and were soon comfortably
housed at our pleasant home. I write in haste, for we have much to do
before we leave London.

Yours affectionately,

JAMES.

Letter 51.

LONDON.

DEAR CHARLEY:--

We have had one of the most agreeable days that I have spent in England.
We received a kind invitation from his excellency Baron Vanderweyer, the
Belgian minister, to attend a party given by his lady to the young
nobility. The invitations were for five o'clock. We found the finest
collection of children and young people, from about four years old up to
sixteen, that I ever saw gathered together. I should think there were
two hundred and fifty. More beautiful children cannot probably be found;
and they were dressed in fine taste, and some very richly. One little
fellow, about six years old, was, I think, the noblest-looking boy my
eyes ever rested upon. Dr. C. inquired of two or three persons whom he
knew, who the lad was; and just then an elegant and fashionable-looking
lady expressed how much she felt flattered by the kind things said of
the little fellow, and told him that it was her son, the eldest son of
the Marquis of O----d, and then called him out of the dance, and
introduced the little Lord Ossory to him. Among the illustrious
juveniles was the future Duke of Wellington, and grandson of the Iron
Duke. He is now about four or five years old. I think the sight was one
of the prettiest I ever had the pleasure to witness. A few of the
parents and older friends of the children were present; and in the
company was Mr. Bates, whose kindness to us has been very great.

One evening this week Dr. Choules preached at Craven Chapel, near Regent
Street, where he had been requested to speak about America, and he took
up Education--the voluntary principle--and Slavery. On the last topic he
gave some truths that were probably very unpalatable. He stated that the
good people here knew next to nothing of the subject; that its treatment
amongst us could not be suffered by strangers; and that all interference
with it by this nation was as impolitic, and in as bad taste, as it
would be for an American to visit England and commence a crusade against
the expenditures of the royal household, as a crying sin, while there
was misery among the masses in many parts of the kingdom. He spoke of
the extreme prejudice which he had met upon the subject, and the
rudeness's into which he had found men fall, who seemed to have
forgotten every