304 SCHOOL AMONG THE CONVICTS.
prisoners. This was accepted, even by the most hard ened, with gratitude and tears of joy. A separate cell was procured, and the school prosperously established. Soon the older prisoners came with entreaties to be taught and employed. A matron was obtained to re main day and night in the prison, and the ordinary, governor, and sheriffs, though they had no confidence in the success of the experiment, manifested every favorable disposition towards it, and lent it all the aid in their power. At the next meeting, the comforts to be derived from industry, and sobriety, were dwelt upon ; the pleasure and profit of doing right, and ob taining knowledge ; and the happiness of a life devoted to virtue and piety. The prisoners were assured that no regulation would be established among them with out their entire concurrence, and that neither Mrs. Fry, nor the ladies with whom she consulted, and who formed a committee, assumed any authority over them, except by their own consent. Some rules were then proposed, and it was gratifying to see every hand held up in unqualified approval. A chapter in the Bible was read to them, and after a period of silent meditation, the monitors, who had been appointed, withdrew with their respective classes to the cells, in the most orderly manner.
The first steps toward taming the lion had suc ceeded beyond all expectation. Guilt had listened, and admitted the superiority of virtue, and been con vinced that it was itself an object neither of indiffer ence nor of hatred. . It had seen those, who were " rich
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