r own views; but during
the infancy of the scheme she saw that she had not adequate knowledge
upon which to establish them. She had still much to learn as to the
powers as well as the defects of the blind, and she shrank from
legislation until she understood "her people."

Mr. Wintle opened an account at Drummond's, a "Fund for employing the
Blind," to which donations and subscriptions were paid. In reply to her
own appeals, as well as in consequence of newspaper accounts and
sermons, she received many letters.

From all parts of the United Kingdom persons interested in the blind
applied to her for advice, or wrote on behalf of men who professed a
desire to learn a trade and earn their own living. Some of these were
really in earnest, but many were not. When arrangements had been made to
send them to work in London they drew back. Bessie was not discouraged.
She became more than ever convinced that the life of a beggar is
demoralising; but she knew that already, and had long seen that old
people will not give up begging, and that all efforts to improve their
condition must be made on behalf of the young. An extract from a single
letter will suffice to show the frequent result of a prolonged
correspondence and of final arrangements to receive a blind man as
pupil:

I was delighted to see Miss Gilbert's letter, and immediately had a
talk with him [the blind man] which was not satisfactory, for he
said that, even if we should succeed in getting him the employment,
he is sure he could not support himself by work, as he was a much
shorter time under instruction than is usually the case.... He
seems to think he can do better by making a basket occasionally and
carrying it about the streets for sale, and begging of the few
people who know him. I am sorry it ends so for the present, for I
think his case a very distressing one. He was born in New York, and
has no parish in England; he has one tiny child here who leads him
about. His wife, with, I think, two more children, is in the
Bristol Union.

Many similar cases helped Bessie to understand those on whose behalf she
laboured; but they never closed her heart to the appeal of a blind
person who was in need. The area of her work was enlarged, as well as
that of the aid which enabled her to carry it on. Not all those who
clamoured for employment really wanted it. They meant _alms_ when they
said _wages_, and dre