THE prostitution of women, [...] pre­vails to a high degree in all large ci­ties, might be considerably lessened by giv­ing them encouragement to enter into vari­ous occupations which are suitable to them. An appeal should be made to the delicacy and the prudence of ladies of fortune, not to employ any but their own sex, as milli­ners, and as stay-makers. A man twirling a cap, or bending a pair of stays, should be an object of ridicule, because he is an in­strument of mischief. He does harm by taking the bread from those who cannot get it but by such means, while he can get it by innumerable other means. Women, how­ever, I think might be employed in many more occupations than are usually given to them. ^* Some think their modesty might be hurt in taking measure for a suit of clothes. They might, however, sew the clothes to­gether, as is the custom in some places, af­ter they were cut out by the tailor. The [Page iv]making stuff shoes for their own sex, might not be an improper employment for women. Some of the Dutch and Germans who settle in America; make their daughters do several parts of the work of their farms, even as far as ploughing. The work of a farm might be thought by some too laborious an occupation for women; but the advantages arising from thus employing women might be very considerable. It might be of great use to agriculture, as well as to the women themselves, by giving them health and cheer­fulness, ^* and by preventing their living in large cities (which are very mischievous to a country) where, through the want of bread, they might be tempted to prostitution.

The best preservative, however, from the prostitution of women, especially of the lower class, may consist in the institution of First-day or Sunday schools. If you are so fortunate as to give people a sincere regard for Christianity, you will make them chaste. There are some who talk of the morality of the Deists. I can safely say, however, though I have known many Deists, that I scarcely e­ver knew one moral character among them. It is the constant delight of almost very un­believer, [Page v]to ridicule that chastity which is re­vered by Christians. St. Paul, by what he says in the 24th verse of the 1st chapter of the Epis­tle to the Romans, and in what he say in the following part of his First Epistle to the Thessa­lonians, seems to justify these notions. ‘For this is the will of God, even your sanctifica­tion that ye should abstain from fornication; That every one should know how to pos­sess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles, which know not God.’ I. Epistle, chap. iv, ver. 3, 4, 5.

To those who have never been in large ci­ties, it may appear improbable that women of the town should die in any of them through want. This fact, however, may be ascertained beyond the possibility of doubt. A true story is told of the celebrated Dr. Johnson, which makes him, in this particular, greatly to re­semble the good Samaritan in Scripture. It is said, that once in London, when he was going to his house, he saw a woman lying prostrate in the street. Upon inquiry he found it was a woman of the town, who had become weak and incapable to move through want. He nobly took her upon his back to his house, gave her food and lodging until she was perfectly recovered, and then with sensible admonitions to reform, dismissed her. This glorious act of humanity, might [Page vi]make some atonement for the unjust severity with which he sometimes treated others, for which he expressed his remorse and his repen­tance a little while before his death. Seneca says, that Cato composed in bad fortune, was a spectacle, which heaven might look down up­on with pleasure. Ecce Spectaculum ad quod respiciat operi suo intentus Deus! Ecce Ca­tonem inter malam fortunam compositum! Might not this be said of Jonson with a poor helpless female upon his back, whom he was going to relieve, not for the purposes of lust, but charity?—"Go thou and do likewise."

The cities of London and Philadelphia are both famous for the humane and chari­table institutions which they contain. I think that London may adopt a society for the al­leviation of the miseries of public prisons, in imitation of Philadelphia. (The celebrated Mr. Howard said he would have given five hundred pounds sterling, upon the spot, for the furtherance of such a society in London.) And in return, Philadelphia may in time, imitate London in the erection of a Magda­len Hospital. ^*