I thank God, my wife was pretty well recovered, and
churched some days before I was taken from her; and
hope she '11 be able to look to my family, if they don't
turn them out of doors, as they have often threatened
to do. One of my biggest concerns was my being
forced to leave my poor lambs in the midst of so many
wolves. But the great Shepherd is able to provide
for them, and to preserve them. My wife bears it
with that courage which becomes her, and which I
expected from her.
"I don't despair of doing some good here (and so long I shan't lose quite the end of living), and, it may be, do more in this parish than in my old one; for I have leave to read prayers every morning and afternoon here in the prison, and to preach once a Sunday, which I choose to do in the afternoon when there is no sermon at the minster. And I'm getting acquainted with my brother jail-birds as fast as I can; and shall write to London, next post, to the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, who, I hope, will send me some books to distribute amongst them. I should not write these things from a jail if I thought your Grace would believe me ever the less for my being here ; where if I should lay my bones, I 'd bless God and pray for your Grace. Your Grace's very obliged and most humble servant,
Archbishop Sharpe's kind heart must have warmed to the man who could be so cheery in such a position, strive to help his " brother jail-birds " without repulsion, and look upon them as the flock committed to his charge for the time being. He immediately wrote him a sympathetic answer, told him the reports he had
