ii8 THE WORLD'S WORKERS. 



But Mary Carpenter was not at all like " most 

 people." The work was there, and needed to be 

 done. Her own particular work, the management 

 of Red Lodge, of the Industrial and Ragged Schools, 

 could be carried on for a while without her, and so she 

 never thought of holding back. There were great 

 difficulties in the way of her carrying out her in- 

 tention, but as she once playfully said of herself, she 

 was like Napoleon, for " her the impossible did not 

 exist." She did not feel old ; once when she saw 

 herself described in the papers as " this venerable 

 lady," she was quite shocked, and she felt a strong 

 conviction that she could be of use. She thought 

 a " call " had been given to her, and she resolved to 

 follow it. 



Her resolution was strengthened by the visits of 

 several highly educated Hindoos who came over to 

 England and visited Bristol in order to inspect her 

 institutions. From them she learnt how much there 

 was to be done ; their conversation reminded her of 

 Rammohun Roy, and she longed to be in a position 

 to carry out his wishes. When they were told what 

 she was thinking of doing they naturally did all they 

 could to encourage her. A lady who knew Calcutta 

 well said to her, " Oh, that you could go to India, 

 Miss Carpenter ! you are just the person to help the 

 ladies." This was a very general feeling amongst 

 people who knew India ; whilst Miss Carpenter came 

 to feel that if she could carry back to the country of 



