her. We know her mostly as a prison philanthropist; but while following
her career in that path, it will be wise not to forget the way in which
she was led. By slow and painful degrees she was drawn away from the
circles of fashion in which once her soul delighted. Then her nature
seemed so retiring, and the tone of her piety so mystical, while she
dreaded nervously all approach to "religious enthusiasm," that a career
of publicity, either in prisons, among rulers, or among the ministers of
her own Society, seemed too far away to be ever realized in fact and
deed. Only He, who weighs thoughts and searches out spirits, knew or
understood by what slow degrees she rose to the demands which presented
themselves to her "in the ways of His requirings," even if "they led her
into suffering and death." It was no small cross for such a woman thus
to dare singularity and possibly odium.




CHAPTER V.

BEGINNINGS IN NEWGATE.


It is said by some authorities that in her childhood Mrs. Fry expressed
so great a desire to visit a prison that her father at last took her to
see one. Early in 1813 she first visited Newgate, with the view of
ministering to the necessities of the felons; and for all practical
purposes of charity this was really her initial step. The following
entry in her journal relates to a visit paid in February of that year.
"Yesterday we were some hours with the poor female felons, attending to
their outward necessities; we had been twice previously. Before we went