16 THE LIFE OF E. J. PECK 



friends found so great a delight in their books that 

 it became their increasing desire to share their privi 

 leges with others. So they began to cast about 

 in their minds for some plan of action. After much 

 thought and prayer as to what they should do for 

 their shipmates, they decided to send a few pounds 

 to London to their friend, Mr. Wm. Cheshire, 

 Engraver, of Holborn Viaduct, and of Stirling Villa, 

 Sutton, Surrey, asking him to lay the money out in 

 suitable books for lending to the crew. 



There was a ship's library, of course, on board 

 the vessel, but it was a very small affair, and very 

 dry, and very, very stale, so that scarcely any one 

 thought of asking for a book. (Things in the Navy, 

 in this respect, have somewhat improved, but 

 in those days, a ship's library was an Ezekiel's 

 Valley, " full of dry bones.") 



On receipt of the letter and postal orders for two 

 or three pounds, Mr. Cheshire was so delighted with 

 their notion that he started off to see Mr. Samuel 

 Partridge, of the well-known Paternoster Row firm. 

 Showing that good man the letter, he asked : " If 

 two man-of-war's men can do this much out of love 

 for the souls of their shipmates, I feel that some of 

 us who are Christians and in the book trade ought 

 to help them a little. What will you do, Mr. Part 

 ridge ? " 



" Do ! " said that gentleman. " I'll do this : For 

 everyfpound's worth of books you can get in the 



