diary a brief notice of the interview. "I had the pleasure of a conversation with Mr. Howard, I think one of the greatest men in Europe. Nothing but the mighty power of God can enable him to go through his difficult and dangerous employment." 1 Howard was equally pleased with Wesley, and, speaking afterwards of the interview to Alexander Knox, told him how he had been encouraged to go on vigorously with his designs. "I saw in him how much a single man might achieve by zeal and perseverance, and I thought, Why may I not do as much in my way as Mr. Wesley has done in his, if I am only as assiduous and persevering? And I determined I would pursue my work with more alacrity than ever." Two years later, Howard called on Wesley in London to present him with a copy of his book on Lazarettos, but Wesley was then in Ireland, and Howard had to content himself with leaving the following message for him :-" Present my respects and love to Mr. Wesley, tell him I had hoped to see him once more-perhaps we may meet again in this world, but, if not, we shall meet, I trust, in a better." So far as is known the two men never saw each other again, but about this time Wesley wrote to his brother Charles (June 20, 1789) his opinion of Howard: "Mr. Howard is really an extraordinary man; God has raised him up to be a blessing to many nations. I do not doubt but there has been something more than natural in his preservation hitherto, and should not wonder if the providence of God should hereafter be still more conspicuous in his favour."

These tours ended, Howard was ready to publish the results of his last four years' work; and for this purpose retired once more to Warrington, to superintend the printing of his new book, and to consult over it with Dr. Aikin. Some time was spent here in the autumn of 1788, and early in the following year the volume was ready for publication. It is, as its title indicates, a miscellaneous work: An Account of the Principal Lazarettos in Europe: with various papers relative to the Plague; together with further observations on some foreign prisons and hospitals, and additional remarks on the present state of those in Great Britain and Ireland. Even this does not exhaust the list of subjects treated of, for a section of some length is added on the Charter Schools of Ireland. The portion of the work which treats of lazarettos and the plague is of course concerned with a subject which was entirely novel, but the remainder of the volume may be regarded as an appendix to the previous work, bringing his inquiry into the condition of our prisons up to date. He was able to note with satisfaction the good results which had been obtained by the Act for Preserving the Health of Prisoners, and speaks warmly of "the liberal and humane spirit which engages the public to alleviate the sufferings of prisoners in general, and, particularly, to release many industrious though unfortunate debtors. But at this point," he was compelled to add, "the spirit of improvement unhappily seems to stop, scarcely touching upon that still more important object, the reformation of morals in our prisons; yet it is obvious that, if this be neglected, besides the evil consequences that must result from such a source of wickedness, a suspicion will arise, that what has been already done has proceeded, chiefly, from the selfish motive of avoiding the danger to our own health, in attending courts of judicature.

"In this further reformation, it will be absolutely necessary to begin with the capital; for as, in my former visits, when I have met with the gaol fever in country prisons, I have been almost constantly told, that it was derived from those in London; so the corruption of manners also, flowing from that great fountain, spreads far and wide its malignant streams. In what prison in London is there a proper separation of criminals, the old from the young, convicts from the untried? Where are the nightrooms for solitary confinement and reflection? Where is any proper attention paid to sick and dying prisoners? Where are the rules and orders of magistrates for the direction of gaolers, and the government of prisoners? In what gaol are not the ears shocked with the profaneness both of prisoners and turnkeys? Where is any regard paid to the Lord's day? Where is not the afternoon of that day a time of greater concourse of visitants than any other? And, though the gaoler's taps are abolished, yet are not publicans continually waiting to serve the prisoners and their company? Is not beer now sold by the debtors? And do not turnkeys keep shops in the gaols? " 1

This paragraph, which contains Howard's last remarks on the subject, forms a terrible indictment of the system still acquiesced in throughout the country, even after sixteen years of persistent labour on his part; while the fact that every one of the reforms which he indicates as desirable has since been effected, with the happiest results, is the best testimony to the clearness with which he had grasped the principles on which alone a satisfactory system of prison discipline can be properly carried out.

CHAPTER IX

HOWARD'S LAST JOURNEY AND DEATH

Howard starts on his Last Journey-Its Object-Letters from Moscow-Letters from Cherson-Visits to Military Hospitals Illness-Visit from Admiral PriestmanDeath-Funeral-Monument at Cherson Statue in St. Paul's Cathedral.

IT

T might well have seemed to Howard that with the publication of the volume on Lazarettos his work was ended. There was no longer any reason why he should not once more reside at Cardington, as his unfortunate son had by this time become so hopelessly insane that it had been found necessary to remove him to a private asylum at Leicester, where he remained till his death in 1799, at the age of thirty-four. The house was thus once more free, had Howard been disposed to settle down in it to that "comfortable, useful, and honourable life," which had once been his aim.1 But his ideal had greatly changed since then. He now felt that "a retirement to ease