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428 FORTIA’S TRAVELS IN SWEDEN.
a bed to themfelves ; the rooms are very decent, and the widows appeared to us well
contented with their lot and the treatment of the houfe, a peculiarity we never met with
any where but in this eftablifhment ; they have four large wafhes annually ; they are not
feparated in cafe of ficknefs, except when contagious. The afylum has ten admi-
niftrators, whofe functions are for life; they are either merchants or opulent tradef-
men.
Afylum for the orphans of free-mafons, near the north place fquare. This has been
founded about thirty years ; occafionally it has contained five hundred children, and
fometimes more ; when we faw it there were no more than four hundred and ninety,
fifty-five of which only in the houfe itfelf, the reft being in the country: thofe in the
houfe are at an expence of three copper dollars a week, and are cloathed twice in the
year ; ordinarily they quit the afylum at twelve years of age, and are bound to trades.
Before the war the children were admitted gratis, but now (in confequence of the addi-
tional charge it has occafioned) 25 rix-dollars are paid on entrance. Children of both
fexes are received, but muft not be more than one year old. They are diftinguifhed by
marks the fame as in Foundling hofpitals. They lay two together; their bedfteads are
of wood. The only employment taught in this houfe is to knit tricotu: the chambers
are neat ; the children have a change of linen once a week, the fhirt they fleep in being
different to that they wear by day : in feveral rooms there was a difagreeable {mell, not-
withftanding they had ventilators, their number being too fmall. The children have
four meals per day, two plates at dinner: they are allowed as much beer as they can
drink, and have no falt meats. ‘The houfe is but one ftory high, and has a very pretty
court in front. In the fchool room are lifts of donations. This houfe has nine di-
rectors, named by the auxiliary lodge of St. John, the moft ancient in the country ;
that is to fay they felect one out of three perfons recommended by the other direétors.
The expence of this eftablifhment is annually from 7 to 8,000 rix-dollars. Formerly
there was an arrangement between this and the grand afylum for orphans, hereafter to
be mentioned, which was ufed to fend to the other the children it knew not what to do
with, as poffeffing greater facility of difpofing of them. -
The grand afylum for orphans. ‘Vhis is fituated in Queen-{treet, has a large court,
furrounded by irregular buildings. It maintains two thoufand two hundred children, .
of which forty to fifty and not more than eighty are in the houfe. They are received
at every period of age, without regard to whence they come: for urgent cafes there is
a wet-nurfe or two; otherwife they are carried to the office, where the children are put
out to them at the rate of fix copper dollars per month. Such as are kept in the houfe
are equally well attended, and furnifhed with food in addition to the breaft. The chil-
dren do not remain above twelve months with the nurfe, after which they are placed
with farmers in the country at fix rix-dollars per annum: this arrangement is followed
with one thoufand of the children, the other one thoufand two hundred are placed in
houfes in the city, at fix rix-dollars per annum: the utmoft ceconomy is ufed. Great
numbers remain with their relations, who on account of their being poor receive half
a rix-dollar monthly. When the children are firft fent to farmers in the country they
are cloathed, but this only once: they are not maintained at the expence of the efta-
blifhment after they become fourteen years of age. ‘The farmers may however, if they
pleafe, keep them until eighteen, but they no longer are paid the fix rix-dellars ; all
they obtain is an exemption for three years, that is from their becoming fifteen to eigh-
teen, from the impoft they would have to pay for them ; and an obligation on the part
of the children to remain fo long with them. ‘The farmers are overlooked to fee that
they take proper care of the children, who have a mark given them which their parents
at are
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