Thus a grain of self-denial, justice and charity was often drawn into the heart of a cell through the very keyhole.

No. 19, Robinson, did many a little friendly office for other figures, received their thanks, and, above all, obliging these figures warmed and softened his own heart.

You might hear such dialogues as this: 

No. 24.  “And how is poor old No. 50 to-day (Strutt)?”

Mr. Eden.  “Much the same.”

No. 24.  “Do you think you will bring him round, sir?”

Mr. Eden.  “I have great hopes; he is much improved since he had the garden and the violin.”

No. 24.  “Will you give him my compliments, sir?  No. 24’s compliments and tell him I bid him ’never say die’?”

Mr. Eden.  “Well, ——­, how are you this morning?”

“I am a little better, sir.  This room (the infirmary) is so sweet and airy, and they give me precious nice things to eat and drink.”

“Are the nurses kind to you?”

“That, they are, sir, kinder than I deserve.”

“I have a message for you from No. —­ on your corridor.”

“No! have you, sir?”

“He sends his best wishes for your recovery.”

“Now that is very good of him.”

“And he would be very glad to hear from yourself how you feel.”

“Well, sir, you tell him I am a trifle better, and God bless him for troubling his head about me.”

In short, his reverence reversed the Hawes system.  Under that a prisoner was divested of humanity and became a number and when he fell sick the sentiment created was, “The figure written on the floor of that cell looks faint.”  When he died or was murdered, “There is such and such a figure rubbed off our slate.”

Mr. Eden made these figures signify flesh and blood, even to those who never saw their human faces.  When he had softened a prisoner’s heart then he laid the deeper truths of Christianity to that heart.  They would not adhere to ice or stone or brass.  He knew that till he had taught a man to love his brother whom he had seen he could never make him love God whom he has not seen.  To vary the metaphor, his plan was, first warm and soften your wax then begin to shape it after Heaven’s pattern.  The old-fashioned way is freeze, petrify and mold your wax by a single process.  Not that he was mawkish.  No man rebuked sin more terribly than he often rebuked it in many of these cells; and when he did so see what he gained by the personal kindness that preceded these terrible rebukes!  The rogue said:  “What! is it so bad that his reverence, who I know has a regard for me, rebukes me for it like this?—­why, it must be bad indeed!”