cities of which he read affected him so deeply that he determined to
devote all his energies to effect the abolition of the slave trade, and
gave up his intention of entering the church.

His first measure was to publish, with additions, an English translation
of his prize essay (June 1786). He then commenced to search in all
quarters for information concerning slavery. He soon discovered that the
cause had already been taken up to some extent by others, most of whom
belonged to the Society of Friends, and among the chief of whom were
William Dillwyn, Joseph Wood and Granville Sharp. With the aid of these
gentlemen, a committee of twelve was formed in May 1787 to do all that
was possible to effect the abolition of the slave trade. Meanwhile
Clarkson had also gained the sympathy of Wilberforce, Whitbread, Sturge
and several other men of influence. Travelling from port to port, he now
commenced to collect a large mass of evidence; and much of it was
embodied in his _Summary View of the Slave Trade, and the Probable
Consequences of its Abolition_, which, with a number of other
anti-slavery tracts, was published by the committee. Pitt, Grenville,
Fox and Burke looked favourably on the movement; in May 1788 Pitt
introduced a parliamentary discussion on the subject, and Sir W. Dolben
brought forward a bill providing that the number of slaves carried in a
vessel should be proportional to its tonnage. A number of Liverpool and
Bristol merchants obtained permission from the House to be heard by
council against the bill, but on the 18th of June it passed the Commons.
Soon after Clarkson published an _Essay on the Impolicy of the Slave
Trade_; and for two months he was continuously engaged in travelling
that he might meet men who were personally acquainted with the facts of
the trade. From their lips he collected a considerable amount of
evidence; but only nine could be prevailed upon to promise to appear
before the privy council. Meanwhile other witnesses had been obtained by
Wilberforce and the committee, and on the 12th of May 1789 the former
led a debate on the subject in the House of Commons, in which he was
seconded by Burke and supported by Pitt and Fox.

It was now the beginning of the French Revolution, and in the hope that
he might arouse the French to sweep away slavery with other abuses,
Clarkson crossed to Paris, where he remained six months. He found Necker
head of the government, and obtained from him some sympathy