Page:A Tour Through the Batavian Republic.djvu/271

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THE BATAVIAN REPUBLIC
259

Amsterdam abounds in charitable institutions for the indiscriminate benefit of the indigent of all religious persuasions. Into the Foundling-hospital are equally received the unhappy offspring of Christians and Jews; but they are all educated in the calvinistic faith. This hospital for the reception and maintenance of destitute children, usually afforded before the revolution an asylum to near two thousand deserted infants, but its funds have suffered considerably from that event, and the number of objects which it supports is consequenly reduced. The Roman-catholics, the Lutherans, the Anabaptists, and even the Jews, have orphan-houses for the destitute children of their sects: that which belongs to the Roman-catholics is the noblest building, and enjoys the amplest revenues.

As a subject connected with hospitals and charitable foundations, it may not be improper here to mention, that the cow-pox, which time will probably prove to be one of the most valuable discoveries in the art of preventing disease ever made, has met