t's.

We had, says J.Y. much pleasure in being in this family. Bristol is the
largest meeting we have in our Society in England, and to me it was a very
trying one on the First-day morning. I was much cast down after meeting;
but we staid over the Monthly Meeting on Third-day, which afforded me
relief of mind, and I left with as much comfort as I could well desire.

At Plymouth John Yeardley found an object of lively interest in Lady
Rogers' Charity School, established to fit girls for becoming household
servants. He was gratified with the good order, simplicity, and economy,
which pervaded the institution. Martha Yeardley suffered much during their
journey in Devonshire, from the inclemency of the weather; and a heavy
fall of snow on the night of the 17th prevented their leaving Plymouth at
the time intended. In consequence of this, they hired a lodging, and
employed themselves in visiting the Friends from house to house, and in
organising an infant school, which the Friends had long desired to see
established.

On their return from Plymouth they stopped at Sidcot, where they spent
some time at the Friends' school. Here the subject of offering prizes to
children came under the notice of J.Y., and like all other subjects
connected with education, engaged his serious reflection.

It would certainly be better, he says, if the basis of good actions could
be laid in the children's minds on a principle of rectitude and justice,
so that they might be taught to do well from a love of truth, and not from
a fear of punishment or a hope of reward; but so long as human nature
remains unchanged, a check against the one and an incitement to the other
seem to be necessary, as a help to overcome the evil in the mind, until
that which is good shall become predominant.

They returned to Yorkshire through Warwick and Leicester, and on reviewing
the journey John Yeardley has the following reflections:--

2 _mo_. 22.--Almost all the meetings we attended on this journey of
800 miles are very small, except Birmingham and Bristol, and the life of
religion is low among the members in general; which is not much to be
wondered at, when we consider that many of those meetings are constituted
[chiefly] of a few individuals who have had a birthright in the
Society--born members but not new-born Christians, without the power or
form of religion, no outward means to excite them to faith and good works.
If they neglect the spirit of pra