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Life of Thomas Eddy

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cumstances of every individual; he must adapt him-self and his instructions to their wants; he must teach the ignorant, arouse the careless, touch, if it be possible, the impenitent, lead the willing, and be all things to all men, if by any means he may save some. To the morning and evening services of de-votion, are to be added the more direct and elaborate instructions of the Sabbath, and the no less important influences which may be effected in private inter-course with the convict. The Sunday school may communicate the most valuable information on many subjects; and every improper influence may be, and ought to be, absolutely excluded. It is this system of addressing the intellectual and moral qualities of man, of treating the convict as a being of a compound nature—both physical and spiritual—that constitutes the peculiar merit of the prison discipline, which is now about to be introduced. No new discovery has been made, unless it be considered one that criminals may sometimes be made susceptible of moral influ-ences. It is only the adaptation of well known prin-ciples to a new class of subjects. It is merely carry-ing to the lowest, the most ignorant, and the most degraded class, that plan of education which is nearly universal among us, and which should be entirely so every where. The exercise of mere force, which has been so long considered the only means of punish-ment, is at length yielding to the rapidly strength-ening conviction of the superior efficacy of moral influence. At the same time Mr. Eddy was labouring to change the penal code of the state of New York, and estab-lish his penitentiary system, his mind was deeply engaged upon other charities. An Hospital had been founded in the city of New York, by the munificence of individuals, 011 this and on the other side of the water, a few years before the commencement of the revolutionary war; but that momentous event chang-ed the whole course of things in this country, and