HANNAH MORE, eminence poured in upon Hannah More, entreating her to write some little tract as an antidote ; which induced her to publish the dialogue of " Village Politics, by Will Chip." So dubious was she of being able to effect any good, that, as was her wont when issuing works the success of which she was uncertain, she published anonymously. Yet this tract flew with such rapidity, that hundreds of thousands were speedily sold ; numerous patriotic persons printed large editions of it at their own expense, and some individuals " went so far as to affirm that it had essentially contributed, under Providence, to prevent a revolution." The extraordinary success of " Village Politics " induced Hannah More to venture, in 1795, on a more extensive undertaking. The establishment by the benevolent Mr. Raikes of Sunday Schools, having enabled numbers of the lower orders to read, the advocates of French revolutionary opinions had taken advantage to disseminate mischievous tracts, which were ecopped from loaded asses in cottages and highways, and into mines and coalpits. With the hope of counteracting the poison thus scattered, she began, at r, price far belowwhat they originally cost, the publication of " The Cheap Repository Tracts," which consisted of stories, ballads, and songs of a nature calculated to attract the popular mind. A subscription was raised, committees formed, bishops and nobles sanctioned the attempt, and such was the triumphant success of the scheme that two 37
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