LONDON LYING IN HOSPITAL, at Shaftesbury house, on the east side of Aldersgate street; an edifice built with brick and ornamented with stone, in a most noble and elegant taste. The front to the street is adorned with Ionic pilasters; the door is arched, and has a balcony supported by scrolls. This opens into a small area encompassed with buildings, within which are accommodations for the patients. This house, which was built by the masterly hand of Inigo Jones, was formerly the residence of the Earls of Shaftesbury, and deserves a much better situation. The polite part of the town is now so far removed from hence, that this edifice is neither known nor admired so much as it deserves. This structure, having been converted to several mechanic uses, was going to decay, but has, however, been thoroughly repaired, and happily applied to this noble charity; and in this house, support and every necessary accommodation and assistance are furnished for married women in the last stage of their pregnancy, time of labour, and month of lying-in. [Illustration: _The Centre of the West Side of Lincoln’s Inn Fields, late the Duke of Ancaster’s, by Inigo Jones._ ] [Illustration: _Shaftesbury House, now the Lying-in Hospital, by Inigo Jones._ ] This excellent charity was instituted on the 30th of March 1750, by several generous and humane persons; and has met with suitable encouragement from many of both sexes, who justly deserve that character. But so many distressed objects daily present themselves for the relief of this charity, which has been attended with a more than ordinary expence, by the reception of the wives of many seamen and soldiers in the public service, that its income, supported only by voluntary contributions, is not equal to its wants; and therefore the Governors find it still necessary to apply for the assistance of the charitable and humane. The conditions are, I. Such persons as subscribe thirty guineas are Governors for life, and may recommend one pregnant woman to be upon the books at a time. II. Those who subscribe five or three guineas _per annum_, are Governors so long as they continue their subscriptions, and intitled to recommend as in the first article. III. Annual Governors may make up their subscriptions thirty guineas, within one year from their last payment, and thereupon become Governors for life. IV. All ladies are at liberty in all elections of officers, to vote by proxy signified in writing. _N. B._ All lesser benefactions are thankfully received. And for the satisfaction of the public, that the women are well and properly taken care of, ladies, though not Governesses, are permitted to go into the wards. _Rules of the Hospital._