came. Mr. Coupland, the
slave-merchant, with whom I had disputed at Mr. Norris's house, had
given the alarm to those who were concerned in the trade, and Captain
Lace, as may be now easily imagined, had spread it. This knowledge of me
and of my errand was almost immediately productive of two effects, the
first of which I shall now mention.

I had a private room at the King's Arms tavern, besides my bed-room,
where I used to meditate and to write; but I generally dined in public.
The company at dinner had hitherto varied but little as to number, and
consisted of those, both from the town and country, who had been
accustomed to keep up a connexion with the house. But now things were
altered, and many people came to dine there daily with a view of seeing
me, as if I had been some curious creature imported from foreign parts.
They thought, also, they could thus have an opportunity of conversing
with me. Slave-merchants and slave-captains came in among others for
this purpose. I had observed this difference in the number of our
company for two or three days. Dale, the master of the tavern, had
observed it also, and told me in a good-natured manner, that many of
these were my visitors, and that I was likely to bring him a great deal
of custom. In a little time, however, things became serious; for they,
who came to see me, always started the abolition of the Slave Trade as
the subject for conversation. Many entered into the justification of
this trade with great warmth, as if to ruffle my temper, or at any rate
to provoke me to talk. Others threw out, with the same view, that men
were going about to abolish it, who would have done much better if they
had stayed at home. Others said they had heard of a person turned mad,
who had conceived the thought of destroying Liverpool, and all its
glory. Some gave as a toast, Success to the trade, and then laughed
immoderately, and watched me when I took my glass to see if I would
drink it. I saw the way in which things were now going, and I believed
it would be proper that I should come to some fixed resolutions; such
as, whether I should change my lodgings, and whether I should dine in
private; and if not, what line of conduct it would become me to pursue
on such occasions. With respect to changing my lodgings and dining in
private, I conceived, if I were to do either of these things, that I
should be showing an unmanly fear of my visiters, which they would turn
to their own advantage.