through the labours and researches of the late Dr. Gilly,
Prebendary of Durham.

It happened that that gentleman was present at a meeting of the
Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, in the year 1820, when a
very touching letter was read to the board, signed "Frederick Peyrani,
minister of Pramol," requesting the assistance of the society in
supplying books to the Vaudois churches of Piedmont, who were
described as maintaining a very hard struggle with poverty and
oppression. Dr. Gilly was greatly interested by the reading of this
letter. Indeed, the subject of it so strongly arrested his attention,
that he says it "took complete possession of him." He proceeded to
make search for information about the Vaudois, but could find very
little that was definite or satisfactory respecting them. Then it was
that he formed the determination of visiting the valleys and
ascertaining the actual condition of the people in person.

His visit was made in 1823, and in the course of the following year
Dr. Gilly published the result in his "Narrative of an Excursion to
the Mountains of Piedmont." The book excited much interest, not only
in England, but in other countries; and a movement was shortly after
set on foot for the relief and assistance of the Vaudois. A committee
was formed, and a fund was raised--to which the Emperor of Russia and
the Kings of Prussia and Holland contributed--with the object, in the
first place, of erecting a hospital for the sick and infirm Vaudois at
La Tour, in the valley of Luzern. It turned out that the money raised
was not only sufficient for this purpose, but also to provide schools
and a college for the education of pastors, which were shortly after
erected at the same place.

In 1829, Dr. Gilly made a second visit to the Piedmontese valleys,
partly in order to ascertain how far the aid thus rendered to the poor
Vaudois had proved effectual, and also to judge in what way certain
further sums placed at his disposal might best be employed for their
benefit.[98] It was in the course of his second visit that Dr. Gilly
became aware of the fact that the Vaudois were not confined to the
valleys of Piedmont, but that numerous traces of them were also to be
found on the French side of the Alps, in Dauphiny and Provence. He
accordingly extended his journey across the Col de la Croix into
France, and cursorily visited the old Vaudois district of Val
Fressinieres and Val Queyras, of which an account will