fi|m iJ A £ £ 5 
 
 Book. -C^n 
 

 i\ 
 
NARRATIVE 
 
 OF A 
 
 VISIT TO ENGLAND. 
 
 BY JOHN CODMAN, D. D. 
 
 One of the Deputation from the General Association of Massachusetts to the 
 Congregational Union of England and Wales. 
 
 An interchange of hearts, and even of looks, with those who have joint communion 
 in the objects and blessings of the gospel, is worth moj£ than all the glittering; things the 
 
 whole earth can offer. — John Newton. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 PUBLISHED BY PERKINS & MARVIN 
 PHILADELPHIA : HENRY PERKINS. 
 
 1836. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1836, 
 
 By Perkins & Marvin, 
 
 in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. 
 
 2£?-f 
 
^ 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 Page. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Departure from New York — Arrival at Havre — 
 Journey from Paris to Naples, 15 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 Naples — Rome — Florence, . . 24 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Venice — Milan — Geneva, 36 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 Paris, 59 
 
IV CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 London, 73 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 London, 148 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Excursion into the Country, 170 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 York — Durham — Edinburgh — Highlands — Glas- 
 gow — Liverpool, 217 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Excursion to Wales — Return to Liverpool — De- 
 parture from Liverpool — Arrival at New York, 241 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 To those individuals who may honor 
 the following pages with a perusal, it may 
 be proper to state the circumstances that 
 have given rise to this publication. 
 
 The fraternal intercourse that has re- 
 cently been established between the Inde- 
 pendent Churches in Britain, and the 
 Congregational and Presbyterian Churches 
 in the United States, has been the subject 
 of sincere and cordial congratulation. 
 The satisfaction with which the Deputa- 
 tion from the land of our Fathers was 
 received by the American Churches, is 
 evident, from the readiness with which 
 they reciprocated their proposals of union, 
 by an immediate appointment of Deputa- 
 2 
 
10 PREFACE. 
 
 tions to represent them at the British 
 Anniversaries. 
 
 The author of the following Narrative 
 will ever esteem it among the high and 
 valued privileges of his life, that he was 
 selected by his brethren to take part in 
 this embassy of love. 
 
 It was not until the commencement of 
 his homeward passage, when, for the first 
 time during several months, he had a 
 leisure moment, that the thought occurred 
 to him, that perhaps the people of his 
 charge, and the different Religious and 
 Benevolent Societies which he had the 
 honor to represent, might expect from 
 him, on his return, a brief account of his 
 tour, and of his attention to the objects 
 of his mission. He accordingly occupied 
 himself during a moderate and very pleas- 
 ant passage of thirty-five days, in drawing 
 up the following Narrative, which, imme- 
 diately after his return, he communicated 
 to his ow 7 n people ; and those parts of 
 which, that relate to the objects of his 
 
PREFACE. 11 
 
 mission, he now takes this more public 
 method to offer as a Report to the Ecclesi- 
 astical Body, and the different Religious 
 Societies, which he represented at the 
 Anniversaries in London, in May, 1835. 
 
 It will be perceived by the reader, that 
 the author availed himself of the opportu- 
 nity afforded by his appointment, to pass 
 the winter immediately preceding these 
 Anniversaries, in France and Italy. The 
 first part of the Narrative, relating to his 
 continental tour, as well as the concluding 
 part, containing an account of his visit to 
 Scotland and Wales, has been drawn up 
 with much greater brevity and succinct- 
 ness, than that which relates to the special 
 objects of his mission. He might, indeed, 
 have enlarged upon what he witnessed 
 in those interesting countries, and filled a 
 volume with topographical descriptions and 
 statistical accounts. This has been abun- 
 dantly done by other travellers ; and the 
 reader who is desirous of more particular 
 
12 PREFACE. 
 
 and detailed information, can be at no loss 
 to obtain it from other sources. 
 
 The author's principal object is, to give 
 an account of the Religious Anniversaries 
 held in London, in the month of May, 
 and to make his American brethren and 
 friends acquainted with those excellent 
 men, on the other side of the water, of 
 the same faith and order with the Puritans 
 of New England, who are engaged with 
 us in promoting the various objects of 
 Christian benevolence, which characterize 
 the day in which we live. He trusts he 
 shall be pardoned the free use of names of 
 individuals, as it gives him an opportunity 
 of expressing his deep sense of obligation 
 for the constant kindness and hospitality 
 he everywhere received, in his official 
 character, as a representative of the Ameri- 
 can Churches. 
 
 The reader will find interspersed in the 
 Narrative, some allusions to scenes and 
 events associated with the author's first 
 visit to England and Scotland in early life. 
 
PREFACE. 13 
 
 These, it is hoped, will be regarded with 
 indulgence, by those to whom he is not 
 personally known, while they may not be 
 altogether unacceptable to the parties more 
 immediately concerned. 
 

NARRATIVE. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 DEPARTURE FROM NEW YORK — ARRIVAL AT HAVRE — 
 JOURNEY FROM PARIS TO NAPLES. 
 
 I would commence this Narrative with devout 
 acknowledgments to Almighty God, for the 
 great and distinguishing goodness and mercy, 
 which have followed me and my heloved family, 
 from the time of my departure from my native 
 land, to the present hour. No serious casualty 
 has befallen us during that period, although we 
 have been exposed to dangers, both by sea and 
 land. 
 
 At the meeting of the General Association of 
 Massachusetts, in June, 1834, I received an ap- 
 pointment, as a Delegate to represent that body 
 at the annual meeting of the Congregational 
 Union of England and Wales in London, in May, 
 
16 ARRIVAL AT HAVRE. 
 
 1835. Having taken the subject into deliberate, 
 and, I hope, prayerful consideration, I submitted 
 it to my church and congregation, and they, with 
 great kindness, consented to my separation from 
 them for a season, and chose a committee to 
 supply the pulpit during my absence. I took 
 an affectionate leave of them, on the first Sabbath 
 in October, 1834, and exhorted them to be " of 
 one mind, and live in peace," with earnest prayers 
 that " the God of love and peace would be with 
 them." 
 
 On the sixteenth of October, I embarked at 
 New York, for Havre, in the ship Sylvie de 
 Grasse, Capt. Weiderholdt, accompanied by my 
 wife and two daughters. The passengers on 
 board were respectable and agreeable ; and after 
 a very pleasant passage of twenty-two days, we 
 arrived in safety at Havre, on the eighth of 
 November. The day after our arrival was the 
 Sabbath, and we had the satisfaction of uniting 
 our praises and thanksgivings with a few Christian 
 friends, both English and American, in a little 
 seaman's chapel, and heard a good discourse from 
 their preacher, the Rev. Mr. Ely, brother of the 
 Rev. Dr. Ely, of Philadelphia. 
 
 After spending a few days in Havre, we pro- 
 ceeded to Paris, through Rouen and St. Ger- 
 
PARIS. 17 
 
 main. In that fashionable, and in many respects 
 interesting metropolis, we spent but a short time, 
 as we intended to remain longer on our return 
 from Italy. We staid long enough, however, to 
 make the acquaintance of several Christian friends, 
 and to hear faithful, evangelical preaching, both in 
 French and English. I attended, also, a monthly 
 meeting of the French and Foreign Bible Society, 
 where I was very favorably received, as one of 
 the Trustees of the Massachusetts Bible Society, 
 from whom they gratefully acknowledged pecu- 
 niary assistance in the distribution of the Scrip- 
 tures. 
 
 After spending ten days in Paris, we procured 
 a convenient carriage and set out on our journey 
 with post-horses to Italy, through the south of 
 France. We engaged the service of a very 
 honest and faithful man, who acted in the double 
 capacity of servant and interpreter.* 
 
 A ride of two or three days, during which 
 nothing occurred of peculiar interest, brought us 
 to Lyons, the second city in importance in 
 France, and distinguished for its manufacturing 
 
 * Frangois Dunand : I mention his name, as he may be of 
 service to future travellers. Inquiry may be made for him at 
 Messrs. Welles, bankers, Paris. 
 
18 MARSEILLES. 
 
 relations to our own country. We had letters of 
 introduction to the Rev. Adolphus Monod, an 
 evangelical Protestant clergyman, who, on account 
 of his attachment to the distinguishing doctrines of 
 the gospel, had been excluded from one of the 
 churches in that city, and was now preaching to 
 a small congregation of pious and devoted friends 
 of truth. We heard him with much pleasure, and 
 spent the evening at his dwelling after the public 
 service, in delightful and profitable conversation, 
 and in social exercises of devotion. 
 
 On Monday morning, December 1st, we pur- 
 sued our journey to Marseilles, stopping at Avignon, 
 and visiting the celebrated fountain of Vaucluse, 
 in that immediate neighborhood. From Avignon 
 we made an excursion to Nismes and Montpelier, 
 and visited the spot, where the celebrated author 
 of the Night Thoughts, in the dark hour of mid- 
 night, prepared a grave, with his own hands, for 
 his daughter, for whom Christian burial had been 
 denied by Romish bigotry. It is situated in the 
 corner of a beautiful garden, and a neat tablet of 
 stone, recently erected by one of the numerous 
 admirers of Dr. Young, informs the stranger of 
 the place of interment. 
 
 We spent a few days in Marseilles, where we 
 experienced much kindness and hospitality from 
 
MARSEILLES. 19 
 
 several friends, to whom we brought letters of in- 
 troduction. In this important French port, there 
 is but one Protestant church, and that is supplied 
 by three pastors, and has but one service on the 
 Sabbath, and a catechetical lecture during the 
 week. The doctrinal sentiments of the pastors, 
 like those of many of the Protestant clergy in 
 France and Switzerland, are Arian. 
 
 A seaman's chapel is much needed in Marseilles. 
 I had expected to have met here with my coun- 
 tryman the Rev. Mr. Rockwell, who had been 
 designated by the American Seaman's Friend 
 Society, to occupy this station, and who had em- 
 barked, about the time I left the United States, in 
 one of our national frigates for the Mediter- 
 ranean.* 
 
 It is much to be desired, that this important 
 field of usefulness should be occupied. There are, 
 always, a number of seamen in this port, who un- 
 derstand the English language, and could an ami- 
 able, discreet and pious minister be introduced 
 here, as seaman's preacher, he might extend his 
 influence beyond the circle of his immediate 
 charge, and be made useful to those English and 
 
 * I have since learnt that Mr. R. has accepted the office of 
 Chaplain on board the Potomac, and continues in the service. 
 
20 GENOA. 
 
 American families, who resort here for business, 
 health or pleasure. 
 
 We left Marseilles on the 1 5th, for Toulon, Nice 
 and Genoa, over a most delightful country and on 
 the banks of the Mediterranean sea. This part 
 of our journey was rendered very interesting by 
 the romantic and unrivalled scenery through which 
 we passed. 
 
 We were now entering upon the territories of 
 the Church at Rome, and had an opportunity of 
 witnessing the paralyzing effects of that ancient, 
 and once formidable, superstition. On this sub- 
 ject, I shall have occasion to enlarge in another 
 place. I will only say here, that while I lost no 
 opportunity of attending a Protestant place of wor- 
 ship, I occasionally went into the Catholic churches, 
 and in Genoa I heard one of the most eloquent 
 preachers, to whom I ever listened. He was a 
 Capuchin Monk, dressed in his monastic habit, 
 with his cowl, and rope for a girdle, and long 
 flowing beard. His gesticulation was peculiarly 
 graceful, and the effect of his oratory upon a 
 large and very attentive congregation, was most 
 solemn and impressive. On the same day I heard 
 a French Protestant deliver a written sermon to 
 a handful of people in a peculiarly cold and heart- 
 less manner, which formed a striking contrast to 
 
LEGHORN. 21 
 
 the fascinating eloquence of the Italian Monk. I 
 could not but regret that the doctrines of the Re- 
 formation were not preached in this Catholic 
 community with more fidelity and with greater 
 power. 
 
 At Genoa we embarked in a steam-boat for 
 Naples. The first day brought us to Leghorn, 
 an important port in the Mediterranean. The 
 boat remained there but one day, during which 
 we took the opportunity of visiting Pisa, cele- 
 brated for its Leaning Tower, its Cathedral, and 
 Campo Sancto, or holy burying-ground, the earth, 
 of which it is composed, having been literally 
 brought from Jerusalem. Returning from this 
 excursion, we re-embarked in the steam-packet 
 in the evening. On reaching Civita Vecchia, the 
 port on the Mediterranean nearest the city of 
 Rome, we were persuaded to disembark our car- 
 riage with most of our luggage, as we were told it 
 would be subject to a heavy duty on its arrival 
 at Naples. I mention this circumstance to show 
 the kind providence of God, which remarkably 
 watched over us in all our ways. 
 
 Just before reaching Naples, we passed by the 
 ancient Puteoli^ the place mentioned in the Acts 
 of the Apostles, where Paul landed on his way 
 from Jerusalem to Rome. This place was pointed 
 
22 NAPLES. 
 
 out to us by a fellow passenger, a Swiss, who 
 could not speak English, by showing us the chapter 
 and verse, in a French Testament which he held 
 in his hand, that contained the account of the 
 apostle's landing. 
 
 We arrived at Naples on Christmas day, in 
 the afternoon. As it was a public day, much 
 observed by the Neapolitans, we were unable to 
 pass our luggage through the Custom House, and 
 were permitted to take on shore with us those 
 articles only, which were needed for immediate 
 use. As we had left most of our clothing with 
 our carriage at Civita Vecchia, we took on shore 
 all that we had with us, consisting of a small port- 
 manteau and a carpet-bag, while all the luggage 
 and merchandise goods, belonging to the other 
 passengers, some of which were of great value, 
 were left on board. 
 
 The next morning, we were awakened by our 
 faithful servant, with the intelligence that the 
 steam-boat was consumed by fire, a few hours 
 after the passengers had quitted it. Every thing 
 was destroyed. Some of the passengers lost their 
 all, and some a very great amount of property. 
 Francois, our servant, lost his trunk, and unhap- 
 pily some valuable property which it contained. 
 Had we not left our carriage at Civita Vecchia, 
 
NAPLES. 23 
 
 it would undoubtedly have been destroyed, to- 
 gether with the greater part of our clothing and 
 other valuable articles which it contained. In 
 this, as well as in many other circumstances which 
 occurred during our journeyings, we have abundant 
 occasion to acknowledge, with devout gratitude, 
 the merciful interpositions of a kind and protecting 
 Providence, 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 NAPLES — ROME FLORENCE. 
 
 Naples is one of the most populous cities in 
 Europe, — but its population is miserable and de- 
 graded in the extreme. The lazaroni, or common 
 beggars, infest every part of the city, and their 
 squalid poverty is so disgusting, that there is dan- 
 ger of becoming callous and hardened to those 
 sensibilities, which human wretchedness and suffer- 
 ing ought ever to inspire. Here the Catholic 
 religion is to be seen in all its pomp and circum- 
 stance. Splendid churches, and the gaudy dresses 
 of its officiating clergy, meet you on every side ; 
 but you look in vain for those salutary and happy 
 influences which a pure and unadulterated Chris- 
 tianity always produces. 
 
 But even in this corrupt and wicked place, 
 there are to be found those who have not defiled 
 
NAPLES. 25 
 
 their garments. There is a respectable congrega- 
 tion of the Church of England, where the gospel 
 is faithfully preached from Sabbath to Sabbath. 
 The Rev. Mr. Valette, a faithful missionary, to 
 whom I was introduced by my lamented friend, 
 the Rev. Samuel Green of Boston, preaches to a 
 small congregation in French, and to a Swiss regi- 
 ment in their native tongue. He is a devoted and 
 excellent man, and is doing much good. 
 
 From our hotel we had a most delightful view 
 of the Bay of Naples and of the celebrated vol- 
 canic mountain, Vesuvius. No eruption took 
 place during our visit, but the smoke, continually 
 ascending from its summit, and the variegated 
 clouds that surrounded it, afforded us from our 
 windows a most sublime and beautiful prospect. 
 
 We made an excursion to visit the far-famed 
 excavated cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii. 
 The first of these cities is but partially exca- 
 vated, but the latter presents to the admiring eye 
 one of the most wonderful scenes that is to be 
 met with on the globe. An entire city, with the 
 remains of its buildings, streets, gardens, baths, 
 tombs, &c. &c, as it existed eighteen hundred 
 years ago, is laid open to the view. All the 
 movable articles, that were found in it, together 
 with many entire skeletons of its wretched inhabi- 
 3 
 
26 ROME. 
 
 tants, are still preserved in the celebrated Mu- 
 seum in Naples, and are well worthy the atten- 
 tion of the curious traveller. We made another 
 excursion to visit the classic ground, rendered 
 memorable by Virgil, and the poets and orators of 
 his time. 
 
 We remained in Naples a short time, during 
 which the weather was cold and uncomfortable, 
 and on the 8th of January, 1835, we engaged 
 a carriage and horses to take us to Rome, that 
 ancient city, so celebrated in story and in song, 
 and in the history of the church. What rendered 
 our journey to Rome particularly interesting, was 
 the fact, that we passed over the very same 
 ground that was trodden by the apostle Paul and 
 his companions eighteen centuries ago. Before 
 reaching the city, we noticed the place in which 
 it is supposed stood the Appii Forum or Three 
 Taverns, where the apostle met his Christian 
 friends from Rome, and thanked God and took 
 courage. 
 
 The road from Naples to Rome, passing through 
 the long and dreary meadows denominated the 
 Pontine Marshes, is at certain seasons of the year, 
 rendered unhealthy by a disease, called the Mal- 
 aria, and is frequently infested with banditti. We 
 passed over it, however, without experiencing any 
 
ROME. 27 
 
 trouble or inconvenience, and arrived safely on the 
 evening of the 10th, in that city which was once 
 the mistress of the world. t 
 
 It will not comport with my design, to give 
 in this place a particular account of this ancient 
 city. Its early history is well known. The re- 
 mains of many of its celebrated temples, forums, 
 columns, and palaces, afford unceasing satisfaction 
 to the antiquary, the scholar, and the man of 
 taste. But to the Christian, nothing can exceed 
 in interest the apostolic and ecclesiastical associ- 
 ations, by which he is everywhere surrounded. 
 Here, the great Apostle to the Gentiles boldly 
 preached the faith of Christ in his own hired 
 house, and here he sealed his testimony to the 
 truth as it is in Jesus with his blood. 
 
 The spacious Ampitheatre, called the Coliseum, 
 still stands in all its massive grandeur, within whose 
 extensive area the blood of the primitive Christians 
 was poured out like water, and their bodies 
 shockingly mangled and devoured by wild beasts, 
 for the amusement of the people. The exten- 
 sive catacombs, or subterranean passages, still re- 
 main, within whose dark and mazy labyrinths the 
 primitive Christians sought refuge from their bloody 
 persecutors, and " sang praises to Christ as God." 
 They served, also, as sepulchres for their slaugh- 
 
28 ROME. 
 
 tered dead, and their gloomy cells are, to this 
 day, whitened with the bones of martyrs. 
 
 While there is much to interest the Christian 
 antiquary in exploring the localities, so intimately 
 associated with the early propagators of his faith, 
 his heart is pained within him in witnessing, on 
 every side, the lamentable effects of that degrad- 
 ing superstition, which has usurped the place of a 
 purer faith, in this renowned and venerable city. 
 Heathen temples, it is true, have been converted 
 into nominally Christian churches, but idolatry re- 
 mains the same, though disguised by different and 
 purer names. The famous bronze statue of the 
 apostle Peter, which stands in the splendid edifice 
 that bears his name, is said to have been the person- 
 ification of Jupiter, taken from a heathen temple, 
 and the numerous statues and paintings of the 
 holy virgin, which everywhere meet the eye, have 
 taken the places that were once occupied by 
 Venus and other goddesses of the heathen my- 
 thology. Indeed, the transition from ancient 
 polytheism to Romish superstition, appears neither 
 forced nor unnatural. The gorgeous vestments 
 of the Catholic priesthood, bring us back, very 
 sensibly, in our imaginations, to the interior of 
 heathen temples and the services of pagan altars ; 
 and, while witnessing their pompous processions 
 
ROME. 29 
 
 and solemn mockery, we seem to forget that we 
 are living in the nineteenth century of the Christian 
 era, and almost fancy ourselves walking the streets 
 of Rome, when in the glory of her power and 
 the height of her idolatrous worship. We are 
 soon, however, awakened from this reverie of the 
 imagination, by the images of faded glory and 
 departed greatness, which, on all sides, meet the 
 view of the observant traveller. 
 
 Rome is, evidently, in a dilapidated and de- 
 caying state. Its population is gradually declining, 
 and nothing but the annual influx of foreigners 
 prevents it from entire decay. Many, if not a 
 large proportion of its inhabitants are entirely 
 supported by the liberal disbursements of the 
 wealthy English, who visit this ancient city during 
 the winter season, and I am persuaded, notwith- 
 standing the boasting of the friends of the Eternal 
 City, that, should the event of war, or any other 
 cause interrupt her intercourse with England, she 
 would soon lose her municipal existence. 
 
 Of the importance of this dependent relation, 
 the civil authorities appear to be aware, and the 
 Pope himself winks at the establishment of a 
 Protestant Episcopal church, though for the sake 
 of apparent consistency, it stands a few rods 
 outside the gate of the city. This place of wor- 
 
30 ROME. 
 
 ship is well attended by the numerous English, 
 who reside in the city, and although many of them 
 are gay and fashionable, and apparently worldly 
 minded, they are favored with the services of an 
 evangelical and faithful clergyman, who does not 
 " shun to declare the whole counsel of God." 
 
 During a month's residence in Rome, I had 
 repeated opportunities of witnessing the ritual and 
 various ceremonies of the Catholic church, and 
 my impression has been, that, although among the 
 ignorant and lower classes of the people, there 
 may be found many sincere devotees to its super- 
 stitious peculiarities, it has but a very slight hold 
 upon the cool and deliberate judgment of the more 
 intelligent part of the community. The priesthood 
 is very numerous, for the endowments of the 
 church afford a livelihood to many, who would 
 otherwise perish for want of bread. But, if I do 
 not much mistake, many of the ecclesiastics them- 
 selves have very little confidence in the value or 
 efficacy of their official duties. — The Pope, who is 
 far advanced in life, seems to be a sincere, though 
 bigoted Catholic, who appears to discharge his 
 sacerdotal functions with great gravity and un- 
 affected seriousness and solemnity. He is not un- 
 frequently visited by Protestant strangers ; and he 
 had made an appointment to receive several Amer- 
 
ROME. 31 
 
 ican friends of my acquaintance, but our departure 
 from the city, a few days previous to the appointed 
 time, deprived us of the opportunity we should 
 otherwise have had, of a personal interview. 
 
 My conviction, from my observation since I 
 have been travelling in Catholic countries is, that 
 the faith of the church of Rome is decidedly on 
 the wane, — that its most intelligent and observant 
 advocates are fully sensible of it, — and that they 
 are looking forward to its revivification in the new 
 world. But in this forlorn hope, I trust, and con- 
 fidently believe, they will be disappointed. I am 
 not insensible to the efforts that have recently been 
 made, and are now making, for the establish- 
 ment and spread of Romanism in our own country, 
 especially in the great valley of the Mississippi. 
 That there is danger to be apprehended from these 
 efforts, cannot be denied, and that every means 
 should be used, consistent with Christian principle 
 and duty to arrest the progress of this fatal heresy, 
 will not be questioned by every friend of his 
 country and the cause of pure and undefiled re- 
 ligion. But I cannot think, for a moment, that 
 the man of sin will ever obtain a predominant 
 influence in this free and happy land. I have 
 too much confidence in the virtue and intelligence 
 of the people. Where the means of education are 
 
32 FLORENCE. 
 
 so generally enjoyed, as they are in our country, 
 it is morally impossible that the Catholic faith, 
 which depends for its existence and nutriment on 
 the ignorance of mankind, should ever obtain a 
 permanent footing, much less should ever become 
 the prevailing religion of the land. This firm 
 persuasion, however, should not lessen in any de- 
 gree, our persevering and judicious endeavors to 
 counteract the efforts that are making by the Ro- 
 man Pontiff, and other Catholic potentates in 
 Europe, to establish and patronize the peculiarities 
 of their faith in the western world. 
 
 After having seen most of the objects of curi- 
 osity in ancient and modern Rome, we pursued 
 our journey in our carriage (which had arrived 
 from Civita Vecchia) to the north of Italy. I 
 need not say, that we left Rome with much regret, 
 as we never expected to visit it again. In this 
 ancient and celebrated city there is much to in- 
 terest the admirer of the fine arts. As a specimen 
 of architecture, nothing can exceed the interior of 
 St. Peter's church. I visited it again and again, 
 and was never satiated, nor even satisfied. It 
 was with no trifling emotions of regret that we 
 beheld its lofty dome gradually disappear from our 
 view, as we took our departure on the 17th of 
 February, from Rome for Florence. 
 
FLORENCE. 33 
 
 Our journey to this far-famed city of the arts, 
 renowned as the residence of the distinguished 
 family of the Medici, was performed without any 
 memorable occurrence. We spent about ten days 
 in visiting its celebrated gallery of statuary and 
 paintings — the royal residence of the Grand Duke 
 of Tuscany — the public gardens — the magnificent 
 Duomo, or Cathedral, and several beautiful 
 churches. 
 
 During our short residence in Florence, we had 
 an opportunity of witnessing a striking instance of 
 Catholic superstition. It had been for several 
 weeks a season of severe drought. It was publicly 
 announced that a celebrated picture of a female 
 martyr, which had been for a long period con- 
 cealed from the vulgar gaze, would be exposed to 
 the sight and adorations of the people, that through 
 her intercessions, accompanying the prayers of the 
 faithful, the desired blessing might be procured. 
 For three successive days, the church, where the 
 picture was exhibited, was thronged by credulous 
 devotees, and among them the Grand Duke and 
 Duchess of Tuscany, and many of the nobility. 
 Towards the close of the third day, the rain fell 
 in torrents, and the numerous bells throughout 
 the city announced the complete success of 
 the miracle. ■ 
 
34 FLORENCE. 
 
 Such miracles are of frequent occurrence in the 
 Catholic church. We arrived in Naples a few 
 days too late to witness the celebrated miracle 
 which is annually performed, of the liquefaction of 
 the blood of St. Januarius. This saint is the 
 patron saint of Naples, and suffered martyrdom in 
 the neighborhood of that city, at an early period of 
 the Christian era. Some of his blood is reported 
 to have been preserved, and to remain in a con- 
 gealed state, except on the return of the anniver- 
 sary of his death, when it is said to liquefy in the 
 presence of a vast number of admiring devotees. 
 One of our countrymen, who arrived a few days 
 too late to witness this wonderful transmutation, 
 on expressing his regret to one of the priests, was 
 gravely told, that, at a very trifling expense, his 
 curiosity might immediately be gratified. — Such 
 is the astonishing ignorance and delusion which 
 prevails among this degraded population. 
 
 We had frequent opportunities, while in Flo- 
 rence, of seeing our distinguished countryman, Mr. 
 Greenough, who is employed by Congress in ex- 
 ecuting a colossal statue of the father of his 
 country, to be placed in the Capitol at Wash- 
 ington. — We saw also the Duke and Duchess of 
 Tuscany, both in private and in public. 
 
 The state of religion in Florence, as far as I 
 
FLORENCE. 35 
 
 could judge, is exceedingly low, and grossly super- 
 stitious. There is indeed an English Episcopal 
 church in the city, but no one is admitted without 
 pay, and the preaching is said not to be worth the 
 money. I preferred attending a small French Pro- 
 testant congregation, where the gospel is preached 
 without money and without price. There is some- 
 thing exceedingly revolting to my mind in de- 
 manding a fee for entrance into the house of God, 
 where rich and poor, high and low, should meet 
 together. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 VENICE — MILAN — GENEVA. 
 
 From Florence we proceeded to Venice, through 
 Bologna, Ferrara and Padua. Leaving our car- 
 riage at Fusina, we embarked in a gondola for 
 the city of the sea, where we should have no need 
 of horses to convey us from one part of it to 
 another. 
 
 Venice, though evidently in a state of decline, 
 is still a most interesting city. Its unique ap- 
 pearance, as standing on the sea, (or rather on a 
 number of sunken islands,) intersected by canals, 
 instead of streets, strikes the stranger with pleasing 
 admiration. But it is not the object of this brief 
 narrative to indulge in topographical description; 
 if it were, this marine city, which was the favorite 
 residence of the talented but perverted author of 
 " Childe Harold," would furnish abundant material 
 
VENICE. 37 
 
 for the purpose. We stood where he stood, on 
 the Bridge of Sighs — " a prison and a palace on 
 each hand." We visited them both. The palace 
 of the Doges in the proud days of the republic, 
 though not at present occupied by the constituted 
 authorities, is shown to strangers. Its spacious 
 halls — its extensive library — the very rooms that 
 were occupied by the council of " Three Hun- 
 dred," and the still more dreaded council of 
 " Three," were opened for our inspection, and, I 
 need not say, recalled to our minds scenes of 
 painful interest, which was not lessened by the 
 visit which we subsequently paid to the former 
 prison and dungeons of the Inquisition. After 
 receiving their sentence, the unhappy victims of a 
 cruel superstition passed from the hall of judgment 
 over the bridge of sighs to their gloomy cell, and 
 thence, as soon as they were shriven by the ap- 
 pointed confessor, into the eternal world. 
 
 We passed a week in Venice — visited many of 
 its splendid churches and palaces — and were much 
 gratified in viewing the statuary and paintings 
 which they contained. We were there on the 
 last days of the Carnival — and for two or three 
 nights, the spacious square of St. Mark was filled 
 with people, many of them disguised in the most 
 grotesque forms of masquerade. 
 
38 VENICE. 
 
 Before leaving Venice, we paid a visit to the 
 Armenian Convent, situated on an island, a short 
 distance from the city, where we were very politely 
 received by the learned and courteous secretary of 
 the establishment, who speaks English fluently, as 
 well as a number of other languages. He told us 
 that he was well acquainted with Lord Byron, 
 who used frequently to take lessons of him in the 
 Armenian language. Of his infidelity he appeared 
 to entertain no doubt, and he assured us that he 
 was a very unhappy man. In this establishment 
 there is a press, at which are printed several dif- 
 ferent languages. We took leave of this literary 
 and urbane ecclesiastic with regret, and enrolled 
 our names in the visitor's book, which contained 
 the names of many of our own countrymen, as well 
 as others from different parts of the world. 
 
 On returning to the city we visited a lunatic 
 asylum, on a neighboring island, and were much 
 pleased with the propriety, cleanliness and general 
 order of the establishment. 
 
 The Roman Catholic religion is the only form 
 of Christianity, if it can be called such, that exists 
 in Venice. We sought in vain for a Protestant 
 place of worship of any denomination. I believe 
 there is a Jewish synagogue in the place, but, 
 with this exception, all the other places of wor- 
 
VENICE. 39 
 
 ship, which are numerous, are under the control 
 of the See of Rome. 
 
 During our stay in Venice, intelligence was re- 
 ceived of the death of the Emperor of Austria ; 
 and the incessant sound of bells, in consequence 
 of this event, was not a little annoying to us. 
 Great preparations were making for a funeral 
 ceremony in the church of St. Mark, which was 
 to take place on the day after that, on which we 
 proposed to quit Venice. The death of this 
 Potentate does not appear to be much felt by 
 his Venetian subjects, many of whom sigh in vain 
 for the return of the best days of the republic. 
 
 We were not a little delighted, on "taking one 
 of our aquatic excursions on the beautiful La- 
 guna, in perceiving the American flag waving 
 among the shipping of the harbor. We directed 
 our gondolier to guide his boat under the stern 
 of the vessel, where, to our surprise and gratifica- 
 tion, we read the name of the Impulse of Boston. 
 W r e immediately hailed her, and were received on 
 board with great politeness by Capt. Dunbar, who 
 informed us that he was bound for Boston, and 
 would be happy to take charge of any letters or 
 parcels we might intrust to his care. The ap- 
 pearance of an American vessel is a rare occur- 
 rence in Venice, as it is said that this is the first 
 
40 MILAN. 
 
 that has arrived at this port for thirty-six years. 
 In testimony of their desire to cultivate commer- 
 cial relations with the United States, the Vene- 
 tian Chamber of Commerce have presented Capt. 
 Dunbar with a handsome flag. 
 
 On Monday the 9th of March, we left Venice 
 and returned to Padua, whence we proceeded on 
 our tour to Milan, the northern capital of Italy, 
 over the plains of Lombardy, and through the 
 interesting towns of Vicenza and Verona. We 
 found the road good, and arrived at Milan without 
 any occurrence worthy of notice. 
 
 Milan is a beautiful city, distinguished for its 
 Cathedral, whose external architecture exceeds 
 any thing of the kind I ever witnessed. The 
 interior of St. Peter's at Rome, and the exterior 
 of the Cathedral at Milan, are the most perfect 
 models of ecclesiastical architecture, I doubt not, 
 of which the world can boast. We ascended to 
 the top of this superb edifice, and had a nearer 
 view of those innumerable little marble statues of 
 saints and angels, which so richly decorate this 
 magnificent temple. The interior of this fine 
 Cathedral is not particularly striking. It contains 
 the cemetery of Charles Borromeo, who is the 
 patron saint of Milan. His tomb is reported to 
 have cost a sum of money nearly equal to a 
 
MILAN. 41 
 
 million of dollars. The body of the saint is 
 exhibited for a pecuniary consideration, richly 
 embalmed and loaded with jewels that have been 
 presented by various princes and other distin- 
 guished individuals, who at different times have 
 visited this shrine. This remarkable personage, 
 though now lying in such state, surrounded by 
 diamonds and jewels, was, during his lifetime, 
 distinguished for his great self-denial and acts of 
 liberality and beneficence. His meek and be- 
 nevolent spirit would have revolted at the lavish 
 expenditure, with which his superstitious ad- 
 mirers have chosen to load the deposit of his 
 earthly remains. 
 
 During his life the city of Milan was visited 
 with that dreadful scourge of humanity, the 
 plague, and he not only fearlessly exposed his 
 own life, but expended an immense fortune, in 
 administering to the necessities and comforts of 
 the wretched sufferers. The extensive Alms- 
 houses, erected by his princely bounty, though 
 now comparatively useless, still remain as a 
 monument of the unwearied liberality of this ex- 
 cellent man. He was devoted to the spiritual, as 
 well as the temporal interests of his fellow crea- 
 tures, and it is said, that he was the first to have 
 conceived the idea of collecting children together 
 4 
 
42 MILAN. 
 
 on the Sabbath for religious instruction. This 
 honor, indeed, has always been awarded to the 
 immortal Raikes ; and so far as it relates to the 
 instruction of children in the sacred Scriptures, it 
 may still be exclusively awarded to him. But 
 the practice of the religious instruction of children 
 on the Sabbath, in the tenets of the church of 
 Rome is, I have no doubt, as old as the time of 
 Charles Borromeo. It prevails at the present mo- 
 ment very generally, if not universally, in Catholic 
 countries. During the interval of the morning 
 and the evening services, it is the custom of the 
 priests to collect the children about them — the 
 boys in one part, and the girls in another part 
 of the church, to receive religious instruction; and 
 I have frequently stopped to listen to their exhor- 
 tations, though I could not well understand the 
 language in which they were given. 
 
 The following account of this remarkable man 
 may not be unacceptable to the reader. 
 
 " Charges Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan, 
 was descended from one of the most noble and op- 
 ulent families in Italy. Being inclined to an ec- 
 clesiastical life, he applied himself early to those 
 studies, which seemed best to qualify him for that 
 high function ; conversing constantly with those, 
 who were most famous for learning and virtue in 
 
MILAN. 43 
 
 his country, and, what is still far more effectual, dil- 
 igently studying the writings and examples of the 
 wise and holy dead. His uncle being afterwards 
 elected Pope, the principal preferments of the 
 church, both as to riches and honors, were soon 
 conferred on him. But he showed even in his 
 early years a greatness and goodness of mind, far 
 superior to that of most ecclesiastics of that corrupt 
 age. Instead of making it the object of his life to 
 engross many preferments, and then to live on 
 their incomes in pride and idleness, in avarice or 
 luxury ; he immediately resigned, or devoted to 
 charitable purposes, three quarters of his ecclesias- 
 tical, and all his own large property, leaving to him- 
 self, of an income, which even in that time amount- 
 ed to twenty-five thousand pounds sterling per 
 annum, little more than what was barely sufficient 
 for the mere necessaries of life. He left the pomp 
 of the court of Rome, and retired to his residence, 
 which was almost perpetual, in his diocese. This 
 he made the scene of his glorious labors. For 
 though the greatness of Borromeo's mind was un- 
 happily in some instances obscured by the super- 
 stition of that age and country, yet in general the 
 designs and actions of his whole life were most 
 noble and wise. He was indeed a great instru- 
 ment in reforming in some degree the corruptions 
 
44 MILAN. 
 
 of the church, and bringing back the clergy to 
 their duty by his noble example in so illustrious a 
 station. His whole life was an uninterrupted scene 
 of zeal in doing good. Few hours did he allow to 
 sleep ; scarce any to any other refreshment. His 
 great temperance indeed was a perpetual source 
 to him of that spirit of industry, and of that tran- 
 quillity of mind, 'which were so useful for such 
 labors. Daily did he allot several hours to study ; 
 in which he was both indefatigable, and in general 
 judicious ; — several for private and public devo- 
 tion ; — for he every day publicly read and per- 
 formed himself the whole divine service of the 
 church, — twice in every day did he give public 
 audience to the poor : hearing their complaints 
 with the greatest patience ; answering them with 
 the greatest sweetness ; relieving them instantly, 
 if possible, in their distress. The remaining hours 
 were employed in the particular business of the 
 day : for each day had its appointed business ; 
 some days were allotted to attending the business 
 of his ecclesiastical tribunals ; — in the proceedings 
 of which no fear of the greatest nobles or princes 
 could sway him from what, after much deliberation 
 and consultation, he was convinced was right, — or 
 the overseeing of the erection of the public buildings 
 of charity and piety, and the seminaries of learning, 
 
MILAN. 45 
 
 which he was continually founding. Other days 
 were appointed for the visiting and inspecting, by 
 turns, the several parishes and religious houses, 
 the hospitals, and even prisons of this great city. 
 Besides the good which he did in these, he made 
 it in general a rule to walk on foot from one of 
 these places to the other, that he might give op- 
 portunity to any one in the way to speak to him, 
 and thus not lose the least opportunity of doing 
 good. 
 
 " Thus were the months employed within the 
 walls of Milan : the rest of the year was passed in 
 visiting the other parts of his diocese : he gave 
 great attention to the smallest parishes ; despising 
 no person for his low condition, and being particu- 
 larly industrious and happy in understanding and 
 directing the different turns and tempers of mind 
 in all ranks of men : he neglected not, even that 
 part of his diocese, which lay in some of the 
 wildest regions of the Alps. The inhabitants of 
 those mountains were surprised to see a Cardinal 
 Archbishop travelling on foot from one village to 
 another, discoursing on the road familiarly with 
 the meanest laborers and shepherds ; edifying 
 them by his pious instructions, and infinitely more 
 so by such an example of humility ; relieving 
 their poverty with the greatest generosity and 
 
46 MILAN. 
 
 charity ; and yet himself constantly living more 
 hardly than any one of them would easily have 
 submitted to do. To complete his charity to that 
 country, which was buried in ignorance, he fre- 
 quently sent proper persons from Milan for their 
 instruction ; and crowned the work with founding 
 the Helvetic college in Milan, as a learned semi- 
 nary for constantly supporting about one hundred 
 young students in divinity of that nation. 
 
 "In the great famine of the year 1570, he 
 every day, and that continually for the space of 
 several months, fed upward of three thousand 
 poor. To defray the immense expense of his 
 charity in that dreadful year, he sold the princi- 
 pality of Oria, an estate of his own at Naples, of 
 two thousand pounds per annum, and distributed 
 immediately the whole product of that sale to the 
 poor : he sold also his jewels, and the rich furni- 
 ture of his family palace for seven thousand five 
 hundred pounds sterling, and distributed this sum 
 likewise in the same manner: he sold all the plain 
 furniture of his episcopal house, even the very bed 
 on which he slept. 
 
 " Six years afterwards, happened that dreadful 
 plague of Milan, which destroyed about twenty- 
 five thousand of its inhabitants : far from fleeing 
 from such danger, he stirred not from the city 
 
MILAN. 47 
 
 during all that dreadful time : daily was he to be 
 seen prostrating himself with his people before the 
 altars of mercy : continually was he visiting with 
 the greatest fortitude, piety, and benevolence, 
 multitudes of sick and dying, whether in private 
 houses, hospitals, or prisons. The dismal specta- 
 cles in these places so moved his good and kind 
 heart, that he again sold all his plate, furniture, 
 he. which he had lately repurchased, and gave 
 that and every thing he was worth to the relief of 
 the poor in that dreadful distress. He left scarcely 
 necessaries for himself: one evening particularly, 
 when he returned home from the dismal fatigues 
 of the day, he found not a morsel of bread in the 
 archiepiscopal palace, with which to refresh him- 
 self — for his diet was little better than bread and 
 water — or any money to buy it withal. It is to 
 be observed, that at this very time, he constantly 
 and daily supported not fewer than fourteen hun- 
 dred sick persons ; and it is estimated, that on the 
 whole no less than seventy thousand of his country- 
 men owed their lives to him. — After the cessation 
 of the plague, he founded, as his income came in, 
 several charities for the reception and support of 
 the poor orphans of those who had perished in the 
 pestilence. 
 
 " No wonder that all the inhabitants of this 
 
48 MILAN. 
 
 country should look on him as their father. 
 Among the multitudes that loved and adored him, 
 there were, however, some few wretched enough 
 to form a conspiracy even against his life. They 
 discharged their pistols against his breast, even 
 while on his knees before the altar. The wound 
 was given while that part of the gospel was 
 reading — ' Let not your heart be troubled, neither 
 let it be afraid: if they persecute you, ye know 
 that they have persecuted me also.'' The prelate, 
 though thinking that he had received his death's 
 wound, changed not his posture or countenance, 
 but continued still in the same meek devotion, re- 
 signing his soul to Him whom he was adoring. 
 He afterwards did all in his power, according to 
 his usual gentleness and love to his enemies, to 
 contrive the escape and save the lives of his 
 assassins : of some, who were condemned to the 
 gallies, he obtained the liberty : others were by 
 the justice of the nation, notwithstanding his en- 
 deavors, sentenced to death. They died repen- 
 tant, and recommending their families to the good- 
 ness of Borromeo : With joy did he accept the 
 guardianship of them, and protected and provided 
 for them with the most parental charity and love. 
 Informed of other conspiracies against him, he 
 showed the same unmoved fortitude, burning the 
 
MILAN. 49 
 
 letters which brought him the intelligence, and 
 refusing guards, which the government offered 
 him for the protection of his person : saying, that 
 the prayers of his flock were his best guard. But 
 the whole of his life was one continued chain of 
 the most undaunted fortitude, the most indefatiga- 
 ble beneficence, the purest virtue, the sincerest 
 and deepest humility, and the most fervent and 
 exalted piety. Twenty years did he thus execute 
 the episcopal office. His labors were then fin- 
 ished by a fever of some few days, or rather of 
 some few hours ; and he was called to his ever- 
 lasting reward, leaving behind him on earth a 
 memory adored by his countrymen, and honored 
 by the wise and good of all nations, and of all 
 religions." 
 
 We were much pleased with the city of Milan. 
 It is more .cleanly, and the people are far more 
 active and industrious than in any other city we 
 visited in Italy. The inhabitants in general are su- 
 perior in personal appearance to the more southern 
 Italians, though we noticed an unusual number of 
 dwarfs, of both sexes, for which we found it diffi- 
 cult to account. The Ambrosian Library, and the 
 Palace of the Arts, contain many beautiful spec- 
 imens of statuary and painting. We were partic- 
 ularly gratified on visiting in an old convent the 
 
50 MILAN. 
 
 original picture of the Last Supper, by Leonard 
 de Vinci. It is much injured by time. There 
 are two copies of this celebrated picture, in the 
 college of the Brera, or palace of the arts ; one of 
 them was painted by a scholar of the artist while 
 he was living — the other, as large as the original, 
 is a remarkably good copy. 
 
 We were frequently reminded of Napoleon in 
 Milan. It was here that he was crowned king of 
 Italy. Every thing however is done by the Aus- 
 trian government to efface from the memory of the 
 Milanese the recollection of this remarkable man. 
 The famous colossal statue in bronze, made by 
 Canova, which once ornamented the Piazza del 
 Duomo, we saw lying prostrate among a parcel of 
 rubbish, in a lower apartment of the palace of the 
 arts. 
 
 After spending a few days in Milan, we pro- 
 ceeded on our tour to Geneva over the Alps, and 
 by the celebrated road constructed by Buonaparte, 
 called the Simplon. The first day's ride was 
 very delightful, through a beautiful country, and 
 on the banks of some of the finest lakes in 
 Northern Italy. We passed in view of a colossal 
 statue of St. Charles Borromeo. It is said to be 
 about seventy feet high, and is entirely composed 
 of brass, except the hands, which are of bronze. 
 
MILAN. 51 
 
 The saint is looking towards Arona, his native 
 place, and from the attitude in which he stands, 
 appears to be in the act of blessing it. The head 
 alone of this immense statue, will contain, accord- 
 ing to Carter, eight persons comfortably. Madame 
 Starke says, that four can be accommodated, 
 seated around a table, and Francois, our servant, 
 told us that he had been in it with thirteen beside 
 himself. 
 
 The second day brought us to the commence- 
 ment of the Alpine ascent ; and we were not a 
 little alarmed by the intelligence we received, that 
 a most frightful accident had very recently taken 
 place, in crossing the Simplon ; a carriage and 
 horses having been precipitated over one of the 
 tremendous precipices, by a sudden gust of wind, 
 by which the horses and all the passengers were 
 killed. This terrific intelligence, however, did 
 not deter us from prosecuting our journey, rely- 
 ing upon the protection of that kind Providence 
 which had continually watched over us. The 
 day in which we attempted to pass the mountain- 
 ous barrier between Italy and Switzerland, was 
 pleasant, and apparently favorable ; but as we 
 proceeded towards the summit of the mountain, 
 the wind began to rise, and to blow fearfully. 
 We soon arrived to such depths of snow, as made 
 
52 VEVAY. 
 
 it necessary to remove the wheels of our carriage, 
 and to avail ourselves of runners provided for the 
 occasion. In this way we passed most frightful 
 precipices, and when we arrived at the place, 
 where the awful casualty was said to have occur- 
 red, we held our breath for several moments in 
 deep anxiety. Through the merciful providence 
 of our heavenly Protector, the wind, which, but 
 an hour or two before, blew almost an hurricane, 
 subsided into a calm, and we crossed the danger- 
 ous pass in safety. After a tedious ride of thirteen 
 hours, we reached the place of our destination 
 without any accident, and, I trust, felt our hearts 
 swell in gratitude to our almighty Preserver. 
 
 Having in some measure recovered from the 
 fatigue of the preceding day, we resumed our 
 journey on the morrow, through that interesting 
 country which we had long wished to see, and 
 which, after all, we were obliged to pass through 
 at a most unpropitious season of the year. The 
 weather, during the whole time we were in Swit- 
 zerland, was cold, cheerless and uncomfortable. 
 We arrived late at night, at Vevay, on the banks 
 of the beautiful Leman, or lake of Geneva, having 
 passed in the dark without knowing it, to our 
 subsequent mortification, the castle of Chillon, so 
 romantic in its situation, and so celebrated by the 
 
GENEVA. 53 
 
 poetry of. Lord Byron. We found ourselves at a 
 very comfortable inn, and the next morning left 
 for Geneva, through Lausanne and other beautiful 
 villages on the borders of one of the finest lakes in 
 the world. Had the weather been propitious, the 
 ride would have been most delightful ; even as it 
 was, it was not destitute of interest, and led us to 
 imagine what it would be under fairer skies at a 
 more congenial season. We arrived towards 
 evening at Geneva, and took up our abode for 
 several days at one of the most extensive and 
 comfortable hotels we had met with on the con- 
 tinent. We were most cordially welcomed by a 
 lady of our acquaintance from Boston, who was 
 residing in Geneva for the education of her chil- 
 dren. We were delighted to find, also, at the 
 same hotel with ourselves, a very interesting 
 family, who made a passage with us last October, 
 in the Sylvie de Grasse. Mons. Barbey, who 
 was a native of Switzerland, contributed much, 
 during our short residence in Geneva, to our com- 
 fort and happiness, by his kind and unwearied 
 attentions. Through his politeness, we were 
 favored with a sight of the latest papers from 
 New York ; and the very first intelligence that 
 met our eager eye, overwhelmed us with surprise 
 and grief. 1 refer to the announcement of the 
 
54 GENEVA. 
 
 sudden death of our dearly beloved and much 
 valued friend, the Rev. Dr. Wisner. The long 
 and endearing intimacy that subsisted between 
 him and myself; the most perfect and unrestrained 
 confidence that characterized this intimacy, and 
 the blasted hopes of renewing it again with in- 
 creasing delight on my return, rendered this 
 unexpected intelligence peculiarly afflictive, and 
 cast a gloom over the interesting scenes through 
 which we were moving ; and it was long before 
 I regained sufficient equanimity to engage with 
 any cordiality in the occurrences of the passing 
 hour. 
 
 Geneva is not what it once was. Its glory has 
 departed. Its " venerable company of pastors," 
 as the associated ministers of this city are called, 
 are, with one or two exceptions, Unitarian in 
 sentiment. The very pulpit in which the immor- 
 tal Calvin preached the doctrines of the Reforma- 
 tion, is now occupied by those of a different and 
 opposite faith. The degeneracy of this people, 
 and their present depraved and vitiated taste, is 
 evident from the fact, that while not a stone nor 
 any other memorial directs the inquiring traveller 
 to the grave of Calvin, a colossal statue of the 
 licentious and infidel Rousseau, occupies one of 
 the most beautiful and conspicuous parts of the city. 
 
GENEVA. 55 
 
 Amidst the general apostacy, there yet re- 
 main those, both within and without the national 
 Protestant church, who adhere to the faith once 
 delivered to the saints. I was most cordially re- 
 ceived by the Rev. Caesar Mai an, D. D. He 
 lives a little out of the city, and has a neat and 
 convenient chapel, erected in his garden, at his 
 own expense, where he preaches to a small but 
 devout congregation. His mild, benignant and 
 expressive countenance, and the peculiar suavity 
 of his manners, render him a most agreeable com- 
 panion. He converses in English with fluency, 
 and occasionally preaches in that language. We 
 heard him preach in French, and were much 
 interested in his manner, and, as far as we could 
 understand, in the matter of his discourses. We 
 heard, also, an evangelical minister, connected 
 with the national church, (Rev. Mr. Goissin,) 
 deliver a lecture to youth in a chapel called the 
 Oratoire. There is also a society of Christians, 
 composed of independents, (or Congregationalists,) 
 and Baptists, who worship, for the present, in a 
 chamber or hall. They have two or three pas- 
 tors, one of whom, at least, is a Baptist in senti- 
 ment. With this congregation, an excellent 
 family, by the name of Wolff, with whom it was 
 our happiness to be acquainted, were connected. 
 
56 GENEVA. 
 
 M. Wolff and his family, keep a pension, or 
 private boarding-house, next door to Dr. Malan's, 
 where several of our pious American friends, who 
 have occasionally visited Geneva, have found ex- 
 cellent accommodations. The young ladies called 
 upon us on the morning of our departure, in com- 
 pany with one of their pastors, the Rev. Mr. 
 Guers, with whose simplicity and sincerity I was 
 greatly delighted. 
 
 We visited the public library in the college of 
 Geneva, and were highly gratified by the sight of 
 several ancient manuscripts, among them some in 
 the handwriting of Calvin, which, notwithstanding 
 the general defection from his creed, are preserved 
 with scrupulous care and attention. We were 
 shown also an original picture of this celebrated 
 Reformer, as well as the portraits of several of 
 his cotemporaries. 
 
 We visited also a large gallery of paintings, 
 among which we noticed a modern painting of 
 the death-bed of Calvin. He is represented as 
 a very pale and emaciated figure, seated upright 
 in his bed, taking his last farewell of his numerous 
 friends, Beza, Varel, and others, whose likenesses 
 are copied from the portraits just mentioned. I 
 have seen no picture in the numerous collec- 
 tions which I have examined during the last few 
 
FONTAINBLEAU. 57 
 
 months, which interested me more both as to the 
 subject and the execution. 
 
 We waited five days in Geneva to see the sun, 
 that we might enjoy the delightful scenery of the 
 Lake, and obtain a more perfect view of Mount 
 Blanc; but we waited in vain. During the whole 
 of the time, dark and gloomy clouds veiled from 
 our view the luminary of day, and a cold and 
 piercing wind confined us much to the house; 
 and when we ventured abroad, blew us about to 
 our great discomfort and annoyance. We could 
 only hope, that at some future day we might see 
 the delightful lakes, and mountains, and valleys 
 of Switzerland, under more favorable and auspi- 
 cious circumstances. 
 
 Having visited Ferney, the celebrated retreat of 
 the skeptical philosopher Voltaire, we left Geneva 
 on our way to Paris. Nothing occurred worthy 
 of notice on our journey. We arrived at Fon- 
 tainbleau the night before we reached the French 
 metropolis. Here we were gratified in meeting 
 with two of our fellow passengers in the Sylvie 
 de Grasse, who had taken up their residence in 
 this pleasant village. These French ladies re- 
 ceived us with great politeness, and we spent the 
 evening very pleasantly, in reviewing the little 
 incidents of our outward passage. In the morn- 
 5 
 
58 FONTAINBLEAU. 
 
 ing we visited the palace, and its beautiful gardens 
 and forests. In one of the rooms is preserved 
 with great care, a small round table, upon which 
 Napoleon signed his abdication of the throne of 
 France. I have found very generally throughout 
 this country, that the memory of Buonaparte is 
 cherished with much enthusiasm, while little sym- 
 pathy is expressed for Charles the Tenth, and as 
 little interest felt for Louis Philippe. The people 
 appear to be satisfied with the present govern- 
 ment, as, upon the whole, the best they can 
 expect, though by no means enthusiastically at- 
 tached to it. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 PARIS. 
 
 On the 28th of March we arrived again in Paris, 
 and took lodgings in the Hotel de Hollande, rue 
 de la Paix. A large number of letters awaited 
 our arrival, and the intelligence which they con- 
 tained, respecting our absent family, friends, and 
 people, relieved our anxiety, and filled our hearts 
 with joy and gratitude. 
 
 In Paris we were happy to rejoin our much 
 valued friend, Rev. Dr. McAuley, of New York, 
 who was our fellow passenger from America, and 
 our fellow traveller in Italy, and from whom we 
 reluctantly separated in Milan. His health, though 
 by no means confirmed, appeared to be improved. 
 Here, too, we were gratified to meet the Rev. Dr. 
 Spring and his daughter, and Mr. and Mrs. Baird, 
 who had recently arrived from New York. Dr. 
 
60 PARIS. 
 
 Spring, as a Delegate from the Presbyterian 
 church in the United States, to the Congrega- 
 tional Union of England and Wales ; and Rev. Mr. 
 Baird, as a resident Agent of the American Pro- 
 testant Association for promoting Religion in 
 France. We met, also, several other esteemed 
 transatlantic friends, some of whom we had seen 
 during the past winter in Italy, and some of whom 
 were directly from the United States. We found 
 ourselves very pleasantly situated in the midst of 
 a circle of Christian friends, in the gayest and 
 most fashionable city in the world. 
 
 The day after our arrival, being the Sabbath, 
 we attended public worship in a Protestant chapel, 
 in the rue Taitbout. This is a neat and commo- 
 dious place, which will accommodate about five 
 hundred people, and was formerly used as a small 
 theatre. O ! that the time may come, when the 
 twenty or thirty theatres, that are open every 
 Sunday evening in this dissipated city, for the 
 service of the god of this world, shall no longer 
 resound with the sentiments of the stage, and the 
 songs of the opera, but be made vocal with the 
 doctrines of salvation, and the praises of our Lord 
 and Saviour Jesus Christ ! This chapel is sup- 
 plied both with French and English preaching. 
 In the morning, the Rev. Messrs. Grandpierre 
 
PARIS. 61 
 
 and Audobez officiate alternately in French, and 
 are well attended, not only by French, but by 
 several English and American hearers. In the 
 afternoon, the service is in English, and has been, 
 for several years, conducted by the Rev. Mark 
 Wilks, who has been resident in Paris for nearly 
 thirty years. Mr. Wilks has done much good, not 
 only in Paris, but throughout France, in sustaining 
 the different religious institutions, with which he is 
 connected. The Rev. Mr. Mines, who had been 
 employed as an American missionary to the seamen 
 at Havre, and who is a most amiable man, as well 
 as a preacher of superior talent, was invited to 
 come to Paris as an assistant, and, as was supposed 
 by himself and others, as a successor to Mr. Wilks, 
 who, it was thought, would leave the pulpit to Mr. 
 Mines, and devote himself exclusively to his more 
 public engagements. But, it seems, Mr. Wilks 
 did not so understand the arrangement, and was 
 unwilling to relinquish the sole control of the 
 pulpit to Mr. Mines. In consequence of which, 
 Mr. Mines thought it his duty, after having con- 
 sulted his friends and several of his ministerial 
 brethren, who were then in Paris, to withdraw 
 from that situation, and return to America. This 
 course seemed the less objectionable, from the fact 
 of the arrival of the Rev. Mr. Baird, who can 
 
62 PARIS. 
 
 occasionally preach for Mr. Wilks, while he prose- 
 cutes the more general objects of his mission. 
 
 It appears very desirable that there should be 
 an American Congregational or Presbyterian church 
 established in Paris, having an evangelical and ac- 
 ceptable pastor. The American residents would 
 feel a sort of national interest in the establishment, 
 and might be disposed to attend it. At present, 
 the number of pious, devoted, church-going Ameri- 
 cans is very small. Like the pious Jews, how- 
 ever, in the days of Malachi, " who feared the 
 Lord," they " speak often one to another." Four 
 or five of them, and sometimes more, meet every 
 Saturday evening for prayer, the study of the 
 Scripture?, and religious conversation, and we 
 cannot doubt that the God of Israel will "hearken 
 and hear," and will own them as his " in the day 
 when he maketh up his jewels." 
 
 In the morning, we heard Mr. Grandpierre 
 preach in French. His manner is interesting, 
 and, as far as I could judge from my imperfect 
 knowledge of the language, his discourse was 
 sound and evangelical. In the afternoon, we were 
 refreshed by hearing a very solemn and impressive 
 discourse in our own language, and by one of our 
 own countrymen, Dr. Spring. Thus passed away 
 another of the days of the Son of Man. Though 
 
PARIS. 63 
 
 we had the privilege of attending public worship 
 once and again, there was nothing outside of the 
 house of God to remind us of the Sabbath. All 
 was gaiety, frolic, riding, promenading, sight-see- 
 ing, rope-dancing, puppet-showing, and every sort 
 of idle lounging and fashionable confusion. The 
 boulevards and other public walks, such as the 
 gardens of the Thuilleries, Luxembourg, &c, 
 were crowded with people, many of them sitting 
 on chairs or benches — some reading newspapers 
 and other periodicals ; others taking their coffee, 
 lemonade, or ices ; and all apparently regardless 
 of the sacred injunction, " Remember the Sabbath 
 day to keep it holy." Such is the Sabbath, not 
 only in Paris, but in Catholic countries generally, 
 I believe I may say universally, at least so far as 
 my knowledge extends. The people usually 
 attend mass in the morning, but the afternoon and 
 evening are given up to the unrestrained indulgence 
 of worldly pleasure and gratification. The priests, 
 themselves, not unfrequently engage in amuse- 
 ments and sports, after having performed the most 
 solemn service of their ostentatious and imposing 
 ritual. 
 
 One of the greatest difficulties attending the 
 conscientious traveller on the continent of Europe, 
 is the embarrassment which the usages of society 
 
64 PARIS. 
 
 everywhere present to the strict observance of 
 the Sabbath. Not only are the streets filled with 
 people, engaged in their ordinary avocations and 
 more particularly devoted to amusement, but the 
 custom of travelling on the Sabbath is so universal, 
 and regarded with so much indifference by all 
 classes of society, that it seems, at first, almost 
 impossible to perform any long continued journey 
 without encroaching upon holy time. I am per- 
 suaded however, that the difficulty is, by no means, 
 insurmountable. Steadiness of purpose, and a 
 little forethought and calculation in arranging the 
 time of departure and the stages of the road, will 
 enable the Christian tourist to pursue his route 
 without compromising his principles, and without 
 any serious inconvenience to himself. 
 
 There is another powerful temptation, which 
 will continually present itself to those, who have 
 solemnly professed to renounce the vanities of the 
 world, while sojourning on the continent of Eu- 
 rope. The theatre and the opera follow you 
 wherever you go, and are the invariable theme of 
 conversation in almost every circle into which you 
 are thrown. The government encourages them 
 by its enactments, and the clergy sanction them 
 by their presence. Indeed almost every one, from 
 the king on his throne, to the plainest citizen and 
 
PARIS. 65 
 
 the humblest peasant, goes to the theatre. It is 
 true, a very vigilant police in most European 
 cities guards these sources of amusement from 
 many of those abuses to which they have been 
 considered liable, and the strictest order and de- 
 corum is said to prevail both within and without 
 their precincts. But, disguise it as you will, the 
 theatre has always been the vantage ground of the 
 great enemy of souls. 
 
 An argument which is often used, and too fre- 
 quently prevails with serious minded travellers is, 
 that it is impossible to see and judge of the man- 
 ners and customs of the different nations through 
 which you pass, without attending their theatres 
 and other places of amusement. This argument 
 is indeed specious, but fallacious and extremely 
 dangerous. We had better remain forever ignorant 
 of these manners and customs, than to purchase 
 the knowledge of them at the expense of our prin- 
 ciples, and by the sacrifice of our purity and 
 virtue. I am persuaded, that the only safe rule 
 that can be adopted by the Christian in these 
 trying circumstances is, never to do any thing 
 abroad, that he would not do at home. It is true, a 
 strict adherence to this rule may expose him to oc- 
 casional inconvenience, and perhaps deprive him of 
 some opportunities of seeing the world ; but he will 
 
66 PARIS. 
 
 be more than compensated for any such sacrifice, 
 by the approbation of his conscience, and the sat- 
 isfaction afforded by a review of his time, in the 
 calm and sober hours of domestic retirement. 
 
 We happened to be in Paris during some of the 
 festivals of the Romish church, and had an oppor- 
 tunity of attending the church of St. Roch, on 
 Good Friday, and hearing high mass performed 
 on Easter Sunday in the church of Notre Dame, 
 by the Archbishop of Paris, dressed in his ponti- 
 fical robes. The Catholic churches in Paris, in 
 general, are well attended, especially when the 
 people are attracted by a popular preacher. The 
 large church of Notre Dame, was crowded to ex- 
 cess when it was known that a celebrated preacher, 
 then in Paris, was to officiate. Seats were fre- 
 quently engaged the night before, and exorbitant 
 sums paid to secure them. We made one or two 
 attempts to obtain admission, but were unsuc- 
 cessful. 
 
 The Protestants in Paris are not without their 
 attractive preacher. They have two congrega- 
 tions, connected with the Protestant National 
 church, one very large in the rue St. Honore, and 
 a smaller one in the rue St. Antoine. These 
 churches are supplied by four pastors, who preach 
 in rotation. One of them, Mr. Monod, Jr., is de- 
 
PARIS. 67 
 
 cidedly evangelical, while his father, and the other 
 two pastors, are supposed to be inclining to Arian- 
 ism, if not to Socinianism. One of these, the Rev. 
 Mr. Coqueril, who is the most decided Unitarian, 
 is a man of very superior talents, and a most elo- 
 quent declaimer. When he preaches, the church 
 is always crowded with a gay and fashionable con- 
 gregation. 
 
 Besides his regular turn of preaching on the 
 Sabbath, Mr. Monod, Jr., preaches every Sabbath 
 evening in a small room over the body of the 
 church in the rue St. Honore, called the Oratoire. 
 He is attended by the more serious and devout 
 part of the congregation, and he preaches to them 
 in a plain and familiar manner, adapted rather to 
 promote their edification, than to excite their ad- 
 miration. 
 
 Religion, in every form, is now tolerated in 
 France. The Catholics, and the Protestants 
 who choose to place themselves under the national 
 patronage, are supported by government, while all 
 denominations, who prefer to live by the voluntary 
 principle, are protected in the exercise of their 
 privileges and rights, by the safeguard of the law. 
 There are various places of worship for the accom- 
 modation of English and other Protestants, in dif- 
 ferent parts of the city. Bishop Luscombe 
 
68 PARIS. 
 
 preaches in a neat and convenient chapel, to the 
 English embassy and others. His congregation, 
 though not very numerous, is highly respectable, 
 and is usually composed of the nobility and gentry, 
 who frequent the French capital. The chapel 
 Marbeuf in the Champs Elysees, which was 
 originally built and occupied by the Rev. Lewis 
 Way, is well attended by the more serious part of 
 the English residents. They are favored with the 
 services of a truly orthodox and devoted clergyman 
 of the church of England, the Rev. Mr. Lovett, 
 who preaches, in the most faithful manner, the dis- 
 tinguishing doctrines of the gospel. There is also 
 a small congregation of Wesley an Methodists, who 
 now worship in the Fauxbourg St. Honore, in 
 part of a house that was late the city residence of 
 General Lafayette. It is fitted up in a neat and 
 commodious manner, and accommodates a congre- 
 gation of two or three hundred. Their minister, 
 the Rev. Mr. Newstead, is a very amiable man 
 and good preacher, and is greatly beloved by his 
 congregation. I preached for him, and for the 
 Rev. Mr. Wilks in the rue Taitbout, to serious and 
 attentive congregations. 
 
 The state of vital religion in the French capital, 
 as far as I could judge, is very low. There is, 
 indeed, much to discourage the friends of truth, in 
 
PARIS. 69 
 
 the frivolity and infidelity of this gay and licentious 
 city ; but there is, also, occasion for encourage- 
 ment, in the free and unrestrained exercise of re- 
 ligious worship, guaranteed by the government to 
 every sect and denomination. I was forcibly 
 struck with the change in this respect since the 
 time of my first visit to Paris in 1806. A few 
 Christian friends then met occasionally for prayer 
 and religious conversation ; but they were obliged 
 to seek the most retired places for their devotions, 
 and were in constant dread of being interrupted by 
 the appearance of a gens d'arme, with an order 
 from the police for their arrest and confinement. 
 Now the utmost liberty is allowed, and every one 
 may worship God according to the dictates of his 
 conscience, having none " to molest him or make 
 him afraid." 
 
 The prejudices of the adherents to the faith of 
 the church of Rome, are in many instances giving 
 way, and numbers are beginning to be dissatisfied 
 with their ancient creed, and are anxiously inquir- 
 ing for " a more excellent way." I met with 
 several intelligent Catholics, who candidly ac- 
 knowledged that the Romish religion was evidently 
 on the decline ; and some of them expressed a 
 wish that they had been born Protestants, but had 
 not sufficient moral courage to come out and sep- 
 
70 PARIS. 
 
 arate themselves from a church, that vauntingly 
 claims to be not only the original, but the exclu- 
 sive church of Christ. 
 
 The field is an immense one, and could a num- 
 ber of self-denying, humble, prayerful, devoted 
 men, who perfectly understand the French lan- 
 guage, (for without this their efforts would be in a 
 great measure useless,) be sent out from Britain 
 or America to occupy it, there is reason to believe 
 that their " labor would not be in vain in the 
 Lord." 
 
 During my short stay in Paris, I had the satis- 
 faction of attending an ordination of missionaries in 
 the Protestant church in the rue St. Antoine. It 
 was to me an occasion of no ordinary interest, as 
 one of my own countrymen, a friend and towns- 
 man, Mr. Henry Homes, Jr. from Boston, was to 
 be ordained, in connection with a missionary, and 
 catechist (or lay teacher) from the French Society. 
 The place was well attended, and the services, 
 which were exclusively in French, were intro- 
 duced with prayer by one of the associate pastors 
 of the congregations of the rue St. Honore and rue 
 St. Antoine. The sermon, which was very im- 
 pressive and eloquent, was delivered by the Rev. 
 Mr. Grandpierre, the Secretary of the Missionary 
 
PARIS. 71 
 
 Society, who appeared to be the presiding officer on 
 the occasion. The candidates for ordination then, 
 successively, addressed the audience in French, 
 giving an account of their reasons for devoting 
 themselves to the missionary work. After which 
 Mr. Grandpierre descended from the pulpit, and 
 laying his hands on their heads, offered the prayer 
 of consecration, the candidates kneeling before 
 him. When he had closed, each of the clergymen 
 present stepped forward in turn, beginning with 
 the eldest, and laid their hands on the heads of 
 the missionaries for a few minutes in silence or 
 inaudible prayer. This part of the service being 
 over, the ministers gave them the right hand of 
 fellowship, accompanied by a kiss on each cheek, 
 and whispered in their ear a few words of comfort 
 and encouragement. The services were then con- 
 cluded by singing and prayer. Immediately after- 
 wards, the ministers retired to the vestry, and 
 signed a document on parchment for each of the 
 missionaries, certifying that they had assisted in 
 their ordination. This certificate was subscribed 
 by no less than seven ordained clergymen from 
 the United States of America, and among them 
 three of the members of the American Board of 
 Commissioners for Foreign Missions. Mr. Homes 
 
72 PARIS. 
 
 is expected to leave Paris in a few months for 
 Constantinople. He is an amiable and respectable 
 young man, and his heart seems to be devoted to 
 his work. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 LONDON. 
 
 Having spent a month in Paris, to gratify my 
 family with a sight of its many interesting objects 
 of curiosity, I left it on the 28th of April, being 
 anxious to reach London in season to attend 
 the approaching Anniversaries of the Religious 
 and Benevolent Institutions in that metropolis in 
 the month of May. We travelled in the Diligence 
 as far as Calais, where we arrived on the evening 
 of the 29th. We took our departure in the 
 steam-boat for London the next day. After a 
 rough and uncomfortable passage, we landed, early 
 in the morning of the 1st of May, near the cus- 
 tom-house, on the river Thames, and, in a few 
 hours, were quietly established in the Adelphi 
 Hotel, in the Strand. 
 
 My first visit was to my early and valued friends 
 6 
 
74 LONDON. 
 
 at Islington, by whom I was received with the 
 utmost cordiality. I cannot be sufficiently grateful 
 for having been permitted thus to renew a friend- 
 ship of nearly thirty years' standing. Many and 
 interesting were the associations with the scenes 
 of my youth, which crowded upon my recollection. 
 It was in this neighborhood, in a chapel then 
 occupied by the Rev. Mr. Lewis's congregation, 
 that I preached my first sermon, in June 1 806, on 
 a week-day evening; and with their highly es- 
 teemed and beloved pastor, it has been my privi- 
 lege to maintain an uninterrupted correspondence 
 from that day to this. No one, but those who have 
 been placed in similar circumstances, can conceive 
 of the pleasure 1 enjoyed in taking once more by 
 the hand those old and valued friends. It was a 
 satisfaction that can be exceeded only by the 
 pleasure of seeing them again in that world, where 
 the joy of meeting will not be embittered by the 
 prospect of separation. Having made an arrange- 
 ment to spend the Sabbath with them, and once 
 more to sit down together at the same sacramental 
 table, I returned to my family at the Adelphi. 
 
 The next day, I called at the rooms of the 
 Wesley an Missionary Society, in Hatton Garden, 
 and delivered my commission from the American 
 Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, to 
 
LONDON. 75 
 
 attend their approaching anniversary. — Dr. Spring 
 and myself were appointed by the Board, to attend 
 the meetings of the different missionary societies 
 in England and on the Continent. As the anniver- 
 sary of the Paris Missionary Society did not take 
 place until the last day of April, it was impracti- 
 cable to attend it, and to be present at the meeting 
 of the Wesleyan Missionary Society on the morn- 
 ing of the first Monday in May, without travelling 
 on the Sabbath. It was accordingly agreed 
 between us, that Dr. Spring should remain to 
 attend the Paris Society, while I should proceed, 
 a few days before him, to be present at the Wes- 
 leyan anniversary. I was received by the sec- 
 retaries, and other members of the committee of 
 the Society, with great kindness, and was invited 
 to attend and address the meeting on Monday. I 
 was also desired to preach in one of their chapels 
 on the Sabbath, but my engagement to spend the 
 day at Islington, prevented me from acceding to 
 their request. 
 
 From Hatton Garden I proceeded to Hackney, 
 to call upon Dr. Reed, who resides in that pleasant 
 suburb, at a considerable distance from his place 
 of worship. The facilities of transportation from 
 one part of this immense capital to another, by 
 omnibuses, coaches, cabs, and flys, are so great, 
 
76 LONDON. 
 
 that the distance seems almost annihilated. The 
 expense attending these conveyances is exceedingly 
 moderate, as for a single sixpence you can trans- 
 port yourself from one end of London to another, 
 a distance of several miles. 
 
 Both Dr. and Mrs. Reed were absent when I 
 reached their dwelling, but I made myself quite 
 at home, and awaited their arrival. In about an 
 hour Dr. Reed returned, accompanied by my 
 friend and colleague, the Rev. Dr. Humphrey, 
 who had just arrived from the United States by 
 the way of Liverpool. The interview was doubly 
 pleasant, as I had the satisfaction of greeting, with 
 one hand, a delegate from England to America, 
 and, with the other, a delegate from America to 
 England. Mrs. Reed soon came in, and welcomed 
 Dr. Humphrey and myself to their hospitable 
 dwelling. / 
 
 It will be gratifying to the numerous friends of 
 Drs. Reed and Matheson, in America, to know, 
 that they are both of them favored with com- 
 panions in life, of superior intellect, literary ac- 
 complishments, devoted piety, and most amiable 
 manners. Of Mrs. Matheson, I shall have occa- 
 sion to speak in another place. Mrs. Reed unites, 
 with a peculiar sensitiveness to every thing that 
 relates to the reputation and usefulness of her 
 
LONDON. 77 
 
 husband, a remarkable adaptedness to assist him 
 in all his plans for promoting the interests of reli- 
 gion among his people, especially among those of 
 her own sex. She has taken a very active part 
 in the formation of Maternal Associations, both in 
 her own and in other congregations in London; 
 and Mrs. C. found her a most affectionate friend, 
 with whom she has taken sweet counsel, and 
 concerted many plans for the promotion of that 
 religion which is most dear to them both. After 
 having taken dinner with these esteemed friends, 
 I returned to the city, and rejoined my family at 
 the Adelphi. 
 
 The next day was the Sabbath of the Lord, 
 and it was to me one of peculiar interest. I 
 was, at length, in a land of Sabbaths ; for the 
 Sabbath, though not so well observed in London 
 as in some other parts of the kingdom, and in our 
 own country, is still regarded with the strictest 
 decorum and propriety, when compared with its 
 observance on the Continent. The streets of that 
 immense capital, particularly those leading through 
 the great thoroughfare of the city, by the Strand, 
 Fleet Street, and Cheapside, which, during the 
 week, are so crowded as to render it difficult and 
 tedious to thread your way through them, are, on a 
 Sabbath morning, as still and quiet as a walk in 
 
78 LONDON. 
 
 the country. All the shops are closed, except 
 the apothecaries', and now and then a window 
 half shut, containing pastry, ginger beer, and soda 
 water. 
 
 We proceeded from our lodgings to Islington, 
 where we arrived just as the service was com- 
 mencing at Union Chapel. This place of wor- 
 ship, which was erected in 1806, for Mr. Lewis's 
 congregation, principally through the efforts and 
 liberality of the late Robert Cowie, Esq., was in- 
 tended to unite the Evangelical part of the Epis- 
 copal Church and the Independent Congregational 
 Dissenters, and hence it was called Union Chapel. 
 In the morning, the church prayers are read, 
 and in the evening, the service is conducted after 
 the manner of the Dissenters. There seemed to 
 be a reason for this arrangement, when the gospel 
 was not preached in the parish church; but now 
 that the parish church, and several other churches 
 and chapels of the establishment, which have been 
 erected within the bounds of this large parish, are, 
 I believe, without exception, supplied with an 
 evangelical clergy, it seems the less necessary to 
 maintain the Episcopal service at Union Chapel, 
 and I think that the time is not far distant, when 
 this service will be dispensed with, and the chapel 
 become a regular Dissenting place of worship. 
 
LONDON. 79 
 
 After the prayers were read by a person (not 
 an ordained clergyman) appointed for that purpose, 
 and clothed with the gown and surplice, the Rev. 
 Mr. Lewis ascended the pulpit, and delivered an 
 excellent discourse, from 1 John iv. 16 — God is 
 love — occasioned by the death of one of his con- 
 gregation, Mrs. B. 
 
 The custom of preaching funeral sermons is 
 far more common in England than it is with 
 us ; indeed, it may be said to be universal 
 among the Dissenters. There is much to be 
 said, both for and against this practice. It tends 
 to increase the interest between a pastor and 
 his flock, and to afford him suitable opportunities 
 for addressing them, in seasons when affliction 
 maketh the heart soft, and the providence of God 
 invites to serious and reflective meditation. On 
 the other hand, there are great temptations to con- 
 cealment, dissimulation and flattery, as well as 
 great danger of giving umbrage and offence to 
 those who may think their departed friends neg- 
 lected. In this instance, however, the preacher, 
 while he bore testimony to the excellencies of the 
 deceased, did not fail to point out the defects 
 which marred the beauty of her character ; and I 
 was told by those who were well acquainted with 
 the peculiarities of Mrs. B., that the portraiture 
 
80 LONDON. 
 
 was remarkably faithful, and the delineations sin- 
 gularly graphic and accurate. 
 
 After the public exercises, the sacrament of the 
 Lord's Supper was administered by the pastor, 
 first to a very few, after the manner of the church 
 of England, and then to a much larger number, 
 after the customary mode of the Dissenters. In 
 this last service it was my privilege, after a long 
 and painful suspension of the enjoyment of this 
 holy ordinance, to participate, and to address my 
 fellow communicants on the unspeakable privileges 
 and blessings of our common faith. It was, indeed, 
 truly refreshing and delightful to sit down, side by 
 side, with members of my own family, and with 
 the friends of my youth in a far distant land, to 
 commemorate the dying love of that divine Sa- 
 viour, who shed his precious blood for sinners on 
 both sides of the Atlantic and in all parts of the 
 world. 
 
 We spent the remainder of the day with Mr. R. 
 G. Steell and his amiable family, who were among 
 my earliest, and have been among my most con- 
 stant friends in England, and returned to London 
 in season to attend an evening service in Surrey 
 Chapel, and to hear an excellent sermon from the 
 Rev. Mr. James of Birmingham. 
 
 Mr. James is one of the most esteemed and 
 
LONDON. 81 
 
 popular ministers among the independent Dissen- 
 ters. He is favorably known in our country as 
 the author of several excellent practical religious 
 treatises. As a preacher, he is plain and forcible, 
 and his style of preaching appeared to me to be 
 formed more after the American model, than that 
 of any preacher I heard in England. His sermon 
 was confined to one point, enforced by direct 
 and pungent appeals to the conscience and heart. 
 The proposition which he attempted to illustrate 
 and enforce was, that religion was the great 
 business of life, and of this he never lost sight 
 himself, nor suffered his hearers to lose sight 
 through the whole of his discourse. Thus passed 
 our first Sabbath in England, and though, like 
 every other Sabbath, it might have been better 
 improved, it was spent more to my own satis- 
 faction, and I trust edification, than any other 
 Sabbath since we left our native country. 
 
 On Monday morning I commenced the discharge 
 of my official duties ; and attended as a delegate 
 from the American Board of Commissioners for 
 Foreign Missions, the anniversary of the Wesleyan 
 Missionary Society. 
 
 Exeter Hall in the Strand, a large and com- 
 modious building, erected within a few years past 
 for the purpose of accommodating the most im- 
 
82 LONDON. 
 
 portant of the religious and benevolent societies 
 of the Metropolis, and which will contain four 
 thousand persons, was crowded to excess at an 
 early hour. The platform was filled with min- 
 isters and man} 7- respectable laymen of different 
 denominations, and the chair was taken at 11, 
 A. M., by John Hardy, Esq. M. P. After prayer 
 by one of the ministers present, the meeting was 
 addressed in an animated manner by the chairman, 
 and extracts from the Report were communicated 
 by one of the secretaries, the Rev. Dr. Bunting, 
 who was received by the audience with reiterated 
 applause. The report contained an interesting 
 account of the Society's operations in different 
 parts of the world. Its acceptance was moved by 
 the Rev. John Clayton, Jr., in an interesting 
 speech. Several very animated addresses followed, 
 in which allusion was made to some particular 
 trials to which the Wesleyan denomination had 
 been called, in the northern part of the kingdom, 
 during the past year. These allusions awakened, 
 to a very great degree, the sympathy of the audi- 
 ence, and called forth repeated bursts of applause, 
 which rendered some parts of the meeting almost 
 tumultuous. Reference was made in the Report, 
 and in several of the speeches, to the subject of 
 slavery, and I was happy in the opportunity, 
 
LONDON. 83 
 
 afforded me by my introduction to the meeting, 
 (which was very politely done by Dr. Bunting, 
 who read in a very loud and distinct voice my 
 commission from the American Board,) in express- 
 ing my sentiments on that subject, and in assuring 
 the audience of my abhorrence of slavery, and my 
 earnest desires and prayers for its speedy abolition. 
 At the same time, 1 adverted to the difficulties 
 with which the subject was surrounded in my own 
 country, and to our need of that wisdom which 
 cometh from above, a which is first pure, then 
 peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated, full of mercy 
 and of good fruits, without partiality and with- 
 out hypocrisy." Several other speakers addressed 
 the meeting, and among them the Rev. John 
 Williams, one of the missionaries of the London 
 Missionary Society in the South Seas, who on 
 this, and several other occasions, rendered the 
 anniversary meetings exceedingly interesting. 
 
 It was truly delightful to witness the Christian 
 union between the friends of the Redeemer of 
 different denominations, which these interesting 
 seasons served to elicit. Evangelical Churchmen 
 and Dissenters — Methodists and Independents, 
 and various other Christian denominations, meet 
 together on these halcyon days of the church, 
 and, forgetting, for a while, their minor differences, 
 
84 LONDON. 
 
 unite in promoting the cause of their common 
 Christianity. 
 
 On the next day, (Tuesday, May 5th,) the 
 Church Missionary Society held its anniversary in 
 Exeter Hall. Dr. Spring, who had arrived the 
 evening before from Paris, accompanied me, at an 
 early hour, to the committee room of the Society, 
 where we delivered our credentials as delegates < 
 from the American Board. We were told by 
 some of our Dissenting brethren, that we should 
 not be invited to speak at this meeting, as we 
 were not churchmen, but we could not believe it, 
 as, whatever might be the prejudices existing in 
 this Society against Dissenters from the established 
 church in England, we imagined that they could 
 not extend to the Presbyterian and Congregational 
 churches of our own country, much less to regularly 
 commissioned delegates from the American Board. 
 But it was even so. Our commissions were read 
 in the committee room, but no other notice of us, 
 or of the Society we had the honor to represent. 
 We were suffered to sit in silence on the platform, 
 and to listen to several addresses from Noblemen, 
 and Bishops and other dignitaries of the church of 
 England. 
 
 The Bishops of Chester, and of Litchfield and 
 Coventry, whom I heard with great pleasure, not 
 
LONDON. 85 
 
 only on this occasion, but all other times during 
 the season of anniversaries, are excellent men, 
 decidedly evangelical, and eminently devoted to 
 the cause of missions. 
 
 We had the opportunity also of hearing on this 
 occasion, one of our own countrymen, Bishop 
 Mcllvaine, of Ohio, who has been for some 
 months past in this country on an agency for 
 Kenyon college. As he did not lie under the ban 
 of dissent from the rites and ceremonies of the 
 mother church, he was permitted to address the 
 audience, and was received with loud applause. 
 He was, as usual, eloquent and interesting ; but I 
 should have been better pleased, had he been less 
 fulsome in lauding the Church of England, its 
 universities and its sixteen thousand clergy, many 
 of whom he must have well known are far re- 
 moved from that evangelical doctrine and consist- 
 ent practice, for which he, himself, is so justly 
 distinguished. The Bishop, I understand, received 
 much polite attention, and gained much pecuniary 
 aid for the object of his mission, from the members 
 of the established church ; and it is not surprising, 
 that, from his kind and benevolent feelings, he 
 should have been led, on this occasion, to have 
 said some things which appeared to me like ex- 
 travagant and unmerited praise. 
 
86 LONDON. 
 
 The Earl of Galway, the Marquis of Chol- 
 mondley, Archdeacon Corrie, and others, succes- 
 sively addressed the meeting ; and the Society's 
 missionary, the Rev. Mr. Yates, (whose appearance 
 was the most perfect beau ideal of a missionary I 
 ever beheld,) gave a cheering view of the New 
 Zealand mission, and read several interesting 
 letters from the natives. 
 
 The next religious anniversary which it was my 
 privilege to attend, was that of the British and 
 Foreign Bible Society, which may be said, without 
 any disparagement to other institutions, to be the 
 first and best society in the world. Exeter Hall 
 was overflowing at an early hour on Wednesday 
 morning. Several of our friends called to accom- 
 pany us to the meeting, which was opened by a 
 short speech from Lord Bexley, the venerable 
 President of the Society. The annual report 
 was then read by the secretary, Rev. Mr. Bran- 
 don. Its acceptance was moved by Lord Teign- 
 mouth, the son of the first president of the 
 Society, and seconded by the excellent Bishop of 
 Litchfield and Coventry, who remarked, ' that in 
 whatever cares and duties and anxieties we might 
 have been thrown from our connection with the 
 world around us, here we breathe freely. He had 
 always found such an atmosphere tranquillizing to 
 
LONDON. 87 
 
 his own mind, and dispersing the clouds that 
 worldly influence had gathered around it.' 
 
 Bishop Mcllvaine then expressed his congratu- 
 lations upon the harmony with which Christians 
 unite on such an occasion as the present. f The 
 journey to heaven,' said he, ' is too short to allow 
 time for falling out by the way. The cry for the 
 bread of life, too clamorous to dispute in what 
 baskets it shall be borne to the perishing. Now 
 was the time for action. He would never speak 
 of what the church had achieved, if its tendency 
 was to relax exertion — if it had done but little, 
 that little should be the motive for still greater 
 efforts.' 
 
 Archdeacon Corrie, (the Bishop elect of Ma- 
 dras,) recently from Bengal, said, 'that when he 
 first went to India, the first Bible he gave was 
 regarded with surprise and doubt ; now it was 
 read with gladness, and many were distributed. 
 He mentioned a poor boy, who was laid in his 
 weakness on the banks of the Ganges. He was 
 heard by some one calling on the name of Jesus ; 
 he was reproved for so doing, and told to call 
 upon one of the Hindoo deities. He replied, 
 Jesus is the only God, who can help me. You 
 may call upon whom you will, but I will call upon 
 Jesus.' 
 
88 LONDON. 
 
 Dr. Spring then addressed the meeting, as a 
 delegate from the American Bible Society. He 
 felt oppressed with the presence of such a mass 
 of human beings, and closed a short and impressive 
 speech, by a solemn and affecting allusion to the 
 well known anecdote of Xerxes and his army. 
 He was followed by the Rev. John Liefchild, one 
 of the most popular Dissenting ministers in London, 
 who, in a strain of animating and powerful elo- 
 quence, called forth reiterated bursts of applause. 
 'He spoke of the Society in its infancy, as cast 
 like Moses on the waters, doubtful whether it 
 would sink or swim, but like the great Leader of 
 Israel, it was raised to royal patronage and power, 
 and was now a mighty ark, going forth upon a sea 
 which communicated with the rivers to the end of 
 the earth. If it is pleasant,' said he, 'to watch 
 the seedling springing into a tree, is it not de- 
 lightful to behold that tree spreading forth its 
 branches, and seeming to invite the whole earth 
 to repose under its shadow? Thus has this So- 
 ciety risen, expanded and enlarged under the 
 fostering care of Heaven, and we may see written 
 upon it as with a sunbeam, "I the Lord do keep 
 it; I will water it every moment, lest any hurt it; 
 I will keep it night and day." He saw before 
 him an assembly of different denominations, rally- 
 
LONDON. 89 
 
 ing round the Bible, as the standard of their hopes, 
 and as they advanced in their single purpose of 
 conveying the Bible to all nations, so would they 
 lose sight of their minor differences, and if their 
 heads were not large enough to receive all each 
 other's notions, their hearts would embrace, in 
 healVenly charity, the whole family of man.' 
 
 Mr. Liefchild is certainly an interesting and 
 powerful speaker. He possesses great confidence 
 in himself, and a happy talent of winning applause, 
 by arranging and closing his sentences or para- 
 graphs by some striking expression, which so 
 readily elicits the Hear, Hear, Hear, and the 
 thundering burst of applause from a British audi- 
 ence. On being announced, he steps forward, 
 hat in hand, to the front of the platform, and is 
 received with successive cheers, which are con- 
 tinued, at very short intervals, to the close of his 
 harangue. His eloquence is a very good speci- 
 men of English declamation on a platform. I was 
 often led to contrast the smart and ready and fluent 
 manner of the English, with the calm and quiet 
 and unimpassioned manner of the New England 
 orator. The speeches of the one, are better 
 adapted to produce immediate effect, while those 
 of the other, perhaps, tend to make a more en- 
 during impression. 
 7 
 
90 LONDON. 
 
 Addresses were delivered at this meeting by 
 the missionaries, Rev. Mr. Yates and the Rev. 
 Mr. Williams, who related many interesting anec- 
 dotes respecting the natives of New Zealand and 
 the South Sea Islands. The meeting was, upon 
 the whole, an interesting one ; though it was said 
 by some, who had attended on previous occasions, 
 that it suffered in comparison with those of pre- 
 ceding years. 
 
 On Thursday evening, I attended the anniver- 
 sary of the Sunday School Union, Thomas 
 Challis, Esq., took the chair, and addressed the 
 meeting at considerable length. It was a mistake, 
 which I frequently observed in attending the 
 English anniversaries, for the chairman to occupy 
 too much time in his preliminary remarks, which 
 often extended into a speech of more than half an 
 hour. The audience, however respectable the 
 chairman may be, become impatient to hear other 
 speakers, and their impatience is not lessened by 
 the long report which immediately succeeds the 
 chairman's remarks. The report on this occasion, 
 however, was not unreasonably long. Its accep- 
 tance was moved in an interesting speech by Pro- 
 fessor Vaughan, of the London University. He 
 was followed by several animated speakers, who 
 related many anecdotes respecting Sabbath school 
 
LONDON. 91 
 
 children. Among them was one, mentioned by 
 the Rev. Henry Townley, < of two friends who 
 were conversing together, when one of them re- 
 marked that there was nothing he should so much 
 like as to travel into distant countries. The other 
 replied that he had no desire to extend his travels 
 abroad, but he could wish for time and means to 
 visit every village in his native country; and, in 
 view of the moral ruin and desolation which sin 
 had wrought, he should love to plant in every one 
 of them a Sabbath school, and gather around him 
 a little company to be educated for heaven. The 
 pious manner in which these sentiments were ex- 
 pressed, so wrought upon the mind of his friend 
 as to become the means of his conversion, and he 
 is now a faithful laborer in Sabbath schools.' 
 
 The Rev. John Williams, from the South Seas, 
 added much interest to this and other meetings 
 which he addressed. He commenced with re- 
 marking that he had the pleasure of informing the 
 audience that there was a Sabbath school con- 
 nected with every missionary station in the islands 
 where he had been laboring. Before Christianity 
 had been introduced, it had been almost the uni- 
 versal practice for parents to destroy their children 
 at a very early age. Now, a different aspect, 
 indeed, is given to the islands. He gave an ac- 
 
92 LONDON. 
 
 count of a Sunday school anniversary that took 
 place just before he left the islands. The 
 mothers, now under the mild influence of Chris- 
 tianity, assisted their children in preparing suitable 
 dresses for the occasion, and seemed to take great 
 pleasure in clothing them in the European style, 
 and adorning them with such simple ornaments as 
 were becoming and proper. The children were 
 furnished with white flags, made of cloth, com- 
 posed of the inner covering of the cocoa-nut, and 
 on these flags they had written such sentences as 
 these — " Suffer little children to come unto me 
 and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of 
 Heaven " — " We bless God for putting it into the 
 hearts of the English to send us the Bible," Sic.&c. 
 These flags were elevated here and there in the 
 procession which they formed, and which con- 
 sisted of several hundred children with their 
 teachers. Thus they proceeded till they came to 
 the chapel, and there, in a very quiet and orderly 
 manner, were seated. The exercises commenced 
 with singing a hymn, in which they all joined, 
 their parents surrounding them in the distance. 
 In the midst of the exercises, a moan was heard 
 in the assembly. It proceeded from mothers, 
 whom their own hands had rendered childless, and 
 who in the bitterness of their souls, were exclaim- 
 
LONDON. 93 
 
 ing — l O that we could have known that such a 
 day as this was coming ! O, our dear children — 
 our murdered children ! ' An old man of seventy 
 rose and said, I must speak, I must speak — and 
 the tears flowed fast as he said, ' Blessed be God 
 for such a day as this — O that it had come before, 
 and then I should not have stood before you as I 
 do now, childless : — but O, brother, said he to a 
 native that stood by, you saw me do it, and did 
 not stay my hand, — you saw me murder one after 
 another of my nineteen children, and did not cry 
 forbear ! But we knew not the gospel.' — Mr. 
 Williams said it was a most affecting spectacle. 
 He mentioned an interesting circumstance of a 
 Sabbath school teacher. ' About fifteen years ago, 
 a native had married a young female of higher 
 rank than himself. A child was born, and the 
 mother determined to sacrifice it at once. This 
 was effected. A second was born, and she cast it 
 from her in the same way. The third child was 
 a daughter, which she gave to the father with an 
 injunction to destroy it immediately. The father's 
 heart yearned over his offspring. He took it in a 
 canoe to another island, where his brother and 
 sister resided. Instead of drowning it, he com- 
 mitted it to their care, and returned, telling his 
 wife that he had complied with her request. Ten 
 
94 LONDON. 
 
 years had elapsed, and in the mean while the 
 gospel had reached the dwelling of the lonely 
 parents. When the anniversary, above referred 
 to, occurred, the mother, who had thus sacrificed, 
 as she thought, all her children, was present, be- 
 wailing her desolate situation, and saying — O that 
 I had spared my children ! Her husband, who 
 was also present, approached her saying, You 
 have yet one left. Nothing could exceed her joy 
 and gratitude. She could hardly wait till a canoe 
 could be procured to convey her to her child, and 
 in beholding her young daughter, in form and 
 feature like herself, she pressed her to her bosom, 
 brought her home, and placed her in the course of 
 Christian instruction — and this young person is 
 now a pious and able teacher of a Sabbath school ! ' 
 
 Sir Andrew Agnew, M. P. (the persevering ad- 
 vocate of the Sabbath reformation,) Rev. Mr. 
 Burnet, Rev. Mr. Dunn, and our countryman, Mr. 
 Baird, (well known as the successful -agent of the 
 American Sunday School Union,) addressed the 
 meeting. 
 
 In consequence of the overflowing attendance 
 in the Hall, another ' meeting was simultaneously 
 held in a large room below, where the Rev. Dr. 
 Morrison presided with great ability, and my col- 
 
LONDON. 95 
 
 league, Dr. Humphrey, gave an interesting account 
 of the Sabbath school cause in the United States. 
 
 The continued attendance on anniversary meet- 
 ings was occasionally relieved by the hospitality of 
 our Christian friends, who were assiduous in their 
 attentions, and did all in their power to render our 
 visit both pleasant and profitable. Agreeably to 
 previous invitation, I dined on Saturday with Dr. 
 Reed, in company with my colleagues in the dep- 
 utation, and several highly esteemed friends ; 
 among them were Dr. Burder, Rev. Mr. Collison 
 and Professor Tholuck. Professor Tholuck gave 
 us much valuable information respecting the pro- 
 gress of evangelical religion in Germany. Much 
 interesting conversation took place respecting the 
 state of religion in our respective countries. 
 Among other topics, the subject of the indiscrimi- 
 nate baptism of infants was introduced. The 
 Evangelical Dissenters do not, in general, like the 
 Orthodox Congregationalists of New England, re- 
 quire that one of the parents should be a member 
 of the church, in order to confer the privilege of 
 baptism upon their children, — but baptize the 
 children of their congregation generally, who 
 having themselves been baptized in infancy sustain 
 a correct moral character. There are some, 
 however, who practise on the strict plan, as it is 
 
96 LONDON. 
 
 sometimes called with us, and baptize none but 
 the children of professed believers, or those who 
 are members in full communion with the church. 
 It is much to be desired that this subject should 
 receive more attention from our dissenting brethren. 
 The history of New England evidently shows, 
 that the great Head of the church has set his seal 
 to the discriminate practice, by the effusions of his 
 Spirit upon those churches, where it has been 
 strictly maintained. This practice serves to draw 
 the line more distinctly between the church and 
 the world, and to lead believers to realize and 
 to prize the blessings they enjoy as a peculiar 
 people, and the world to feel, that, as long as they 
 remain unreconciled to God, they can have no 
 part nor lot in the privileges of the gospel. 
 
 Agreeably to a previous engagement, I went to 
 Hackney, on Sabbath morning May the 10th, to 
 preach for my old and much esteemed friend, the 
 Rev. Dr. H. F. Burder. He is the successor of 
 the Rev. Samuel Palmer, with whom it was my 
 privilege to have been acquainted nearly thirty 
 years ago, and for whom I frequently preached at 
 that period. The congregation is much increased, 
 and the chapel has been enlarged since that time. 
 I was received with the utmost kindness by Dr. 
 Burder and his excellent family. They live at a 
 
LONDON. 97 
 
 very short distance from their place of worship, 
 and are surrounded by every thing that can con- 
 tribute to their comfort and happiness. I know of 
 no minister in London and the vicinity, more de- 
 lightfully situated than Dr. Burder. Possessed of 
 an ample fortune, and enjoying the esteem of his 
 brethren and the affection of his people, with an 
 understanding remarkably sound and judicious, a 
 mind well furnished with classical and theological 
 learning, a disposition peculiarly amiable, and 
 ardent and unaffected piety, and surrounded by an 
 estimable and affectionate family, he appears to 
 possess as much happiness as usually falls to the 
 lot of man. I preached for him in the morning, 
 and, after service, was introduced to two of the 
 principal members of his church, Mr. Morley 
 and Mr. Charles, from whom and their families 
 we afterwards received much hospitality and kind 
 attention. My friend and colleague, Dr. Hum- 
 phrey, who was at the time a guest of Dr. 
 Burder's, preached in the afternoon, and I re- 
 mained until evening, that I might have the 
 opportunity of bearing Dr. Burder, who delivered 
 a sermon well adapted to the approaching services 
 of the Missionary Society. 
 
 On Monday, the British and Foreign School 
 Society held its anniversary in Exeter Hall. It 
 
98 LONDON. 
 
 was announced in the public prints that Lord 
 John Russel would preside on the occasion, and 
 take the chair at 12 o'clock. The meeting was 
 crowded to excess ; but at the appointed time, the 
 audience were informed that his lordship was pre- 
 vented by the pressure of official engagehients 
 from being present, and that Lord Brougham 
 would take the chair. The noble chairman was 
 received with enthusiastic and unbounded applause, 
 and delivered a most eloquent and powerful ad- 
 dress. I was exceedingly gratified in having so 
 good an opportunity of hearing the ex-chancellor 
 of Great Britain. I heard him ten years ago at a 
 public dinner in Edinburgh, but I was much more 
 pleased with him on the present occasion. His 
 views on the subject of education were sound and 
 liberal, his language choice and eloquent, and his 
 utterance clear and flowing. The report was read 
 by the Secretary, the Rev. Mr. Dunn, and was 
 supported and followed by a number of speeches, 
 which were thrown into comparative obscurity by 
 the superior effulgence of the chairman. Lord 
 Brougham was in fact the lion of the occasion, and 
 little of the meeting was remembered except what 
 related to him. 
 
 In the evening, the Rev. Dr. Spring preached 
 at the Rev. Mr. Binney's Chapel, Weigh House, 
 
LONDON. 99 
 
 East Cheap, before the Congregational Union of 
 England and Wales. A large number of Dissent- 
 ing ministers were present, and together with a 
 very respectable congregation, listened to the im- 
 pressive eloquence of the speaker. 
 
 Dr. Spring's element is the pulpit. Few men in 
 our own country, or in any other, can be compared 
 with him in solemnity of manner and weight of 
 matter. I was gratified to find that he was so 
 highly and justly appreciated by a British audi- 
 ence. He preached repeatedly to great accept- 
 ance, and several of his sermons were, without 
 ceremony, transferred by attendant stenographers 
 into a weekly periodical, called The Pulpit. 
 His text on this occasion was in Matt. xiii. 38. 
 The field is the world. It was a missionary ser- 
 mon, and though not particularly appropriate to 
 the object of the Union, was well adapted to the 
 services of the missionary week. 
 
 Notice was given, at the close of the exercises, 
 that the annual meeting of the Congregational 
 Union would take place the next day at the Con- 
 gregational Library, Moorfields. I accordingly 
 attended with my brethren, the Rev. Drs. Spring 
 and Humphrey, early on Tuesday morning. 
 The Rev. T. W. Bull, of Newport Pagnel, took 
 the chair at 10 o'clock, and opened the meeting 
 
100 LONDON. 
 
 with prayer and a few pertinent remarks. After 
 some preliminary business by the secretaries, we 
 delivered our credentials as Delegates from the 
 American churches, and were received in the 
 most respectful and cordial manner by the meet- 
 ing, through the chairman. After our introduc- 
 tion to the meeting, a resolution was offered by 
 Dr. Reed, and seconded by Dr. Matheson, ex- 
 pressive of the satisfaction of the meeting in our 
 reception as representatives of the transatlantic 
 churches, and was sustained with great and affect- 
 ing interest. 
 
 It devolved on me to offer our acknowledg- 
 ments for the fraternal and very gratifying wel- 
 come we had received — to express the satisfaction 
 of the General Association of Massachusetts, in 
 the intercourse which was now established be- 
 tween them and the Congregational Union of 
 England and Wales, which had been for some 
 time the subject of mutual correspondence — and 
 to present the sincere and affectionate congratula- 
 tions of my constituents, to the ministers and 
 churches represented on this occasion. 
 
 After an address of about twenty minutes, 
 which was very kindly received, I was followed 
 by Dr. Spring. He gave an interesting account 
 of the state of religion within the bounds of the 
 
LONDON. 101 
 
 Presbyterian church, and dwelt particularly on 
 the subject of revivals, — distinguishing between 
 those that were genuine, and those that were 
 spurious. While he gratefully acknowledged the 
 signal blessings which the American churches 
 derived from revivals of religion, he did not con- 
 ceal the errors of doctrine which had crept in 
 upon them, and the dangers to which they had 
 been, and were now, peculiarly exposed. His re- 
 marks were listened to with deep attention. 
 
 Dr. Spring was succeeded by my colleague, Dr. 
 Humphrey, who confined himself very much to a 
 detailed account of the Temperance reformation 
 in the United States. No one is more familiarly 
 acquainted with this subject than Dr. Humphrey, 
 and no one better qualified to advocate it. But 
 it is to be deeply regretted that its importance is 
 so little felt in Great Britain. There is a strange 
 apathy on this subject among our dissenting 
 brethren. Very few of them appear to be con- 
 nected with Temperance societies themselves, or 
 to encourage them in their congregations. The 
 British and Foreign Temperance Society, which I 
 shall have occasion to mention more particularly 
 in another place, appears to be supported princi- 
 pally by members of the Established Church, and 
 by the Society of Friends. At the anniversary of 
 
102 LONDON. 
 
 the Society, where Christians of all denominations 
 ought to be found, I saw but one or two of those 
 excellent dissenting ministers whom it was my 
 privilege to meet at the Congregational Union and 
 on other occasions. 
 
 I am persuaded that this neglect arises not from 
 opposition to the Society, much less to the cause 
 of temperance, but from inattention to the subject, 
 and from a want of due consideration of the moral 
 power which they possess, by their example, of 
 checking the tide of intemperance and immorality 
 which threatens to inundate the land. 
 
 So much time was taken up by the American 
 Deputation, that little remained for the transaction 
 of the ordinary business of the meeting, and for 
 receiving communications from the Delegates from 
 Scotland and Ireland, who were present on the 
 occasion. I was however much interested in the 
 brief statements made by the Rev. Mr. Brown, a 
 venerable minister from Ireland, and by Messrs. 
 Wilkes and Cullen from Scotland, of the state of 
 religion in their respective countries. 
 
 Before the close of the meeting, (which con- 
 tinued till late in the afternoon, and then adjourned 
 to Friday morning,) I left it to attend a meeting 
 of the Directors of the London Missionary Society, 
 at their house in Austin Friars. I presented my 
 
LONDON. 103 
 
 commission from the American Board of Com- 
 missioners for Foreign Missions, and was received 
 with great kindness and cordiality by the meeting, 
 and affectionately addressed by the chairman, 
 Thomas Challis, Esq. The secretaries, the Rev. 
 Messrs. Ellis and Arundel, I had the pleasure of 
 knowing personally. They are excellent and 
 highly useful men, devoted to their work, and 
 enjoying, in a great degree, the confidence of the 
 religious public. This interview with the Direc- 
 tors of the London Missionary Society, brought to 
 my mind days and scenes long gone by, in which 
 it was my privilege to enjoy the acquaintance and 
 friendship of the early friends and founders of this 
 noble institution. I looked in vain for those 
 venerable and excellent men, Hardcastle, and 
 Bogue, and George Burder, Rowland Hill and 
 Matthew Wilks, Dr. Waugh, Mr. Piatt, John 
 Townsend, and many others whom 1 once beheld 
 filling those seats, in the midst of their days, and 
 in the prime of their usefulness. — " Our fathers 
 where are they ? and the prophets do they live 
 forever ? " 
 
 The course of the missionary services was to 
 commence on the following day, and I was re- 
 quested to offer the public prayer on the occasion 
 in Surrey Chapel. Fatigued, though much inter- 
 
104 LONDON. 
 
 ested with the labors and duties of the day, I re- 
 turned to my family at our lodgings, in 28 Norfolk 
 street, Strand, where we had removed from the 
 Adelphi Hotel, and where we found ourselves 
 comfortably established. 
 
 On the morning of Wednesday, the 12th inst. 
 we all proceeded to Surrey Chapel, to attend the 
 first public services of the London Missionary 
 Society. This spacious building, which forcibly 
 brings to recollection the memory of that singular 
 and excellent man, whose eccentricities were sanc- 
 tified by the grace of God, and whose disinter- 
 ested labors in behalf of the temporal and 
 spiritual necessities of his fellow creatures, will 
 never be forgotten, was filled at an early hour by 
 the friends and patrons of the missionary enter- 
 prise. The church service was first read by the 
 person who usually officiates in the chapel, and 
 the responses made by an aged clerk, who seems 
 to be, in the oddity of his appearance and manner, 
 the counterpart of his late pastor. Extempora- 
 neous prayer was then offered, and a solid and 
 judicious sermon was delivered by the Rev. Mr. 
 Young, of Perth, in Scotland, from Psalm ex. 3. 
 " Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy 
 power." It was full of weighty and important 
 matter, and evidently delivered memoriter, though 
 
LONDON. 105 
 
 without the least hesitation. The services were 
 closed with an appropriate prayer by the Rev. 
 Mr. James of Birmingham. 
 
 After public worship, we went to Newington, 
 Butts, a distance of about two miles, where we 
 dined and spent the day very pleasantly with Mr. 
 Clement Sharp and his family, (relatives of es- 
 teemed friends in our own congregation,) from 
 whom we received, during our short residence in 
 London, much kind attention. The weather in the 
 evening being rainy and uncomfortable, we were 
 prevented from hearing, as we expected, the Rev. 
 John Blackburn, of Claremont Chapel, preach the 
 second missionary sermon in the Tabernacle, 
 Moorfields. Mr. Blackburn is one of the secreta- 
 ries of the Congregational Union, and is highly 
 esteemed for his talents, and his devotedness to 
 the cause of civil and religious liberty. 
 
 On Thursday, the public meeting for business 
 of the London Missionary Society was held in 
 Exeter Hall ; and it far exceeded in interest any 
 meeting I had previously attended. I was gratified 
 in finding the same honored individual, William A. 
 Hankey, Esq., in the chair, who presided on a 
 similar occasion when I had the satisfaction of 
 being present ten years ago. 
 
 After prayer by one of the ministers present, 
 8 
 
106 LONDON. 
 
 he introduced the business of the meeting by 
 an affecting allusion to the founders of the So- 
 ciety, all of whom, he remarked, excepting him- 
 self and one aged brother on the platform, had 
 been removed by death. He said, he seemed 
 to be standing there between two generations, 
 and he would erect a pillar and write upon it 
 as a motto — " Not unto us, not unto us, but 
 unto thy name, O Lord, be all the glory." 
 The report, which was exceedingly interesting 
 and satisfactory, was read by one of the secreta- 
 ries, the Rev. Mr. Ellis. 
 
 The Rev. George Clayton then addressed the 
 meeting in a speech beautifully composed, and 
 gracefully delivered. Mr. Clayton is the second 
 of three brothers in the Christian ministry, all of 
 whom are distinguished for their dignified and 
 gentlemanly deportment, as well as for their pop- 
 ularity as preachers, and their devotedness as 
 Christian ministers. The Rev. John Clayton, Jr. 
 the eldest brother, has been, for many years, the 
 highly esteemed and useful pastor of an indepen- 
 dent chapel in the Poultry. Mr. George Clayton 
 has a flourishing and much attached congregation 
 in Walworth in Surrey, in the immediate neigh- 
 borhood of London. And the Rev. William 
 Clayton, who was for several years pastor of a 
 
LONDON. 107 
 
 church in the country, is, at present, the principal 
 of the flourishing school for Dissenters at Mill Hill, 
 a few miles distant from the city. The Rev. Mr. 
 Clayton, Sen., now at the advanced age of more 
 than eighty, some years since retired from the 
 duties of the ministry, and, with his venerable 
 consort, still more advanced in life than himself, 
 survive to witness, with parental satisfaction, the 
 increasing usefulness and success of their children. 
 
 The Hon. and Rev. Baptiste Noel, was one of 
 the speakers on this interesting occasion ; and, 
 without any disparagement to any other speaker 
 I heard in England, I can truly say, that, in sweet- 
 ness of spirit, simplicity of manner, and enlarged 
 views of Christian charity and benevolence, he 
 was unrivalled. In his oratory he unites the pe- 
 culiar excellence of the English and American 
 character. He has the unction of the English, 
 without its noisy vociferation ; and the decorum of 
 the American, without its frigidity and tameness. 
 He is gentle, yet warm ; mild, yet glowing ; 
 quiet, yet stirring. I was so enchanted with the 
 sweet and flowing strain of his eloquence, that I 
 could have sat for hours without uhe consciousness 
 of passing time. 
 
 Mr. Noel is one of the most popular of the 
 Evangelical clergy. He fills the pulpit in Bed- 
 
108 LONDON. 
 
 ford-row Chapel, once occupied by the celebrated 
 Richard Cecil. He entertains the kindest and 
 most liberal feelings towards Dissenters from the 
 established church ; and were it to depend upon 
 him, the walls of separation, between the friends 
 of the Redeemer, in and out of the establishment, 
 would soon be demolished. As it is, his free and 
 generous spirit will not long submit to be confined 
 within the limits of high church jurisdiction, and 
 it would not be very surprising, unless a more lib- 
 eral policy should be adopted by the Bishops and 
 clergy towards their dissenting brethren, that he 
 should burst the trammels, by which he is sur- 
 rounded, and become as independent in his eccle- 
 siastical relations, as he is in heart and character. 
 
 The Rev. William Reed, one of the Society's 
 missionaries from Madras, Professor Tholuck, and 
 Rev. Mr. Close from Cheltenham, (a clergyman 
 of the established church of a kindred spirit with 
 Mr. Noel,) successively addressed the meeting 
 with much interest and effect. 
 
 Our friend, and almost adopted countryman, 
 Dr. Andrew Reed, rose, and was received with 
 enthusiastic applause. In one continued stream of 
 impassioned eloquence he alluded to his trans- 
 atlantic tour, and from the example of American 
 liberality, stimulated British Christians to greater 
 
LONDON. 109 
 
 exertions. He closed a speech of some length, 
 and of almost unrivalled beauty and interest, by- 
 introducing the American Deputation to the notice 
 and kind regards of the assembly. 
 
 It devolved upon me, as a delegate from the 
 American Board, to express the sense my col- 
 leagues and myself entertained of the honor con- 
 ferred upon us by this kind and respectful notice. 
 The warm and reiterated expressions of welcome, 
 with which I was received, were peculiarly grati- 
 fying, as indications of the affectionate feelings, 
 with which my beloved country, and the important 
 interests I represented, were regarded by the re- 
 spectable and numerous audience. 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Knill, late of St. Petersburgh, 
 and now a most successful agent of the London 
 Missionary Society, succeeded me, and was re- 
 ceived with the most lively enthusiasm by the 
 assembly. There is something in the countenance 
 and personal appearance of Mr. Knill that is strik- 
 ingly interesting — something that carries convic- 
 tion to every one that he is a man of great sim- 
 plicity and godly sincerity. His speech was, like 
 himself, plain and straight forward, and produced 
 a manifest effect upon his audience. In compli- 
 ance with his suggestion, a subscription was opened 
 on the spot, for a special effort to send the gospel 
 
110 LONDON. 
 
 to China. Within a few minutes about £500 
 sterling was collected, some in gold, some in bank 
 notes, and more in promissory payments on scraps 
 of paper, handed up on the platform, with the 
 amount subscribed, prefixed with the three vowels, 
 i. o. u., (/ owe you,) and endorsed with the name 
 of the subscriber. 
 
 The propriety of this method of raising money, 
 which it was stated was not uncommon at mis- 
 sionary meetings in Manchester, and other places, 
 was, in the opinion of many judicious individuals, 
 very questionable, and I think will not be repeated. 
 I confess, the influence on my own mind was not 
 favorable. It tended to lessen the effect produced 
 by the preceding exercises, and to convert into a 
 mere pecuniary transaction, the business of a 
 meeting, which ought to have a higher and nobler 
 object. The unhappy influence of the measure 
 was apparent in the unsuccessful attempt of the 
 Rev. Mr. Williams, of the South Sea Mission, 
 who was the last speaker, to regain the attention, 
 and interest the feelings of the audience. 
 
 A circumstance occurred at this meeting of an 
 unpleasant nature. While the audience were 
 uniting in singing the doxology, at the close of the 
 exercises, some one, who had contrived to gain 
 admission to the platform in the disguise of a gen- 
 
LONDON. HI 
 
 tleman, availed himself of the opportunity, while 
 the backs of the secretaries were turned upon the 
 table, upon which stood the bag, containing the 
 amount collected, to appropriate it to his own 
 private use. The robbery was not discovered 
 until after the assembly had separated. It proved 
 to be less considerable than was at first appre- 
 hended, as a greater part of the amount was in 
 notes of i. o. u., which were faithfully redeemed, 
 and in some instances paid with more than com- 
 pound interest in an increased subscription. The 
 ultimate loss, sustained by the Society, did not 
 exceed thirty or forty pounds. 
 
 After the meeting was over, we went home with 
 the Rev. Dr. Bennett and his family, with whom 
 we were previously engaged to dine. Dr. Ben- 
 nett is favorably known to the public as a scholar 
 and an author. He was, for some time, at the 
 head of the theological academy in Rotherham in 
 Yorkshire, and was associated with the late Dr. 
 Bogue, in the publication of the History of Dis- 
 senters. This work, together with his Life of 
 Christ, in a series of practical lectures in three 
 volumes, procured for him the Diploma of Doctor 
 of Divinity from Yale college, in Connecticut. 
 But Dr. Bennett is more particularly distinguished 
 for his talents as a controversial writer. He is the 
 
112 LONDON. 
 
 uncompromising advocate of civil and religious 
 liberty, and enters very warmly into the agitating 
 question of the present day, respecting church and 
 state. As a writer, he is remarkably caustic and 
 keen, and no one can expect to engage in contro- 
 versy with him, without feeling the edge of his 
 satire and the smartness of his wit. He has a re- 
 spectable congregation, who appear to appreciate 
 his talents as a preacher, and to regard him with 
 affection in his pastoral character. 
 
 We returned from his residence in the city road, 
 in season to attend the missionary sermon in St. 
 Bride's Church, Fleet street, by the Rev. Mr. 
 Close of Cheltenham. The preacher, in conclud- 
 ing his sermon, announced the daring robbery that 
 had been committed in Exeter Hall, and availed 
 himself of the circumstance to excite the sympathy 
 of the audience. The consequence was, that a 
 much larger sum than usual was collected to aid 
 the funds of the London Missionary Society. 
 
 On Friday morning, I attended an adjourned 
 meeting of the Congregational Union of England 
 and Wales. Resolutions were offered of thanks to 
 Dr. Spring, for his sermon delivered on Monday 
 evening ; and to present each of the Deputation 
 with a copy of the Narrative of Drs. Reed and 
 Matheson. These, and other resolutions were 
 
LONDON. 113 
 
 supported by eloquent addresses from some of the 
 most distinguished members of the body. Among 
 them, Messrs. James of Birmingham, and Atkins of 
 Southampton, Dr. Redford of Worcester, and Drs. 
 Bennett, Fletcher, Morrison and H. F. Burder of 
 London. The subject of a continued deputation 
 to the American churches was discussed. It was 
 thought, that it should not be more frequent than 
 once in three years. 
 
 A pastoral letter, which had been prepared by 
 a committee chosen the preceding year, consisting 
 of Rev. Mr. Kelley, Dr. Raffles and Rev. Mr. 
 Carruthers, was submitted to the meeting. It was 
 an admirable document, and reflected great credit 
 on the author — the Rev. Mr. Kelley. 
 
 It was proposed, that a public meeting should 
 be held at the Rev. John Clayton's Chapel in the 
 Poultry, to give an opportunity for the members 
 of the churches and other friends to hear addres- 
 ses from the American Deputation ; and Thurs- 
 day evening, of the next week, was appointed for 
 the purpose. 
 
 The meeting closed rather abruptly, in conse- 
 quence of the impatience manifested to hear the 
 missionary sermon by Dr. Spring, the appointed 
 time for which had nearly arrived. 
 
 The annual meeting of the Congregational 
 
114 LONDON. 
 
 Union of England and Wales is composed of such 
 ministers, and members of independent churches, 
 as may have been previously appointed, or may 
 choose to attend. A book is kept at the door, 
 where every one, who enters the room, enrols his 
 name and place of residence. 
 
 There is some want of order and system in 
 doing business, which may be easily accounted for 
 from the recent origin of the Union, and the inex- 
 perience of its members. But time and experi- 
 ence will correct the evil, and will lead to the 
 adoption of a system of rules and orders, which 
 will much facilitate the transaction of business, as 
 well as greatly promote the economy of time. 
 
 It was a rainy day ; and a number of the breth- 
 ren with myself filled one of the omnibuses, which 
 ply from one part of the city to another, and pro- 
 ceeded, very sociably, on our way to Craven 
 Chapel. 
 
 Craven Chapel is a large and commodious 
 edifice, which owes its existence to the pious 
 liberality of Thomas Wilson, Esq. the well known 
 Treasurer of Highbury College, and the munificent 
 patron of many religious and benevolent institu- 
 tions connected with the Dissenting interest. The 
 pulpit of this chapel is, at present, filled by the 
 
LONDON. 115 
 
 Rev. John Liefchild, whose popular talents have 
 drawn around him a numerous congregation, and 
 whose indefatigable labors have been greatly bles- 
 sed in the conversion of souls. There has been, 
 for some time past, more of the appearance of 
 what would be called in America a revival of reli- 
 gion in this place, than in any other congregation 
 in London, unless it be that of the Rev. Dr. 
 Reed, where, during his late absence, and since 
 his return, a more than ordinary seriousness has 
 prevailed, and an unusual number added to the 
 communion of the church. 
 
 A combination of circumstances rendered the 
 attendance at Craven Chapel not so large as on 
 the previous services of the missionary festival. 
 It was an extra service, appointed for the purpose 
 of hearing Dr. Spring. It was in a place where 
 no anniversary sermon had ever been preached 
 before. It was on a wet day, when many were 
 prevented attending on account of the weather, 
 and, more than all, it was held at the same hour 
 with the great Anti- Slavery meeting at Exeter 
 Hall, where the well known and far famed Daniel 
 O'Connell, was expected to speak. Notwith- 
 standing all these disadvantages, a respectable 
 audience were gratified with an excellent sermon 
 from Dr. Spring — from the words, " Thy will be 
 done" 
 
1 16 LONDON. 
 
 I thought it my duty, from respect to the 
 Missionary Society, as well as from regard to 
 the preacher, to attend the services at Craven 
 Chapel, rather than the exciting meeting at 
 Exeter Hall. 
 
 I was thus spared the pain and mortification 1 
 should otherwise have experienced in listening to 
 the reproach cast upon my beloved country by the 
 Irish orator, and the temptation I should undoubt- 
 edly have felt, publicly, to have contradicted some 
 of his statements. He should have known that the 
 American States are independent sovereignties, 
 each legislating for itself, — having its own laws 
 and its own government, and that it was out of 
 the power of the national government to interfere 
 with those rights which the States had expressly 
 reserved. He should have known, also, that all 
 the New England, and some of the other States, 
 had long abjured slavery, and held it in as utter 
 detestation as himself; and not considered the 
 whole country and its government responsible for 
 the existence of an evil, which if the tears of 
 thousands in our land could have washed away, 
 would have long since been removed. 
 
 This great mistake on the subject of American 
 slavery was not confined to O'Connell, though 
 more inexcusable in him, but appeared to be en- 
 
LONDON. 117 
 
 tertained by numbers whom I heard speak and 
 converse on the subject. My feelings, and those 
 of my brethren, were frequently wounded by 
 allusions to this subject, both in public and in 
 private, and by the unqualified abuse which was 
 heaped upon our country for the toleration of an 
 evil, the existence of which no one could more 
 sincerely lament than ourselves. 
 
 That our national government is not wholly 
 guiltless in this thing, I am constrained to ac- 
 knowledge. While I would vindicate it from the 
 sweeping and indiscriminate condemnation of 
 O'Connell and others, I cannot defend it altogether 
 from the charge of inconsistency. Something it 
 certainly might do towards removing this dreadful 
 evil. Although it has no control over the re- 
 served rights of the several States, it is supposed 
 to have a direct and special legislation over the 
 District of Columbia. Let Congress then without 
 delay, banish the slave dealer and the slave from 
 the city of Washington, and let not the groans of 
 slavery any longer mingle with congressional dec- 
 lamations in favor of liberty and the rights of man. 
 
 It is also deeply to be lamented, that in admit- 
 ting new States into the Union, a bold stand was 
 not taken on the subject of slavery. Had the 
 restriction, which was proposed in the case of 
 
118 LONDON. 
 
 Missouri in 1820, been adopted, the evil might 
 have been checked in a great degree. On all 
 future occasions it is to be hoped that a different 
 policy will be pursued. The subject of slavery in 
 the United States is one of momentous and fearful 
 interest. I tremble, when I think of the possible 
 consequences resulting to the integrity of the 
 Union, and the peace and safety of the commu- 
 nity, from the agitation of this question by indis- 
 creet, but well-meaning men. If there ever was 
 a subject that required sound judgment and dis- 
 passionate action, it is this. The weapons of this 
 warfare, (for a contest there must and will be,) 
 like those of the gospel, should not be carnal but 
 spiritual. It is by light and love, and not by 
 intemperate zeal and fierce recrimination, that 
 the victory is to be won. 
 
 While I had to regret the misapprehensions en- 
 tertained on the subject of American slavery by 
 many whom I met in England, I was happy to 
 know that there were those, who suitably appre- 
 ciated the difficulties and embarrassments under 
 which we labor in the removal of this acknow- 
 ledged evil. 
 
 The following remarks from the London Quar- 
 terly, will commend themselves to those who have 
 well considered this important subject* 
 
LONDON. 119 
 
 " The difficulty in which the vast and increasing 
 population of alien blood involves the government 
 and legislature of America, is great and real ; 
 and it little becomes Englishmen, aware, as we all 
 are, by whose act a slave peasantry was first in- 
 troduced into her territory, to assume a high and 
 disdainful tone of language as to this subject. 
 Least of all, is it either wise or decorous in us to 
 assume such a tone at this particular time. Some 
 obviously and absurdly cruel particulars may be 
 criticised calmly to good purpose ; but let us not 
 be too broad and rash in our censures. We have 
 but yesterday emancipated our own West India 
 slaves at an enormous cost, and the results of that 
 experiment are still (to speak gently) extremely 
 doubtful. Let us beware of incurring the sus- 
 picion that we are willing to urge our example on 
 the United States from motives not of philanthropy 
 merely, but in part, at least, of mercantile calcu- 
 lation ! " 
 
 After the meeting at Craven Chapel, we re- 
 paired to Highbury, to dine with Thomas Wilson, 
 Esq. whom 1 have before mentioned as the mu- 
 nificent patron of religious institutions among the 
 Dissenters. His son, Mr. Joshua Wilson, inherits 
 the same spirit, and is distinguished for his theo- 
 logical and. antiquarian researches. From Mr. 
 
120 LONDON. 
 
 Wilson's we went to Claremont Chapel to attend 
 the missionary communion. The sacrament of 
 the Lord's Supper is the concluding service in the 
 missionary festival, and is administered on Friday 
 evening, in six different places of worship in the 
 metropolis, for the accommodation of the numbers 
 who wish to attend. 
 
 Claremont Chapel, in the neighborhood of 
 Islington, is a neat place of worship, and enjoys 
 the ministerial services of the Rev. Mr. Black- 
 burn, one of the secretaries of the Congregational 
 Union. On the present occasion Rev. Mr. Knill 
 presided, and made a solemn address before the 
 distribution of the elements. Several prayers 
 were offered, and addresses were made by Dr. 
 Matheson and myself. It was an unspeakable 
 privilege to sit down at the table of the Lord with 
 so many of the disciples of Jesus, and, among 
 them, some of my old and valued friends in early 
 life. 
 
 On Saturday I attended the meeting of the So- 
 ciety for the Protection of Religious Liberty, in 
 the City of London Tavern, Bishopsgate street. 
 This Society, though exceedingly necessary and 
 important, is, more or less, political and controver- 
 sial in its character. The meeting was crowded to 
 excess. The chair was taken by Lord Brougham, 
 
LONDON. 121 
 
 who delivered an animated and eloquent address, 
 in which his desire to regain his popularity by 
 securing the favor and support of the Dissenters, 
 was very apparent. The case of a Mr. Childs, a 
 respectable printer and publisher, who had been 
 recently imprisoned for refusing to pay the church 
 rates, added great interest to the occasion. In the 
 course of the meeting Mr. O'Connell made his 
 appearance, and was received with deafening ap- 
 plause. His speech, which was certainly eloquent, 
 abounded in turns of wit, and play upon words, 
 which excited much laughter. Among the other 
 speakers on this occasion, were Dr. Brown, the 
 treasurer, and John Wilkes, Esq. the secretary of 
 the Society, Rev. Dr. Morrison, Rev. Mr. Stowell, 
 of Rotherham, one of the Professors of the London 
 University, and Dr. Spring. Among the resolu- 
 tions was one, expressive of the gratification of 
 the meeting in the presence of the American 
 Deputation. The meeting was exceedingly stirring 
 and interesting, but too political and controversial 
 to suit my taste and feelings. 
 
 After the meeting was over, my brethren and 
 myself dined with the secretary of the Society, 
 John Wilkes, Esq. at his house in Finsbury 
 Square, in company with Dr. Brown, the Rev. 
 Dr. Reed, and several other friends. Mr. Wilkes, 
 9 
 
122 LONDON. 
 
 (the eldest son of the late eccentric Matthew 
 Wilkes,) is a member of the British Parliament, 
 and is distinguished for his efforts to protect the 
 civil rights and religious liberties of the Dissenters. 
 
 I returned to my family in Norfolk street, and 
 was happy to spend a quiet Saturday evening, 
 after the incessant attendance on religious anniver- 
 saries during the week. 
 
 Agreeably to previous engagements, I preached 
 on Sabbath morning, May 17th, for my old and 
 valued friend, Rev. Mr. Lewis of Islington, and 
 in the evening, for Dr. Bennett in Silver Street 
 Chapel, to large and attentive congregations. 
 
 On Monday I had the pleasure of dining with 
 the editor and conductors of the Evangelical 
 Magazine, at their room in Messrs. Westley & 
 Davis's bookstore, in Stationer's Court. Besides 
 my American brethren, there were present, on 
 this occasion, the Rev. Drs. Morrison, Reed, J. 
 Fletcher, H. F. Burder and Henderson, and the 
 Rev. Messrs. Collison and Lewis. 
 
 Dr. Morrison has the principal charge of the 
 Magazine as editor, and, as a scholar and theolo- 
 gian, is well qualified for the undertaking. He 
 possesses a strong and vigorous mind, with a warm 
 and affectionate heart. In his opinions on the 
 anti-slavery question, and on the great subjects 
 
LONDON. 123 
 
 of ecclesiastical reform which now agitate this 
 community, he is energetic and firm, and is pre- 
 pared for strong and decisive measures. 
 
 The Rev. Dr. Joseph Fletcher is one of the 
 most amiable men and popular preachers in the 
 city of London. The suavity of his manners, his 
 rich and varied intellectual furniture, his warm 
 and humble piety, and his pleasing address as a 
 public speaker, render him the object of esteem 
 and love to a large and respectable congregation, 
 and to his numerous friends and admirers. He 
 received his education at the University of Glas- 
 gow, and reflects great credit on his alma mater. 
 
 Rev. Dr. Henderson, formerly the laborious and 
 successful missionary and agent of the Bible So- 
 ciety in Russia, and now the highly esteemed 
 tutor of Highbury College, and successor to Dr. 
 Bogue in the theological chair, is a gentleman of 
 pleasing manners and popular address. I regretted 
 that the present was the only opportunity I had of 
 enjoying the pleasure of his society. 
 
 I was much gratified in renewing my acquaint- 
 ance with my worthy and esteemed friend, the 
 Rev. George Collison. "Time, which doth all 
 things else impair," seems to have wrought little 
 or no change in him. His head remains unsilvered, 
 and his countenance hale and fresh as ever, and, 
 
124 LONDON. 
 
 more than all, he continues the same amiable, 
 consistent and excellent man that he was when I 
 first had the pleasure of making his acquaintance. 
 He is still employed in the arduous but delightful 
 work of training young men for the ministry of 
 reconciliation. Of Drs. Reed and Burder, and 
 my long tried friend, the Rev. Mr. Lewis, 1 have 
 already spoken, and cannot speak too highly. 
 
 On Tuesday the 19th, the Anniversary of the 
 British and Foreign Temperance Society was held 
 in Exeter Hall. This meeting I had long antici- 
 pated with much interest, not only from the impor- 
 tance of its object, but from its connection with the 
 parent institution, (if I may so call it,) in my 
 native land. On other anniversaries, I felt that 
 we were indebted to England for the first sugges- 
 tions and movements in our religious and benevo- 
 lent institutions, and I was always ready to ac- 
 knowledge, with gratitude, the obligation to our 
 father land ; but, on this occasion, 1 was about to 
 attend the meeting of a society in Britain, that 
 owed its existence to a most important and suc- 
 cessful effort on the other side of the Atlantic; 
 and I confess my bosom swelled with something 
 like national pride and satisfaction. 
 
 At an early hour, Dr. Humphrey and myself 
 repaired to the committee room in Exeter Hall, 
 
LONDON. 125 
 
 and presented our commissions as Delegates from 
 the American Temperance Society. We were 
 received with much cordiality by the officers of 
 the Society, and were introduced to the patron 
 and president, the Lord Bishop of London. He 
 was dressed with great simplicity, without his 
 wig, and distinguished only by a small black 
 apron, (which, by the way, is more becoming 
 in the other sex.) 
 
 The meeting was a long time in collecting, and 
 after it commenced, presented but a meagre ap- 
 pearance, when compared with the dense and 
 overflowing assemblies of preceding anniversaries. 
 
 The Bishop of London introduced the business 
 of the meeting with a short, but interesting speech, 
 in which he alluded to the origin of the Society, 
 and to the interest he had taken in it from its for- 
 mation to the present day. He adverted to the 
 opposition and difficulties it had to encounter, and 
 exhorted the members of the Society to continued 
 and persevering exertion. 
 
 After the report was read by the secretary, Mr. 
 John Capper, several animated addresses were 
 made by Admiral Brenton, Messrs. Fleetwood and 
 Buckingham, Members of Parliament, the Rev. 
 Mr. Stowell, and the Hon. and Rev. Baptiste 
 Noel, of the established church, Edward Parsons, 
 
126 LONDON. 
 
 Esq.' of Leeds, Dr. Matheson and the American 
 Deputation. 
 
 Admiral Brenton, the venerable governor of 
 Greenwich Hospital, bore his testimony to the 
 good effected by the Temperance Society in that 
 important institution. He stated that he had cir- 
 culated the tracts of the Society among the mem- 
 bers of the hospital, but in the first instance, not 
 with any very sanguine hopes of success. He 
 thought that, at the utmost, he should not be able 
 to induce above fifty men to join the Society, and 
 from the character of sailors and their long formed 
 habits, he expected that more than one half of 
 these would forfeit their engagement. But he 
 was happy to say, that, from the month of No- 
 vember, 1832, to that day, nearly 700 men had 
 enrolled their names, as members of the Temper- 
 ance Society. He remarked that for two years and 
 a half, only thirty-seven of them had violated their 
 pledge. 
 
 He stated one fact, which illustrates the perni- 
 cious influence exerted by the retailers of ardent 
 spirits in England, as well as among us. It 
 was in relation to a description of people on the 
 banks of the Thames, called coal- whip pers y who 
 were absolutely forced into habits of intemperance. 
 It would hardly be believed, if it were not 
 
LONDON. 127 
 
 thoroughly substantiated, that these men could 
 only get employment through those who keep 
 public houses, (retailers,) and on the condition, 
 before they go to work, that they will drink 
 ardent spirits, and spend nearly half their earnings 
 at the public house at night. Thus they are able 
 to take home but little to their families, except 
 degraded habits, and a love of ardent spirits, to 
 which they are driven because they are obliged to 
 pay for them. There are numbers of benevolent 
 individuals, who w 7 ould be glad to see a stop put 
 to this species of tyranny and oppression — to a 
 system of slavery, worse than that from which the 
 Africans had been redeemed. Abominable as the 
 practice of slavery was, the African was protected 
 as property ; but here the individual's constitution 
 is undermined, and in proportion as he is intem- 
 perate, so he gets employment. 
 
 There is one gentleman, said the Admiral, 
 who has commenced a system of employing 
 coal-whippers without the necessity of their 
 going to a public house ; they go immediately 
 to him and get employ, and one of the largest 
 gas companies in London sends that gentleman 
 all their ships. The Admiral himself examined 
 the men and put to them various questions, 
 and they told him that when they never got 
 
128 LONDON. 
 
 above 10s. or 12s. after clearing a ship before, 
 they now carry home upon an average £[. 18s. 
 Admiral Brenton concluded by saying that he did 
 not know that it was possible for the members of 
 the Temperance Society to meet with a more 
 tangible case for the exertion of all their influence. 
 If they were to take up the case, they would see 
 an end put to the worst description of slavery, 
 
 Peter H. Fleetwood, Esq. M. P. from Preston, 
 then addressed the meeting. Perhaps there is no 
 part of England where the temperance cause has 
 made greater advances than in Preston and its 
 vicinity. The honorable member stated that in a 
 town of only 6,000 inhabitants, there were 1,500 
 members of the Temperance Society — and that 
 nine out of eleven spirit or beer houses had been 
 closed. He expressed a wish that there might be 
 an ordinance from the British government that no 
 ship in the navy should be permitted to have 
 spirits on board, except as a medicine. He men- 
 tioned a striking fact connected with the merchant 
 vessels trading from the Baltic to Liverpool. A 
 large ship owner in Liverpool wrote to his agents 
 to know why his vessels were lying idle, unable 
 to procure freight. It was stated in reply, that so 
 long as there were American ships there which 
 prohibited the use of ardent spirits, the merchants 
 
LONDON. 129 
 
 preferred sending their cargoes by them rather 
 than by British vessels which carried spirits. 
 
 Rev. Dr. Matheson then addressed the meeting 
 and gave an interesting account of his late visit to 
 the United States, and of the wonderful success of 
 the temperance cause in that country. 
 
 Rev. Mr. Stowell, who is a most stirring and 
 vehement orator, made a most powerful impression 
 on the audience, and related many characteristic 
 and amusing anecdotes. He mentioned a circum- 
 stance which took place in the neighborhood of a 
 Sunday school in Manchester. "A spinner, who 
 lived near the church, was very much opposed to 
 religion, and was also of intemperate habits. He 
 used to stand at the door of his cottage, when the 
 teachers and scholars of the Sabbath school passed, 
 for the purpose of insulting them. The teachers 
 held a meeting for the purpose of consulting what 
 should be done with him. Some one proposed to 
 inform against him to the magistrates. Two of 
 them went to see him, and told him that he must 
 go with them to the meeting of the Temperance 
 Society ; or they would complain of him to the 
 civil authority. With no higher motive than a 
 desire to avoid a prosecution, he accompanied 
 them to the meeting. He was powerfully im- 
 pressed with the statements he heard at the meet- 
 
130 LONDON. 
 
 ing — a flood of light broke in upon his mind, and 
 he exclaimed, ' What have I been about ? What 
 a fool and madman have I been ? ? At the next 
 meeting he subscribed the temperance pledge, and 
 became a zealous supporter of the cause of tem- 
 perance. He was soon led to receive the truth as 
 it is in Jesus, in its life giving power, and was ad- 
 mitted, after examination, to the table of the Lord, 
 and became a Sunday school teacher in that very 
 Sunday school he had so grossly insulted. 
 
 " Some time after this, a person was wanted 
 to superintend a large spinning establishment in 
 Prussia. This man was applied to, and accepted 
 the appointment. One Sabbath morning his em- 
 ployer came to him and said, ' John, why is the 
 mill stopped, and all the workmen idle ? ' ' Sir,' 
 said John, 'I never work on the Sabbath.' ' But,' 
 said his master, ' it is the custom here, and every 
 one works on the Sabbath.' ' Well, sir,' replied 
 the workman, l you may turn me out of employ- 
 ment, but I cannot work on the Sabbath.' The 
 master left the room in a rage, but he soon cooled, 
 and came back and said, c Very well, John, it shall 
 be as you please. The mill shall be stopped on 
 the Sabbath.'" 
 
 The Hon. and Rev. Baptiste W. Noel then 
 addressed the meeting. His object was to reply 
 
LONDON. 131 
 
 to some popular objections that had been urged 
 against the Temperance Society. The Society- 
 bad been accused of interfering with one of the 
 few pleasures of laboring people. 'Interfere,' said 
 he, ' with their pleasures ! Can any one hear 
 such an objection without feeling a sense of 
 humiliation for human nature ? Interfere with 
 their pleasures ! What do they mean by telling 
 us so ? Must we let the gin drinker continue his 
 pleasure and pursue his hateful vice, till his head 
 is harder than a millstone ? Let him pursue 
 his pleasure till he has broken the heart of 
 her, who was the companion of his youth, and 
 who ought to be the dearest of his pleasures ! 
 Let him pursue his pleasure till he can look 
 with a dry and tearless eye on the children 
 w T ho ask him for bread, or perhaps beat them 
 because they have the natural infirmity of hunger! 
 Let him pursue his pleasure till his limbs are 
 crippled, his face emaciated, and his heart with- 
 ered ! There are pleasures so debasing, that they 
 deserve not the name ; there are pleasures which 
 every good man hates ; and he, who loves his 
 species, will ever be found foremost in suppressing 
 them, for the purpose of introducing real happi- 
 ness, a purer and more substantial joy, and which, 
 on a dying pillow may be looked back upon without 
 remorse.' 
 
132 LONDON. 
 
 The eloquent speaker in concluding his ad- 
 dress, indulged his fancy in drawing a beautiful 
 picture of the happy results that would arise from 
 the success of the Temperance Reformation. c I 
 would see,' said he, 'Primrose Hill (a place of 
 resort in the neighborhood of London) crowded 
 with temperance tents ; I would see all the mem- 
 bers of the Society marching in deep columns, 
 looking so respectable, so temperate ; I would 
 gladly see our Monarch himself, at the head of 
 the review, looking upon that part of his subjects 
 on which he might most depend in every emer- 
 gency. What a strong and beautiful contrast 
 would there be between the members of this 
 Society, who should march under a banner on 
 which Temperance was inscribed on the one side 
 and Religion on the other, and those who should 
 turn out of the haunts of gin palaces ! O what 
 contrast is there between the splendor of the 
 house and the misery of the customer ! What a 
 bitter sigh involuntarily escapes the drunken, when 
 they should see the temperate arriving, band after 
 band, at the scene of their encampment ! I can 
 believe that if some malignant spirit were allowed 
 to hover over the scene, it would be compelled, as 
 the prophet of old was when he looked upon the 
 multitudes around, to exclaim, " How goodly are 
 
LONDON. 133 
 
 thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel." 
 Or, if there were another class I would see parade 
 through the streets, that it might act upon the 
 imaginations of those who are engaged in this 
 dreadful vice, I should like, by some mysterious 
 and irresistible energy,- (for I suppose no other 
 could bring it about,) to bring the poor little ones, 
 tattered and weeping and wan, even in childhood, 
 from all those tenements where drunkards live, 
 into the streets ; and I would have the noble, and 
 the titled, and the rich, and the ministers of reli- 
 gion, who stand aloof from this Society, drawn up 
 in their thousands, and see how they would gaze 
 upon these little ones, as they marched through 
 the line of the noble and the titled and the wealthy 
 and the reverend. I would say to them, What do 
 you mean to do to rescue these little ones ? How 
 can you save them from the daily, hourly misery 
 to which the drunkenness of the parent exposes 
 them ? Or if there be another class still, which I 
 would rather see brought before the eyes of their 
 assembled countrymen, it would be composed of 
 such as that reclaimed workman, who was once 
 engaged in insulting those who wished well to 
 their fellow men, but is now occupied in devoting 
 his time on the Sabbath day to make his fellow 
 workmen happy for time and for eternity. I 
 
134 LONDON. 
 
 would collect the thousands that had been rescued 
 by means of this institution ; and if we could but 
 fix the gaze of those thousands in society yet 
 devoted to vice, it might so act on their imagina- 
 tion, that by hundreds and thousands they would 
 flock to the standard of this institution.' 
 
 The secretary of the Society, Mr. Capper, 
 here read to the meeting the following document. 
 
 "At a meeting of the Executive Committee 
 of the American Temperance Society, held in 
 Boston, Massachusetts, on the eighth day of De- 
 cember, 1834, it was 
 
 " Tooted, That the Rev. John Codman, D. D., 
 of Dorchester, Massachusetts, and the Rev. 
 Heman Humphrey, D. D., President of Amherst 
 College, Amherst, Massachusetts, be, and they 
 hereby are, appointed Delegates to represent the 
 American Temperance Society, at the annual 
 meeting of the British and Foreign Temperance 
 Society, to be holden in London in May 1835; 
 and in all other meetings of Temperance Socie- 
 ties and friends of temperance, which they may 
 be permitted to attend during their absence from 
 the United States. 
 
 " Attest, E. Hale, Jr., 
 
 "Setfy of the Exec. Com. and Rec. Sec. of the Jim. Temp. Soc." 
 
LONDON. 135 
 
 We then severally addressed the meeting, and 
 were received with great courtesy and kindness. 
 My colleague was at home and in his. element, 
 and entered into some interesting statistical details 
 of the temperance reformation in the United 
 States. His speech on this occasion has been 
 transferred to some of our own public prints, and 
 will be read with interest, by the numerous friends 
 of the Temperence Society in the United States. 
 
 J. S. Buckingham, Esq. who is distinguished 
 for his advocacy of the Temperance cause, both 
 in and out of parliament, made a most eloquent 
 speech, in which he alluded very courteously to 
 the presence of the American Deputation, and 
 professed his readiness to co-operate with us in all 
 our efforts to promote the temperance reforma- 
 tion. 
 
 The speech of Mr. Edward Parsons of Leeds, 
 was rendered interesting from peculiar circum- 
 stances, to which he himself alluded in bearing 
 his testimony to two great facts. The first fact 
 was, that intemperance is the greatest evil in the 
 world ; the second was, that its progress and 
 ravages can only be successfully counteracted by 
 the practical application of the Temperance 
 Society. 
 
 Mr. P. was a few years since a popular Dis- 
 
136 LONDON. 
 
 senting minister in London. He was obliged to 
 quit his profession, and retire to private life. He 
 is now a reclaimed and sober man, and felt it his 
 duty to bear his public testimony to the beneficial 
 influence of the Temperance Society. 
 
 The last speech was made by the Rev. John 
 Williams, who gave some valuable information 
 respecting the temperance cause in the South Sea 
 islands. 
 
 I have been thus particular in giving an account 
 of this anniversary, as every thing relating to the 
 subject of temperance will be interesting to its 
 numerous friends in the United States. 
 
 On the platform I noticed many excellent and 
 distinguished men, and several there and in the 
 hall with the broad brimmed hat and the quaker 
 bonnet. As a society, the Friends are always 
 ready to patronize and encourage every benevolent 
 and philanthropic effort to alleviate the condition 
 of suffering humanity ; and I believe, in that day 
 when every one shall be rewarded according to 
 his works, manv of them will be found among that 
 happy number, who, in the persons of his dis- 
 ciples, visited the Saviour in prison, and admin- 
 istered to his necessities. 
 
 Mrs. Elizabeth Fry, a name that deserves to be 
 associated with that of the immortal Howard, in 
 
LONDON. 137 
 
 the records of philanthropy, has taken a deep and 
 lively interest in the cause of temperance. She 
 obtained the countenance and support of Sir 
 Robert Peel, while chancellor of the exchequer, 
 for the establishment of libraries at the several 
 coast-guard stations in the kingdom, and at her 
 solicitation a grant of the publications of the 
 temperance society has been made in furtherance 
 of her enlightened project. Much good is antici- 
 pated from the opportunity thus afforded of dis- 
 seminating the principles of the Society. 
 
 I confess I was much disappointed in not seeing 
 more of my Dissenting brethren present at this 
 important anniversary. Why they should absent 
 themselves from a meeting that ought to be strictly 
 national and impartial, I could not divine. I 
 heard some of their names mentioned in the list 
 of the Society's committee, but I looked in vain 
 for them on the platform. There are some hon- 
 orable exceptions to the indifference that seems to 
 pervade the Dissenting community on this subject. 
 The Rev. Dr. John Pye Smith has from the 
 beginning taken a lively interest in the temperance 
 cause, and by his elevated station and distinguished 
 character much good may be expected from the 
 noble stand he has taken in favor of total absti- 
 nence. Still, as a body, the members of the 
 10 
 
138 LONDON 
 
 Congregational Union, I regret to say, are behind 
 their brethren in the Establishment, in their efforts 
 to promote this philanthropic and benevolent cause. 
 Much good might be done by their combined 
 energies in passing resolutions at their annual 
 meetings, and by recommending the formation of 
 temperance societies in all their congregations. 
 It is sincerely, to be hoped that this important 
 subject will engage their attention at their future 
 meetings ; and that, as they are forward in other 
 good works, they will not be backward in this 
 labor of love. These hints, should they ever 
 meet their eye, will, I doubt not, be received, as 
 they are intended to be given, in the spirit of 
 Christian and fraternal love. 
 
 No one, I think, who visits the British Metropo- 
 lis, will fail to be struck with the unblushing 
 effrontery with which the monster Intemperance 
 presents himself to the public notice, and solicits 
 their patronage and support in his splended palaces 
 of gin. These are what used to be vulgarly 
 called dram-shops, and are now dignified by a 
 more noble and pompous appellation. And they 
 are not denominated palaces without reason. They 
 are large and commodious shops, fitted up in the 
 most extensive and splendid style for the retail of 
 ardent spirits and malt liquor. The barrels, con- 
 
LONDON. 139 
 
 taining the noxious mixture, are painted and la- 
 belled in the neatest and most attractive manner. 
 The bar, from which it is retailed in glasses as 
 low as a half-penny each, is ornamented in the 
 most gaudy and extravagant style, and the whole 
 extensive apartment, especially when lighted up 
 with gas of an evening, with the additional attrac- 
 tion of an illuminated clock, presents a most 
 brilliant and imposing appearance. Notwithstand- 
 ing all this foolish expenditure, the owners of 
 these establishments find it for their interest thus 
 to gild the poisonous pill. Many of them, it is 
 said, have retired from business with ample for- 
 tunes, and are now rioting upon the wealth 
 amassed from the ruin of their fellow men in 
 body, soul, and estate. 
 
 One of the speakers at the anniversary meeting 
 (Rev. Mr. Stowell) stated, — that he was told 
 upon credible authority — -authority which he could 
 not doubt — that there drives to one of the leading 
 dram-shops in the metropolis, a coach and four in 
 great splendor, on the pannel of which is inscribed 
 with unblushing effrontery — 
 
 " Who would have thought it 
 That gin should have bought it." 
 
 ( Ah ! who would have thought it ? Who can 
 
140 LONDON. 
 
 tell what ruined fortunes— what broken hearts — ■ 
 what widows' sorrows — what orphan children's 
 tears— what daring atrocities — what foul murders 
 — what dreadful suicides — have gone to launch that 
 splendid equipage?' " O my soul come not thou 
 into their secret, into their assembly mine honor 
 be not thou united." 
 
 We were told by a friend, who stood on a Sabbath 
 morning, opposite one of these receptacles of sin 
 and misery, watching the ingress and egress of its 
 visitors, that he counted fifty persons, in one 
 minute, coming out of the place, having taken 
 their morning dram ; and by another, that not 
 less than fifty pounds sterling, are sometimes 
 taken on a Sabbath morning in one of these 
 haunts of vice and misery, in sums not exceeding 
 a penny. Among all the dreadful instances of 
 intemperance that were too common in our own 
 country, previous to the temperance reformation, 
 nothing I think could compare with statements 
 like these. 
 
 I could not but be struck with the amazing 
 difference in the habits of temperance, between 
 those parts of the Continent which I visited during 
 the last winter, and the British Isles. It was so 
 rare an occurrence to meet with an instance of 
 intoxication in the streets and roads, through 
 
LONDON. 141 
 
 which we passed in France and Italy, that I have 
 not, at the present moment, a distinct recollection 
 of a single individual case ; whereas I cannot 
 number the instances of beastly intemperance I 
 met with in the streets of London, and in different 
 parts of the United Kingdom. 
 
 The practice of holding Fairs on certain days of 
 the week or month in different towns and villages, 
 is very injurious to public morals. In the excur- 
 sions which we made into various parts of the 
 kingdom, we were, not unfrequently, the unwilling 
 spectators and auditors of those bustling, noisy 
 and fantastic scenes of merriment and confusion. 
 The puppet-show and merry-andrew travel about 
 in their itinerary. caravans from village to village, 
 and draw the wondering attention of the rustic 
 crowd. The beer glass and gin bottle circulate 
 freely on these occasions ; and the light jest, the 
 loud laugh and the unsteady gait of the excited 
 multitude, betray the inebriating influence of the 
 subtle poison. 
 
 While it is deeply to be regretted that so little 
 is done to check these alarming evils, I am 
 happy to bear testimony to what a few of the 
 friends of temperance have done and are doing in 
 this work of benevolence and mercy. 
 
 The Honorable Mr. Buckingham, with a zeal 
 
142 LONDON. 
 
 and ability which does him great honor, has not 
 only called the attention of the British Parliament 
 to this important subject, but has gone from city 
 to city, and from village to village, in the true 
 spirit of a temperance missionary, to enlighten 
 the public mind, and to excite the zeal and rouse 
 the efforts of the friends of temperance. 
 
 Other like minded and public spirited individu- 
 als are delivering addresses on the subject in dif- 
 ferent parts of the kingdom ; and meetings are 
 held from time to time by the various temperance 
 associations, for the furtherance of their benevolent 
 and praiseworthy designs. 
 
 While we were in London, my colleague and 
 myself received a very cordial invitation from 
 Mr. William Wardlaw, secretary of the Glasgow 
 Temperance Society, to visit that city and to hold 
 a public meeting. I regretted that my very short 
 stay in Scotland prevented my acceding to that 
 arrangement ; but measures were taken to secure 
 the attendance and services of Dr. Humphrey, 
 who was not so limited in time. 
 
 Dr. Humphrey has been, and I trust will be 
 still more useful in awakening the attention of the 
 British public to this great subject ; but it is im- 
 possible for a Deputation, who have other objects 
 to engage their attention, and are limited to a very 
 
LONDON. 143 
 
 short absence from their duties at home, to do 
 much to promote the temperance reform. 
 
 The meeting of the Temperance Society was 
 continued to a late hour ; and, in descending the 
 stairs from the Hall, we met the friends of the 
 Home Missionary Society, collecting together to 
 attend, in the same place, the anniversary of that 
 institution. We hastened to our lodgings, which 
 were but a short distance, and, after having re- 
 freshed ourselves with a hasty cup of tea, returned 
 to the place of meeting, which was, by that time, 
 overflowing, and, with difficulty, I found a place 
 on the platform. 
 
 When we entered, the chairman was in the 
 midst of his introductory speech, which was pro- 
 tracted to an unreasonable length. It was suc- 
 ceeded by a long report by the secretary of the< 
 Society, the Rev. William Henry. Several ani- 
 mated addresses then followed, by the Rev. John 
 Liefchild, Rev. Mr. Sherman of Reading, Drs. 
 Fletcher and Matheson, and others. 
 
 Near the close of the meeting, it devolved on 
 me, as the Delegate from the American Home 
 Missionary Society, to address the meeting. I was 
 received with the utmost kindness and cordiality. 
 But the time was gone — my own strength, which 
 had been taxed by eight or nine hours' attendance 
 
144 LONDON. 
 
 in that place, with a very brief intermission , was 
 exhausted, and I was able, only, to express the 
 satisfaction I enjoyed in meeting my brethren on 
 such an occasion, and in offering to the meeting 
 the congratulations and best wishes of the Society 
 I had the honor to represent. 
 
 The Home Missionary Society is a very im- 
 portant institution to the interests of the indepen- 
 dent churches, and has a strong place in the 
 affections of the ministers and people of that de- 
 nomination. It is capable, however, of great and 
 important improvements. It wants, like many 
 other societies in England, an individual entirely 
 devoted to its interests, who would give his whole 
 time and talents to the business of the institution, 
 and to the important work of visiting the churches, 
 and rousing them to greater efforts in raising funds 
 for its more extensive usefulness. 
 
 The present worthy secretary, the Rev. Mr. 
 Henry, is minister of an independent congregation 
 in Tooting, in the neighborhood of London, and 
 his attention is necessarily divided between the 
 labors of his pastoral charge and the business of 
 the Society. If this institution would do all the 
 good, of which it is capable, (and it is capable of 
 promoting, to a very great extent, the religious 
 interests of the independent Dissenters,) it must 
 
LONDON. 145 
 
 have a man exclusively devoted to it. This is 
 one principal cause of the greater success of similar 
 institutions in the United States. 
 
 With the anniversary of the Home Missionary 
 Society closed the series of anniversary meetings, 
 which called for my official attendance in London. 
 Such was the pressure of engagements, that I 
 found it impracticable to attend all the anniversa- 
 ries that occur at this interesting season, some of 
 which were held simultaneously, in different parts 
 of the city. 
 
 The anniversary of the Peace Society was held 
 on the same evening with that of the Home Mis- 
 sionary Society and was attended by my colleague, 
 Dr. Humphrey. 
 
 The Religious Tract Society was held at such 
 a distance from our residence, and at such an early 
 hour, that I was prevented from attending it. That, 
 and the Christian Instruction Society are among 
 the most interesting and important societies in the 
 metropolis ; and it would have given me much 
 pleasure, had it been in my power to have attended 
 them. Dr. Spring and the Rev. Mr. Baird, how- 
 ever, attended the Tract meeting, and gave the 
 necessary information of the successful efforts of 
 the transatlantic institution. 
 
 In reviewing these interesting seasons we are 
 led to compare them with similar meetings in our 
 
146 LONDON. 
 
 own country. They are certainly, more stirring 
 and exciting, but they are less solemn and impres- 
 sive. The repeated cries of hear, hear, and the 
 shouts of applause with which a British audience 
 cheer their favorite speakers, while they enliven 
 and stimulate the extemporaneous declaimer, tend 
 rather to embarrass the calm deliverer of a pre- 
 meditated address. 
 
 At the same time, it must be acknowledged that 
 a little more excitement in an American audience 
 would tend to enliven the meeting. Some of the 
 happiest efforts of eloquence are undoubtedly oc- 
 casioned by the marked and decided approbation 
 of an audience, and — if the expression of applause 
 could be restrained within the bounds of modera- 
 tion, I am not sure, but the custom of occasional 
 cheering might be introduced to advantage on an 
 American platform. 
 
 There is a practice prevalent in England, which 
 gave me much pain, and I hope never to see intro- 
 duced on similar occasions in America. It is that 
 of the free use of stimulating liquors at their public 
 meetings. On a table on the platform are placed 
 decanters of wine, large glasses of which are hand- 
 ed to the speakers and others, sometimes, though 
 not always diluted with water. It is considered, 
 though very erroneously, a necessary refreshment. 
 Another custom, which strikes an American with 
 
LONDON. 147 
 
 great surprise, is the habit of offering similar re- 
 freshment to the preacher, immediately after he 
 comes down from the pulpit. This practice, I 
 regret to say, is almost universal. I took the lib- 
 erty, frequently, to remonstrate with my English 
 brethren on the impropriety and inconsistency of 
 these customs. They had thought them neces- 
 sary and proper ; but I am persuaded they will be 
 open to conviction, and be induced to relinquish 
 them. 
 
 These customs, which now strike an American 
 so unfavorably, it ought to be remembered, might 
 have been viewed by him with indifference, a few 
 years since. We are in advance of our English 
 brethren, on the subject of temperance ; while, on 
 many other subjects, they are in the advance of 
 us. Twenty years ago an English traveller might 
 have noticed on the sideboards of his American 
 friends, (not excepting the ministers of the gospel,) 
 bottles of brandy or gin or Jamaica spirits, with 
 the sugar bowl and pitcher of hot water, and been 
 very cordially invited to partake of the refresh- 
 ment. Such customs are gone by, we trust for- 
 ever ; and we hope, and confidently believe, that 
 the practises, here adverted to, as now prevailing 
 in England, will soon follow them, and be num- 
 bered among the things that have ceased to be. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 LONDON. 
 
 We received during our short residence in 
 London, much kindness and attention from our 
 Christian friends. We were repeatedly invited 
 to visit them, and, as soon as our more public 
 engagements were closed, we were happy to avail 
 ourselves of their hospitality, and to mingle in the 
 social circle, and share the pleasures of domestic 
 life. 
 
 My old and valued friends in Islington were 
 unremitted in their endeavors to promote our 
 comfort and happiness. We also received par- 
 ticular civility from many of the Dissenting 
 ministers and the leading members of their 
 churches. I dined, on Wednesday, with Mr. 
 Morley, one of Dr. Burder's 'deacons, and, at his 
 hospitable mansion, met many esteemed and 
 
LONDON. 149 
 
 valued friends. Mr. M. is surrounded, not only 
 by an amiable family, but by those temporal 
 comforts, which render an English residence in 
 the vicinity of London so peculiarly desirable. 
 
 The evening of the next day was the time 
 appointed for the interview of the American 
 Deputation with the churches connected with the 
 Congregational Union. In the afternoon, my 
 family and myself took tea with Mr. Houston, one 
 of the members of Mr. J. Clayton's congregation, 
 where we met with a most agreeable coterie of 
 Christian friends, consisting, besides our excellent 
 host and hostess, of the Rev. Henry Townley, 
 George Bennett, Esq., Rev. Dr. Fletcher, and 
 the Rev. John Clayton ; with several ladies. 
 
 Mr. Townley's benign and expressive counte- 
 nance is indicative of the purity and serenity of 
 his mind. Several years ago he went to India, at 
 his own expense, as a missionary of the London 
 Missionary Society, accompanied by Mrs. Town- 
 ley, who possesses a like missionary spirit, and is 
 eminently devoted to the cause of Christ. On 
 his return to England, he accepted an invitation 
 from an independent congregation in Spitalfields, 
 where he now labors with comfort and success. 
 
 George Bennett, Esq., is the surviving member 
 of the Deputation from the London Missionary 
 
150 LONDON. 
 
 Society to the South Sea Islands. His colleague, 
 the Rev. Mr. Tyerman, it will be recollected, 
 died at Madagascar. The narrative of their mis- 
 sion has been read with lively interest on both 
 sides of the Atlantic. Mr. Bennett is a warm 
 hearted and excellent man, and we were indebted 
 to him for many kind attentions. 
 
 Of the Rev. Dr. Fletcher I have already 
 spoken. He was, on this occasion, the same 
 delightful companion as ever. 
 
 The Rev. John Clayton, Jr., the highly es- 
 teemed pastor of the Poultry Chapel, whom I 
 have, also, had occasion to mention before, pos- 
 sesses a well balanced and cultivated mind, and 
 enjoys, in a high degree, the esteem and confi- 
 dence of his brethren and the community. 
 
 After tea, we proceeded together to the Chapel, 
 which was but a short distance, and which we 
 found filled and overflowing. The meeting was 
 to me one of tender and affecting interest. I 
 deeply felt the responsibilities that rested upon 
 my brethren and myself, who were expected to 
 occupy the principal part of the attention of the 
 audience. 
 
 The exercises were introduced with singing, and 
 a very appropriate prayer by the Rev. Dr. J. P. 
 Smith. The Rev. John Blackburn, one of the 
 
LONDON. 151 
 
 secretaries of the Congregational Union, then read 
 the commissions and testimonials of the American 
 Deputation, and very kindly and affectionately 
 introduced us to the meeting. I then ascended 
 the pulpit, and addressed the audience for about 
 twenty-five or thirty minutes. The situation in 
 which I stood, as an accredited representative of 
 the Congregational Churches of New England, 
 the lineal descendants of a Puritan ancestry, who 
 left the land of their Fathers, that they might 
 enjoy, without molestation, the privilege of wor- 
 shipping God according to the dictates of their 
 own consciences, was one of no common occur- 
 rence ; and the fact that I should never meet that 
 large congregation again, till assembled with 
 countless millions at the judgment seat of Christ, 
 affected my own mind in no ordinary degree. 
 I poured out my heart in the presence of my 
 Christian brethren and sisters, strangers indeed in 
 the flesh, but united, as I trust, in the spirit, and 
 I felt in my own soul the vibration of a cord, 
 which assured me of the sympathetic sensibilities 
 of my audience. 
 
 I was succeeded by my colleague, Dr. Hum- 
 phrey, who occupied about the same length of 
 time. His unaffected simplicity, his plain good 
 sense, and his intellectual power, could not fail to 
 
152 LONDON. 
 
 convince the assembly that they were listening to 
 " an Israelite indeed, in whom there was no guile." 
 
 The exercises were then relieved by singing, 
 and prayer by the Rev. Dr. Fletcher. 
 
 Dr. Spring made the concluding address in his 
 usually solemn and impressive manner. He dwelt 
 upon the responsibilities of British Christians in 
 the present interesting period of the world, and 
 urged, with great power, the duties of the people 
 of God, in both hemispheres, to unite together for 
 the conversion of the world. 
 
 The blessing of Heaven was then supplicated 
 upon the services — and the Deputation, with their 
 families and flocks, commended to the guidance 
 and protection of the great Head of the church, by 
 the Rev. Dr. Burder. 
 
 The impression left on my own mind by this 
 meeting was such as time will never efface. It 
 will remain associated with the pleasing recol- 
 lections of my visit to the churches in the father 
 land, as long as " life and being last, or immortality 
 endures." 
 
 The next day I accepted an invitation to dine 
 with Mr. Bateman, Jr., near Finsbury Square. 
 Mr. Bateman is connected with the Tabernacle 
 church, Moorfields, originally built for Mr. Whit- 
 field, and till recently, for many years occupied by 
 
LONDON. 153 
 
 the eccentric Matthew Wilkes. Its present pastor 
 is the Rev. Mr. Campbell, whom I met at Mr. 
 Bateman's, with a large number of respected 
 friends ; among them Mr. Bateman, senior, Mr. 
 Piper, Dr. Reed, Mr. Liefchild, and Mr. Bull of 
 Newport Pagnel. Much interesting conversation 
 took place on the comparative peculiarities of the 
 English and American pulpit and on other im- 
 portant subjects. 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Bull, who lives within a few 
 miles of Olney, the former residence of the la- 
 mented Cowper, gave me a pressing invitation to 
 visit him, and promised to accompany us to Olney, 
 and show us the interesting scenes endeared by 
 the poet's memory. I had confidently expected 
 to have availed myself of his kindness — but our 
 disappointed expectation remains among the re- 
 grets, occasioned by our hurried departure from 
 England. 
 
 On Saturday, Mrs. C. and myself dined with 
 the Rev. Dr. Burder, at Hackney. We met 
 there a very pleasant party and our time passed 
 rapidly in agreeable and profitable conversation. 
 
 Dr. Burder has been twice married. His first 
 
 wife, and the mother of his children, was the 
 
 daughter of the late Joseph Hardcastle, Esq., well 
 
 known to the religious world as the first treasurer 
 
 11 
 
154 LONDON. 
 
 of the London Missionary Society. His portrait, 
 together with that of the venerable George Burder, 
 the long tried and useful secretary of the same 
 institution, hang side by side in the doctor's parlor, 
 and are, by no means, the least interesting articles 
 of furniture in his well-furnished dwelling. The 
 present Mrs. Burder, who was the daughter of the 
 late Rev. Mr. Taylor, a Dissenting minister, is 
 admirably well suited for the duties of her station ; 
 and while she relieves her husband from the pres- 
 sure of domestic cares, is eminently well qualified 
 to assist him in the more important duties of his 
 sacred calling. An only daughter, and three sons, 
 compose the remainder of this interesting family, 
 with whom it was my happiness to spend many 
 hours of social and Christian intercourse. 
 
 The next day was the Sabbath, and I preached 
 for Dr. Reed in the morning. His chapel, which 
 is a modern one, is large and commodious, and 
 remarkably well attended. The construction of 
 this, and similar places of worship, in England, is 
 admirably well adapted for the accommodation both 
 of the preacher and the hearers. The pulpit, 
 which will hold only one, and not an association 
 of ministers, like some of the pulpits in New En- 
 gland, is so placed as to afford the speaker the 
 opportunity of looking all the congregration in the 
 
LONDON. 155 
 
 eye, which is of great advantage to the preacher 
 who depends not upon a written sermon, but upon 
 his recollection, and the excitement of the oc- 
 casion, for producing an effect upon the audience. 
 It is, almost, the universal custom for Dissenting 
 ministers, of the independent denomination in En- 
 gland, to preach without notes, (that is without 
 reading, for many of them use short notes like a 
 lawyer's brief.) There is, certainly, much to be 
 said in favor of this practice. It is, without doubt, 
 a more popular method of preaching than the habit 
 of reading sermons, as those preachers are most 
 followed who adopt it. It tends to give the 
 speaker self-possession, and to lead him to cultivate 
 the habit of extemporaneous speaking, which is 
 of no small importance in this day of platform 
 declamation and field preaching. It may also give 
 the minister more time to attend to the cultivation 
 of his mind, and general study, although the fact, 
 that the time, thus redeemed, is generally thus 
 improved, is very questionable. I have been in- 
 clined to think that the practice of writing sermons, 
 which prevails among the educated clergy of the 
 United States, instead of weakening the intel- 
 lectual power, and lessening the general stock of 
 knowledge and information, by occupying too great 
 a proportion of time, has a direct tendency to 
 
156 LONDON. 
 
 strengthen the intellect, to encourage habits of 
 study, and to counteract that propensity to indo- 
 lence and inactivity, so natural to the human mind ; 
 and, although I have the greatest respect for the 
 independent Dissenting ministers of England, and 
 am not conscious of an overweening and' undue 
 partiality for my own denomination in the United 
 States, — I cannot but think, that those ministers 
 in America who are in the habit of writing and 
 reading their sermons, would not suffer in com- 
 parison, both as to their classical and scientific 
 attainments, their theological learning and their 
 general usefulness, with their more ready and 
 fluent brethren in the father land. Nor can I 
 believe, with my esteemed and beloved brother, 
 Dr. Reed, in his remarks on this subject in his 
 narrative, that " this practice is undoubtedly pre- 
 judicial to the interests of the people." So far as 
 my knowledge extends, there is no people better 
 informed on the subject of religion, and more un- 
 exceptionable in their piety and in their morals, 
 than the people of New England and Scotland, in 
 both which countries the habit of writing sermons 
 very generally prevails. The sermons, which 
 they hear and which have an influence upon their 
 character as a people, may be less animated and 
 hortatory, and perhaps less eloquent than those 
 
LONDON. 157 
 
 among the English Dissenters ; but they are more 
 systematic, more doctrinal, and more instructive. 
 Both methods, however, have their advantages, 
 and happy is the preacher who can combine them 
 in his pulpit ministrations. 
 
 In the evening I preached for Dr. Burder, and 
 spent the night at his hospitable mansion, that I 
 might be in season to avail myself of the kind in- 
 vitation of Mr. G. Bennett, who lives in the neigh- 
 borhood, to breakfast with him and a select party 
 of Christian friends on Monday morning. 
 
 We rose at an early hour, and Dr. Burder and 
 myself walked through the beautiful green lanes, 
 and the enclosure containing the monuments of the 
 dead connected with the parish church of Hackney, 
 to Mr. Bennett's residence, where we found, 
 already assembled, a number of invited guests. 
 Mr. Bennett is unmarried, and resides in private 
 lodgings, with a Christian family of great respect- 
 ability. 
 
 Besides my brethren of the Deputation, there 
 were present on this occasion, Rev. Dr. J. P. 
 Smith, Rev. John Clayton, Rev. George Collison, 
 Rev. Henry Townley, Rev. Dr. Burder, Messrs. 
 Morley and Charles, and though last mentioned, 
 not least interesting to us who had heard of his 
 fame, and read with delight his admirable poems, 
 
158 
 
 LONDON. 
 
 the talented, the humble, the devout James Mont- 
 gomery. Before breakfast we engaged in the 
 solemn and delightful exercises of family worship. 
 After reading a portion of Scripture, with brief and 
 pertinent remarks by Dr. Smith, and singing one 
 of Montgomery's beautiful hymns, we were led in 
 our addresses to the throne of grace by my es- 
 teemed colleague Dr. Humphrey. 
 
 At the breakfast table, much interesting conver- 
 sation ensued, in which there was great union and 
 harmony of sentiment. I was gratified to find, 
 not only with regard to the particular subjects of 
 discussion, but in reference to important doctrines 
 connected with them, a reluctance, both in the 
 English and American brethren, to embrace nov- 
 elties in religion, and a strong disposition to adhere 
 to the long received form of sound words, as ex- 
 pressive of the faith once delivered to the saints. 
 
 We separated about 12 o'clock, and having 
 made an arrangement with Mr. Bennett to call, 
 with his friend Montgomery, on my family, I 
 returned to our lodgings in Norfolk street, Strand, 
 where I found those gentlemen, who had arrived a 
 few minutes before me. My family were delighted 
 to see and converse with a poet, of whom they 
 had heard and read so much, and were charmed 
 with his unaffected simplicity of manners and con- 
 
LONDON. 159 
 
 versation. He kindly wrote the following im- 
 promptu, in my daughter's Album. 
 
 MOTTO FOR THE BIBLE, 
 
 " Behold the Book, whose leaves display 
 Jesus, the life, the truth, the way. 
 Read it with diligence and care, 
 Search it, for you will find Him there." 
 
 It is the union of genius and religion that con- 
 stitutes the charm in the character of this admirable 
 man. It is impossible to be long in his society 
 without feeling something of that holy influence 
 which the presence of a humble and devoted 
 Christian is apt to inspire. I shall ever regard the 
 short acquaintance I was so happy as to form with 
 him, as among the most interesting reminiscences 
 of my European tour. 
 
 I dined this day, in company with my colleagues, 
 at the Rev. Dr. Fletcher's. Here we met with a 
 select and highly respectable party of ministerial 
 brethren and others, and passed our time in a 
 pleasant and I trust profitable manner. 
 
 Some of our friends at Hackney had made ar- 
 rangements for us to spend a day in the country ; 
 and, accordingly, on Tuesday morning, we repaired 
 to Mr. Charles's, of Hackney, where we found 
 carriages waiting to convey us into the country. 
 
160 LONDON. 
 
 Our party consisted of Dr. and Mrs. Reed, Dr. 
 Spring and his daughter, Dr. Humphrey, Mr. and 
 Mrs. Charles and several of their friends. The 
 weather was unfavorable, but the arrangements 
 having been previously made, it was too late to 
 alter them, and we rode forwards to Epping forest, 
 a distance of ten or twelve miles. The scenery 
 through which we passed, was delightful indeed, 
 and wanted nothing but a bright sun to render it 
 perfectly lovely. We were hospitably received at 
 a beautiful cottage in Chigwell row, belonging to 
 Mr. Annesley, one of the party, where we stopped 
 some time to obtain refreshment, and to admire 
 the grounds and the prospect. 
 
 On our return, we visited the London Orphan 
 Asylum, an admirably well regulated and useful 
 institution, which owes its existence, and much of 
 its prosperity, to the philanthropic spirit and inde- 
 fatigable labors of our excellent friend, Dr. Reed. 
 Between three and four hundred children are here 
 fed, clothed, and educated. The extensive apart- 
 ments, both culinary, dormitory, and domestic, 
 through which we severally passed, are kept with 
 the most perfect neatness and order. We attended 
 evening prayers in the chapel connected with the 
 institution. The chaplain of the asylum is a cler- 
 gyman of the established church. The service 
 
LONDON. 161 
 
 was rendered peculiarly interesting, by the plain 
 and evangelical exposition of the scripture lessons 
 adapted to the capacities of children, and by the 
 distinct responses of children's voices with which 
 it was interspersed. 
 
 We returned at a late hour, to Mr. Charles's, 
 where we dined, and spent the evening with a 
 large number of Christian friends. 
 
 Most of our time, for several days, was spent in 
 visiting friends, and in returning some of the nu- 
 merous calls we had received. 
 
 On Thursday, we dined in company with our 
 American friends at the Rev. George Clayton's in 
 Walworth. This accomplished and excellent man 
 received us with his usual courtesy. We were 
 happy to find in Mrs. Clayton, a warm and de- 
 cided advocate of the temperance reformation. 
 Few persons are more beloved and more useful in 
 their congregations than Mr. and Mrs. Clayton. 
 They live for their people, and their people return 
 their efforts and sacrifices for their good, with the 
 most entire esteem and cordial affection. 
 
 After dinner, Mr. Clayton accompanied us to 
 the Surrey Zoological Gardens, in the vicinity of 
 his house, where we were gratified with the sight 
 of a fine collection of animals, and other curiosities, 
 both natural and artificial. On our return to Mr. 
 
162 LONDON. 
 
 Clayton's, the evening was concluded with prayer 
 and praise. 
 
 The succeeding Sabbath we spent with Mr. C. 
 Sharp and his family, who are members of Mr. 
 Clayton's congregation. Mr. Clayton preached 
 in the morning, and I occupied the pulpit in the 
 afternoon. In the evening we went to hear Mr. 
 Melville, a distinguished clergyman of the estab- 
 lished church, who preaches at Camden Chapel. 
 Mr. Melville preaches every Sabbath evening, and 
 is attended by a crowded audience. Through the 
 politeness of a friend, who attends that place of 
 worship, we found no difficulty in obtaining a 
 seat. 
 
 The subject of Mr. Melville's discourse was 
 the unpardonable sin, which he considered as con- 
 sisting in the wilful rejection and contempt of 
 Christianity. He supposed that it was not con- 
 fined, as many think, to the apostolic age, but might 
 be committed at the present day. His sermon, 
 which was read, was well written and forcibly de- 
 livered. His style and manner bore a very strik- 
 ing resemblance to that of Dr. Chalmers. 
 
 We returned at a late hour to our lodgings ; and 
 thus closed another of the days of the Son of man. 
 How difficult is it to spend the Sabbath, as we 
 could wish, in a foreign land ! There is an una- 
 
LONDON. 163 
 
 voidable dissipation of mind, occasioned by moving 
 from place to place, and by the absence of those 
 customary helps in our own study and closet, that is 
 exceedingly unfavorable to habits of devotion and 
 spirituality of mind ; and I fear there is too much 
 truth in the remark of Jeremy Taylor, that "no 
 one can be devout, who leads a wandering life." 
 Surely, the traveller from home needs a more than 
 ordinary share of the grace of God to enable him 
 to resist the manifold temptations by which he is 
 surrounded, and to hold fast the steadfastness of 
 his Christian principle firm unto the end. 
 
 Mr. Piper, one of the leading members of Mr. 
 Binney's congregation, whom I had met several 
 times, and who had taken a lively interest in the 
 American Deputation, had kindly proposed to 
 gratify us with a visit to several of the important 
 benevolent institutions of the metropolis and the 
 vicinity. He accordingly called early on Monday 
 morning, with two coaches, to commence the day 
 by an excursion to Mill Hill. ' 
 
 Our party consisted, besides my own family, of 
 Dr. Humphrey, Dr. Spring and his daughter, 
 Mrs. and Miss White, Mr. and Miss Piper, and 
 Rev. Mr. Binney. Mr. Binney is highly es- 
 teemed, not only by his congregation, but by his 
 
164 LONDON. 
 
 denomination generally. He is undoubtedly a 
 man of superior talent, possessing much originality 
 and discrimination of mind. We found him, on 
 this occasion, an interesting and instructive com- 
 panion. 
 
 The weather was again unfavorable, but, in 
 every other respect, the ride was delightful. A 
 couple of hour's drive brought us to Mill Hill, a 
 beautiful and elevated spot, on which stands the 
 extensive and commodious establishment for the 
 education of the children of the Dissenters. 
 
 This school is now under the parental and fos- 
 tering superintendence of the Rev. William Clay- 
 ton, who is admirably qualified, by the urbanity 
 and suavity of his manners, for the duties of his 
 station. He received us with great cordiality, and 
 we soon sat down with Mrs. and Miss Claytpn, to a 
 substantial breakfast, for which our ride had given 
 us a keen appetite. 
 
 After breakfast, Mr. Clayton conducted us over 
 the building, which is exceedingly well adapted 
 for the purpose, and over the grounds, which are 
 laid out with great neatness and propriety, and 
 command a most extensive and variegated pros- 
 pect. The boys, about eighty in number, were 
 then collected in the hall, to receive an address 
 from each of the American Deputation, which was 
 
LONDON. 165 
 
 given in a style adapted to their capacities, and 
 designed to make a permanent religious impres- 
 sion. From the deep and lively interest with 
 which the youthful assembly listened to the re- 
 marks of their transatlantic friends, I cannot but 
 hope that we shall be remembered by them long 
 after our return to America, and perhaps long after 
 our removal to another world. This school has 
 furnished the elementary education of some of the 
 most distinguished men in Great Britain, and is 
 justly ranked among the first and most important 
 academical institutions in the land. 
 
 We left Mr. Clayton and his youthful charge, 
 highly gratified with the appearance of the insti- 
 tution, and returned to town to visit, on the other 
 side of the metropolis, the Asylums for the Blind, 
 and the Deaf and Dumb. 
 
 The Asylum for the Blind, in Blackfriar's road, 
 is a large and important institution, but did not 
 equal my expectations. It appeared to me much 
 inferior to the blind school in Liverpool, which I 
 visited with much interest some years since. But 
 if my expectations were not met by the appearance 
 of the Blind Asylum, they were more than. an- 
 swered by the wonderful success attending the 
 efforts to make the dumb to speak, which I wit- 
 nessed with admiration at the Deaf and Dumb 
 
166 LONDON. 
 
 Asylum. This institution, which owes its existence 
 to my old and excellent friend, the late Rev. John 
 Townsend, of Bermondsey, whose fine bust graces 
 one of the apartments, is in successful operation. 
 
 Many years ago, I visited the Abbe Sicard's 
 institution in Paris, and also Mr. Braidwood's in 
 London, and 1 have known something of the pro? 
 gress of a similar institution in Hartford, in the 
 United States, and have rejoiced in their success 
 in imparting to an unhappy class of our fellow 
 beings, the important resources of a general, and 
 even refined education, through the instrumentality 
 of reading and writing, and the knowledge of 
 many of the arts ; but I had never supposed it 
 possible that human ingenuity and talent could so 
 far overcome the obstacles of nature, as to enable 
 the individual who is an entire stranger to sound 
 from his birth, to speak in a voice audible to every 
 one but himself, and to maintain a regular and 
 continuous conversation ; yet this I heard with my 
 own ears, in repeated instances, in this institution. 
 I held myself a conversation of several minutes 
 with a well informed and intelligent man, who 
 never heard the sound of his own or another's 
 voice, and was astonished at the readiness and 
 propriety with which he answered my questions, 
 in a voice too that was by no means disagreeable^ 
 
LONDON. 167 
 
 though perhaps not altogether natural. I have 
 seen no object of public interest more deserving 
 the attention of the benevolent traveller than this, 
 and I would advise every one in visiting London, 
 not to fail to see the Deaf and Dumb Asylum. 
 
 The day was now drawing to a close, and we 
 hastened from the Asylum to Mr. Piper's delightful 
 and hospitable residence, on Denmark Hill, about 
 four miles distant from the city, where Mrs. Piper 
 and several invited guests awaited us at dinner. 
 The table was profusely, if not sumptuously sup- 
 plied, and the well furnished house and cultivated 
 grounds indicated that ease and comfort, so peculiar 
 not only to the nobility and gentry, but to the 
 respectable and wealthy tradesmen of old England. 
 
 Mr. Piper is by profession a builder, or stone 
 mason, on a large scale, and has apparently 
 amassed a handsome property, which he takes 
 pleasure in expending, not only for his own 
 comfort, but for the gratification of his friends, 
 and the promotion of religious and benevolent 
 objects. 
 
 This delightful day and evening was closed with 
 devotional exercises around the domestic altar, 
 and our host did not cease his hospitality, until he 
 had sent us safely to our lodgings in Norfolk street, 
 Strand. 
 
168 LONDON. 
 
 The special object of my mission to England 
 having been accomplished, we hastened to attend 
 to some of our secondary plans, in visiting different 
 parts of England, Scotland and Wales. Before 
 leaving London, we were happy in the opportu- 
 nity of attending the anniversary of the charity 
 children in St. Paul's Cathedral. This was the 
 third time I had witnessed this most delightful 
 spectacle ; but to the younger members of my 
 family it was new and full of interest. We were 
 highly favored in obtaining, through the kindness 
 of friends, tickets, that admitted us to the best 
 seats within the spacious dome, which was entirely 
 lined with benches rising upon benches, and filled 
 with the little objects of charitable education, 
 dressed in the neat and beautiful uniforuis of their 
 respective schools. The" simultaneous burst of 
 juvenile voices in singing Old Hundred, and in 
 chanting the recitative parts of the inimitably 
 beautiful service of the church, and the hallelujah 
 chorus, was beyond description. No one, who 
 has not been present on one of these occasions, 
 can form an adequate idea of the overwhelming 
 effect produced by the united and harmonious 
 voices of eight thousand children. The sermon, 
 on this occasion, which from my favorable position 
 I distinctly heard, was preached by the Right 
 
LONDON. 169 
 
 Reverend Bishop of Worcester, from the appro- 
 priate text in the sixth chapter of Deuteronomy, 
 sixth and seventh verses. 
 
 We dined, this day, with our excellent friend 
 Thomas Walker, Esq., who lives in the neighbor- 
 hood of Mr. Piper, on Denmark Hill. Mr. 
 Walker has retired from business on a handsome 
 property. While enjoying in a high degree, with 
 his amiable lady, all the comforts and even the 
 elegancies of life, he is, at the same time, the 
 liberal patron of the religious and benevolent in- 
 stitutions of the age. He attends on Mr. Mel- 
 ville's ministry at Camden Chapel, a short distance 
 from his residence, though his friends and con- 
 nections are principally among the Dissenters. 
 At his hospitable table, we met with Dr. and 
 Mrs. Fletcher, Rev. Mr. Burnett and lady, Rev. 
 Mr. Arundel and family, and Rev. Mr. Ellis of 
 the Missionary Society. 
 
 12 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 EXCURSION INTO THE COUNTRY. 
 
 On Saturday the 6th of June, we left London 
 on an excursion to Windsor. The day was de- 
 lightful, and after a pleasant ride we arrived at 
 Windsor, a distance of little more than twenty 
 miles, before dinner. After dinner, I called on 
 Mr. Stoughton, who is associated with the vener- 
 able Mr. Redford, in the pastoral care of the 
 independent church in Windsor. He accompa- 
 nied us to the Castle, and pointed out to us the 
 various objects of interest connected with the 
 royal residence. In the evening, Dr. Humphrey 
 joined us from London, and the next day, we 
 both preached in the Dissenting Chapel, and 
 united, with the little band of Christian disciples, 
 in commemorating the death of our common Lord. 
 Mr. Stoughton, the junior pastor, was providen- 
 
 
WINDSOR. 171 
 
 tially detained from public worship, and it de- 
 volved upon me to break bread to this little flock, 
 and to address them on the value of their privi- 
 leges, and the extent of their obligations. Many 
 a tear was mingled with this feast of love — and my 
 recollections of Windsor will, henceforth, be more 
 pleasantly associated with a number of its praying 
 inhabitants, than with the splendor of its palace 
 and the pomp of its king. 
 
 The dissenting interest at Windsor, though not 
 large, is respectable. There is but one place of 
 worship. A new and commodious chapel has 
 been erected within a few years, and is well filled 
 with a serious and attentive congregation. Mr. 
 Redford, the father of Dr. Redford of Worcester, 
 has been the pastor of the church for many years, 
 and by his uniform and consistent conduct, has 
 disarmed prejudice and gained the esteem of those 
 who differ from him in their views of ecclesiastical 
 order. Having borne the burden and heat of the 
 day, the close of his life is cheered by the active, 
 zealous, and acceptable co-operation of his youth- 
 ful colleague, who labors with him as a son in 
 the gospel. 
 
 On Monday morning, we parted from our ex- 
 cellent friend, Dr. Humphrey, who proceeded on 
 his way to Southampton to embark for Havre, 
 
172 ETON COLLEGE. 
 
 and spend a short time on the Continent. We 
 returned to London to make a few arrangements, 
 previous to a more extended tour which we in- 
 tended to make in the west of England. 
 
 We left the metropolis again on Tuesday morn- 
 ing, by the way of Windsor, that we might be 
 present at the triennial celebration called the 
 Montem, at Eton College. We arrived, however, 
 too late to attend the public exhibition and to 
 witness the procession. The ceremony is one of 
 the relics of the olden time, and therefore, though 
 ridiculous enough in itself, is deserving of passing- 
 notice. The young gentlemen, connected with 
 the College, are permitted to dress themselves in 
 the most showy and fantastic manner. Some of 
 them officiate as collectors of money, or salt- 
 bearers. They go about during the day with 
 their salt bags, and levy contributions on all they 
 meet, furnishing a small piece of paper, or ticket, 
 to each contributor, bearing this inscription. Mos 
 pro lege. 1835. Vivant Rex et Regitia, — which 
 is worn in the hat, or about the person, to prevent 
 any further solicitation. In the course of the 
 morning a procession is formed of the students, 
 (with the exception of the salt-bearers, who are dis- 
 tinguished by their peculiar dress, and who are con- 
 
ETON COLLEGE. 173 
 
 stantly employed in the streets and roads on the 
 business of their vocation,) who proceed from the 
 College to a small rising ground, a mile or more 
 distant, dignified by the name of Salt Hill, or 
 Montem, where an address is delivered by one of 
 the students, in presence of the friends and patrons 
 of the institution. The King and the royal family, 
 and many of the nobility, attend on this occasion. 
 The King usually drops a purse, containing fifty 
 sovereigns, into the bag of one of the salt-bearers. 
 The money, thus collected, which is said, some- 
 times, to amount to one thousand pounds sterling, 
 is devoted to the education, at one of the univer- 
 sities, of some indigent and deserving member of 
 their own community. 
 
 Although we were disappointed in not seeing 
 the procession and hearing the address, we were 
 gratified with a very good opportunity of seeing 
 the King and Queen, the Duchess of Kent, the 
 Princess Victoria, (heiress apparent to the crown,) 
 Prince George of Cambridge, and several other 
 members of the royal family, who passed us in 
 their open barouches on their way to the Montem. 
 The day was excessively sultry, and we were not 
 sorry to leave the scene of noise and confusion, 
 and to take the coach for Reading. 
 
 After a delightful ride of twenty miles, we ar- 
 
174 READING. 
 
 rived at that neat and quiet town, and took up our 
 lodgings at a very comfortable inn. I immediately 
 called on Mr. Hinton, the Baptist minister, whose 
 father I well knew many years since in Oxford, 
 and from whom I received much kind attention. 
 Though then a small boy, he remembered my 
 being at his father's house. 
 
 Mr. Hinton is a man of quick and lively 
 talent, and of a remarkably active and perse- 
 vering spirit. He enters with great energy into 
 the religious and political controversies of the 
 day, and while he has many warm friends and 
 supporters, he is not without his enemies and 
 traducers. In his theological views, Mr. Hinton, 
 it is thought, is somewhat inclined to certain 
 American peculiarities respecting human ability, 
 &c. As an author, he is favorably known among 
 us by his little book on Revivals, and in Britain 
 by several larger works. 
 
 I called also the next morning, on the Rev. Mr. 
 Sherman, whom I had seen in London during the 
 anniversaries. We received from him and Mrs. 
 Sherman much kindness and hospitality, and were 
 introduced by them to several excellent ladies, 
 who were much interested in the subject of Ma- 
 ternal Associations, two of which exist in Reading, 
 
READING. 175 
 
 one in Mr. Hinton's, and the other in Mr. Sher- 
 man's congregation. 
 
 Reading is a highly favored town. The gospel, 
 at the present time, is preached in every place of 
 worship, both in the Establishment, and among the 
 Dissenters. There are three places of worship 
 for Dissenters ; one for Baptists, (Mr. Hinton's,) 
 one for Calvinistic Methodists, (Mr. Sherman's,) 
 and one for Independents, (Messrs. Douglass and 
 Legge.) These ministers and churches exist in 
 the most perfect harmony. They maintain reli- 
 gious services on three successive evenings in the 
 week, in their respective places of worship, and as 
 I was expected to be in town, I was invited by 
 Mr. Hinton to preach Mr. Legge's lecture on 
 Wednesday evening. 
 
 In the morning of Wednesday, we rode a few 
 miles into the country to visit an esteemed friend 
 of my brother's, residing at Beach Hill Cottage, 
 where we were most kindly received. We re- 
 turned at an early hour to Reading, and having 
 preached for Mr. Legge, I spent the evening at 
 Mr. Sherman's, in a most delightful manner, with 
 a few Christian friends. 
 
 Mr. Sherman is a most amiable and talented 
 man, and has a large congregation devotedly at- 
 tached to him. As a preacher, he is one of the 
 
176 HENLEY. 
 
 most acceptable in England. He has declined an 
 invitation to supply the place of the late Rowland 
 Hill, at Surrey Chapel, and prefers to remain with 
 his own people, exerting a most happy influence, 
 not only in Reading, but on the surrounding 
 country. He has published a number of sermons, 
 and is the author of several highly approved works 
 on practical religion. 
 
 The next morning, we took a private convey- 
 ance to Henley, a distance of eight miles from 
 Reading, on the way to Oxford. Henley, on 
 Thames, is rather a pleasant town, and is the res- 
 idence of the Rev. Robert Bolton, a countryman 
 of ours, who married a daughter of the Rev. Wil- 
 liam Jay of Bath, and is now the pastor of a 
 Dissenting congregation in this pleasant village. 
 His house is delightfully situated in the same en- 
 closure with his chapel ; and the grounds around it, 
 embracing the neat cemetery of his congregation, 
 are laid out with great beauty and taste by its 
 present worthy occupant. Mr. Bolton is sur- 
 rounded by a large and interesting family. We 
 passed the day with them, very pleasantly, and 
 towards evening took a post-chaise as far as 
 Benson, a distance of about twelve miles, where 
 we found one of the most quiet and comfortable 
 inns in England. 
 
HENLEY. 177 
 
 Mr. Bolton, though apparently delightfully 
 situated in his cottage, chapel, and lovely 
 family, sighs to return to his native land, 
 where he can have better opportunities of edu- 
 cating and settling his numerous family. He is 
 sick at heart of the exclusiveness and bigotry of 
 the established church, and longs to breathe the 
 atmosphere of religious liberty in the western 
 world. 
 
 The Dissenters in England are, at the present 
 moment, looked upon with more than ordinary 
 •jealousy and suspicion. They are regarded as a 
 political party, and are viewed by many as in- 
 imical to the British Constitution. The prejudices 
 against them have been strengthened by their 
 alliance with O'Connell, and other radical members 
 of the House of Commons, in their efforts to resist 
 ecclesiastical oppression, and to secure the enjoy- 
 ment of their religious privileges and rights. The 
 occasions for dissent from the established church 
 have been of late years much reduced by the 
 increase of the number of evangelical clergymen. 
 Thirty years ago, and such men as Romaine and 
 Newton and Cadogan and Scott, were rarely to be 
 found in the pulpits of the establishment. Now 
 the number is greatly increased of those who have 
 imbibed their spirit, and preach the same sound 
 
178 HENLEY. 
 
 and holy doctrine. The consequence is, that the 
 friends of vital and experimental religion are not 
 under the same necessity for withdrawing from the 
 establishment and erecting places for separate 
 worship, as they once were. The dissenting 
 congregations, at present, owe their increase from 
 the established church, not so much from a regard 
 to evangelical preaching, as from some other, and 
 perhaps less laudable motive. This has occasioned 
 a strong prejudice against them in the minds of 
 the great body of the friends of the established 
 church. They remember the comparatively few 
 instances of dissent from selfish and political con- 
 siderations, while they overlook the fact, that a 
 large and respectable portion of their dissenting 
 brethren are conscientious in their principles, having 
 embraced them themselves after a candid and en- 
 lightened investigation ; or, as is doubtless fre- 
 quently the case, having received them from their 
 pious and exemplary ancestors through successive 
 generations. But whatever, and however ground- 
 less, may be the cause, there is no doubt of the 
 fact, there is a great, and I think increasing pre- 
 judice against the Dissenters among the great body 
 of the people connected with the church of En- 
 gland. 
 
 There is another source of disaffection towards 
 
HENLEY. 179 
 
 the Dissenters, which, perhaps, more than any- 
 other cause, tends to make them unpopular, and 
 to draw upon them the odium of the community, 
 and that is — the controversy on the subject of the 
 union of the church with the state. The Dissen- 
 ters contend that religion is capable of supporting 
 itself without the aid of the civil power, and 
 plead the successful example of the American 
 churches, in support of their position. The 
 friends of the church, on the other hand, insist 
 upon this connection, as not only lawful, but 
 expedient and salutary, and deny that the want of 
 a National Establishment in America is favorable 
 to the cause of religion and morality. This dis- 
 pute is carried on with great warmth, on both sides, 
 and frequently with too much bitterness and party 
 spirit. 
 
 This controversy is not confined to the 
 church of England and the Dissenters from its 
 pale, but is agitated with equal zeal, and I fear 
 with greater acrimony, on the other side of the 
 Tweed. Like most important and protracted 
 controversies, there is much to be said on both 
 sides of the question. Although by an American 
 the necessity or expediency of an ecclesiastical 
 establishment cannot be admitted for a moment, I 
 can easily conceive that to the mind of the consci- 
 
180 HENLEY. 
 
 entious Englishman, or Scotchman, the subject of 
 the dissolution of the connection between church 
 and state may be surrounded, with many, and to 
 his mind inseparable difficulties. 
 
 There is a vast difference between the expedi- 
 ency of setting up an Establishment in the United 
 States of America, where the feelings of the 
 people, as well as the genius of the government, 
 are diametrically opposed to it, and the propriety 
 of dissolving it entirely in a country, where it has 
 existed for ages, and incorporated itself with the 
 habits and usages, the manners and customs, the 
 sentiments and feelings, of the great body of the 
 people. 
 
 Although decidedly and ex animo a friend to the 
 Voluntary Principle, (as the subject in dispute 
 here is technically called,) I have been frequently 
 thrown into situations, during my short residence 
 in England, which have been not a little embar- 
 rassing, and I have carefully avoided committing 
 myself to a controversy, which depends for its 
 merits upon circumstances and localities, with 
 which, as a stranger in a foreign land, I could not 
 be expected to be fully acquainted. 
 
 But whatever may be the result of this impor- 
 tant controversy, there can be no doubt that it 
 renders the present situation of our Dissenting 
 
OXFORD. 181 
 
 brethren trying and uncomfortable, and that some 
 of them are ready to exclaim, like our good brother 
 in Henley — " Oh that I had wings like a dove, 
 then would I fly away and be at rest." 
 
 We left our comfortable inn at Benson, on 
 Friday morning, in a post-chaise for Oxford, a 
 distance of 1 1 miles. On our way we stopped at 
 a small village, called Dorchester, a name which 
 brought to our minds a thousand delightful associ- 
 ations. This ancient town is at present, in a very 
 reduced and decayed state. It was once, it is 
 said, the seat of a Bishop, and contained no less 
 than seven parish churches. It has now only about 
 1,000 inhabitants, and but one church. That, 
 however, is a fine old building, and well deserving 
 the attention of the inquisitive traveller. 
 
 There are two places of this name in England, 
 one in the county of Oxford, and the other in the 
 county of Dorset. The latter, from which Dor- 
 chester in New England took its name, I shall 
 have occasion particularly to mention in another 
 place. 
 
 On our arrival at Oxford, we immediately em- 
 ployed ourselves in visiting a few of the nineteen 
 colleges and five halls, which compose this great 
 and far-famed university. The few hours we had 
 allotted ourselves in this city of collegiate palaces 
 
182 CHELTENHAM. 
 
 would not admit of seeing much ; but we em- 
 ployed them to the best advantage. We visited 
 Christ Church and its beautiful meadows, went 
 through Magdalen College and strolled in Addison's 
 straight and shaded walk — passed into New 
 College, and admired, with fresh delight, its 
 painted windows — had a glimpse of All Souls and 
 Queen's Colleges — the Rateliffe Library — the 
 Theatre and the Clarendon Press ; and went into 
 St. Mary's Church, where the officers and students 
 of the University worship on the Sabbath and on 
 other public occasions. The weather was delight- 
 ful, and although our stay was limited, we saw 
 much in a short time. 
 
 As I had twice visited Oxford before, and once 
 spent ten days in examining its many objects of 
 classical interest, I the less regretted the arrival of 
 the coach from London to Cheltenham, by which 
 we proposed to pursue our journey to that beau- 
 tiful and fashionable watering place. In less than 
 four hours, we performed a journey of 38 miles, 
 and arrived at Cheltenham at 8 P. M. 
 
 The speed and comfort of travelling in England 
 cannot be too highly commended. The roads, 
 with a very few exceptions, are admirable, and the 
 coaches bound over them with astonishing velocity. 
 The horses, which are usually changed every ten 
 
CHELTENHAM. 183 
 
 miles, and sometimes less, are kept in fine condi- 
 tion, and the harnesses, with their polished brass 
 and well oiled leather, form a striking contrast to 
 the ropes and other rigging of a continental dili- 
 gence. The coachmen are generally civil, and 
 some of them very intelligent. They expect, 
 however, always to be remembered, and the fee 
 you are obliged to pay, added to the extravagant 
 fare, renders the expense of travelling in England 
 much higher than in any other part of the world. 
 
 It is not surprising that our good friend Dr. 
 Reed was so annoyed by the mode of travelling in 
 America, and by the unseasonable hours at which 
 he was started from his rest to commence his 
 journey. It is true the accommodations for trav- 
 elling in England are far superior to those in our 
 own country — but there are some advantages in 
 the construction of our coaches, which, in my 
 opinion, are superior to theirs. 
 
 An English stage-coach usually carries four 
 inside, and eight or more outside. If you take 
 the inside seat, you pay nearly double the price, 
 and can see nothing of the country, excepting the 
 peeps you may catch by letting down the window 
 over the door. If you take the outside, you may 
 indeed see the country, if the weather is fair, but 
 you are exposed to the sun, and to clouds of dust, 
 
184 CHELTENHAM. 
 
 and, in wet weather, (which is more common than 
 fair in England,) to showers of rain ; not to say 
 any thing of the danger, if you happen to be 
 drowsy, of falling from the top of the coach. 
 Whereas the American stage-coaches (many of 
 which I may be allowed to say, notwithstanding 
 I may appear to differ from my excellent brother, 
 are exceedingly comfortable) are so contrived as 
 to shelter you from the sun and rain, and at the 
 same time, to afford you the opportunity of seeing 
 the country to the best advantage. The coach- 
 men I have generally found civil and attentive; 
 though it is true I have never travelled in the 
 western country ; and if, in a few instances, they 
 have been otherwise, the inconvenience is more 
 than balanced by the absence of that everlasting 
 strain — ? Please remember the coachman, — please 
 remember the guard,' — with which you are con- 
 tinually assailed in England. 
 
 The practice of feeing servants, which is uni- 
 versal in England, is often very annoying to our 
 countrymen on their first arrival in England — but 
 it is best to submit to it with philosophic patience, 
 as it cannot be avoided. When it is considered 
 that the whole, or by far the greatest part, of the 
 support of coachmen, waiters, chambermaids, 
 porters, &c. &c. is derived from these contributions 
 
CHELTENHAM. 185 
 
 of passengers and travellers, the expected gratuity- 
 will be bestowed with less reluctance. 
 
 Cheltenham is one of the most delightful inland 
 watering places in England. At some seasons of 
 the year it is much resorted to by fashionable 
 society, who come in pursuit of pleasure rather 
 than health. Its waters, however, are said to be 
 very beneficial in many complaints, and the ap- 
 pearance of many valetudinarians, drawn by hand 
 in their sedan and garden chairs, along the spacious 
 and shaded walks, evince the estimation in which 
 they are held by the diseased and afflicted. 
 
 I called in the evening to see my old friend and 
 countryman, Henry Bromfield, Esq., who resides 
 at this place in comfortable retirement from active 
 business, enjoying at a very advanced age, unim- 
 paired health of body and vigor of mind. I called 
 also on the Rev. Mr. Campbell, one of the Dis- 
 senting ministers of the place, who invited me, 
 with great earnestness, to remain and preach for 
 him on the Sabbath ; I was exceedingly sorry not 
 to be able to accede to his wishes, but I had made 
 all my arrangements to spend the Sabbath in 
 Bristol. We accordingly left Cheltenham, though 
 with reluctance, at nine o'clock on Saturday 
 morning, for Bristol, where we arrived, a distance 
 of forty miles, in season for dinner. 
 13 
 
186 BRISTOL. 
 
 Bristol was much changed since I first knew it, 
 thirty years ago. Most of the friends of my youth 
 were numbered with the dead. The ministers 
 whom I knew in those days, Dr. Ryland and the 
 Rev. Messrs. Lowell and Thorpe, were gone, and 
 their places filled by others. My relatives, too, 
 with whom I occasionally resided, were dead, 
 or removed from the place, and there was little 
 left to remind me of former days. After dinner, 
 we went in search of two young ladies, whom 
 we had the happiness to know in America, and 
 who were now residing in this neighborhood for 
 the benefit of their health. We found them in 
 pleasant lodgings, at a place called Redland, about 
 two miles out of^ town. The interview was one 
 of mutual interest. They had once constituted a 
 part of my pastoral charge. We had, together, 
 passed through scenes of trial, and enjoyed much 
 social and domestic intercourse in a far distant 
 land. The memory of dear departed friends 
 rushed upon our recollection. We mingled our 
 tears, and rejoiced with each other in the mercy 
 and loving kindness of Him, who had watched 
 over us in our respective wanderings, and brought 
 us together in circumstances of so much peace 
 and comfort. At a late hour we returned to our 
 lodgings at the Talbot Inn in Bristol. 
 
BRISTOL. 187 
 
 The next morning (the Sabbath) I called on 
 Mr. Legge, the minister of the independent 
 meeting at Bridge street, — the successor of my 
 old friend, Mr. Lowell, who received me very- 
 kindly, and invited me to preach for him in the 
 evening. 
 
 In the forenoon I heard Mr. Hamilton, of 
 Leeds, in a new chapel, recently erected by a 
 portion of the late Mr. Thorpe's congregation. 
 Mr. Hamilton is considered a popular preacher. 
 His manner is showy, and his style rather diffuse, 
 but his sermon was sound and evangelical. — In 
 the afternoon, I stepped into Dr. Ryland's (more 
 recently Robert Hall's) place of worship, in Broad 
 Mead. It was ordinance day. I retired into the 
 gallery, and witnessed the celebration of the sa- 
 cramental supper to a respectable number of com- 
 municants. 
 
 In the evening I preached at Bridge street, for 
 Mr. Legge. In the same pulpit I repeatedly 
 preached in the early part of my life. But most 
 of the congregation who then heard me, with their 
 beloved pastor, were numbered with the dead. 
 A few of them, however, remained, and collected 
 around me, after the service was closed, to express 
 their recognition, and to offer their affectionate 
 salutations* 
 
188 CHEPSTOW. 
 
 I spent the evening with Mr. Wills, a leading 
 member of the Tabernacle congregation, to whom 
 I was introduced by the Rev. Mr. Choules of 
 New Bedford, and in whose lady I was happy 
 to find one of the friends of my early life, who 
 formerly resided in London. 
 
 We breakfasted the next morning with Mr. 
 Waldo, an American merchant, for many years 
 settled in Bristol. We received from him and his 
 family, then, as well as formerly, much kind at- 
 tention. It was an interesting fact to me, that Mr. 
 Waldo was a native of my parish, and born within 
 a few rods of my place of worship. From Mr. 
 Waldo's we went to Redland to call on the Misses 
 B. and made an arrangement for them to accom- 
 pany us to Chepstow and Tinturn Abbey. 
 
 After taking an early dinner, we engaged a post- 
 chaise to take us to the old ferry on the banks of 
 the Severn. We then crossed the river in a 
 steam-boat, where a sociable, or open carriage, 
 awaited us to convey us to Chepstow. We arrived 
 at this place, distinguished for the ruins of its an- 
 cient castle and the beauty of its surrounding 
 scenery, soon after nightfall. The town was all 
 bustle and confusion, in consequence of its being 
 the last day of one of those village fairs so dis- 
 graceful to the country, and so prejudicial to the 
 
CHEPSTOW. 189 
 
 morals of the community. Several hundreds of 
 people were collected in the square opposite the 
 inn, to witness the most disgusting and revolting 
 exhibitions of itinerant theatricals. We were glad 
 to escape from this scene of tumult and folly to 
 visit the fine old ruin of Chepstow castle. 
 
 This interesting remnant of a by-gone age, is 
 situated on the brow of a precipice, overhanging 
 the bank of the Wye. At the south east angle of 
 the first court, is a round tower, called Henry 
 Marten's tower, which was the keep or citadel 
 where that distinguished regicide was confined for 
 life. Marten was decidedly an advocate for a 
 republican government, and during the turbulent 
 reign of that unfortunate monarch, Charles the 
 First, was most active in opposing the royalists ; 
 indeed, he was among the first, who assisted in 
 bringing their sovereign to the scaffold. 
 
 After the restoration, Marten surrendered on the 
 proclamation, and was tried as a regicide at the 
 Old Bailey. He confessed the fact of attending 
 the trial, and signing the warrant for the king's 
 death, but denied any malicious intention. He 
 was, however, found guilty, and petitioned for 
 pardon, which he obtained on condition of per- 
 petual imprisonment. 
 
190 CHEPSTOW. 
 
 Marten lived to the advanced age of seventy- 
 eight, and died by a stroke of apoplexy. He was 
 buried in the chancel of Chepstow church. — 
 Over his ashes was placed a stone, with this quaint 
 inscription composed by himself. 
 
 Here, 
 
 September the 9, in the year of our Lord 1680, was 
 
 buried a true Englishman, 
 
 who in Berkshire was well known 
 
 to love his country's freedom 'bove his own ; 
 
 but living immured full 20 year, 
 
 had time to write, as doth appear, — 
 
 His Epitaph. 
 
 H ere or elsewhere (all 's one to you and me,) 
 E arth, air or water gripes my ghostless dust, 
 N one know how soon to be by fire set free. 
 R eader, if you an oft tried rule will trust, 
 Y ou'll gladly do and suffer what you must. 
 
 M y life was spent in serving you and you 
 
 A nd death's my pay, (it seems) and welcome too. 
 
 R evenge destroying but itself, while I, 
 
 T o birds of prey leave my old cage, and fly. 
 
 E xamples preach to th' eye, care then (mine says) 
 
 N ot how you end, but how you spend your days. 
 
CHEPSTOW. 191 
 
 In visiting this interesting spot we were re- 
 minded of the following lines, of the present poet 
 laureate : 
 
 " For thirty years secluded from mankind 
 Here Marten lingered. Often have these walls 
 Echoed his footsteps, as, with even tread, 
 He paced around his prison. Not to him 
 Did nature's fair varieties exist ; 
 He never saw the sun's delightful beams 
 Save when through yon high bars 
 He poured a sad and broken splendor." 
 
 The general appearance of the ruin is admi- 
 rable, and strongly reminds one of the days of 
 olden time ; and the view from its remaining 
 turrets and battlements, of the river Wye, is inde- 
 scribably beautiful. We lingered among its ven- 
 erable and ivy mantled masonry, until darkness 
 concealed from our view the little that remained 
 of this once splendid residence of royal pomp and 
 power, and we returned to our inn, not to rest, 
 but to be annoyed by the incessant tin kettle 
 sound of the theatrical stroller's drum. 
 
 Little refreshed with sleep, we rose with the 
 morning's dawn, and at 5 o'clock started in a neat 
 and convenient sociable for Tintern Abbey. On 
 our way we passed the disturbers of our peace in 
 
192 CHEPSTOW. 
 
 their wagons and caravans, who had closed their 
 engagements at Chepstow, and were proceeding to 
 mar the quiet of some other country village, by 
 their foolish waggery and their ridiculous enact- 
 ments. The kings and queens of the preceding 
 evening, now laid aside their gaudy robes, some 
 of which were dangling about their vehicles, along 
 side their kitchen utensils and other articles of 
 household furniture. It was amusing enough to 
 see the valiant hero transformed into the swarthy 
 Egyptian, and the tender heroine engaged in the 
 culinary department, preparing the morning meal 
 for her hungry associates. 
 
 We passed by the splendid and picturesque 
 grounds of Pierceland ; but the- early hour pre- 
 vented our admission within the gates. We 
 reached the little inn, near Tintern Abbey, 
 between 7 and 8 o'clock, and having ordered 
 breakfast, pursued our ride a few miles on the 
 banks of the Wye, where we were enchanted with 
 the rich and variegated scenery. Having allowed 
 the good people of the inn sufficient time to pre- 
 pare our repast, we returned and partook of a 
 substantial breakfast, and then, while our horses 
 were recruiting, walked to the adjoining Abbey. 
 It was a lovely morning, and every thing in nature 
 conspired to render our visit to this far-famed and 
 
CHEPSTOW. 193 
 
 most beautiful relic of antiquity interesting and 
 delightful. 
 
 Nothing can exceed the beauty of this venerable 
 ruin, around which the ivy twines in various di- 
 rections. Its noble arched window frames of stone 
 and trellis work rise in the centre of its pointed 
 roofless walls, on the top of which the rooks main- 
 tain their uninterrupted reign, singing, as one of our 
 party remarked, a requiem over the ruins. The 
 immediate approach to the Abbey is disagreeable 
 and confined, as a train of poor cottages and the 
 works of an iron foundry are almost ingrafted on 
 the ruins. But when our guide, (an old woman, 
 who inhabited one of these cottages,) unlocked 
 the entrance door, a grassy sward, neatly kept, 
 presented itself, on the sides of which rested huge 
 columns of dark stone, covered with ivy. Both 
 nature and art seemed to have blended their 
 powers in producing an object beautiful and sub- 
 lime. The walls are almost entire, the roof only 
 has fallen in. Most of the columns, which divided 
 the aisles, are still standing. Of these which have 
 dropped down, the bases remain, every one exactly 
 in its place ; and in the middle of the nave, four 
 lofty arches, which once supported the tower, rise 
 above the rest, each now reduced to a narrow 
 border of stone, but completely preserving its form. 
 
194 CHEPSTOW. 
 
 Monkish tombstones and the monuments of benefac- 
 tors, long since forgotten, appeared above the green 
 sward. On one side stood a dilapidated figure 
 of the Virgin, and on another a stone effigy of the 
 founder of the Abbey, greatly impaired by time — 
 broken chapiters, with carving on stone, represent- 
 ing oak leaves lay along between the pillars. 
 Some of our party ascended the walls by a spiral 
 stair-case, and walked along the upper narrow 
 gallery to the top of the building, where grass and 
 shrubs formed a covered and pleasant pathway. 
 From the elevation a most delightful view was 
 obtained of the Wye, and the beautiful country 
 through which it meanders. 
 
 Tintern Abbey, was founded in the year 1131, 
 for the monks of the Cisterian order, by Walter de 
 Clare, who dedicated it to the virgin Mary. It is 
 now the property of the Duke of Beaufort. The 
 building is cruciform, and is an excellent specimen 
 of the English architecture in its greatest purity. 
 The floor, being covered with a smooth turf, pre- 
 serves the original level of the church, exhibits 
 the beauty of its proportions, heightens the effect 
 of the grey stone, gives a relief to the clustered 
 pillars, and affords an easy access to every part. 
 
 Although the exterior appearance of the ruins 
 is not equal to the inside view, yet in some posi- 
 
CHEPSTOW. 195 
 
 tions they present themselves with considerable 
 effect, and from one view in particular, the grand 
 east window, wholly covered with ivy and shrubs, 
 rises like the portal of a majestic edifice, embow- 
 ered with wood. 
 
 We lingered about this interesting ruin, as long 
 as our time would permit — and as we trod its still 
 and verdant area, interrupted by no other sound 
 than the occasional croaking of the only inhabitants 
 of its ivy mantled towers, we were reminded of 
 the lines of the poet. 
 
 " How many hearts have here grown cold, 
 That sleep these mouldering stones among ! 
 How many beads have here been told ! 
 How many matins here been sung ! 
 
 On this rude stone, by time long broke, 
 I think I see some pilgrim kneel, 
 I think I see the censer smoke,* 
 I think I hear the solemn peal. 
 
 But here no more soft music floats, 
 
 No holy anthems chanted now ; 
 
 All hushed, except the ringdove's note, 
 
 Low murmuring from yon beechen bough." 
 
 We left this fascinating spot with reluctance, 
 and entering our carriage, which awaited us at the 
 
196 CHEPSTOW. 
 
 gate, took the road to the Wynde Cliff on our way- 
 back to Chepstow. 
 
 The Wynde Cliff, is a name given to a range of 
 elevated ground, covered with shrubs and trees, 
 from the summit of which you have one of the 
 finest and most extensive prospects in England. 
 We left our carriage at the bottom of the hill, and 
 were conducted into a beautiful little building, 
 called the Moss Cottage. It is lined throughout 
 with moss, and furnished with chairs and tables 
 covered with the same material, of rude and gro- 
 tesque appearance. Here we obtained a very 
 civil and obliging woman for a guide, who con- 
 ducted us up the cliff by a winding path. The 
 ascent was long, and had it not been relieved by 
 some of the most beautiful views we ever beheld, 
 would have been tedious and fatiguing. From 
 the summit, where we rested, we beheld in admi- 
 ration the Wye under our feet, winding its way 
 through the most beautiful meadows, and in the 
 distance, the broader Severn stretching out towards 
 the sea. The prospect was somewhat similar to 
 that of the Connecticut from Mount Holyoke in 
 Massachusetts, and of the Hudson from Catskill in 
 New York. Its superiority consisted, not in the 
 beauty of its river, for the Wye is a dull and narrow^ 
 stream, when compared with the Connecticut, and 
 
HENBURY. 197 
 
 more especially with the Hudson, but in the rich 
 verdure of the lawns and meadows, in the superior 
 foliage of the trees and shrubs, and in the good 
 taste and beauty of its houses and cottages, which 
 every where met the gratified and admiring eye. 
 We returned by a different path from that by 
 which we ascended, and found the carriage waiting 
 for us at the bottom of the hill, to take us to 
 Chepstow, where we arrived about 12 o'clock. 
 
 On our return from Chepstow to Bristol, we 
 directed our coachman to take us round by Hen- 
 bury, that we might have the opportunity of 
 seeing a number of beautiful cottages, which were 
 erected and endowed by a philanthropic individual 
 for the accommodation of reduced but respectable 
 families. 
 
 These cottages, which are nine in number, are 
 built with the greatest taste. No two of them are 
 exactly alike. They surround a beautiful and ex- 
 tensive lawn of two or three acres, which is en- 
 closed by a wall, at the gate of which is a porter's 
 lodge. We entered several of the cottages, and 
 conversed with their inmates who appeared to be 
 very contented and happy. 
 
 This little excursion was truly delightful. We 
 parted with our young friends, who had contrib- 
 uted so much to our enjoyment, with much regret, 
 
198 BATH. 
 
 and in the afternoon, took our departure for Bath, 
 where we arrived before night. 
 
 Bath is well known, as one of the oldest and 
 most frequented watering places in England. Its 
 splendid pump room, its magnificent crescents, and 
 its fashionable society, were to me objects of trifling 
 interest, when compared with a name, for many- 
 years associated with it in my recollection. I left 
 the natural and artificial objects of curiosity in this 
 ancient city to others, and sought an interview 
 with William Jay. I had the happiness of finding 
 him at home, and of spending the evening with 
 him alone. The sweetness and gentleness of his 
 manners, the richness and copiousness of his con- 
 versation, and the admirable good sense and prac- 
 tical wisdom of his remarks, gave wings to time, 
 and on looking at my watch, I was astonished to 
 find how rapidly it had passed. 
 
 I had the happiness of knowing Mr. Jay nearly 
 thirty years since, and of receiving from him an 
 approbation to preach the gospel. He was the 
 only one remaining, of those esteemed and excel- 
 lent men who united with him in giving me that 
 testimonial. Time had not made so much altera- 
 tion in his personal appearance as I expected. 
 Although advancing into the vale of years, his 
 popularity as a preacher and author is by no means 
 
EXETER. 199 
 
 on the wane. He is constantly called upon to 
 preach on public occasions, and I trust it will be 
 long before the religious world shall cease to be 
 enlightened and edified by the productions of his 
 pen. 
 
 We left Bath the next morning for Exeter, a 
 distance of above eighty miles ; which we easily 
 accomplished in one day. The weather was fine, 
 and from the top of the coach we had an uninter- 
 rupted view of the rich and variegated scenery, 
 through which we passed. The road from Bath 
 to Exeter is considered one of the most delightful 
 in England, and the succession of noblemen's and 
 gentlemen's houses — the towers and spires of the 
 churches — and the constant variety of hill and 
 dale, stream and rivulet, which, on every side, 
 meet the eye, contributed to lessen the fatigue 
 with which a journey of such length, on the out- 
 side of a coach, is necessarily attended. 
 
 We spent the night at Exeter, and in the morn- 
 ing took the coach to Teignmouth, a distance of 
 about fifteen miles, where we intended to spend 
 the day and return to Exeter, by the same con- 
 veyance, the next morning. We found our coach- 
 man, with whom I took a seat on the box, very 
 respectable, intelligent and communicative. He 
 ( gave us every information we could desire of the 
 
200 TEIGNMOUTH. 
 
 places through which we passed. On our arrival 
 at Teignmouth, where the coach stopped to 
 change horses, we concluded not to remain, agree- 
 ably to our original intention, but to proceed with 
 our worthy and well informed coachman, to Dart- 
 mouth, which completed his journey, and to return 
 with him the next day to Exeter. Nothing could 
 exceed the beauty and interest of this day's ride. 
 
 Dawlish, Teignmouth, and Torquay, are each 
 of them, fashionable watering places, and command 
 most romantic and extensive marine views. We 
 arrived at Dartmouth before night, and took a boat 
 to visit its ancient castle and fort at the entrance 
 of the river Dart. The next day we returned by 
 the same route, which lost nothing of its beauty 
 and interest. At Teignmouth, where we stopped 
 a few minutes, I met with the Rev. Mr. Roper, 
 the Dissenting minister of the place. This beau- 
 tiful little spot was rendered particularly interest- 
 ing to us, as having once been the residence of 
 some highly esteemed and valued friends of my 
 own congregation. 
 
 On our return to Exeter, we visited its fine 
 Cathedral, and called upon a few friends. I had 
 not time to see any of the Dissenting ministers, 
 excepting the Rev. Dr. Payne, who has the 
 charge of a small seminary for the education of 
 
EXETER. 201 
 
 young men for the ministry. He received his 
 education at Glasgow, with Dr. H. F. Burder, 
 and Dr. Joseph Fletcher of London, and is highly 
 esteemed among the brethren of his denomination 
 for his theological learning and classical attain- 
 ments. 
 
 Exeter, the chief city in the County of Devon- 
 shire, contains a Cathedral, and no less than 
 twenty-three parish churches, and a large number 
 of dissenting places of worship. The first minis- 
 ter at Dorchester in New England, the Rev. John 
 Warham, was from this place. In consulting 
 the Exeter Directory, I found several names that 
 have long prevailed among us. It was from this 
 place and neighborhood, doubtless, that some of 
 the ancestors of my beloved people emigrated to 
 the western world, and it was with no ordinary 
 emotions that I looked forward to the approaching 
 Sabbath, which I expected to spend in Dorches- 
 ter, in the County of Dorset, from which the 
 place of my own residence took its name. We 
 accordingly left Exeter on Saturday morning in 
 the coach for Weymouth, passing through Sid- 
 mouth, where my old and excellent friend, the 
 Rev. David Parker, preached and died. 
 
 We soon found, without consulting our map, 
 that we were leaving the rich and fertile and 
 14> 
 
202 WEYMOUTH. 
 
 beautiful County of Devon, with its green lanes, 
 its high and verdant hedges, and its varied and 
 changing surface of hill and dale, for the long and 
 dreary common, and the comparatively light and 
 barren soil of its less lovely and attractive neighbor 
 —the County of Dorset. 
 
 Devonshire is, without exception, the most 
 beautiful and picturesque county in England. Its 
 soil is uncommonly rich, and in the highest state 
 of cultivation. We were highly favored in the 
 season, in which we visited this beautiful part of the 
 Island. The weather was uncommonly fine, and 
 the air soft and balmy. Not a drop of rain im- 
 peded our progress. A few gentle showers during 
 the night laid the dust of the preceding day. 
 The haying season was just commencing, and the 
 merry haymakers, consisting in this country of 
 both sexes, added much to the interest of the " 
 scene. It was, also, the season for the early 
 fruits, and the large and well-flavored straw- 
 berry, with the delicious Devonshire cream, of 
 which we had so often heard, if not among the 
 most intellectual, were not among the least taste- 
 ful of our enjoyments. In fact nothing occurred 
 in this delightful county to mar our pleasures, or 
 to lessen our satisfaction. 
 
 Weymouth is about sixty miles from Exeter, 
 
WEYMOUTH. 203 
 
 and is one of the most popular watering places in 
 the kingdom. Its fine beach affords a beautiful 
 promenade, and in the fashionable season, which 
 had not yet arrived, is crowded with visitors, who 
 resort here to enjoy the salubrity of the fresh 
 breezes from the sea. We arrived here in the 
 afternoon, and after tea, took a little open car- 
 riage to convey us to Dorchester, a distance of 
 eight miles. This carriage, which was very light 
 and airy, will hold four, and is drawn by one 
 horse, upon which is mounted a lad, less than 
 fourteen years of age, with his red jacket and 
 jockey cap and plated spurs and smacking whip. 
 Thus equipped, our smart little postillion rattled us 
 alons: over a smooth and level road, and in less 
 than an hour landed us safely at the Antelope 
 Inn in Dorchester. Of this inn I cannot speak in 
 terms of too great praise. The inns in England 
 are generally good, but many of them are extrava- 
 gant, and the most extravagant are not always the 
 best ; but the Antelope Inn in Dorchester, where 
 I spent one of the most quiet and delightful Sab- 
 baths I passed during my tour, we found excellent 
 in every thing that constitutes a good hotel. The 
 charges were reasonable, and the landlord and 
 waiters civil and respectful. On Monday morn- 
 ing we left our pleasant parlor, with the comforts 
 
204 DORCHESTER. 
 
 by which we were surrounded, much satisfied 
 with the attention we received. 
 
 On my arrival in Dorchester I immediately 
 called upon the Dissenting minister of the place, 
 the Rev. Mr. Anderson, who received me with 
 great cordiality and kindness. Mr. Anderson's 
 congregation is small and feeble, and has had to 
 struggle with many difficulties and embarrassments. 
 Since his connection with them, it has somewhat 
 increased, and its prospects are, at present, en- 
 couraging. His place of worship, like many of 
 the old meeting-houses of the Dissenters, is most 
 obscurely situated in a narrow and unfrequented 
 street, and seems to have been erected on a plan 
 purposely to avoid observation. His dwelling- 
 house, which is small and contracted, constitutes a 
 part of the premises, and belongs to the proprie- 
 tors of the Chapel. The use of this, with an 
 uncertain salary, seldom exceeding £100 per ann. 
 constitutes the whole of the living of this excel- 
 lent man. I mention these circumstances because 
 they apply to a very considerable number of Dis- 
 senting ministers and congregations. Except in 
 cities and large towns, the meeting-houses or 
 chapels of the Independents are mean in their 
 appearance, and circumscribed in their dimensions. 
 Many of them are without stated pastors, and are 
 
DORCHESTER. 205 
 
 supplied by pious laymen, who are employed 
 during the week in their respective avocations, 
 and who go out into the villages on the Sabbath, 
 to exhort and to pray with these destitute con- 
 gregations. 
 
 This imperfect ministry certainly ought not to 
 be despised, as without it many precious souls 
 might perish for want of the bread of life ; but 
 some such institution as our Education Society, 
 is greatly needed among our brethren in England, 
 to increase the number of well trained and faithful 
 ministers of the independent denomination. It is 
 a matter of astonishment that no society of this 
 character has hitherto been formed. Can a better 
 course be adopted to promote the cause of Christ, 
 and the interests of Dissenters, than by establishing 
 a society for the thorough education of indigent 
 pious young men for the gospel ministry, like the 
 American Education Society in the United States ? 
 It is to be sincerely hoped that this subject will 
 soon be taken into serious consideration by our 
 dissenting brethren. 
 
 On Sabbath morning I preached for Mr. An- 
 derson, agreeably to his request. The congrega- 
 tion was respectable for numbers, and apparently 
 serious and attentive. I expressed to them the 
 peculiar interest I felt as pastor of a church in 
 
206 DORCHESTER. 
 
 Dorchester, New England, in addressing a con- 
 gregation of my own denomination in Dorchester, 
 Old England ; and I promised to give them in the 
 evening some information respecting their name- 
 sake town in the new world. 
 
 In the afternoon, as there was no public worship 
 in Mr. Anderson's Chapel, I attended divine 
 service in the Episcopal church, in the neighboring 
 parish of Fordington, and heard a truly evangel- 
 ical sermon. 
 
 Fordington is little more than half a mile from 
 Dorchester, and though a separate parish and once 
 a separate town, is now under the same municipal 
 government. They are connected together by 
 one of those long and beautiful avenues of chestnut 
 and sycamore trees, by which the various en- 
 trances to Dorchester are distinguished. 
 
 In the evening I again addressed Mr. Anderson's 
 congregation, and several from the other congre- 
 gations, and gave them some account of the history 
 of Dorchester in Massachusetts. The occasion 
 was one of mutual interest, and I think will not 
 soon be forgotten. 
 
 Dorchester is an ancient, respectable and well 
 built town. It was of considerable importance 
 under the Romans. Coins and other relics of 
 antiquity found here — the Maiden Castle — the 
 
DORCHESTER. 207 
 
 Amphitheatre (the most perfect of the kind in 
 Britain) — and the remains of a Roman Camp in the 
 neighborhood — show it to have been a place of 
 consideration. This town suffered dreadfully from 
 the plague, which broke out there in 1595, and 
 which proved so destructive that the living were 
 not sufficient to bury the dead. In 1613 it was 
 almost destroyed by fire — the loss was estimated 
 at £200,000 sterling. Dorchester is said to have 
 been more particularly disaffected to the royal 
 cause during the civil wars, than any other place 
 in England. The town forms an irregular square, 
 and consists principally of three spacious streets. 
 These with the subordinate ones, are well paved, 
 and in general abound with handsome buildings of 
 brick and stone. The edifices for public worship 
 are the three churches in the establishment, dedi- 
 cated to St. Peter, the Holy Trinity, and All 
 Saints, and four chapels belonging to the Indepen- 
 dents — the Wesleyan Methodists — the Baptists — 
 and the Unitarians. The church of St. Peter's is 
 a beautiful and venerable gothic pile, situated in 
 the centre of the town, with a tower ninety feet 
 high, ornamented with turrets and battlements. 
 The principal charities are two good free schools, 
 and some well endowed alms-houses ; and a 
 hospital or workhouse, which is also an endowed 
 
208 SALISBURY. 
 
 charity. The town contains a handsome town- 
 hall— a court-house — and a new gaol and house 
 of correction, erected on the plan recommended 
 by Howard. By the census of 1821, the popula- 
 tion of the borough and parishes of Dorchester 
 amounted to 2,743. 
 
 After seeing all that was worthy of notice in this 
 ancient, neat and quiet town, we left it on Monday 
 morning, for Salisbury, a distance of about forty 
 miles, where we arrived before dinner, and im- 
 mediately repaired to its splendid Cathedral, whose 
 beautiful and well proportioned spire attracted 
 our attention some time before we reached the 
 city. 
 
 This venerable edifice was built in the year 
 1258, and contains as many windows as there are 
 days — as many marble shafts as there are hours 
 — and as many doors as there are months in the 
 year. We noticed the beautiful stained glass in 
 the large windows, and several ancient monu- 
 ments of Knights Templar, with some fine modern 
 sculpture. 
 
 Salisbury, besides its Cathedral, presents few 
 objects of interest to a stranger. In its neighbor- 
 hood, however, is to be found one of the most 
 remarkable curiosities in England. I refer to 
 what is supposed to be the ruins of a Pruidical 
 
STONEHENGE. 209 
 
 temple, at a place called Stonehenge, on Salisbury 
 Plain, about nine miles distant from the city. We 
 engaged an open carriage, drawn by mules, to 
 take us to the place, and after an hour's ride over 
 a long and dreary heath, interesting for nothing 
 but for being the scene of Miss Hannah More's 
 beautiful tale, entitled the Shepherd of Salisbury 
 Plain, we arrived at the spot, upon which stood a 
 number of large stones that had the appearance of 
 having once formed a regular building or temple — 
 some of them still remaining in their horizontal 
 position, resting on those which retain their perpen- 
 dicular attitude, while others are scattered about on 
 the ground. We found in the midst of the ruins 
 an intelligent individual, who makes a business of 
 selling engravings of the temple and giving infor- 
 mation respecting its origin and history. He sup- 
 poses it to have been erected 200 years previous 
 to the Christian era, and to have been intended for 
 the w r orship of the sun. 
 
 A high and blustering wind rendered our return 
 over the open common exceedingly uncomfortable, 
 and we were glad to find warmth and rest at the 
 inn in Salisbury. 
 
 On Tuesday morning we took the coach for 
 London. We had for a companion a young cler- 
 gyman of the established church, with whom I 
 
210 LONDON. 
 
 had much conversation on the subject of the state 
 of religion in America, and the operation of the 
 Voluntary Principle. Although evangelical in 
 his religious opinions, I found him strongly preju- 
 diced against Dissenters and against America. He 
 had read the narrative of Drs. Reed and Matheson, 
 and commented upon it with great severity. He 
 insisted that they were sent out to America by a 
 political faction, to collect information to aid them 
 in their efforts to destroy the British Constitution, 
 by effecting a dissolution between the church and 
 the state. This was not the only instance of pre- 
 judice and bigotry which I met with in England. 
 — We arrived, without any occurrence of special 
 interest, before night at the Adelphi Hotel, and the 
 next day found us comfortably settled again in our 
 old lodgings in Norfolk street, Strand. 
 
 The morning after our arrival, we were gratified 
 in receiving letters from our friends in America, 
 from which we learnt that they fully expected us 
 home in August; and unwilling to disappoint the 
 expectations of my people, who had already in- 
 dulged me with a long absence from pastoral 
 labors, I felt it my duty to hasten my return. We 
 accordingly made our arrangements to leave Lon- 
 don for the north, in the course of the ensuing 
 week. 
 
LONDON. 211 
 
 Among other friends, who called upon us at our 
 lodgings, was the Rev. Robert Philip, of Maberly 
 Chapel, the well known author of several interest- 
 ing religious publications, which have been re- 
 printed, and most extensively circulated in our own 
 country. Mr. Philip is a respectable Dissenting 
 minister, and has a most happy talent in conveying 
 religious instruction in a plain and familiar manner. 
 Long may he live to employ it for the benefit of 
 the church, and the good of mankind. 
 
 I was gratified at meeting in London with the 
 Rev. Dr. Chalmers, the Rev. Dr. Peter McFarlin, 
 and the Rev. Patrick Clason, who were applying 
 to Parliament, in behalf of the General Assembly, 
 for aid in extending the means of religious in- 
 struction in the church of Scotland. This ap- 
 plication has excited, as might naturally have been 
 expected, much opposition from the friends of the 
 voluntary principle, both in England and Scotland. 
 It has resulted, I have been informed, in the ap- 
 pointment of a Committee of Parliament to in- 
 quire into the alleged destitution of the Scottish 
 church. 
 
 I had the pleasure of breakfasting with Dr. 
 Chalmers, at the house of our mutual friend, Mr. 
 Nisbet, in Berner's street. Much conversation 
 ensued on the subject of the expediency of church 
 
213 LONDON. 
 
 establishments, and the inefficacy of the voluntary 
 principle. Although I could not agree with the 
 Dr. and his friends in their views on this subject, 
 I was gratified in hearing what could be said in 
 favor of the dependence of the church upon civil 
 aid, by the most powerful and eloquent champion 
 of this side of the question now on the stage. 
 
 The health of Dr. Chalmers is by no means 
 good, and he has not attempted to preach for 
 several months. It would not be surprising if the 
 excitement, superinduced by the agitating contro- 
 versy in which he has taken such a leading and 
 active part, should have tended to impair his 
 physical constitution. The course which he has 
 adopted, although, I doubt not, from the very best 
 and most conscientious motives, (for he is utterly 
 incapable of any other,) while it has strengthened 
 the hands of a party, who are far from appreciating 
 his piety and evangelical zeal, has disappointed 
 and grieved many of the friends of religious liberty, 
 who love him for his attachment to the doctrines 
 of grace, and admire the talent and eloquence with 
 which he has so nobly defended them. 
 
 I avoided making any public engagements for 
 the last Sabbath I had to spend in London, that I 
 might have the opportunity of hearing some of my 
 brethren among the Dissenting ministers of the 
 
LONDON. 213 
 
 metropolis. In the morning I went to hear the 
 Rev. Dr. Joseph Fletcher, whom I had often met 
 in private, and listened to with much pleasure on 
 the platform during the season of anniversaries. 
 It was his first sermon after a partial recovery from 
 an indisposition which had confined him to the 
 house for a few weeks, and though probably not 
 delivered with his usual energy and animation, 
 manifested a sweet and tender spirit, and was 
 replete with rich and evangelical sentiment. It 
 was a beautiful illustration of his text, appropriate 
 to his own circumstances, and to several cases of 
 affliction which had recently occurred in his own 
 congregation. " For our light affliction, which is 
 but for a moment, worketh out for us a far more 
 exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While 
 we look not at the things which are seen, but at 
 the things which are unseen ; for the things which 
 are seen are temporal, but the things which are 
 unseen, are eternal." 
 
 Dr. Fletcher's Chapel is in Stepney, in the 
 easterly part of London. It is one of the most 
 venerable places of worship remaining among the 
 Dissenters. It was built for the celebrated non- 
 conformist, Matthew Mead, the author of the 
 Almost Christian, he, who himself laid the first 
 stone of the building. The pillars, which support 
 
214 LONDON. 
 
 the gallery, were given to Mr. Mead by the 
 Stadtholder of Holland ; where he retreated after 
 his ejectment. The same pulpit in which he 
 preached still remains, and his body lies buried 
 in the adjoining church-yard. The chapel is 
 awkward in its construction, having been built to 
 resemble, as much as possible, a private dwelling- 
 house, in order to escape observation. It is how- 
 ever frequented by a large and respectable con- 
 gregation, and has a numerous and interesting 
 Sabbath school connected with it. 
 
 In the evening we accompanied our friends Mr. 
 Sharp and his family to Peckham, to hear the 
 Rev. Dr. Collyer. The feeble state of Dr. Coll- 
 yer's health had prevented his mingling with the 
 bustling duties of the anniversary week, and I had 
 not seen him during my stay in London. I was 
 unwilling to leave the country without seeing and 
 hearing this distinguished and excellent man, with 
 whom it was my happiness in early life to enjoy a 
 personal acquaintance. His chapel, which is one 
 of the neatest and best furnished of any dissenting 
 place I had seen in London, was well filled, 
 though not crowded. A good organ, accompanied 
 by a choir of singers, reminded me of home, 
 (these assistants to devotion being seldom found 
 in Dissenting places of worship.) As he ascended 
 
LONDON. 215 
 
 the pulpit, I could scarcely recognize the active 
 individual I had known some thirty years ago. 
 What a change had time and affliction effected ! 
 But though the elasticity of his movement, and 
 the light and graceful appearance of his figure, 
 had given place to the slow and measured step of 
 premature age and the increased corpulency of 
 his person, I was soon convinced that he had lost 
 none of the originality and force of his genius, nor 
 of the unction and fervor of his piety. His sub- 
 ject, which was peculiarly suited to the character 
 of his mind, and the peculiarity of his taste, was 
 that sweet aspiration of the Psalmist, contained in 
 the forty-seventh Psalm, " Yet the Lord will 
 command his loving kindness in the daytime, and 
 in the night his song shall be with me, and my 
 prayer unto the God of my life." After sermon 
 he read an original hymn, as I am told is his usual 
 practice, founded upon the words of the text. At 
 the close of the service, I went into the vestry. 
 Our meeting was affecting to us both. We had 
 not met for nearly thirty years, and during that 
 period, many changes had taken place. We re- 
 membered the days of former years, and the 
 pleasant intercourse we had taken together in the 
 spring time of life. The joy of our meeting, 
 however, was mingled with the tears of separa- 
 
216 LONDON. 
 
 tion. We met but to part, till we should meet, I 
 trust, never to part again. 
 
 The few days we had to remain in London 
 were employed in visiting and taking leave of 
 many esteemed and beloved friends. On Wed- 
 nesday evening, our parlor was filled with a large 
 number of Christian friends, who called to bid us 
 farewell, and the interview was closed with devo- 
 tional exercises, in which our ever dear and 
 honored friend, the Rev. Mr. Lewis of Islington, 
 offered prayer, and commended us to the blessing 
 and protection of Almighty God. 
 
 " Those hours, those scenes are past ! 
 We part, and ne'er again may meet ; 
 Why are the joys that will not last 
 
 So perishingly sweet ? 
 Farewell ! we surely meet again, 
 In life or death — farewell till then ! " 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 YORK — DURHAM — EDINBURGH — HIGHLANDS — GLASGOW- 
 LIVERPOOL. 
 
 Early, on Thursday morning, July 2d, we bid 
 adieu to London, and took our seats in the coach 
 for York. After a long and tedious ride of 120 
 miles, we stopped at 11, P. M. to rest, at a place 
 called Newark, where we found very indifferent 
 accommodations at a crowded inn, and the next 
 day resumed our journey to York, where we 
 arrived in the afternoon. Soon after our arrival, 
 I sent a note to the Rev. James Parsons, the well 
 known and highly talented minister of the congre- 
 gation of independent Dissenters, who immediately 
 called upon us, and kindly devoted himself to us 
 during the little time we spent in this interesting 
 city. 
 
 York, the ancient Eboracum of the Romans, 
 15 
 
218 YORK. 
 
 was inhabited, successively, by Adrian, Severus, 
 and other Roman Emperors. It is the see of an 
 Archbishop, and ranks as the second city in the 
 kingdom ; but it is inferior in wealth and popula- 
 tion to many of the more modern trading towns. 
 The principal object, for which it is distinguished, 
 is its Minster, or Cathedral, which is justly es- 
 teemed the most splendid edifice of the kind in 
 Great Britain. We spent a couple of hours in 
 visiting it, and regretted that the darkness of night 
 compelled us to quit this magnificent structure. 
 Our aged Cicerone seemed to take great delight 
 in showing us the interior of the building, and in 
 expatiating on the historical associations connected 
 with it. A few years since this superb monument 
 of ancient taste was set on fire by a maniac, who 
 secreted himself in the church after evening 
 prayers, with combustible matter for his nefarious 
 and vandalic purpose. The fire was discovered 
 early the next morning by the faithful servant of 
 the church, who acted as our guide, in season to 
 prevent its entire destruction, though the organ, 
 the pews, and a considerable part of the ancient 
 carving in oak, were entirely destroyed. At a 
 great expense the damage has been repaired, but 
 the modern part, beautiful as it is, bears no pro- 
 
DURHAM. 219 
 
 portion to the rich specimens of ancient architec- 
 ture, with which it is surrounded. 
 
 We spent the evening, very pleasantly, with 
 Mr. Parsons and his family ; and the next morn- 
 ing left York in the coach for Durham, where we 
 arrived, early in the afternoon of Saturday. 
 
 Our excellent friend, Dr. Matheson, whom we 
 had notified of our intended visit, met us at the 
 inn, and with that warmth of heart and affectionate 
 manner, for which he is so distinguished, wel- 
 comed us to Durham, and conducted us to his 
 hospitable mansion, where we immediately felt 
 ourselves at home. We were prepared to be 
 pleased and to be happy, for we had seen and 
 known Dr. Matheson in our own dear country ; 
 but our expectations of domestic comfort and 
 felicity were more than gratified, for w r e had not 
 before seen and known Mrs. Matheson — and to 
 see and know her, was to esteem and love her. 
 
 Mrs. Matheson is the only child of the Rev. 
 Greville Ewing, of Glasgow, and inherits her 
 father's intellectual qualities and amiable disposi- 
 tion and manners. Her humble and unobtrusive 
 piety — her quiet and diligent attention to house- 
 hold and domestic duties — are not less remarkable 
 than the superiority of her mind and the cultivation 
 of her taste. Negligent of no duty, and entirely 
 
220 DURHAM. 
 
 unambitious of literary distinction, she occasionally 
 finds time, not only to promote plans of usefulness 
 among the people of her husband's charge, but to 
 subserve the general interests of religion and 
 morality by the productions of her pen. With 
 this amiable and excellent family, we remained 
 several days, and the recollection of the happiness 
 we enjoyed under their roof, will not easily be 
 obliterated. 
 
 The next day was the Sabbath. In the morn- 
 ing I preached for Dr. Matheson, and in the after- 
 noon, sat down with him and his beloved church 
 at the sacramental table. Thirteen months before, 
 he preached for my people, and partook with us 
 of the memorials of a Saviour's love. Our hearts 
 were melted in view of the goodness and mercy 
 we had mutually experienced, and we enjoyed a 
 sweet season of refreshing from the presence of 
 the Lord. In the evening his people again col- 
 lected, and I had an opportunity of urging upon 
 them the necessity of an immediate attention to 
 the great salvation. 
 
 The independent chapel in Durham is small, 
 but well attended. It will contain about five or 
 six hundred hearers. It is situated back of a 
 street, and in the rear of a dwelling-house. You 
 might pass the gate which leads to it, and which 
 
DURHAM. 221 
 
 exactly resembles a number of other gates in the 
 same street, without thinking of a place of worship. 
 Indeed, it appears to be, like many other Dis- 
 senting places of worship, studiously concealed 
 from observation. The contrast between the 
 splendid pile of Episcopal magnificence, which 
 every where meets the eye in the city and suburbs 
 of Durham, and the humble and unpretending 
 sanctuary of the descendants of the Puritans, is 
 singularly striking, and affords not an unapt illus- 
 tration of the religious denominations which they 
 respectively represent. 
 
 Episcopacy in England is like the grand and 
 spacious Cathedral, magnificent, showy and im- 
 posing. It embraces within its pale nearly all the 
 noble and fashionable, and by far the greater pro- 
 portion of the wealthy of the land. It meets you 
 wherever you go, and pervades all ranks and 
 classes of society — whereas the Dissenting interest, 
 like its obscure and retired places of worship, is 
 thrown into the background, and regarded by its 
 more opulent neighbor with neglect, if not with 
 contempt. I was painfully impressed with this 
 marked and decided difference between the 
 Churchman and the Dissenter, and felt more than 
 ever attached to the religious institutions of my 
 own country, where no one sect is established by 
 law. 
 
222 DURHAM. 
 
 Dr. Matheson is much beloved by an affectionate 
 people, and highly respected by those of a different 
 communion. He exerts a good and salutary in- 
 fluence among the neighboring churches of his 
 own denomination. His talents, his business 
 habits, and his extensive information, qualify him, 
 however, for a more important and more extensive 
 sphere of usefulness. I know not the man better 
 adapted to fill a situation, exceedingly wanted 
 among the independent Dissenters, that of a 
 General Agent for the Congregational Union. 
 
 On Monday, we visited the Cathedral, and 
 called upon one of the Prebendaries, the Rev. 
 Thomas Gisborne, an author well known in this 
 country as well as in England. Mr. Gisborne is 
 now advanced in life; he received us politely, and 
 gave us access to the library, which contains, 
 besides a good collection of books, a number of 
 valuable manuscripts, and several interesting an- 
 tiquities. 
 
 The situation of Durham is romantic and beauti- 
 ful, and the view of the cathedral and castle, and 
 the winding of the river Wey, from Dr. Mathe- 
 son's windows, indescribably lovely. 
 
 We left our kind and excellent friends with un- 
 feigned regret on Wednesday morning, in a post- 
 chaise for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where we took 
 
EDINBURGH. 223 
 
 the coach for Edinburgh, by the interesting and 
 classical route of Cheviot and Tweedale. The 
 ride over the Cheviot hills would have been de- 
 lightful, had the wind been less cold and boisterous. 
 We passed by many objects of interest — among 
 them Melrose Abbey, and Abbotsford, the resi- 
 dence of the late Sir Walter Scott, and Drye- 
 burgh Abbey, where his ashes repose; and arrived 
 in Edinburgh in the evening, suffering with the 
 cold, though in the beginning of July, and ex- 
 hausted with fatigue. 
 
 I was again, through the kind providence of 
 God, in the Scottish Capital, endeared to me by 
 so many youthful and delightful associations. My 
 mind naturally reverted to the days of " Auld 
 Lang Syne," to the period, (1805 and 6,) when 
 Professor Silliman, the late Dr. Gorham, and 
 myself, occupied the same apartments, and pur- 
 sued together our professional studies. Many of 
 the friends of my youth were no more. Of the 
 ministers of Edinburgh, with whom it was my 
 privilege to be acquainted, but one or two re- 
 mained. The professors, under whose direction I 
 pursued my theological studies, were all gone. 
 The places that once knew them, knew them no 
 more. But some of my best and dearest friends 
 remained, whom I sought out on the morning after 
 
224 EDINBURGH. 
 
 our arrival, and rejoiced to find in the enjoyment 
 of health and happiness. 
 
 The Rev. Dr. David Dickson, of the West 
 Kirk, was one of my earliest, and has been one of 
 my most sincere and faithful friends. With the 
 affection of a brother he received me into his 
 family when a student in Divinity ; and from that 
 day to this, his friendship has been cordial and 
 uninterrupted. I need not say, that from the mo- 
 ment of our interview, till we parted, in all proba- 
 bility never to meet again in this world, his 
 attention to myself and family was most devoted, 
 affectionate and untiring. 
 
 From the West Kirk manse, I proceeded to call 
 upon my valued friend, John Tawse, Esq., the 
 brother-in-law of Dr. Dickson, and the highly 
 esteemed secretary of the Society for Propagating 
 Christian Knowledge. As secretary of the Boston 
 Board, I had long been in correspondence with 
 Mr. Tawse, and was happy in the opportunity, 
 not only of enjoying once more his personal ac- 
 quaintance, and that of his excellent family, but 
 of transacting business relating to the concerns of 
 the Society in America. From every branch of 
 Dr. Dickson's family, we received the kindest 
 attentions during our short stay in Edinburgh. 
 
 The Rev. Dr. Patterson, formerly the agent of 
 
EDINBURGH. 225 
 
 the British and Foreign Bible Society in Russia, 
 and the Rev. Mr. Wilkes, the pastor of the inde- 
 pendent Congregation in Albany Chapel, whom I 
 had met in London, showed us much attention. 
 
 We were also gratified in meeting with our ex- 
 cellent friend, John Dunlop, Esq., whom we had 
 known in America, and who has recently returned 
 to his native country. Mr. Dunlop is a warm 
 hearted and devoted Christian, and is constantly 
 doing good in aiding the religious and benevolent 
 institutions both of his own country, and of the 
 United States. 
 
 On the Sabbath I heard Dr. Dickson preach in 
 the morning, and preached for him in the after- 
 noon, in the West Kirk. The pulpits of the 
 establishment have long been closed upon all but 
 the ministers and licentiates of the church of 
 Scotland. The invitation to preach for Dr. Dick- 
 son was peculiarly gratifying to my feelings, as a 
 strong- mark of personal regard from my old and 
 valued friend. 
 
 In the evening I preached for Mr. Wilkes, in 
 Albany Chapel. It is deeply to be regretted that 
 there is so little union and harmony between the 
 members of the Established Church and the 
 various Dissenters, both Presbyterian and Inde- 
 pendent, in this city, and indeed throughout Scot- 
 
226 EDINBURGH. 
 
 land. The controversy respecting the lawfulness 
 and expediency of a national establishment, has 
 been carried on with more warmth, and with 
 a greater degree of asperity, in Scotland, than in 
 her sister kingdom. Sermons, and other pam- 
 phlets, without number, have been printed and 
 circulated, on both sides of the question. Social 
 and domestic intercourse has been greatly embit- 
 tered by this unhappy controversy. In the situa- 
 tion in which I was placed, I could not avoid 
 seeing and hearing much on this agitating subject. 
 My personal friends were, almost exclusively, 
 connected with the Establishment, while my offi- 
 cial character, as pastor of a Congregational 
 church, and a delegate to the Congregational 
 Union, necessarily led me to associate with the 
 strenuous advocates of the Voluntary Principle. 
 I found, among both parties, excellent and devoted 
 men, and I deeply regretted that a difference of 
 opinion should have such an unhappy influence in 
 estranging them from each other, and in creating 
 and fostering feelings of coldness and jealousy. 
 
 On Monday morning I breakfasted with the 
 Rev. Dr. Welsh, the professor of ecclesiastical 
 history in the University of Edinburgh. Dr. 
 Welsh is a man of superior talent and of extensive 
 information. He expressed a great inclination to 
 
EDINBURGH. 227 
 
 visit the United States, and to judge from personal 
 observation of the influence of our religious in- 
 stitutions. It is very desirable that such men 
 should visit our country. Their report would 
 have a powerful influence upon the public mind in 
 Scotland, in correcting many of the errors that 
 prevaibrespecting the state of religion in America. 
 — After breakfast, 1 called upon the Rev. Dr. 
 Peddie, the venerable pastor of the Burgher con- 
 gregation, and upon the Rev. Dr. Gordon and the 
 Rev. Mr. Hunter of the established church. I 
 was happy in the opportunity of seeing and con- 
 versing with these excellent men. — I dined with 
 the Rev. Mr. Paul, Dr. Dickson's colleague, and 
 at his table met with several of my early friends, 
 whom I had not seen for many years. 
 
 It was with great regret that we felt constrained 
 to leave Edinburgh on Tuesday morning. Our 
 excellent friend, Dr. Dickson, insisted upon ac- 
 companying us in the steam-boat as far as Stirling, 
 a distance of about forty miles. On our way I 
 had the pleasure of meeting an old friend and 
 classmate at the Divinity Hall, the Rev. Peter 
 Brotherston, of Alloa. The sail on the Forth to 
 Stirling, is very picturesque ; and Dr. Dickson, 
 who was intimately acquainted with every part of 
 the way, pointed out the various objects of interest 
 
228 CALLENDER. 
 
 as we passed along. We arrived at Stirling 
 before night, and after having taken a view from 
 the castle, which affords one of the finest land- 
 scapes in Scotland, we parted with our kind guide, 
 and never to be forgotten friend, who took a most 
 affectionate leave of us, as we entered the post- 
 chaise to convey us to Callender, a distance of 
 about sixteen miles from Stirling. 
 
 On our arrival at Callender, though late in the 
 evening, I despatched a note to the Rev. Peter 
 Robertson, the worthy minister of the place, who 
 immediately called upon us at the inn. Mr. Rob- 
 ertson was also a fellow student at the Divinity 
 Hall. We had not met for nearly thirty years. 
 I regretted that our arrangements were such that 
 I could not accept the proffered hospitality of my 
 old friend, and spend a few days with him at the 
 manse in Callender. 
 
 We had now entered the Highlands of Scotland, 
 and early the next morning we left Callender for 
 the Trosachs and Loch Katrine, scenes rendered 
 classic by the author of the Lady of the Lake. 
 Unhappily for us, the weather, which had been 
 unpleasant from the time of our leaving Edinburgh, 
 now became decidedly stormy, and we were glad 
 to find a comfortable shelter in Mrs. Stewart's ex- 
 cellent inn, at the entrance of those rough and 
 
GREENOCK. 229 
 
 romantic passes of nature, called the Trosachs. 
 Here we spent the day ; and the next day, 
 although the sky was still overcast, pursued our 
 route, crossing the beautiful Lake in an open boat, 
 a distance of eight or ten miles, to the opposite 
 side, where, notwithstanding the rain which began 
 to fall, we were conveyed on ponies about five 
 miles, to Loch Lomond, to meet the steam-boat. 
 
 In the steam-boat we proceeded down the Lake 
 to a place called Tarbet, and there took a post- 
 chaise to convey us to Inverary. The ride was 
 exceedingly romantic, though the weather still 
 continued unsettled. In the evening we arrived 
 at the Capital of the Western Highlands, and 
 before we retired to rest, visited the Castle of the 
 duke of Argyl-e, and strolled in the beautiful 
 grounds. 
 
 The next morning we Jeft Inverary for Gree- 
 nock, partly by coach, and partly by steam-boat, 
 where we arrived in the afternoon, not a little 
 fatigued by our journey, and not a little disap- 
 pointed in passing through this most interesting 
 country with scarcely a glimpse of the sun. We 
 saw, however, much to delight us ; and the grand 
 and sublime mountain scenery, viewed through 
 the dense mists of the atmosphere, was more im- 
 pressive than had the clouds been dispersed by 
 the rays of the sun. 
 
230 GLASGOW. 
 
 We remained at Greenock until the next day, 
 when we left it in the steam-boat for Dunbarton 
 and Glasgow. The sail on the Clyde is exceed- 
 ingly beautiful. We stopped a few hours at 
 Dunbarton, to view its celebrated castle, built on 
 the top of a rock, and then proceeded to Glasgow 
 and took lodgings at the new Royal Hotel. 
 
 The next morning was the Sabbath, and we 
 went to hear Dr. Ward] aw, whose Chapel was 
 just in the rear of our hotel. We were happy in 
 finding him at home. His discourse, which was 
 one of a series of lectures on the prophecy of 
 Jeremiah, was highly instructive. His manner, 
 though not animated, was grave and impressive, 
 and no one could hear him, without feeling that 
 he was listening to the effusions of a mind of no 
 ordinary strength and character. The short inter- 
 view I 'had with this excellent man in the vestry, 
 left a favorable impression, not merely of the 
 strength of his intellect, but of the warmth of his 
 heart. 
 
 In the afternoon, we went to Mr. Ewing's 
 Chapel, with the hope of hearing him. But I 
 was disappointed. Meeting with him a few mo- 
 ments before the service began, I was constrained 
 to yield to his importunity to occupy the pulpit. 
 I enjoyed, however, the privilege of hearing him 
 
GLASGOW. 231 
 
 deliver an interesting address at the communion, 
 which is administered in his church every Lord's 
 day in the afternoon. 
 
 The practice of such frequent communion 
 among the Scotch independents, illustrates the 
 tendency of mankind to vibrate to contrary ex- 
 tremes. In the national church the sacrament of 
 the Lord's Supper is administered in most of the 
 churches only twice, and in some of them, only 
 once a year. It would seem, as if the indepen- 
 dents in Scotland were determined to be removed, 
 as far as possible, from their Presbyterian breth- 
 ren, and instead of administering the ordinance 
 once a year, to administer it once a week. This 
 very frequent administration, one would think, 
 would tend to lessen its solemnity. The monthly 
 celebration avoids both extremes, and seems, upon 
 the whole, best adapted to promote the designs 
 of the institution. 
 
 Mr. Ewing was once a minister of the es- 
 tablished church in Lady Glenorchy's Chapel, 
 in Edinburgh, but seceded from it about forty 
 years ago, when, in connection with the Rev. 
 Mr. Innes and the two Mr. Haldanes, he in- 
 troduced the independent form of church gov- 
 ernment into Scotland. As a scholar, Mr. 
 Ewing ranks deservedly among the first of his 
 
232 GLASGOW. 
 
 denomination — while the amenity of his manners, 
 and the fervor of his piety, endear him not only 
 to his congregation, but to an extensive circle of 
 friends. 
 
 In the evening I attended the lecture preached 
 in the Tron church by the ministers of the estab- 
 lished church in rotation, and heard the Rev. Dr. 
 Smyth preach an excellent sermon. It seems 
 that the General Assembly had appointed a fast, 
 which was to take place in the course of the week, 
 the appointment of which at the present crisis had 
 excited much animadversion from that part of the 
 community opposed to a national establishment, 
 and in favor of the Voluntary Principle. In 
 giving notice of the approaching solemnity, Dr. 
 Smyth took occasion to justify the measure, and 
 to notice what he conceived the unreasonable 
 ( opposition it had excited. 
 
 On Monday we visited the University, and the 
 Abbey church, and in the afternoon took the coach 
 to Lanark, where we arrived in season to see the 
 beautiful and romantic Falls of the Clyde, about 
 two miles distant from that manufacturing town. 
 After gratifying our love of natural scenery, we 
 proceeded in a post-chaise to Douglass inn, on 
 the great road from Glasgow to Carlisle, where 
 we spent the night; and the next day took the 
 coach for Carlisle. 
 
PENRITH. 233 
 
 The road is dull and uninteresting. On our 
 arrival at Carlisle, we found a coach going imme- 
 diately to Penrith, in the neighborhood of the 
 Lakes of Cumberland and Westmoreland, which 
 we intended to visit. We met with a comfortable 
 inn at Penrith, and having engaged a convenient 
 sociable, (or open carriage,) proceeded the next 
 morning on our tour to the Lakes. 
 
 The weather, which for a week past had been 
 stormy and uncomfortable, now became warm and 
 delightful, and continued so through the remainder 
 of our tour. Nothing could surpass the enjoyment 
 of this day's excursion. We first visited Brougham 
 Hall, the seat of the celebrated Lord Brougham. 
 It is a plain, stone building, but the grounds are 
 beautiful, and laid out with much taste. From 
 Brougham Hall we proceeded to Lowther Castle, 
 the splendid and beautiful seat of the Earl of 
 Lonsdale. We rode for some time in the ex- 
 tensive and delightful grounds pertaining to the 
 castle, before we arrived at the building itself, 
 which presents a most imposing appearance, as it 
 gradually discovers itself through the thick foliage 
 by which it is surrounded. The castle, situated 
 on the river which bears its name, is built of pale 
 free stone, and has a front four hundred and twenty 
 feet long, and is said to contain as many as eighty 
 16 
 
234 PENRITH. 
 
 lofty turrets. The rooms in the castle were pre- 
 paring for the reception of the family, (then in 
 London,) who visit it in July, and remain till Oc- 
 tober. 
 
 The housekeeper, who conducted us over the 
 castle, was exceedingly civil and obliging. We 
 were first led into a hall which contained the 
 portraits of George the Third, Queen Anne, and 
 Queen Mary wife of William the Third; together 
 with marble busts of the late Duke of York, the 
 Duke of Wellington, Lord Chatham, Lord Liv- 
 erpool, Mr. Pitt, and Mr. Percival. Mr. Pitt was 
 a college companion and intimate friend of the 
 present Earl, and his portrait, statue or bust may 
 be found in almost every apartment of the castle. 
 The rooms are fitted up in a style of great mag- 
 nificence, united with an air of comfort seldom to 
 be found in palaces. We were conducted through 
 a small ante-room into the library, a most splendid, 
 and at the same time, a most comfortable looking 
 apartment. The family, while at the castle, 
 breakfast there, and sit there the greater part of 
 the morning. The furniture of the library is 
 made of the most beautifully polished British oak, 
 the growth of the estate. Around the walls hang 
 the family portraits, as far down as the last Earl. 
 The portrait of the present Earl hangs in another 
 
PENRITH. 235 
 
 apartment. The library contains about ten thou- 
 sand volumes. Among them I was gratified to 
 notice a copy of Bishop Dehon's Sermons, beau- 
 tifully bound. From the library we passed into 
 the drawing-room, and other apartments of this 
 princely palace. 
 
 Nothing that we had seen in any part of 
 Europe exceeded the magnificence of this noble 
 residence. Every variety of the most admired 
 and costly Italian marble, and original paintings 
 of the first masters — Vandyck, Guido, Titian, 
 Leonard de Vinci, Sassoferrato, Gaspar Poussin, 
 Claude Lorrain, Teniers and Wouvermans — 
 graced the rooms through which we severally 
 passed. We noticed also a beautiful bust of 
 Wordsworth, the poet of the Lakes. From the 
 Castle we strolled into the Countess's flower 
 garden, which was exquisitely beautiful. 
 
 Those who may visit this part of Great Britain, 
 and who may wish to see one of the best speci- 
 mens of the residence of an English nobleman, 
 should by no means neglect to visit Lowther 
 Castle. 
 
 From Lowther Castle we went to Ullswater, 
 and stopped at the head of the lake for refresh- 
 ment. After remaining there for a short time, we 
 concluded to go round by the way of Keswick, 
 
236 KESWICK. 
 
 that we might see the beautiful lake of Derwent 
 Water. The road was romantic and mountainous, 
 winding its way around the mountain called Sad- 
 dleback. Within s|x miles of Keswick one of the 
 wheels of our vehicle gave way, and we were 
 obliged to turn pedestrians for the remainder of 
 the journey. 
 
 The inn at Keswick we found noisy and uncom- 
 fortable. We strolled out in the evening to admire 
 the beautiful scenery of the lake, and engaged a 
 boatman to take us on its surface, early the next 
 morning. We rose betimes. The sky was with- 
 out a cloud, and scarcely a breath of wind dis- 
 turbed the peaceful bosom of the lake. Our 
 boatman, who was intelligent and communicative, 
 described the different islands and the various 
 little neat and pretty cottages that skirted the sur- 
 rounding shore. We landed on one or two of 
 these little islands. One, called the Hermitage, 
 was peculiarly beautiful. Near the ruins of an 
 old Hermitage is a little building erected by Sir 
 William Gordon, for the accommodation of tourists 
 who may wish to dine upon the island. It 
 is a small cottage with a thatched roof and lat- 
 ticed windows, and contains a setting-room, a 
 dining-room and a kitchen. Another little island, 
 belonging to General Peechey, who was there with 
 
AMBLESIDE. 237 
 
 his family, is richly cultivated, and the garden and 
 shrubbery, surrounding a neat and convenient 
 mansion, arranged with much taste. We spent 
 several hours on this exquisitely beautiful lake, 
 and returned to our inn with a keen appetite, to a 
 late breakfast. 
 
 The town of Keswick is remarkable for nothing 
 but its beautiful lake, and for being the residence 
 of Robert Southey, Esq., the poet laureate, whose 
 mansion, embosomed in trees, was pointed out to 
 us from the lake. 
 
 We left Keswick, soon after breakfast, for Am- 
 bleside, which is situated near the borders of the 
 lake of Windermere. The ride was indescribably 
 beautiful. On leaving the town we ascended a 
 hill, commanding a view of the vale of Keswick, 
 with the lakes of Derwent Water and Basinthwaite 
 winding among the hills. On our road we passed 
 by the sweet little lake of Thirlemere, and had a 
 most enchanting view of the lake and valley of 
 Grassmere. Before arriving at Ambleside we 
 passed on the road the celebrated poet, Words- 
 worth, riding towards Keswick. — His residence 
 was afterwards pointed out to us. 
 
 At Ambleside we procured a post-chaise to 
 convey us to Bowness, a little rural village on the 
 banks of Windermere, where we found a most 
 
238 LIVERPOOL. 
 
 excellent inn, and remained several hours. In the 
 church-yard we noticed a very plain monument to 
 the memory of Richard Watson, Bishop of Llan- 
 daff, who lived on the borders of the lake, and 
 died in 1816. 
 
 Towards evening we left this beautiful spot in a 
 post-chaise for Kendal, on the great northern road, 
 where we spent the night. The next morning we 
 took our departure, and passing through Lancaster 
 and Preston, arrived at Liverpool in the afternoon 
 of the 24th of July, and took lodgings at the 
 Adelphi Hotel. 
 
 T called on an American friend now resident in 
 Liverpool, with whom I made a passage to that 
 place many years ago, — and was happy to renew 
 the acquaintance of our youth. I called also on 
 Mr. James, of the house of Phelps and James of 
 New York, whom I had met in Bristol and who 
 kindly offered to show me every attention in his 
 power on my arrival in Liverpool. This promise 
 he most faithfully redeemed. To him and Mrs. 
 James, my family and myself were under many 
 obligations, and we shall never cease to remember 
 them with gratitude and esteem. Mr. James is 
 from New York, and though he has not been long 
 in Liverpool, is one of the officers of Dr. Raffles's 
 church. 
 
LIVERPOOL. 239 
 
 The next day I called on my esteemed friends 
 Messrs. Job and Bulley, who were exceedingly 
 kind and attentive to us during our short stay in 
 Liverpool. I was much gratified in meeting once 
 more with my valued friend Dr. Raffles. Dr. 
 R. has been long known to the world, as a highly 
 gifted man, an interesting writer and a very 
 popular preacher. He is not less distinguished 
 for the amiable qualities of his heart, and ior his 
 conversational powers. 
 
 The next day was the Sabbath, and I had the 
 satisfaction of hearing Dr. Raffles in his own 
 Chapel in the morning. In the afternoon I at- 
 tended Mr. Kelley's Chapel, and heard Mr. 
 Carruthers, one of the Dissenting ministers of 
 Liverpool, preach a truly evangelical and excel- 
 lent sermon. He is the son of Mr. Carruthers, 
 who is now employed as a missionary in the 
 State of Maine, and whom I have long known to 
 be a most devoted and useful man. In the even- 
 ing I preached my last sermon in England in Dr. 
 Raffles's Chapel, to a large and respectable con- 
 gregation. 
 
 The next morning we breakfasted with a num- 
 ber of friends at Dr. Raffles's hospitable mansion. 
 Dr. Raffles is surrounded, not only by the comforts, 
 but by many of the elegancies of life, and his 
 
240 LIVERPOOL. 
 
 dwelling and beautiful grounds, while they evince 
 the taste of the proprietor, afford him the oppor- 
 tunity of imparting a liberal hospitality to his 
 numerous friends and acquaintance. 
 
 We dined with Mr. Thomas Bulley in company 
 with Dr. Raffles and a few friends, and in the 
 evening I attended a meeting of the Jews' So- 
 ciety, where I had the opportunity of seeing and 
 hearing that eccentric and remarkable man, the 
 Rev. Joseph Wolff, missionary to the Jews. He 
 gave a very minute and amusing account of his 
 adventures in the East to a very crowded auditory. 
 Several other speeches were made on the occa- 
 sion, and the meeting broke up at a late hour. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 EXCURSION TO WALES RETURN TO LIVERPOOL DEPAR- 
 TURE FROM LIVERPOOL ARRIVAL AT NEW YORK. 
 
 On Tuesday morning we left Liverpool, on a 
 short excursion into Wales, previous to our de- 
 parture for America. We embarked in the 
 steam-boat for Bangor and Menai Bridge, and, 
 after an uncomfortable passage, arrived at the 
 latter place about six P. M. 
 
 Menai Bridge is one of the most remarkable 
 structures of the kind in Europe, and is visited by- 
 thousands of travellers. After spending a short 
 time in examining this wonderful specimen of art, 
 we returned to Bangor, and engaged a conveyance 
 to take us as far as Capel Curig, a distance of 
 about twelve miles, where we arrived late at night, 
 not a little exhausted with fatigue. 
 
 On waking in the morning, refreshed with 
 
242 BEDDGELART. 
 
 sleep, we found ourselves surrounded with the 
 most delightful and romantic scenery imaginable. 
 We were in the heart of North Wales, and every- 
 thing around us tended to impress us with the 
 sublime and beautiful. The old Welsh harper, in 
 the hall of the Inn, delighted us with the airs of 
 his native hills. The inn, itself, was remarkable 
 for its romantic and cottage like appearance, and 
 was exceedingly neat and comfortable. There 
 was but one circumstance to damp our enjoyment, 
 and that was the disappointment we felt in not 
 meeting with our beloved friends, Mr. and Mrs. 
 Duthoit of London, whom we had hoped to see 
 once more before we left the country. They had 
 been on a short visit to Wales, but had departed 
 from Capel Curig for London, a few days previ- 
 ous to our arrival. 
 
 We could have lingered in this enchanting spot 
 for days and weeks, but our time was limited, as 
 we had engaged our passage in the packet of the 
 1st of August, which was to sail on Saturday. 
 We left Capel Curig before breakfast, in a sociable 
 for Beddgelart. The morning was lovely and 
 the ride delightful. The lofty Snowden, the 
 highest mountain in Wales, was the most com- 
 manding object in the prospect. 
 
 Beddgelart, (or Gelart's grave,) derives its name 
 
BEDDGELART. 243 
 
 from a very affecting incident in the history of 
 Prince Llewellyn, one of the former sovereigns of 
 this interesting country. Returning from one of 
 his expeditions to his castle in this place, he was 
 met by his favorite dog, Gelart, running up to him, 
 besmeared with blood. He immediately followed 
 him to the house ; and on entering his chamber, 
 he perceived the cradle, in which his infant child 
 usually slept, overturned, and the child missing. 
 Believing that the dog had destroyed the child, he 
 slew him on the spot. On lifting up the cradle a 
 few moments after, he found the child beneath it 
 alive and unhurt, and a wolf lying by its side 
 whom the faithful dog had killed to preserve the 
 life of the infant. Overwhelmed with grief, he 
 had his dog interred with great ceremony ; and 
 the place in which this incident occurred, acquired 
 the name of Beddgelart — or Gelart's grave. The 
 grave is still pretended to be shown to strangers, 
 though it is very doubtful whether the exact spot 
 can be pointed out. 
 
 From Beddgelart, we proceeded through the 
 beautiful vale of Festiniog to Tannybulch, where 
 we dined, and from thence to Dolgettly, a shire 
 town. On our arrival in the afternoon, we found 
 it impossible to obtain post-horses on account of 
 the assizes, which were then in session. The 
 
244 DOLGETTLY. 
 
 place was so crowded that it was difficult to pro- 
 cure lodgings at an inn, and we were under the 
 necessity of obtaining them in a private family. 
 As we had time to spare, we inquired whether 
 there was any place of worship open in the evening, 
 and were directed to a small Welsh chapel of 
 Calvinistic Methodists, where we had an oppor- 
 tunity of hearing two sermons, successively, in the 
 Welsh language. The preachers, perceiving that 
 there were strangers present, named their texts in 
 English as well as Welsh. They appeared to be 
 engaged in their subject, though their utterance 
 was exceedingly disagreeable, and their manner 
 very uncouth. 
 
 We left Dolgettly, early the next morning in 
 the coach for Bala. — From Bala, we took a post- 
 chaise to Curwen, and from thence another to 
 Llangollen, whose vale, watered by the river Dee, 
 is said to be the most beautiful in Wales. Here 
 we stopped to visit the cottage and grounds of the 
 late Lady Eleanor Butler, and the Hon. Miss 
 Ponsonby, who lived here, for , about fifty years, 
 retired from the busy and fashionable world. 
 They are now both gone ; and a neat monument 
 covers their remains. — Lady Butler died in 1829, 
 aged ninety years, and Miss Ponsonby two or 
 three years after, aged seventy-seven. Their 
 
WREXHAM. 245 
 
 memory is still held in the most respectful and 
 grateful remembrance by the neighboring cot- 
 tagers, with some of whom we conversed. The 
 cottage is now occupied by two single ladies, Miss 
 Lawton and Miss Andrews, who are attempting to 
 follow the example of their predecessors. Through 
 their politeness we were permitted to view the 
 grounds, which are very tastefully arranged. 
 
 We left with reluctance, this beautiful spot for 
 Wrexham, a county town, where we were com- 
 pelled to spend the night, as we found we could 
 not see Eaton Hall, the seat of Lord Grosvenor, a 
 distance of twelve miles, till ten the next day. We 
 visited the fine old church in Wrexham, and no- 
 ticed in the church-yard, the tomb of Elihu Yale, 
 Esq., (who gave the name to Yale college in 
 Connecticut,) on which is inscribed the following 
 quaint epitaph. 
 
 " Born in America, in Europe bred, 
 In Afric travelled, and in Asia wed, 
 Where long he lived and thrived ; in London dead. 
 Much good, some ill he did ; so hope all's even, 
 And that his soul, through mercy's, gone to Heaven." 
 
 Immediately after breakfast the next morning, 
 we took a post-chaise for Eaton Hall, on our way 
 to Liverpool. This is said to be one of the finest 
 
246 CHESTER. 
 
 establishments to be found among the English 
 nobility, and it well deserves the attention of 
 strangers. The house is modern, but built in 
 good taste and richly furnished. It contains some 
 valuable paintings by Guercino, and by West; but 
 in respect to statuary and painting, is greatly in- 
 ferior to Lowther Castle. The grounds, the 
 gardens, and the hot house, are kept in good order, 
 and the extensive park, through which you ap- 
 proach the house, is one of the finest we have 
 seen. 
 
 After satisfying our curiosity, we proceeded to 
 the ancient city of Chester, where we remained 
 only long enough to visit the pulpit in which 
 Matthew Henry preached, and the spot where his 
 ashes repose. 
 
 From Chester we hastened to the ferry, about 
 eight miles distant, and there took the steam-boat 
 for Liverpool, where we arrived on Friday after- 
 noon, and, at the urgent request of Mr. James, 
 went directly to his house. In the evening I took 
 tea with my old friends, Capt. Pratt and his 
 family, in company with our mutual friend, Miss 
 Eaton. 
 
 The next day was spent in busy preparations 
 for our intended voyage; and at 3, P. M., on 
 
ARRIVAL AT NEW YORK. 247 
 
 the first of August, we embarked in the good 
 ship Columbus, Capt. Cobb, for New York. 
 
 An excellent ship — a polite and attentive cap- 
 tain, and a number of respectable and very- 
 pleasant passengers, contributed to make the time 
 pass very agreeably. A disposition to please and 
 be pleased seemed to pervade the company. 
 
 The day after we embarked was the Sabbath, 
 and the passengers, with several of the officers 
 and crew, assembled, with one accord, in the 
 cabin, where we united in public worship, and 
 commended ourselves to the guardian care of Him 
 whom the winds and waves obey. This practice 
 was maintained, whenever the weather would per- 
 mit, with great unanimity, and with apparent 
 seriousness. 
 
 We arrived at New York on Sunday afternoon, 
 the 6th of September, and were received with the 
 greatest cordiality, by our relatives and friends in 
 that city. After spending a little time with them, 
 and visiting some friends on the way, we reached 
 Boston on Thursday evening, and the next day 
 we were once more settled in our own comfortable 
 dwelling at Dorchester. 
 
 That part of our domestic circle which we left 
 behind us, we found in the enjoyment of perfect 
 health ; and on Sabbath morning, our whole family, 
 
248 ARRIVAL HOME. 
 
 which had been for some time past separated from 
 each other in different parts of the world, went to- 
 gether to the house of God to pay our vows unto 
 the Most High ; and never had a family greater 
 occasion to enter his courts with thanksgiving, and 
 his gates with praise. 
 
 It will be in vain to attempt to describe our 
 feelings in receiving the cordial congratulations of 
 a united and beloved congregation. 
 
 " If our welcome be so joyous, 
 
 While earth's storms around us roar, — 
 What will be the bliss of heaven, 
 When we meet to part no more ? " 
 
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