of his life.  I thought too that a man’s life might not be more than adequate to the accomplishment of the end.  But I knew of no one who could devote such a portion of time to it.  Sir Charles Middleton, though he was so warm and zealous, was greatly occupied in the discharge of his office.  Mr. Langton spent a great portion of his time in the education of his children.  Dr. Baker had a great deal to do in the performance of his parochial duty.  The Quakers were almost all of them in trade.  I could look therefore to no person but myself; and the question was, whether I was prepared to make the sacrifice.  In favour of the undertaking, I urged to myself, that never was any cause, which had been taken up by man in any country or in any age, so great and important; that never was there one in which so much misery was heard to cry for redress; that never was there one in which so much good could be done; never one in which the duty of Christian charity could be so extensively exercised; never one more worthy of the devotion of a whole life towards it; and that, if a man thought properly, he ought to rejoice to have been called into existence, if he were only permitted to become an instrument in forwarding it in any part of its progress.  Against these sentiments, on the other hand, I had to urge, that I had been designed for the church; that I had already advanced as far as deacon’s orders in it; that my prospects there on account of my connexions were then brilliant, that, by appearing to desert my profession, my family would be dissatisfied, if not unhappy.  These thoughts pressed upon me, and rendered the conflict difficult.  But the sacrifice of my prospects staggered me, I own, the most.  When the other objections, which I have related, occurred to me, my enthusiasm instantly, like a flash of lightning, consumed them; but this stuck to me, and troubled me.  I had ambition.  I had a thirst after worldly interest and honours, and I could not extinguish it at once.  I was more than two hours in solitude under this painful conflict.  At length I yielded, not because I saw any reasonable prospect of success in my new undertaking (for all cool-headed and cool-hearted men would have pronounced against it), but in obedience, I believe, to a higher Power.  And I can say, that both on the moment of this resolution, and for some time afterwards, I had more sublime and happy feelings than at any former period of my life.

Having now made up my mind on the subject, I informed Mr. Ramsay, that in a few days I should be leaving Teston, that I might begin my labours, according to the pledge I had given him.

CHAPTER IX.

[Sidenote:  Continuation of the fourth Class of forerunners and coadjutors Up to 1787.—­Author resolves upon the distribution of his book.—­Mr. Sheldon; Sir Herbert Mackworth; Lord Newhaven; Lord Balgonie (afterwards Leven); Lord Hawke; Bishop Porteus.—­Author visits African vessels in the Thames; and various persons, for further information.—­Visits also Members of Parliament; Sir Richard Hill; Mr. Powys (late Lord Lilford); Mr. Wilberforce and others; conduct of the latter on this occasion.]