1792. on Dr Fobnson. 201 
at Barn Elms, You know with what clear and 
graceful eloquence fhe speaks on every subject. Her 
antagonists were fhallow theologists, and opposed only 
idle and pointlefs: raillery to duty, and long studied 
reasoning, on the precepts of scripture, delivered in 
persuasive accents and harmonious language. 
. Without any design of making a proselyte, the gain- 
ed one. . Mifs Harry grew very serious, and medi- 
tated perpetually on all that had dropped from the 
lips of her quaker friend, till it appeared to her that | 
quakerism was true christianity. Believing this, fhe 
thought it her duty to join, at every hazard of world. 
ly interest, that clafs of worfhippers. On declaring 
these sentiments, several worthy and ingenious clergy- 
men were employed to talk and to argue with her: 
but we all know the force of first imprefsions in the- 
ology, and Mrs Knowles’s arguments were the first 
fhe. had listened to on this important theme. This 
young lady was reasoned with and threatened 
in vain. She persisted in resigning her splen- 
did expectations, for what appeared to her the path 
of duty. Her father, on being informed of her chan- 
ging her principles, told her that fhe might choose be- 
tween one hundred thousand pounds and his favour, 
if fhe continued a church woman, or two thousand 
pounds and his renunciation, if fhe embraced the 
quaker tenets. She lamented her father’s displea- 
sure, but thanked him for the pecuniary alternative, 
afsuring him that it included all her withes in point 
of fortune. She soon after left her guardian’s house, 
and boarded in that of Mrs Knowles, to whom fhe 
often observed, that Dr Johnson’s displeasure, (whom 
VOL. ix. CG T 
