenice, when he was carried to Rome (Acts xxvii. 12.) advised the ship's crew to spend the winter there, because the season was too far advanced.

PHENICIA. See PHOENICIA.

PHERECRATES, a Greek comic poet, was contemporary with Plato and Aristophanes. After the example of the ancient comedians, who never introduced upon the theatre imaginary but living characters, he acted his contemporaries. But he did not abuse the liberty which at that time prevailed upon the stage; and laid it down as a rule to himself never to destroy the reputation of any person. Twenty-one comedies are attributed to him, of which there now only remain some fragments collected by Hertelius and Grotius. From these fragments, however, it is easy to discern, that Pherecrates wrote the purest Greek, and possessed that ingenious and delicate raillery which is called attic urbanity. He was author of a kind of verse called, from his own name, Pherecratick. The three last feet were in hexameter verse, and the first of those three feet was always a spondee. The verse of Horace (for example, Quamvis pontica pinus) is a Pherecratick verse. We find in Plutarch a fragment of this poet upon the music of the Greeks, which has been critically examined by M. Burette of the academy of inscriptions. See the 15th volume of the collection published by that learned society.

PHERECYDES, a native of Scyros, flourished about the year 560 before the Christian era, and was disciple of Pittacus, one of the seven wise men of Greece (see PITTACUS). He is said to have been the first of all the philosophers who has written on natural subjects and the essence of the gods. He was also the first, it is said, who held the ridiculous opinion, "that animals are mere machines." He was Pythagoras's master, who loved him as his own father. This grateful scholar having heard that Pherecydes lay dangerously ill in the island of Delos, immediately repaired thither, in order to give every necessary assistance to the old man, and to take care that no means should be left untried for the recovery of his health. His great age, however, and the violence of his disease, having rendered every prescription ineffectual, his next care was to see him decently buried; and when he had paid the last duty to his remains, and erected a monument to his memory, he set out again for Italy. Other causes have been assigned for the death of Pherecydes: some say he was eaten up by lice, and others that he fell headlong from the top of Mount Corycius in his way to Delphos. He lived to the age of 85 years, and was one of the first prose writers among the Greeks.

"Marvellous circumstances have been related of him, Enfield's

Perecydes spectators may be easily conceived to have happened from natural causes. A ship in full sail was at a distance Phidias, approaching its harbour; Pherecydes predicted that it would never come into the haven, and it happened accordingly; for a storm arose which sunk the vessel. After drinking water from a well, he predicted an earthquake, which happened three days afterwards. It is easy to suppose that these predictions might have been the result of a careful observation of those phenomena which commonly precede storms or earthquakes in a climate where they frequently happen.

"It is difficult to give in any degree an accurate account of the doctrines of Pherecydes; both because he delivered them, after the manner of the times, under the concealment of symbols; and because very few memoirs of this philosopher remain. It is most probable that he taught those opinions concerning the gods and the origin of the world which the ancient Grecian theogonists borrowed from Egypt;" and of which the reader will find accounts in different articles of this work. See EGYPT, METAPHYSICS, MYSTERIES, MYTHOLOGY, and POLYTHEISM.

PHERETIMA, was the wife of Battus king of Cyrene, and the mother of Arcesilaus. After his son's death, she recovered the kingdom by means of Amasis king of Egypt, and to avenge the murder of Arcesilaus, she caused all his assassins to be crucified round the walls of Cyrene, and she cut off the breasts of their wives, and hung them up near the bodies of their husbands. It is said that she was devoured alive by worms; a punishment which, according to some of the ancients, was inflicted by Providence for her unparalleled cruelties.

PHIAL, a well-known vessel made of glass, used for various purposes.

Phidias

Marathon. He made an excellent statue of Minerva for the Plateans; but the statue of this goddess in her magnificent temple at Athens, of which there are still Philadel some ruined remains, was an astonishing production of phia. human art. Pericles, who had the care of this pompous edifice, gave orders to Phidias, whose prodigious talents he well knew, to make a statue of the goddess; and Phidias formed a figure of ivory and gold 39 feet high. Writers never speak of this illustrious monument of skill without raptures; yet what has rendered the name of the artist immortal, proved at that time his ruin. He had carved upon the shield of the goddess his own portrait and that of Pericles; and this was, by those that envied him, made a crime in Phidias. Hie was also charged with embezzling part of the materials which were designed for the statue. Upon this he withdrew to Elis, and revenged himself upon the ungrateful Athenians, by making for the Elians the Olympic Jupiter: a prodigy of art, and which was afterwards ranked among the seven wonders of the world. It was of ivory and gold; 60 feet high, and every way proportioned. "The majesty of the work did equal the majesty of the god (says Quintilian), and its beauty seenis to have added lustre to the religion of the country." Phidias concluded his labours with this masterpiece: and the Elians, to do honour to his memory, erected, and appropriated to his descendants, an office, which consisted in keeping clean this magnificent image.

Leyden PHIAL, is a phial of glass coated on both sides with tin-foil for a considerable way up the sides, of great use in electrical experiments. The discovery that electricity may be accumulated in an apparatus of this kind, was originally made in the year 1745 by Mr Von Kleist, dean of the cathedral in Comin. But this remarkable property was first satisfactorily observed at Leyden, with a bottle containing some water which served for the inside coating, and the accidental application of the hands on the outside served for another coating. Hence a bottle coated on both sides for the purpose of being charged with electricity, has received the name of Leyden phial, or otherwise electric jar. See ELECTRICITY, passim.

PHIDIAS, the most famous sculptor of antiquity, was an Athenian, and a contemporary of the celebrated Pericles, who flourished in the 83d Olympiad. This wonderful artist was not only consummate in the use of his tools, but accomplished in those sciences and branches of knowledge which belong to his profession, as history, poetry, fable, geometry, optics, &c. He first taught the Greeks to imitate nature perfectly in this way; and all his works were received with admiration. They were also incredibly numerous; for it was almost peculiar to Phidias, that he united the greatest facility with the greatest perfection. His Nemesis was ranked among his first pieces: it was carved out of a block of marble, which was found in the camp of the Persians after they were defeated in the plains of VOL. XVI. Part I.

PHIDITIA, in Grecian antiquity, feasts celebrated with great frugality at Sparta. They were held in the public places and in the open air. Rich and poor assisted at them equally, and on the same footing; their design being to keep up peace, friendship, good understanding, and equality among the citizens great and small. It is said that those who attended this feast brought each a bushel of flour, eight measures of wine named chorus, five pounds of cheese, and two pounds and a half of figs, with some money.

PHILA, in Mythology, one of the attributes of Venus, which distinguishes her as the mother of love, from Qiu, to love.

PHILADELPHIA, in antiquity, were games instituted at Sardis to celebrate the union of Caracalla and Geta, the sons of Septimius Severus.

PHILADELPHIA, the capital of the state of Pensylvania in North America, situated in W. Long. 75. 8. N. Lat. 39. 57. It is one of the most beautiful and regular cities in the world, being of an oblong form, situated on the west bank of the river Delaware, on an extensive plain, about 118 miles (some say more) from the sea. The length of the city east and west, that is, from the Delaware to the Schuylkill, upon the original plan of Mr Penn, is about three miles, and the breadth, north and south, rather less than one mile. But a great part of the plot covered by the city charter is yet unbuilt. The inhabitants, however, have not confined themselves within the original limits of the city, but have built north and south along the Delaware two miles in length. The longest street is Second-street, about 700 feet from Delaware river, and parallel to it. The circumference of that part of the city which is built, if we include Kensington on the north and Southwark on the south, may be about five miles. Market-street is 100 feet wide, and runs the whole length of the city from ÷ Kk river

Philadel river to river. Near the middle, it is intersected at right phia angles by Broad-street, 113 feet wide, running nearly north and south quite across the city.

The Delaware river at Philadelphia is 1362 yards wide, with sufficient depth of water to admit a 64 gunship. The tide rises six feet, and flows at the rate of four miles an hour. Between Delaware river and Broad-street are 14 streets, nearly equidistant, running parallel with Broad-street across the city; and between Broad-street and the Schuylkill, there are nine streets equidistant from each other. Parallel to Market-street are eight other streets, running east and west from river to river, and intersecting the cross streets at right angles; all these streets are 50 feet wide, except Arch-street, which is 65 feet wide. All the streets which run north and south, except Broad-street mentioned above, are 50 feet wide. There were four squares of eight acres each, one at each corner of the city, originally reserved for public and common uses. And in the centre of the city, where Broad-street and Market-street intersect each other, is a square of ten acres, reserved in like manner, to be planted with rows of trees for public walks. This city was founded in 1682 by the celebrated William Penn, who in October 1701 granted a charter incorporating the town with city privileges. The houses are of brick, but generally handsome. The streets are clean and regular, but the foot-paths are often obstructed by the entrances to the cellars. The population in 1810 was 98,866, and in 1818 it was estimated at 120,000. Rents are 25 per cent. lower than at New York, but they are still high, compared with house-rents in Britain.

Their places for religious worship are as follows: The Friends or Quakers have five, the Presbyterians six, the Episcopalians three, the German Lutherans two, the German Calvinists one, the Catholics three, the Swedish Lutherans one, the Moravians one, the Baptists one, the Universal Baptists one, the Methodists two, the Jews one.

The other public buildings in the city, besides the university, academies, &c. are the following, viz. a statehouse and offices, a carpenter's hall, a philosophical society's hall, a dispensary, an hospital and offices, an alms-house, a house of correction, a public factory of linen, cotton, and woollen, a public observatory, three brick market-houses, a fish-market, a public gaol.

The poor-laws are administered by 16 citizens, chosen annually by the corporation. They are empowered, with the approbation of four aldermen and two justices, to levy an assessment not exceeding one per cent. nor more than three dollars per head on every free man not otherwise rated. The annual average number of paupers supported in alms-houses of this city is 1600 (1818); the expence of supporting them 70,000 dollars a-year. The produce of the poor-tax for the city and county of Philadelphia 140,000 dollars.

In Philadelphia there are, besides several squares, about 34 streets, many of which are very broad, and all of them neat and elegant, lighted by lamps of two branches each. The expence of lighting and watching Philadelphia was 25,000 dollars per annum in 1818. Here is a library which owed its origin to Dr Franklin, was incorporated in 1742, and now contains upwards of 30,000 volumes, besides a museum and a valuable philosophical apparatus. There is a theatre in

3

Chesnut-street, which was finished in 1793. The university stands on the west side of Fourth-street, and was incorporated in the year 1791, the funds of which produce annually a revenue of about 23651. and the students on an average amount to 510. In the city and suburbs are 10 rope-walks, 13 breweries, 6 sugar-houses, 7 hair-powder manufactories, 2 rum-distilleries, 15 manufactories of earthen ware, and the public mint for the whole United States.

The university of Philadelphia was founded during the war. Its funds were partly given by the state, and partly taken from the old college of Philadelphia. A medical school, which was founded in 1765, is attached to the university; and has professors in all the branches of medicine, who prepare the students for degrees in that science. Besides the university and medical school, there is the Protestant Episcopal academy, a very flourishing institution; the academy for young ladies; another for the Friends or Quakers, and one for the Germans, besides five free schools.

In Market-street, between Front and Fourth-streets, is the principal market, built of brick, and is 1500 feet in length. This market, in respect to the quantity, the variety, and neatness of the provisions, is not equalled in America, and perhaps not exceeded in the world.

There are various literary and philosophical institutions in Philadelphia. The American Philosophical Society was incorporated in 1780, and has published five volumes of Transactions. The Philadelphia Medical Society established in 1790; the College of Physicians in 1789; the Medical Lyceum in 1804; the Academy of Fine Arts in 1805; the Linnean Society in 1806; the Agricultural Society in 1809; and the Academy of Natural Sciences, which commenced a a Journal in 1817. Peale's Museum, founded in 1784, contains an extensive collection of objects connected with natural history.

The style of living in Philadelphia is substantial, and among the richer classes splendid, though not very refined. Many of the houses are richly furnished, and a considerable number of carriages are kept. All classes live well, and apparently there is less economy and less exertion than in England. The dress of the gentlemen is taken from England, that of the ladies from France. The distinction between the blacks and whites is jealously kept up here. The former are not allowed to go into the same church with the latter.

The wages of labour and prices of commodities in Philadelphia may serve as a specimen of those of the large towns of America generally. In October 1817, according to Mr Fearon, labourers were paid from 4s. 6d. to 5s. 7d. per day; female servants 4s. 6d. to gs. per week, with board; men servants 548. to 67s. 6d. per month; carpenters from 31s. 6d. to 40s. 6d. per week; shoemakers 31s. 6d. to 40s. 6d. ;-they work more hours than in London. Fish from 2d. to 64d. per pound; beef 54d.; bacon 7d. to 8d.; butter 17d. to 20d.; fowls 16d. to 2s. 3d.; turkeys 5s. 6d.; flour 10 dollars per barrel of 196 pounds; lump sugar 18. to Is. 5d.; tea 4s. 6d. to 9s.; Liverpool salt 3s. 4d. per bushel; Shoes 13s. 6d. to 15s. 9d. per pair; best hats 40s. 6d.; superfine coats 81. Is. 6d.

The philanthropic and useful institutions in Philadelphia are very numerous and extremely well conducted. In the Alms House and House of Employ

ment,,

Philadel- ment, the average number of persons maintained in 1810 phia. was 735; and the average weekly expence for each

was I dollar 21 cents per week. The poor are employed here in the fabrication of coarse manufactures. The Friends Alms House was established by the Quakers for the infirm and indigent members of their own community. The Abolition Society for promoting the abolition of slavery, and for the relief of free negroes unlawfully held in slavery, was established in 1774. The Washington Benevolent Society has nearly 3000 members. The asylum for the relief of lunatics was planned by the Quakers in 1813. The society for alleviating the misery of public prisons, instituted in 1787, has been the means of introducing great improvements into these establishments. The Pensylvania hospital, founded in 1756, affords relief to poor persons afflicted with diseases. The Dispensary affords medical advice and assistance to the indigent sick who are unable to pay for a physician,

The Penitentiary of this city has been justly celebra. ted, as having set the first example of the efficacy of labour, and a system of moral discipline, in reforming the lives of criminals, and in diminishing the expence of prisons, by rendering the labour of the prisoners the source of their own support. The prison instead of being a scene of idleness, debauchery, and profanity, has the appearance of a large manufactory, in which all are usefully employed, and none seem extremely unhappy. The leading features of the system of discipline established here, will be understood from the following account of the regulations given in "Mease's Picture of Philadelphia:"

"1. Cleanliness, so intimately connected with morality, is the first thing attended to, previously to any attempts at that internal purification, which it is the object of the discipline to effect. The criminal is washed, his clothes effectually purified and laid aside, and he is clothed in the peculiar habit of the jail, which consists of grey cloth, made by the prisoners, adapted to the sea. son. The attention to this important point is unremitted, during their confinement. Their faces and hands are daily washed; they are shaved, and change their linen once a-week; their hair is kept short; and, during the summer, they bathe in a large tub. Their apartments are swept and washed once or twice aweek, as required, throughout the year.

"2. Work, suitable to the age and capacity of the convicts, is assigned, and an account is opened with them. They are charged with their board, clothes, the fine imposed by the state, and expence of prosecution, and credited for their work; at the expiration of the time of servitude, half the amount of the sum, if any, left after deducting the charges, is required by law to be paid to them. As the board is low, the labour constant, and the working hours greater than among mechanics, it is easy for the convicts to earn more than the amount of their expences; so that, when they go out, they receive a sum of money sufficient to enable them to pursue a trade, if so disposed, or, at least, that will keep them from want until they find employ, and prevent the necessity of stealing. On several occasions, the balance paid to a convict has amounted to more than one hundred dollars; in one instance it was one hundred and fifty dollars; and from ten to forty dollars are commonly paid.-When, from the nature of

the work at which the convict has been employed, or Philadelhis weakness, his labour does not amount to more than phia. the charges against him, and his place of residence is at a distance from Philadelphia, he is furnished with money to bear his expences home. The price of boarding is sixteen cents per day, and the general cost of clothes for a year is nineteen dollars thirty-three

cents.

66

The prisoners lie on the floor, on a blanket, and about thirty sleep in one room; they are strictly prohibited from keeping their clothes on at night. The hours for rising and retiring are announced by a bell; and at those times they go out and come in with the greatest regularity. For their own comfort, they have established a set of rules respecting cleanliness, on breach of which a fine is exacted. No one is permitted even to spit on the floor. A large lamp is hung up, out of the reach of the prisoners, in every room, which enables the keeper or watch to see every man; and for this purpose a small aperture is made in every door. The end of the cord by which the lamps are suspended is outside of the rooms; the solitary cells is the punishment for extinguishing these lamps.

66

4. Their diet is wholesome, plain, and invigorating, and their meals are served up with the greatest regularity and order; a bell announces when they are ready, and all collect at the door leading to the passage where they eat, before any one is allowed to enter. They then take their seats without hurry or confusion, and all begin to eat at the same time. While eating, silence is strictly enjoined by the presence of the keepers, who give notice of the time for rising from table. For breakfast, they have about three-fourths of a pound of good bread, with molasses and water. At dinner, half a pound of bread and beef, a bowl of soup and potatoes. Sometimes herrings in the spring. At supper, corn meal mush (mash ?) and molasses, and sometimes boiled rice.

"The black seat at a separate table. There is also a table set apart for those who have committed offences for the first time, but not of sufficient enormity to merit the solitary cells; such as indolence, slighting work, impudence, &c.; and to such no meat is given. Every one finds his allowance ready on his trencher. The drink is molasses and water, which has been found to be highly useful, as a refreshing draught, and as a medicine. Spirituous liquors or beer never enter the walls of the prison. The cooks and bakers, who are convicts, are allowed thirty cents per day by the inspectors. The decency of deportment, and the expression of content, exhibited by the convicts at their meals, renders a view of them, while eating, highly interesting. No provisions are permitted to be sent to the convicts from without.

"5. The regularity of their lives almost secures them against disease. A physician, however, is appointed to attend the prison; a room is appropriated for the reception of the sick or hurt, and nurses to attend them. The effect of the new system has been seen in no particular more evidently than in the diminution of disease among the convicts.

"6. Religious instruction was one of the original remedies prescribed for the great moral disease, which the present penal system is calculated to cure. Divine service is generally peformed every Sunday, in a large Kk 2

room