Accordingly I left Mr.Cadell, after having thanked him for his civility, and determined, as I thought I had time sufficient before dinner, to call upon a friend in the city.

In going past the Royal Exchange, Mr.Joseph Hancock, one of the religious society of the Quakers, and with whose family my own had been long united in friendship, suddenly met me.

He first accosted me by saying that I was the person whom he was wishing to see.

He then asked me why I had not published my prize essay.

I asked him in return what had made him think of that subject in particular.