AN ACCOUNT OF PUBLIC CHARITIES IN ENGLAND AND WALES, ABRIDGED FROM TUE REPORTS OF HIS MAJESTY'S COMMISSIONERS ON Charitable Foundations, WITH NOTES AND COMMENTS. BY THE EDITOR OF "THE CABINET LAWYER." “It is absolutely necessary that it should be perfectly understood, that London: PRINTED FOR W. SIMPKIN AND R. MARSHALL, STATIONERS'-HALL-COURT, LUDGATE-STREET. 1828. ADVERTISEMENT. HAVING arrived at the end of the volume, it appears advisable to defer the completion of the work until the Commissioners have finished their inquiries. It is desirable our abridgement should not extend to an unpurchaseable size, and in order to keep it within the limits announced, it is necessary that we should have the whole of the Reports before us: besides, as the Commissioners rarely conclude their account of a city or place in one report, but carry it on at intervals through several volumes, without any intimation that their inquiries are to be continued, we have no means of arranging the details under separate local divisions, as it is desirable should be done, till we have ascertained their investigations are finally concluded. So far as we have gone, we have, with two or three exceptions, completed the account of the charities of the cities, towns, and corporate bodies we have entered upon, and this has been a task of no small difficulty, owing to the desultory manner in which the important materials of the original documents have been put together. The present volume will afford a good insight into the results of the national inquiry now in progress, and also into the origin and management of the numerous charitable donations scattered through the country. We have, in all cases, been particular in stating the amount and situation of the trust-property; and, in addition to our own observations, have carefully inserted the suggestions made by the Commissioners for improving its future application. It is satisfactory to think that the popular mode of publication adopted has been productive of many beneficial effects, both in the metropolis and in the country; and, when the work is complete, it will, of itself, we should think, form a salutary check against future negligence and malversation. We have in many cases found it expedient to adopt an arrangement different from that in the original reports, but though our arrangement is different, we have not omitted to notice any charity reported by the Commissioners, except in the few instances of which we have not yet been able to complete the exposition. December 21st, 1827. J. W. |