o them, which accordingly took place,
and I found myself much encouraged and supported by this visit.

It is not necessary, nor indeed is there room, to detail my employments in
this village, or the lonely walks I took there, or the meditations of my
mind at such seasons. I will therefore come at once to a particular
occurrence. When at dinner one day with the family at Teston-hall, I was
much pleased with the turn which the conversation had taken on the subject,
and in the joy of my heart, I exclaimed that, "I was ready to devote myself
to the cause." This brought great commendation from those present; and Sir
Charles Middleton added, that if I wanted any information in the course of
my future inquiries relative to Africa, which he could procure me as
comptroller of the navy, such as extracts from the journals of the ships of
war to that continent, or from other papers, I should have free access to
his office. This offer I received with thankfulness, and it operated as a
new encouragement to me to proceed.

The next morning, when I awoke, one of the first things that struck me was,
that I had given a pledge to the company the day before, that I would
devote myself to the cause of the oppressed Africans. I became a little
uneasy at this. I questioned whether I had considered matters sufficiently
to be able to go so far with propriety. I determined therefore to give the
subject a full consideration, and accordingly I walked to the place of my
usual meditations, the woods.

Having now reached a place of solitude, I began to balance every thing on
both sides of the question. I considered first, that I had not yet obtained
information sufficient on the subject, to qualify me for the undertaking of
such a work. But I reflected, on the other hand, that Sir Charles Middleton
had just opened to me a new source of knowledge; that I should be backed by
the local information of Dillwyn and Ramsay, and that surely, by taking
pains, I could acquire more.

I then considered, that I had not yet a sufficient number of friends to
support me. This occasioned me to review them. I had now Sir Charles
Middleton, who was in the House of Commons. I was sure of Dr. Porteus, who
was in the House of Lords. I could count upon Lord Scarsdale, who was a
peer also. I had secured Mr. Langton, who had a most extensive acquaintance
with members of both houses of the legislature. I had also secured Dr.
Baker, who had similar connections. I could depen