and at length asked me if I was going to
distribute these at my own expense. I replied, I was. He appealed
immediately to those present whether it ought to be allowed. He asked
whether, when a young man was giving up his time from morning till
night, they who applauded his pursuit and seemed desirous of
co-operating with him, should allow him to make such a sacrifice, or
whether they should not at least secure him from loss; and he proposed
directly that the remaining part of the edition should be taken off by
subscription, and, in order that my feelings might not be hurt from any
supposed stain arising from the thought of gaining any thing by such a
proposal, they should be paid for only at the prime cost. I felt myself
much obliged to him for this tender consideration about me, and
particularly for the latter part of it, under which alone I accepted the
offer. Samuel Hoare was charged with the management of the subscription,
and the books were to be distributed as I had proposed, and in any way
which I myself might prescribe.

This matter having been determined upon, my first care was that the
books should be put into proper hands. Accordingly I went round among my
friends from day to day, wishing to secure this before I attended to any
of the other objects. In this I was much assisted by my friend Richard
Phillips. Mr. Langton began the distribution of them. He made a point
either of writing to or of calling upon those to whom he sent them. Dr.
Baker took the charge of several for the same purpose; Lord and Lady
Scarsdale of others; Sir Charles and Lady Middleton of others. Mr.
Sheldon, at the request of Richard Phillips, introduced me by letter to
several members of parliament, to whom I wished to deliver them myself.
Sir Herbert Mackworth, when spoken to by the latter, offered his
services also. He seemed to be particularly interested in the cause. He
went about to many of his friends in the House of Commons, and this from
day to day, to procure their favour towards it. Lord Newhaven was
applied to, and distributed some. Lord Balgonie took a similar charge.
The late Lord Hawke, who told me that he had long felt for the
sufferings of the injured Africans, desired to be permitted to take his
share of the distribution among members of the House of Lords, and Dr.
Porteus, now Bishop of London, became another coadjutor in the same
work.

This distribution of my books having been consigned to proper hands, I
began to