IhavealreadynoticedtheimportanceoftheQuakershareinthevariousphilanthropicmovementsofthetime。TheQuakersharedmanyoftheviewsuponpracticalquestionswhichwerefavouredbythefreethinker，Bothwerehostiletoslavery，infavourofspreadingeducation，opposedtoallreligioustestsandrestrictions，andadvocatesofreforminprisons，andintheharshcriminallaw。ThefundamentaldifferencesoftheologicalbeliefwerenotsoproductiveofdiscordindealingwiththeQuakersaswithothersects；foritwastheveryessenceoftheoldQuakerspirittolookrathertothespiritthantotheletter，Allen，therefore，wasonlyactinginthespiritofhissocietywhenhecouldbeonequallygoodtermswiththeEmperorAlexanderorthedukeofKent，and，ontheotherhand，withJamesMill，thedenouncerofkingsandautocrats。HecouldjoinhandswithMillinassailingslavery，insistinguponprisonreform，preachingtolerationandadvancingcivilisation，althoughheheartilydisapprovedofthedoctrineswithwhichMill’spracticalprincipleswereassociated。Mill，too，practisedeventoaquestionabledegreethemethodofreticence，andtookgoodcarenottooffendhiscoadjutor。
　　Theirco-operationwasmanifestedinaquarterlyjournalcalledthePhilanthropist，whichappearedduringthesevenyears，1811-1817，andwaspublishedatAllen’sexpense。
　　Millfoundinittheopportunityofadvocatingmanyofhischerishedopinions。
　　HedefendedtolerationinthenameofPenn，whoselifehadbeenpublishedbyClarkson。Heattackedtheslave-owners，andsocameintoalliancewithWilberforce，ZacharyMacaulay，andothersoftheevangelicalpersuasion。
　　Hefound，atthesametime，opportunitiesforpropagatingthecreedofBenthaminconnectionwithquestionsofprisonreformandthepenalcode。
　　Hismostimportantarticle，publishedin1812，wasanothercontributiontotheLancasteriancontroversy。InthisMillhadalliesofaverydifferentschool；andhisactivitybringshimintocloseconnectionwithoneofthemostremarkablemenofthetime。8
　　ThiswasFrancisPlace，thefamousRadicaltailor。Place，born3rdNovember1771，hadraisedhimselffromthepositionofaworking-mantobeoccupantofashopatCharingCross，whichbecamethecentreofimportantpoliticalmovements。BetweenPlaceandMilltherewasmuchaffinityofcharacter。Place，likeMill，wasamanofrigidandvigorousintellect。Dogmatic，self-confident，anddecidedlycensorious，notattractivebyanysweetnessorgraceofcharacter，butthoroughlysincereandindependent，heextortsratherthancommandsourrespectbyhisheartydevotiontowhatheatleastbelievedtobethecauseoftruthandprogress。Placewaswhatisnowcalledathorough’individualist。’
　　Hebelievedinself-relianceandenergy，andheldthattheclasstowhichhebelongedwastoberaised，ashehadraisedhimself，bytheexerciseofthosequalities，notbyinvokingthedirectinterferenceofthecentralpower，which，indeed，asheknewit，wasonlylikelytointerfereonthewrongside。HehadthemisfortunetobeborninLondoninsteadofScotland，andhadthereforenotMill’seducationaladvantages。Hetriedenergetically，andnotunsuccessfully，toimprovehismind，butheneverquitesurmountedtheweaknessoftheself-educatedman，andhadnospecialliterarytalent。
　　Hiswriting，infact，isdullandlong-winded，thoughhehasthemeritofjudgingforhimself，andofsayingwhathethinks。
　　PlacehadbeenamemberoftheCorrespondingSociety，andwasatonetimechairmanoftheweeklycommittee。
　　Hehad，however，disapprovedoftheirproceedings，andretiredintimetoescapetheimprisonmentwhichfinallycrushedthecommittee。HewasnowoccupiedinbuildinguphisownfortunesatCharingCross。When，duringthesecondwar，thenativeEnglishRadicalismbeganagaintoraiseitshead，Placetookahighlyimportantshareinthepoliticalagitation。Westminster，theconstituencyinwhichhehadavote，hadlongbeenoneofthemostimportantboroughs。Itwasoneofthefewlargepopularconstituencies，andwasaffectedbytheinfluencesnaturallystrongestinthemetropolis。
　　Afterbeinglongundertheinfluenceofthecourtandthedeanandchapter，ithadbeencarriedbyFoxduringthediscontentsof1780，whenthereformmovementtookastartandthecountyassociationsweresymptomsofagrowingagitation。ThegreatWhigleader，thoughnotsounduponthequestionofreform，representedtheconstituencytillhisdeath，andreformdroppedoutofnoticeforthetime。UponFox’sdeath13thSeptember1806LordPercywaselectedwithoutoppositionashissuccessorbyanarrangementamongtherulingfamilies。Placewasdisgustedatthedistributionof’breadandcheeseandbeer，’andresolvedtofindatrulypopularcandidate。
　　Inthegeneralelectionwhichsoonfollowedattheendof1806hesupportedPaull，animpecuniousadventurer，whomadeagoodfight，butwasbeatenbySirJ。HoodandSheridan。Placenowproposedamorethoroughorganisationoftheconstituency，andformedacommitteeintendedtocarryanindependentcandidate。SirFrancisBurdett，atypicalcountrygentlemanofnogreatbrainsandofmucharistocraticpride，butamanofhonour，andofasmuchliberalfeelingaswascompatiblewithwealthandstation，hadsatatthefeetoftheoldRadical，HorneTooke。HehadsympathisedwiththeFrenchrevolution；butwasmainly，likehismentor，Tooke，areformeroftheEnglishtype，andabelieverinMagnaChartaandtheBillofRights。Hehadsatinparliament，andin1802hadbeenelectedforMiddlesex。Afteraprolongedlitigation，costingenormoussums，theelectionhadbeenfinallyannulledin1806。Hehadsubscribed£；1000towardsPaull’sexpenses；butwassodisgustedwithhisownelectionexperiencesthatherefusedtocomeforwardasacandidate。Place’scommitteeresolvedthereforetoelecthimandPaullfreeofexpense。DisputesbetweenPaullandBurdettledtoaduel，inwhichbothwerewounded。ThecommitteethrewoverPaull，andattheelectiononthedissolutionofparliamentinthespringof1807，BurdettandCochrane——afterwardsLordDundonald——weretriumphantlyelected，defeatingtheWhigcandidates，SheridanandElliot。Theelectionwasthefirsttriumphofthereformers，andwasduetoPlacemorethananyone。
　　BurdettretainedhisseatforWestminsteruntil1837，and，inspiteofmanyquarrelswithhisparty，wasaleadingrepresentativeofthemovement，whichhenceforwardslowlygatheredstrength。Place，indeed，hadapparentlybutscantyrespectforthecandidatewhosesuccesshehadsecured。Burdettandhislikeaimedatpopularity，whilehewascontenttobeignoredsolongashecouldbyanymeanscarrythemeasureswhichheapproved。Place，therefore，actedasamostefficientwirepuller，buthadnoambitiontoleavehisshoptomakespeechesonthehustings。
　　ThescandalsaboutthedukeofYorkandtheWalcherenexpeditiongaveachancetotheRadicalsandtotheirleaderintheHouseofCommons。Eventsin1810ledtoapopularexplosion，ofwhichBurdettwasthehero。JohnGaleJones，anoldmemberoftheCorrespondingSocieties，hadputoutaplacarddenouncingtheHouseofCommonsforclosingitsdoorsduringadebateupontheWalcherenexpedition。
　　TheHouseproceededagainstJones，whowasmoreorlessadvisedbyPlaceinhisproceedings。BurdetttookthepartofJones，byapaperpublishedinCobbett’sRegister，andwasultimatelycommittedtothetowerinconsequence。ThewholeofLondonwasforatimeinastateofexcitement，anduponthevergeofanoutbreak。Burdettrefusedtosubmittothearrest。
　　Mobscollected；soldiersfilledthestreetsandwerepelted。Burdett，whenatlasthewasforcedtoadmittheofficers，appearedinhisdrawing-roomintheactofexpoundingMagnaChartatohisson。That，itwastobesupposed，washisusualoccupationofanafternoon。Meetingswereheld，andresolutionspassed，insupportofthemartyrtoliberty；andwhenhisimprisonmentterminatedontheprorogationofparliament，vastcrowdscollected，andaprocessionwasarrangedtoconvoyhimtohishome。Placehadbeenactiveinarrangingallthedetailsofwhatwastobeagreatpopularmanifestation。
　　Tohisinfinitedisgust，Burdettshrankfromtheperformance，andwenthomebywater。Thecrowdwaslefttoexpenditsremainingenthusiasmuponthehackneycarriagewhichcontainedhisfellow-suffererJones。Jones，inthefollowingDecember，wassentencedtotwelvemonths’imprisonmentforalibel。Cobbett，Burdett’sspecialsupporteratthistime，wasalsoimprisonedinJune1810。Foratimethepopularagitationcollapsed。PlaceseemstohavethoughtthatthefailurewasduetoBurdett’swantofcourage，anddroppedallcommunicationwithhimtillalatercontestatWestminster。
　　Placewasthusatthecentreofthepoliticalagitationwhich，forthetime，representedthemostenergeticreformingmovement。Itwasin1811or1812thathebecameacquaintedwithMill。9InMillherecognisedacongenialspirit，andamanabletodefendanddevelopprinciples。Heperhaps，asProfessorBainthinks，madeadvancestoMilluponthestrengthofthehistoryofIndia；andin1814hewascertainlyendeavouringtoraisemoneytoputMillabovetheneedofprecarioushack-work。10TheanticipateddifficultyofpersuadingMillsofartosacrificehisindependencewasapparentlyfataltothescheme。PlacewasinoccasionalcommunicationwithBentham，andvisitedhimatFordAbbeyin1817。Hebecameintimatewiththegreatman；
　　helpedhiminbusinessaffairs；andwasoneofthedisciplesemployedtopreparehisbooksforpublication。11Benthamwasthesourceofphilosophy，andMillonlyhisprophet。ButMill，whowascapableofactivityinpracticalaffairs，wasmoreusefultoamanoftheworld。ThefirstbusinesswhichbroughtthemintocloseconnectionwastheLancasteriancontroversy。Thestronginterestrousedbythisagitationwassignificantofmanydifficultiestocome。Theaveragemindhadbeengraduallycomingtotheconclusionthatthepoorshouldbetaughttoreadandwrite。SundayschoolsandHannahMore’sschoolsinSomersetshirehaddrawntheattentionofthereligiousworldtothesubject。Duringtheearlyyearsofthecenturytheeducationquestionhadsteadilybecomemoreprominent，andthegrowinginterestwasshownbyasingularlybitterandcomplicatedcontroversy。
　　TheoppositepartiesfoughtunderthebannersofBellandLancaster。AndrewBell，bornatSt。Andrews，27thMarch1753，wasbothacannyScotandanAnglicanclergyman。Hecombinedphilanthropywithbusinessfaculties。HesailedtoIndiain1787with£；128，10sinhispockettobeanarmychaplain；hereturnedin1796with£；25，000andanewsystemofeducationwhichhehaddevisedassuperintendentofanorphanasylum。HesettledinEngland，publishedanaccountofhisplan，anddidsomethingtobringitintooperation。MeanwhileJosephLancaster1770-1838，ayoungQuaker，hadsetupaschoolinLondon；hedevisedaplansimilartothatofBell，andin1803publishedanaccountofhisimprovementsineducationwithacknowledgmentstoBell。Foratimethetwowereonfriendlyterms。Lancastersetaboutpropagatinghisnewsystemwithmoreenthusiasmthandiscretion。
　　Hisfamerapidlyspreadtillitreachedthethrone。In1805GeorgeIII
　　sentforhim；theroyalfamilysubscribedtohisschools；andthekingdeclaredhiswishthateverychildinhisdominionsshouldbetaughttoreadtheBible。Theking’sgraciouswishunconsciouslyindicatedadifficulty。
　　WasitsafetoteachtheBiblewithoutthesafeguardofauthorisedinterpretation?
　　Orthodoxopponentsfearedthealliancewithamanwhosefirstprinciplewastoleration，andfirstamongthemwastheexcellentMrs。Trimmer，whohadbeenalreadyengagedintheSunday-schoolmovement。ShepointedoutinapamphletthattheschismaticLancasterwasweakeningtheEstablishedChurch。TheEdinburghReviewcametohissupportin1806and1807；
　　fortheWhig，especiallyifhewasalsoaScot，wasprejudicedagainsttheChurchofEngland。Lancasterwentonhisway，butsoongotintodifficulties，forhewasimpetuous，carelessofmoney，andautocratic。WilliamAllen，withanotherQuaker，cametohissupportin1808，andfoundedtheRoyalLancasterianSocietytomaintainhisschoolintheBoroughRoad，andpropagateitslikeelsewhere。Lancastertravelledthroughthecountry，andtheagitationprospered，andspreadeventoAmerica。Thechurch，however，wasnowfairlyaroused。BishopMarshpreachedasermoninSt。Paul’s，andfolloweditupbypamphlets；thecausewastakenupbytheQuarterlyReviewin1811，andinthesameyeartheNationalSocietywasfoundedto’educatethepoorintheprinciplesoftheEstablishedChurch。’Bellhadsuggestedanationalsystem，butthetimeswerenotripe。Meanwhilethecontroversybecamefurious。TheEdinburghandtheQuarterlythunderedonoppositesides，immenseimportancewasattachedbybothpartiestotheschemedevisedbyBell，andpartlyadoptedbyLancaster。