On receiving a card from Mr. Langton, I went to dine with him.  I found the party to consist of Sir Charles Middleton, Mr. Wilberforce, Mr. Hawkins Browne, Mr. Windham, Sir Joshua Reynolds, and Mr. Boswell.  The latter was then known as the friend of Dr. Johnson, and afterwards as the writer of his Tour to the Hebrides.  After dinner the subject of the Slave-trade was purposely introduced.  Many questions were put to me, and I dilated upon each in my answers, that I might inform and interest those present as much as I could.  They seemed to be greatly impressed with my account of the loss of seamen in the trade, and with the little samples of African cloth, which I had procured for their inspection.  Sir Joshua Reynolds gave his unqualified approbation of the abolition of this cruel traffic.  Mr. Hawkins Browne joined heartily with him in sentiment; he spoke with much feeling upon it, and pronounced it to be barbarous, and contrary to every principle of morality and religion.  Mr. Boswell, after saying the planters would urge that the Africans were made happier by being carried from their own country to the West Indies, observed, “Be it so.  But we have no right to make people happy against their will.”  Mr. Windham, when it was suggested that the great importance of our West Indian islands, and the grandeur of Liverpool, would be brought against those who should propose the abolition of the Slave-trade, replied, “We have nothing to do with the policy of the measure.  Rather let Liverpool and the Islands be swallowed up in the sea, than this monstrous system of iniquity be carried on[A].”  While such conversation was passing, and when all appeared to be interested in the cause, Mr. Langton put the question, about the proposal of which I had been so diffident, to Mr. Wilberforce, in the shape of a delicate compliment.  The latter replied, that he had no objection to bring forward the measure in parliament, when he was better prepared for it, and provided no person more proper could be found.  Upon this, Mr. Hawkins Browne and Mr. Windham both said they would support him there.  Before I left the company, I took Mr. Wilberforce aside, and asked him if I might mention this his resolution to those of my friends in the City, of whom he had often heard me speak, as desirous of aiding him by becoming a commitee for the purpose.  He replied, I might.  I then asked Mr. Langton, privately, if he had any objection to belong to a society of which there might be a commitee for the abolition of the Slave-trade.  He said he should be pleased to become a member of it.  Having received these satisfactory answers, I returned home.

[Footnote A:  I do not know upon what grounds, after such strong expressions, Mr. Boswell, in the next year, and Mr. Windham, after having supported the cause for three or four years, became inimical to it.]