He begged at this time in Borris O'Kane, Limerick, Ennis, Gort, Galway, Loughren, Ballinasloe, Mullingar, and preached 101 sermons since the previous 5th September. His begging tour ends in Dublin, about March, where he begins a new campaign of what he terms "his crusade." He preached some controversial lectures in Dublin, dined and talked with Dissenting ministers, wrote a little newspaper controversy, and had a meeting in the Rotundo. This very active kind of work did not seem to suit his taste or spirit, and he changed very soon to another and a more congenial one--the conversational mode of advancing the Catholic cause. He visited the leading men both in the Establishment and in the offices of State, and the conferences he held with them are so interesting that we shall relate a few of them in his own words. The extracts are taken from letters {402} published by him in 1853, in the _Catholic Standard_, now _The Weekly Register_:-- _Interview with Lord John Russell._ One day early in February, 1850, I had been on an expedition down to Westminster. I look back on all my walks during a certain period, that is, while I was constantly wearing my Passionist habit, as _expeditions_. Indeed they were eventful ones in their way. I was returning through Parliament Street; and having an hour to dispose of, as I passed by Downing Street, I thought I would now try, what I had long thought of, to have a conversation with the Premier. I asked, "Is Lord John Russell at home?" The messenger [query?] who came to the door looked at my figure with some surprise, then said, "Yes, sir, but he is engaged at present?" I said, "Will you be so good as to say to him that Lord Spencer's brother would wish to speak with him?" "Walk in, sir," he answered; and to my surprise, I must say, I found myself at once in a waiting-room, and five minutes later was introduced to Lord John. He rose to me, and kindly pointed to a chair. I said, "Do you remember me, my Lord?" "Oh, yes," he answered. I then proceeded: "I hardly know whether what I am now doing is wise or not; but I will explain my reason for asking to see your lordship and you will judge. You are aware, probably, that it is now some twenty years since I became a Catholic. Ever since that time, my whole mind has been bent on leading others to the same faith, and, in short, on the conversion of this country to Catholicity. For this end I have endeavoured, as far as it was possible, to move all Catholics throughout the world to pray for the conversion of England. I have also spoken with as many as I could of the leading men among the clergy of the Church of England and among Dissenting ministers, to move them also to pray that God would bring this country to unity in the truth wherever he sees it to be. I am almost always received agreeably on these occasions; for all seem to agree in what I think cannot be denied, that if there is anything