xxxni] LITERARY WORK, ETC., 1887-1905 217 



of Switzerland I accepted the invitation, and had a very- 

 pleasant time. My companion on the first part of the journey 

 was Mr. Le Gallienne, and at Basle we were joined by Dr. 

 and Mrs. Lunn and others. At Davos we were a large party 

 in one of the best hotels, and our special party, who sat 

 together at meals, included the Rev. Hugh Price Hughes and 

 the Rev. H. R. Haweis, both talented and witty men, whose 

 presence was enough to render almost any party a brilliant 

 success. Mr. Price Hughes was, I think, without exception, 

 the most witty man and one of the best companions I ever 

 met. At breakfast and dinner he was especially amusing 

 and brilliant, ranging from pure chaff with his old friend Dr. 

 Lunn to genial wit and admirably narrated anecdotes. He 

 often literally kept the table in a roar of laughter. But this 

 was only one side of his character. He was a Christian and 

 a humanitarian in the best sense of the words. I saw a good 

 deal of him in private, and we often walked out together, at 

 which times we discussed the more serious social problems 

 of the day ; and he gave me details of his rescue work in 

 London which were in the highest degree instructive, show- 

 ing that even those who are considered to be the most 

 degraded and irreclaimable can be reached through their 

 affections. Their degradation has usually been brought 

 about by society, and has been intensified into hate and 

 despair by the utterly unsympathetic and cruel treatment of 

 our workhouses and prisons. Mr. Price Hughes gave me an 

 account of one of these cases — a woman who had reached 

 the uttermost depths of drunkenness and vice, and who was 

 besides so violent that it was dangerous to approach her. 

 Knowing her case, a lady who was one of Mr. Hughes' chief 

 helpers in his rescue work went to the prison to receive her 

 on her discharge, and begged to be allowed to] go to her cell 

 and take her with her. She was assured it was not safe, 

 that she would be instantly attacked, and perhaps seriously 

 injured. But the lady insisted, and at length was allowed to 

 try, with several of the strongest female warders at hand to 

 assist or rescue her from one whom they described as an 

 utterly irreclaimable wild beast. Mrs. entered without 



