nent, to the satisfaction of my friends, as I had reason to believe. Feeling myself so much exhausted, I was obliged to leave the meeting before its business was got through. My journey now accomplished, and that daily excitement to push on being now over, I began more sensibly to feel how much nature had been exerted beyond what it could bear. Whilst labouring under this state of debility, a letter arrived, giving an account of the dangerous state of health of our children at Sheffield. My friends, as well as myself, thought that I was more fit to take to my bed, than to undertake such a journey; but as I was led to apprehend my sufferings from not seeing them, should a removal take place with either of them, together with the suspense we might be kept in, would be greater than the fatigue of the journey, on Sixth-day morning, accompanied by my dear wife, I proceeded by coach to Sheffield, which we reached the next day. I continued in such a state of debility for some time, as not to be able to get out to meeting. I found it indispensably necessary to endeavour all in my power to keep in the lowly valley; lest the dew, which I was favoured to witness resting on my mind, should be suddenly dissipated, through my too freely conversing on my religious movements on the Continent, or by reason of worldly matters that had transpired in my absence, in the settling of which, Divine interference had been manifest in a remarkable manner; I never felt more need of all the help designed for me to have, than at the present time.

22nd 4th month, 1825, although in a very low and depressed state of mind, yet I humbly hope I may say, I am made truly thankful in feeling earnest desires begotten in my soul unto the Lord, that he would be pleased to preserve me from suffering my mind to be in any way entangled with my worldly matters; but that he would give me strength to commit them all to his careful keeping, and preserve me from doing more toward a further arrangement of them, but as he in his wisdom shall see meet to guide me therein and if the pointings of duty should be for me to commit the whole disposal of them to my children's management in future, to enable me cheerfully to submit to it. In the fifth month, although I felt hardly equal to the undertaking, yet I went up to London to attend the Yearly Meeting; but further religious service which was in prospect pressed on my mind, and spurred me on to be willing to try and do my best, in order to return my certificate to the select Yearly Meeting, and give in my report this year; for should I be constrained to come forward to my monthly and quarterly meetings with a religious prospect, which my mind has again been brought under the exercise of, and be liberated by these meetings, the way might be clear for me to lay my religious prospect before the select Yearly Meeting next year. I therefore proceeded by coach to Hertford, and from thence to

London; attended the select Yearly Meeting, and returned my certificate, and gave in a report of my proceedings, which was a relief to my mind. I felt thankful strength was given me to attend the several sittings of the Yearly Meeting.

My mind continued to feel a lively interest and frequent exercise of mind, on behalf of the dear Emperor Alexander of Russia, and his faithful friend the prince Alexander Galitzin, as well as the prince's secretary; feeling my mind drawn to make the same manifest, by presenting each of them with a religious publication, which to me appeared suitable for the occasion, I wrote letters to accompany them, and committed them to the care of a kind friend for delivery.

That to the emperor was as follows:

"Thomas Shillitoe has taken the liberty of requesting his dear illustrious friend will accept of this small token of his continued sincere love and regard. He has to recur daily, with feelings of satisfaction, more easily conceived than described, to those precious overshadowings of Divine regard, of which he was made very sensible during the interviews he was favoured to have with his illustrious friend; for whom his earnest breathings of soul continue to be, that Almighty God may be pleased, according to the riches of his grace, so to strengthen him with might, by his Spirit in his inner man, as that he may be enabled, with holy magnanimity of soul, to rise above all the slavish fear of man, and above every discouragement that Satan may be permitted to lay in the way of a faithful walking before God: that thus his illustrious friend may be found standing in the allotment designed for him in this state of probation; and finally, through the merits of the great Redeemer, receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." Prudence seemed to dictate my not inserting the name' emperor,' lest the parcel should be intercepted.

That to the prince Alexander Galitzin, and his secretary, was as follows:

. "I believe I can safely say, a day has not passed since our parting, wherein I have not recurred to the frequent opportunities we had together, and been made renewedly sensible of the precious savour of Divine love, which then so sweetly united our hearts in sincere desires for each other's welfare.

66

Daily have my prayers been put up to the Lord Almighty, whose power alone can preserve in heights and in depths; that he may be pleased to support your heads above every billow, which, in the ordering of his Divine wisdom, and for the accomplishment of his inscrutable designs, may be permitted to arise: and I am well assured, that if he alone be looked unto and depended upon, he will do thus for you, and enable you to continue to run in the ways of his requirings without being weary, notwithstanding the many discouragements with which the enemy of all righteousness

may be permitted to assail your minds. That this may be our united experience, is the fervent prayer of my soul. Please accept of a small token of my remembrance.

"THOMAS SHillitoe."

The Yearly Meeting being over, I returned to Sheffield. Not getting better of that lassitude, weariness, and increase of pain in my shoulder produced on the Continent, it was proposed for me to spend some time at Buxton, to bathe and drink the waters, which I consented to, and I found great relief thereby. During my stay at Buxton, I was disposed one morning to go into the poor's bathing-room, whilst the men were bathing; but from the smallness of the place, the want of proper ventilation, and the smell of the men's dirty clothes, I was under the necessity of immediately leaving it. I was well informed, that the poor patients were often obliged to dress themselves wet, for want of towels, which many were so poor they could not bring with them; and when they came out of the bath, they had to stand on the bare stones, or sit on a stone seat without matting, to undress and dress; and thus, though some might derive benefit, others were more likely to have their sufferings increased. Believing I should not feel myself acquitted in point of duty, unless I did my utmost fully to investigate the accommodations of these baths for the poor, I set about the business in good earnest. When I had fully satisfied myself by witnessing the manner in which these baths were neglected every way, (except the bare use of the water,) the next consideration was, how these things were to be remedied; and I found I must not leave Buxton, if I was favoured to preserve a peaceful, quiet mind, until I had made every effort in my power towards the accomplishment of this object. I turned my attention first to one person and then to another in the place, to whom I might open my views; but I did not seem at liberty to confer with any of them on the subject. I was informed that visitors had already felt much on account of the neglected state of these baths, and in consequence of their exertions, an assurance had been given that the evils should be remedied; but after they left Buxton nothing had been done. I was brought so under the weight of the subject, that it appeared to me I must make a visit in person to the Duke of Devonshire, the baths being his property. I therefore drew up a fair statement of all things relative to the defects of these baths, and walked to Chatsworth. As I walked there, I felt somewhat discouraged. Having no letter of introduction, I called at the house of a Friend at Bakewell, hoping through him to obtain a letter of introduction from the clergyman of the parish; but the Friend was not at home. I proceeded under the belief, that the best of introduction would accompany me if I only went in the faith, that He, who, I hum

VOL. II.

K

bly hope I felt, had called me to the work, was able to make the way easy for me to obtain the ear of the duke; I therefore proceeded. On my arrival at the porter's lodge, I was informed the duke did not receive any verbal messages. I had put into my pocket one of our works on the principles of our religious Society, thinking, if a difficulty should arise about my obtaining an interview, this might in some way be a help to me: I then wrote the following note, and sent it to the duke:

"One of the Society of Friends, wishes in person to present the Duke with a work, which he hopes the Duke will find an interest in reading."

The note being sent, I was immediately introduced to the duke, who received me with great affability, requesting I would take a seat on my presenting him with the book, he expressed the satisfaction he had in receiving it, and in a handsome manner proposed paying for it; to which, of course, I fully objected. I then opened to him the main subject which had been the cause of my making him the visit. It appeared he was wholly unacquainted with the neglected state of these baths for the poor; for he said, that it was his desire that the poor when bathing should be made as comfortable as the rich; he treated the subject in an open, agreeable manner, manifesting an inclination to receive any information I was capable of giving him. On my begging leave to read the observations which I had made relative to the wants of the poor's baths, he readily granted my request; a copy of which I left with him, recommending him to visit them himself when the men were bathing, that he might see and judge for himself what was necessary to be done there, to render the poor comfortable, which he assured me he would do, and that the needful should be done; he expressed the obligation in strong terms, which he felt himself under to me, by my laying this matter before him, and we parted in a friendly manner. I walked back to Buxton, rejoicing that the way had been made thus easy for me. Although from the extreme heat of the weather, and the distance I had to walk, being at least twelve miles, I felt greatly fatigued; yet the satisfaction of mind resulting from my exerting myself in doing my very best for the help of those, who were not in a way to help themselves, abundantly recompensed me. It soon became noised abroad that I had been to Chatsworth, to the duke, and the supposed errand I had been on; this reached the ear of the individual in whom the duke confided to see that these matters were properly attended to; he soon afterwards made me a call, informing me, if I had spoken to him, the needful should have been done. But I had from good authority understood such promises had before been made by the same individual, but never realized. I was therefore persuaded no way was so likely to effect a remedy, as going to the

principal, as I had done. I left Buxton shortly after; but I received accounts from visitors whom I left behind me, that soon after my departure the necessary improvements for the accommodation of the poors' baths took place, for both men and women.

9th of 3d mo. 1825. My son-in-law received a letter from a Friend, who was desirous of laying before me a prospect of duty, which would be required of him to make a visit to New South Wales; but as my mind was under exercise, from an apprehension the time was nearly come, when I must be willing to lay before my friends a prospect of religious duty, to visit Friends on the continent of America, and that it would be unsafe for me to enter into the Friend's concern, I durst not read the letter. The latter end of this month, accompanied by my dear wife, we returned to our own home.

Second month, 1826. My religious prospects to visit the continent of North America being now matured, I this day informed the Friends of my own monthly meeting thereof, and a certificate was granted me accordingly. At the quarterly meeting, in the Third month, I again opened my prospect of duty, to pay a religious visit to Friends on the continent of America; which being united with by the quarterly meeting, an endorsement was made on the monthly meeting's certificate, and signed by the clerk. Having proceeded thus far towards my being set at liberty, and my dear wife becoming so infirm, as to make it necessary she should be nearer meeting than we at present were, and it being her desire again to settle in the compass of Tottenham monthly meeting, I engaged a residence for her there, to which place we moved previously to the Yearly Meeting. At the select Yearly Meeting, in the Fifth month, 1826, I opened my prospect of duty to pay a religious visit to Friends in America; and this meeting, after solid deliberation thereon, ordered a certificate to be prepared; which being done, and signed, was given me accordingly.

21st of 6th mo. attended the quarterly meeting of Hertford, of which I still remained a member, and from Hertford, I proceeded to Hitchin, to take leave of my dear children and friends there.