ince she saw me. She asked about Caroline Neave's Refuge,
for which she has lately sent me the fifty pounds. This gave me an
opportunity of thanking her. I ventured to express my satisfaction
that she encouraged various works of charity, and I said it
reminded me of the words of Scripture, "With the merciful Thou wilt
show Thyself merciful." Before we withdrew I stopped, and said I
hoped the Queen would allow me to assure her that it was our prayer
that the blessing of God might rest upon the Queen and her Consort.

In January, 1842, the Lady Mayoress pressed Mrs. Fry to attend a
banquet given at the Mansion House, in order principally to meet Prince
Albert, Sir Robert Peel, and the different Ministers of State. After a
little mental conflict she decided to go, with the earnest hope and
purpose of doing more good for the prisoners. A summary of her sayings
and doings at that banquet is best supplied in her own words:--

I had an important conversation on a female prison being built,
with Sir James Graham, our present Secretary of State.... I think
it was a very important beginning with him for our British Ladies'
Society. With Lord Aberdeen, Foreign Secretary, I spoke on some
matters connected with the present state of the Continent; with
Lord Stanley, our Colonial Secretary, upon the state of our penal
colonies, and the condition of the women in them, hoping to open
the door for further communications with him upon these subjects.
Nearly the whole dinner was occupied in deeply interesting
conversation with Prince Albert and Sir Robert Peel. With the
Prince I spoke very seriously upon the Christian education of their
children ... the infinite importance of a holy and religious life;
how I had seen it in all ranks of life, no real peace or prosperity
without it; then the state of Europe, the advancement of religion
in the continental courts; then prisons, their present state in
this country, my fear that our punishments were becoming too
severe, my wish that the Queen should be informed of some
particulars respecting separate confinement. We also had much
entertaining conversation about my journeys, the state of Europe,
modes of living, and habits of countries. With Sir Robert Peel I
dwelt much more on the prison subject; I expressed my fears that
jailers had too much power, tha