The Penitent Females' Refuge is an institution formed with the hope of reclaiming, from the paths of vice and ruin, a portion of those unhappy women, whose false steps have blasted their prospects of enjoying a reputable standing in life. A house of refuge is opened by this society, for such as are sincerely desirous of returning to the paths of virtue. This house, which is large and commodious, is under the care of a matron and assistants : a committee of ladies visit it every week, and the pecuniary concerns are under the management of a Board of Directors, chosen annually from the gentlemen who are subscribers to the funds of the institution-Constitution adopted April 14, 1819: incorporated Jan. 21, 1823.

Some account of the Massachusetts General Hospital will conclude our notices on this head. Towards the close of the last century a gentleman died in this town, leaving a bequest in his will of $5000 towards the building of a hospital. This circumstance was attended with the beneficial effect of awakening the attention of the publick to the subject. Nothing, however, was effected before August, 1810, when two physicians living in this town addressed a circular, in which the advantages of a hospital were stated, to several gentlemen of Boston possessed of ample fortunes, and disposed to contribute to institutions in which the publick good was concerned. In the beginning of 1811 (Feb. 25) fifty-six gentlemen, living in different parts of the commonwealth,were incorporated by the name of the Mass. General Hospital. Their charter allowed the corporation to hold property to the amount of $30,000 yearly income. It also granted to the Hospital a fee simple in the estate of the old Province House, on the condition that $100,000 should be raised by subscription within ten years. Little exertion was made before the autumn of 1816, when a subscription was commenced that was attended with uncom mon success. In the towns of Boston, Salem, Plymouth, Charlestown, Hingham and Chelsea (including a few subscriptions in some other towns) 1047 individuals subscribed either to the Hospital or the Asylum for the insane. More than 200 of these contributed $100 or more, and several from 1000 to 5000, and one $20,000. Donations of equal and larger amounts have since been made, which have increased the funds of this institution, for immediate use and permanent stock, to a greater sum than any other among us has realized, excepting the University at Cambridge.

In 1816, the Trustees purchased the estate at Charlestown, belonging to the late Mr. Barrell, commonly called Poplar Grove, and have there built two brick houses, besides the requisite out houses. In 1817, they purchased four acres in a field at the west end of Boston, called Prince's Pasture, and

on the 4th day of July, 1818, the corner stone of the present Hospital was there laid, in the presence of many persons of great dignity in publick life, and of a numerous assemblage of citizens. The civil, religious and masonick services were performed with such impressive pomp as rendered the whole scene truly solemn and interesting. This building was so far completed on the first of Sept. 1821, as to be in a fit condition. to receive patients. The Asylum for the Insane had been opened for the reception of boarders, October 1, 1818.*

Besides these institutions whose views extend to society at large, we ought to name many others, whose efforts in the cause of benevolence are equally ardent, though the objects of their charity are more limited; such as the Female Samaritan and the Fragment Societies, (supported by ladies for the relief of necessitous women and children; the Fatherless and Widows' society; the Society for employment of the poor; Society for the relief of the distressed; the Episcopal charitable society, the British charkable, the Irish charitable, the Mass. charitable, and the Fuel Societies, &c. These institutions embrace among their members almost every individual who maintains a respectable standing in the community. And if we add to these the numerous religious associations for missionary and benevolent purposes, we may, without vanity, adopt concerning Boston the language of Increase Mather, when he said, that" for charity, he might indeed speak it without flattery, this town hath not many equals on the face of the earth."

*The Massachusetts General Hospital has been pronounced the finest building in the State. It stands on a small eminence (B e) open to the south, east, and west. It is 168 ft. in length and 54 in its greatest breadth, having a portico of eight Ionick columns in front. It is built of Chelmsford granite, the columns and their capitals being of the same material. In the centre of the two principal stories are the rooms of the officers of the institution. Above these is the operating theatre which is lighted from the dome. The wings of the building are divided into wards and sick rooms. The stair cases and floorings of the entries are of stone. The whole house is supplied with heat by air-flues from furnaces, and with water by pipes and a forcing pump. The beautiful hills which surround Boston are seen from every part of the building, and the grounds on the south west are washed by the waters of the bay.