sorrow. There was an aversion in persons to appear before such a tribunal
as they conceived the privy council to be. With men of shy or timid
character this operated as an insuperable barrier in their way. But it
operated more or less upon all. It was surprising to see what little
circumstances affected many. When I took out my pen and ink to put down the
information, which a person was giving me, he became evidently embarrassed
and frightened. He began to excuse himself from staying, by alleging that
he had nothing more to communicate, and he took himself away as quickly as
he could with decency. The sight of the pen and ink had lost me so many
good evidences, that I was obliged wholly to abandon the use of them, and
to betake myself to other means. I was obliged for the future to commit my
tables of questions to memory, and endeavour by practice to put down, after
the examination of a person, such answers as he had given me to each of
them.

Others went off because it happened that immediately on my interview, I
acquainted them with the nature of my errand, and solicited their
attendance in London. Conceiving that I had no right to ask them such a
favour, or terrified at the abruptness and apparent awfulness of my
request, some of them gave me an immediate denial, which they would never
afterwards retract. I began to perceive in time that it was only by the
most delicate management that I could get forward on these occasions. I
resolved therefore for the future, except in particular cases, that, when I
should be introduced to persons who had a competent knowledge of this
trade, I would talk with them upon it as upon any ordinary subject, and
then leave them without saying any thing about their becoming evidences. I
would take care, however, to commit all their conversation to writing, when
it was over, and I would then try to find out that person among their
relations or friends, who could apply to them for this purpose with the
least hazard of a refusal.