xxn A LETTER FROM THE MONITORS 285 



from his own pen. This little volume gave in a scholarly 

 but concise form a good account of the books of the 

 Testament, and was long in use at the school. 1 



Fothergill's last visit to Ackworth, two months before 

 his death, gave him heartfelt satisfaction : he " rejoiced 

 with a degree of trembling," when he saw the complete 

 state of the institution, for which he had spent so much 

 time and labour during the preceding two years. 



Nor was Barclay behind his friend in devotion to the 

 school. He had a house at this time at New Millar's 

 Dam, near Wakefield, and spent some months there that 

 he might visit Ackworth and watch closely over its 

 development. To Fothergill belongs the initiation, the 

 fruit of no sudden impulse, but of long years of thought 

 and effort on his part. A place of honour next only to 

 that of Fothergill is due to the patient orderly labour of 

 David Barclay. To him the monitors of the boys' side 

 addressed a very proper and elegantly written letter, 

 probably in 1780. 



ESTEEMED FRIEND Thy kind and acceptable Letter, we 

 duly received. . . . We shall be glad to be favoured with thy 

 company, whenever thou canst make it convenient. . . . The 

 Flower Seeds which thou purposest to bring with thee will 

 be very acceptable, and hope thou will find many Lads' 

 Gardens in such Order, as will be deserving of so great a favour. 

 The Flower Roots which were the Gift of our Valuable Friend 

 Doctor Fothergill we had the pleasure to receive, a Present 

 very agreeable, and more so being the Gift, of so Worthy a 

 Benefactor. We hope we shall use our Endeavours to ... 

 give satisfaction to our Friends and Spectators. 



We are, for Schoolfellows and Selves, Thy affectionate 

 Young Friends, 



SAMUEL DAY. SAMUEL BLECKLEY. 



JOHN STORKS. WILLIAM HANDVILL. 



DAVID HOLT. NICHOLAS STICKNEY. 



GEORGE STAGEY. JOHN KING. 



JOSHUA PRIESTMAN. SAMUEL DING. 



JOHN KNIGHT. 



In 1799 David Barclay, in conjunction with Isaac Smith's 



1 A Short A ccount of the Several Books of the New Testament from Dr. Percy's 

 Key. For the use of Ackworth School. London, 1780, pp. 127. 



