I had long had the honour of the friendship of Mr. Bennet Langton, and I determined to carry him one of my books, and to interest his feelings in it, with a view of procuring his assistance in the cause.  Mr. Langton was a gentleman of an ancient family, and respectable fortune in Lincolnshire, but resided then in Queen’s-square, Westminster.  He was known as the friend of Dr. Johnson, Jonas Hanway, Edmund Burke, Sir Joshua Reynolds, and others.  Among his acquaintance indeed were most of the literary, and eminent professional, and public-spirited, men of the times.  At court also he was well known and had the esteem of his present Majesty, with whom he frequently conversed.  His friends were numerous also in both houses of the legislature.  As to himself, he was much noted for his learning, but most of all for the great example he gave with respect to the usefulness and integrity of his life.

By introducing my work to the sanction of a friend of such high character and extensive connections, I thought I should be doing great things.  And so the event proved.  For when I went to him after he had read it, I found that it had made a deep impression upon his mind.  As a friend to humanity he lamented over the miseries of the oppressed Africans, and over the crimes of their tyrants as a friend to morality and religion.  He cautioned me, however, against being too sanguine in my expectations, as so many thousands were interested in continuing the trade.  Justice, however, which he said weighed with him beyond all private or political interest, demanded a public inquiry, and he would assist me to the utmost of his power in my attempts towards it.  From this time he became a zealous and active coadjutor in the cause, and continued so to the end of his valuable life.

The next person, to whom I gave my work with a like view, was Dr. Baker, a clergyman of the Establishment, and with whom I had been in habits of intimacy for some time.  Dr. Baker was a learned and pious man.  He had performed the duties of his profession from the time of his initiation into the church in an exemplary manner, not only by paying a proper attention to the customary services, but by the frequent visitation of the sick and the instruction of the poor.  This he had done too to admiration in a particularly extensive parish.  At the time I knew him he had May-fair chapel, of which an unusual portion of the congregation consisted then of persons of rank and fortune.  With most of these he had a personal acquaintance.  This was of great importance to me in the promotion of my views.  Having left him my book for a month, I called upon him.  The result was that which I expected from so good a man.  He did not wait for me to ask him for his cooperation, but he offered his services in any way which I might think most eligible, feeling it his duty, as he expressed it, to become an instrument in exposing such a complication of guilt and misery to the world.  Dr. Baker became from this time an active coadjutor also, and continued so to his death.