masquerade or to arrange an impromptu
charade. Wherever there was laughter and young people, there she was a
favorite and sought-for companion. Her life during these months in
England certainly did not lack outward variety, and she was happy for
herself, and yet happier because she saw her sisters pleased and
beloved. A few extracts from her London letters best reflect her life:--

Yesterday we went, the moment we had swallowed our breakfast, by
appointment to Newgate. The private door opened at sight of our
tickets, and the great doors and the little doors, and the thick
doors and doors of all sorts, were unbolted and unlocked, and on we
went through dreary but clean passages, till we came to a room
where rows of empty benches fronted us, and a table, on which lay a
large Bible. Several ladies and gentlemen entered and took their
seats on benches at either side of the table, in silence.

Enter Mrs. Fry in a drab-colored silk cloak, and plain, borderless
Quaker cap; a most benevolent countenance--Guido Madonna
face--calm, benign. "I must make an inquiry: Is Maria Edgeworth
here, and where?" I went forward: she bade us come and sit beside
her. Her first smile as she looked upon me I can never forget. The
prisoners came in, and in an orderly manner ranged themselves on
the benches. All quite clean faces, hair, caps and hands. On a very
low bench in front little children were seated and settled by their
mothers. Almost all these women, about thirty, were under sentence
of transportation; some few only were there for imprisonment. One
who did not appear was under sentence of death--frequently women
when sentenced to death became ill and unable to attend Mrs. Fry;
the others came regularly and voluntarily.

She opened the Bible and read in the most sweetly solemn, sedate
voice I ever heard, slowly and distinctly, without anything in the
manner that could distract attention from the matter. Sometimes
she paused to explain, which she did with great judgment,
addressing the convicts: "_We_ have felt; _we_ are convinced." They
were very attentive, unexpectedly interested, I thought, in all she
said, and touched by her manner. There was nothing put on in their
countenances, not any appearance of hypocrisy. I studied their
countenances carefully, but I could not see any which, witho