men are convalescents from accidents—
two-thirds of the London Hospital cases
being bodily accidents. A few are
convalescent from what may be called
accidental illnesses; but the larger proportion
of women have " rheumatism," " general
debility," and "scrofula" written against
their names in the case-book. Their
characters are to be found honestly enough
stated in the same record. " Good lad, but
rather inclined to encroach, '' is the verdict
against one; " a bad, ungrateful woman,"
gibbets another who had been tenderly
nursed and nourished in her "weakness
from poverty;" some are "exceedingly
well conducted;" some are "good children;"
one man was discharged for drunkenness;
one woman was discharged for theft; and
so on. But these are exceptions: the rule
is good behaviour, and a lively gratitude for
the benefits bestowed.

The Homes are free; by Homes we mean
Woodford Hall and the two houses at
Clapton. On this point we will extract
Mrs. Gladstone's words from her report of
the Woodford Home:

1. Its benefits are extended to convalescents from
hospitals or from their own homes free of cost.

2. It is open to persons of all religious denominations.

3. There is no system of privileged tickets, and
therefore no canvassing and no avoidable delay.

4. Admission is determined solely by the merits of
the case; AND ANY ONE, whether subscriber or not,
may recommend to the committee.

5. The Home is near town, and the journey
inexpensive, so that there may be free intercourse between
the inmates and their families.

The cases not eligible are " children
under six years of age; persons recovering
from small-pox, typhus, scarlet-fever, or
any other infectious or contagious malady;
persons with open sores, or labouring under
any form of disease requiring active
treatment; and persons subject to fits, of
unsound mind, or otherwise helpless; "and
"particular attention is now directed,"
states the report further on, " to the circumstance
that the Home is meant exclusively
for those who, having been ill, are tardily
recovering, and require for complete
restoration to health, only change of air, good
food, rest, and kindly treatment."

The normal term of admission is for a
fortnight; but those who require it are
readmitted, and the term is prolonged for one
or two weeks.

There is no question as to the immense
amount of good done by these Homes.
Cripples come in, lying in invalid chairs, or
dragging themselves painfully on crutches;
and, after a few weeks' sojourn at the Home,
go out shouldering their supports. Many
and many a valuable life has been saved
by the good food and attention to be had
at Woodford Hall. At the time of our
visit, fifty-four were in the house, and the
numbers which had passed through since
its establishment, were one thousand and
seventy-six men, and three hundred and
forty-one women and children. By reason
of the love and devotion animating every
one connected with these institutions, the
working expenses are reduced to a minimum
; and among the uncatalogued heroes
and heroines of our day may be classed
those men and women of birth, wealth,
social position, and capacity for worldly
pleasures, who, abandoning what others
hold dear, devote themselves to charity and
good works, and make the well-being of
their poorer neighbours of more account
than the enjoyments of personal life, or the
gratification of social pride. And may God
bless them all, and prosper their work!

NOTE TO "ODD RUNS AND WALKS."

IN the article, ODD RUNS AND WALKS,
which we published in No. 55 of the
present series,* a notice is given of two or three
races ridden by Mrs. Thornton, at York, in
1804 and 1805. The account originally
appeared in the local newspapers of the
day, then in the Annual Register (vols. xlvi.,
xlvii., and xlviii.), and then in various books
and periodicals. We have received a
communication from a member of the family,
by which it appears that, though the races
were really run, they were concocted, under
equivocal and disreputable circumstances,
for the purpose of cheating Colonel Thornton;
and that the sporting equestrienne
was one among several women who, in
turns, assumed a title to which none of
them had a legal claim — that of " Mrs.
Thornton." The real and only wife of the
Colonel, married to him in 1807, was a lady
of wholly different habits and character.

* See ALL THE YEAR ROUND, New Series, vol. iii,
p. 53.

A COUNCIL STRONGER THAN
THREE POPES.

THE General Council now assembled at
Rome appears to have been called mainly
for the purpose of reversing the decision of
the Council of Constance, that although a
pope is great, a council of the church is
greater. From that time until now, it has
been held that no pope is so absolute in
authority as to be above control by the