The number of felons who had been imprisoned in Newgate during the year 1772, amounted to the amazing number of 1475; from 1747 to 1764, the number had never exceeded 1300; from the year 1763 to 1772, the greatest number of prisoners who died in Newgate within twelve months was 36, and the least 14. Impressed with the melancholy consequences to Society from this shocking increase of depravity, Sir John Fielding thus emphatically addressed the Grand Jury at the Quarter-sessions for Westminster, October 12, 1773. "Gentlemen of the Grand Jury, "By virtue of the trust now reposed in you, as a Grand Jury for the City and Liberty of Westminster, you are become the temporary guardians of the lives, liberty, property, and reputation of your fellow-citizens; nor can a higher trust than this be placed in man. And in order that it may be discharged with a conscientious regard to truth, and a fidelity becoming its importance, you are bound by the solemn tie of an oath to execute this office without malice, without resentment, without favour, and without affection. Under this sacred obligation, your fellow-subjects have reason to hope and expect that you will hear with patience, enquire with diligence, judge with candour, and present with impartiality. "I am sorry to inform you, Gentlemen, that it appears from our Calendar, that there are a number of persons in confinement charged with felonies of different degrees, but it is a melancholy truth; probably some of these unfortunate fellow-creatures may suffer ignominious punishments; but, as prevention is far superior to punishment, permit me to call forth to your attention some of those public offences which first corrupt, and then precipitate the unwary to infamy and destruction. I mean the keeping of gaming-houses, disorderly houses, bawdy-houses, for it is these seminaries of vice, these polluted fountains, that first poison the moral spring of our youth, and consequently make footpads, highwaymen, and housebreakers, of those who might otherwise have been useful, nay, perhaps honourable members of society; and although I am convinced it is in the power of many of the inhabitants of this City and Liberty to remove, by prosecution, some of these nuisances; yet I am aware that they are deterred from it by the hateful idea indiscriminately annexed to the name of an informer; and thus, gentlemen, the parties injured, by a criminal cowardice, neglect their duty to the publick, whilst the ignorant and abandoned slanderer unjustly reviles the Magistrate for the continuation of these evils; but, if public spirit should produce any prosecutors of the keepers of such houses, I hope you will do your utmost to bring such miscreants to condign punishment, that the publick may have a fair opportunity of judging in what a detestable light the Magistrates of this Bench consider such offenders and offences. Let the inhabitants but complain, and if the Justice neglect his duty, may