MRS. FRY 111 



the stairs and entering the room, we beheld a fine, 

 matronly lady, habited as a Quakeress, seated at the 

 table with the Book before her. She rose to receive us. 

 An air of placid benevolence illumined a countenance 

 that had not yet given up all pretensions to meridian 

 beauty ; and the serenity of her brow gave a sort of 

 hallowed expression to eyes that beamed with intelligence. 

 Her attitude, and the solemn dignity of her demeanour, 

 with the command she at once took of my senses, 

 reminded me for a moment of Mrs. Siddons ; and 

 altogether I felt as if in the presence of a being of a 

 superior order.^ 



A smile of gracious affability sat upon her lips as she 

 asked us to be seated ; she then stated that, as chance 

 had thrown us too:ether that evenino- she thou2:ht a few 

 words from the Book of Life Avould not be unacceptable. 

 She now read a few verses from that portion of St. John's 

 Gospel which enjoins brotherly love ; then, in a mild, 

 unaffected, and unassuming spirit, she discoursed on this 

 all-important subject, setting forth its necessity, as regards 

 the happiness of our fellow-creatures, and the enduring 

 reward we had for it in our own consciences. Charity, 

 humility, forbearance, and forgiveness, she included in 

 the divine precept, and cited the Saviour as an example. 



But it would be folly in me to attempt to do justice to 

 this admirable woman's dissertation. She dismissed us 

 with an extempore prayer, invoking the blessing and 

 mercy of the Almighty ; and on my retiring to rest I 

 could but contrast her pleasing conversational tone with 

 the declamatory style of my coaching friend — her plain 

 ^ This female was the late Mrs. Fry. 



