fication of knowing that the prisoners of war, confined in the three prisons to which he had more especially directed his inquiries, were sent home, in the first cartel ships that reached England; their deliverance being entirely owing to his exertions. To this event he often afterwards ascribed the commencement of that strongly excited sympathy for the unfortunate inmates of prisons, by which almost every action of the last sixteen years of his life was distinguished, and which has justly immortalized his name. But the benevolent feeling thus excited, did not develop itself till some years had elapsed: it seemed like seed hidden in his bosom, till at length it sprung forth and produced a glorious harvest.

CHAPTER II.

Howard's second marriage-Character of Mrs. Howard -Her delicate health-Howard's removal to Watcombe-Return to Cardington-Love of retirement— Great attention to the poor-Birth of his sonDeath of Mrs. Howard-Howard's deep regret on the occasion-His peculiar views of infantine education-Course he pursued with his son-Mistaken opinions respecting it-Visit to Bath-Tour through Holland-Return-Continued anxiety for his son's welfare-Indisposition, and preparations for another continental tour.

AFTER Howard's release from prison, we find him, in 1757, turning his attention to the improvement of his estate at Cardington. He enlarged it considerably, by the purchase of an adjoining farm in the village. He employed himself, during the whole of this year, in superintending the alterations which he thought it desirable to make on the estate; gratifying his taste, by pursuing, in his leisure hours, those philosophical researches, and making those meteorological observations, for which he always had a strong predilection.

About this time Howard formed an intimacy with Miss Henrietta Leeds, eldest daughter of Serjeant Leeds, esquire, of Caxton, in Cambridgeshire, a lady about his own age, of considerable beauty, and great accomplishments, to whom he was united in marriage on the 25th April, 1758. She possessed

a most amiable disposition, united to a highly cultivated mind her education had been suitable to her father's rank. But though she moved in rather a gay circle, it was evident that, both in her dress and manners, she preferred neatness and elegance to splendour and show. She was eminently pious, and had evidently partaken largely of that noble spirit which formed so striking a feature in the character of Howard, that personal gratifications of every kind ought most cheerfully to be relinquished, when they in any way retard or diminish the means of our usefulness. Acting on this principle, she parted with such of her jewels, soon after marriage, as she thought she had no occasion for, putting the proceeds into a purse, which, by mutual consent, she and her husband had named the charity-purse, the money in which was consecrated to the relief of the poor and distressed. It afforded Howard the highest gratification that he had met with a partner who not only possessed every accomplishment he could desire, but whose views, on subjects of the utmost importance, were entirely congenial to his own; and who was delighted to co-operate with him in all his benevolent pursuits.

Of the sincerity of Mrs. Howard's piety, Howard had no suspicion; but he had only seen her in places where its depth could not be put to any satisfactory test. Hence, on a visit to London, which they made immediately after their marriage, he took her to the Pantheon, then a fashionable resort, with a view to ascertain what effect such a scene would have on her mind. Whether such an experiment (for in this light it seems to have been made) was justifiable, we shall not decide. It turned out, however, entirely to his satisfaction; for while he and Mrs. Howard were passing along the gay crowd, surrounded on all sides with sights to captivate and please, he observed her deeply absorbed in thought, regardless of the

66

passing throng: he instantly stopped her, and turning round, said, "Harriet," the name by which he always familiarly addressed her, now that you appear to be so deeply lost in thought, I must press you to tell me what you have been thinking of. "Well," replied Mrs. Howard, "my thoughts, if I must tell you them, were about the sermon I heard preached last Sunday." Trifling as this circumstance may appear to some, Howard could not look upon it otherwise than as affording additional proof that Mrs. Howard's mind was deeply imbued with the importance of things spiritual and heavenly.

On leaving town, Howard repaired with his bride to his seat at Cardington, which he had furnished in a style of neatness and elegance distinguished alike from meanness and show, intending to make it in future his permanent abode. He now passed his time most delightfully; visiting, with Mrs. Howard, the cottages of the poor, and continually devising schemes for their comfort. To encourage industry, he purchased for his table-linen, and for such purposes as it was suitable, under the direction of Mrs. Howard, the linen spun by the poor: a benevolent practice which he pursued to the close of his life.

He had not been many months at Cardington before he perceived, to his inexpressible grief, alarm, ing symptoms of Mrs. Howard's declining health. Imagining it arose from the coldness of the atmosphere, he determined, at the risk of any expense, to try the effects of a change of air. A small estate and good house at Watcombe, near Lymington, was then offered for sale, which he immediately purchased for £7,000; fondly hoping that the mild atmosphere of that county would be more suitable to Mrs. Howard's delicate health.

Howard's predecessor in this estate, Captain Blake, formerly in the East India Company's service, had been under the necessity, as he imagined,

of employing every legal means to preserve the estate from the depredations of the surrounding population; and the guns, engines, and traps found on the grounds when Howard took possession, conveyed a most unfavourable opinion of the neighbourhood. All these Howard instantly laid aside; employing in their stead, more successful, and certainly more Christian means, to accomplish the same end. His benevolent conduct to the poor soon convinced them that they had in him a benefactor and a friend, to whom, in every distressing emergency, they could look up with confidence; assured that he would not only sympathize with them, but give them prompt relief. The result was, that during his continuance at Watcombe, he met with no molestation, nor suffered any loss.

His removal from Cardington was regarded by the poor as no common calamity. All seemed to think they had lost their best friend; and earnestly wished his absence might be of short continuance; but he resided at Watcombe three years. At the end of that time, finding Mrs. Howard's health still continued delicate, and having strong reasons to suspect it was in consequence of the proximity of his house to the New Forest, whence a vapour constantly arose, alike unfavourable to her recovery and to his astronomical observations, he resolved to return to Bedfordshire. He accordingly disposed of the estate of Watcombe, though he had greatly improved it, and Cardington became, from that time, his settled residence. He now made considerable additions to the house, new fronting it, and building an entire new set of rooms at the back. Under his own and Mrs. Howard's correct and cultivated taste, the whole was finished in a style of much elegance and simplicity.

At the end of the pleasure-grounds, which were laid out with great taste, he built a hermitage, entirely in the rustic style, with the roots and trunks of trees, covered with thatch: the door, the portico,

C