Page:Elizabeth Fry (Pitman 1884).djvu/73

Rh having clothing given her, but she had hoped I would have given her a Bible, that she might read the Scriptures. This had been one of the worst girls, and she had behaved so very badly upon her trial that it was almost shameful. She conducted herself afterwards in so amiable a manner, that her conduct was almost without a flaw. She is now in the Penitentiary, and, I hope, will become a valuable member of society.

“You have stated three things which to your mind are essential to the reformation of a prison: first, religious instruction, secondly, classification, thirdly, employment. Do you think that any reformation can be accomplished without employment?

“I should believe it impossible, we may instruct as we will, but if we allow them their time, and they have nothing to do, they must naturally return to their evil practices.

“How many removals of female prisoners have you had in the last year, in Newgate, how many gone to Botany Bay?

“Eighteen women; and thirty-seven to the Penitentiary.

“Can you state out of what number of convicts these have been in the course of a year?

“I do not think I can; but, of course, out of many hundreds.

“In fact, has there been only one regular removal within the last year?

“But one. There is one very important thing which ought to be stated on the subject of women taking care of women. It has been said that there were three things which were requisite in forming a prison that would really tend to the reformation of the women; but there is a fourth, viz. that women should be taken 5