The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

148 LIFE OF SIR ROWLAND HILL. [1850
into pecuniary difficulties, so that his friends in Scotland
were raising a subscription for his benefit. A
public meeting had been resolved upon,
and I was
earnestly requested to attend, which I promised to do,
though with considerable misgiving
as to the sort of
doubts were
reception I was likely to meet with. My
nowise removed by a letter received from my uncle,
Provost Lea, of Haddington, who, having been ap-
prised of my expected visit by the Scotch newspapers,
wrote in the most earnest terms to deprecate the
attempt, warning me that the feeling against me
northward of the Tweed was so strong that he feared
the mob.
I should be literally torn to pieces by
Though I made great allowance for the apprehensions
of an affectionate relative and kind-hearted old
that hisses and
man, I certainly thought it groans
very likely
might be more abundant than applause. Be
this as it might, the journey, being a matter of duty,
had to be taken, and on March 6th I went to Glasgow.
On the following morning, before proceeding to
of Messrs.
Greenock, I paid a visit to the large ship-yard
several hundred men. When I was
Napier, employing
about to leave, the foreman of a gang of workmen
busily employed in constructing a large iron vessel came
"
forward and demanded in a loud voice, Three
cheers for Rowland
"
Hill ; a call responded to by
what seemed to my gratified, ears a unanimous shout.
Thus encouraged, I went to Greenock. The meeting
was held in a large church, the chairman occupying
the pulpit ; a usual arrangement, as I was assured, in
Scotland. On rising
to I speak was received, so said
"
the newspapers, " with enthusiastic applause ;
the
same being repeated when I sat down.* Of what I
* For this speech, which, in justice to Mr. Wallace, I give at length, see
Vol. I., Appendix G.