necessity of going forward in it. The encouragement I intend simply to exhibit as by arise my own experience observation and trust they will not be tedious or unprofitable- About five years ago I was much taken up in employed in the the merchant service & my time very much occupied at the place where I lived was a little sailor boy an Irish lad of quick parts tho extremely ignorant I asked him whether he would like to learn to read he replied yes- and the Sunday night from nine to ten was allotted to instruct him- This being the only convenient time for him & myself Short as it may appear his progress was rapid & tho he scarcely knew his letters in the course of two or three or four months he read his testament tolerable well- His prejudices (for he was a Catholic & well versed in their doctrines) soon gave way- He attended Church & chapel as often as he possibly could & I have no doubts as far as we could judge from his life & conversation- entered a better world at his death which happened shortly afterwards.