Nor was Robert Raikes, the founder of Sunday and other schools, a
rich man; neither was Thomas Wright, the prison philanthropist. Nor were
St. Vincent de Paul and Father Mathew--the promoters of education and
temperance. Nor were the great men of science--Newton, Watt, and
Faraday; nor the great missionaries--Xavier, Martyn, Carey, and
Livingstone.
A fine instance of gentleness and generosity is recorded in Walton's
memoir of Dr. Donne. When the latter, long straitened in his means, had
entered upon the Deanery of St. Paul's, and was thereby provided with an
income more than sufficient for all his wants, he felt that those means
had been entrusted to him, for good uses, and to employ for human help
and to the glory of the Giver thereof. At the foot of a private account,
"to which God and His angels only were witnesses with him," Dr. Donne
computed first his revenue, then what was given to the poor and other
pious uses, and lastly, what rested for him and his; and having done
that, he then blessed each year's poor remainder with a thankful prayer.
Dr. Donne did most of his good in secret, letting not his right hand
know what his left hand did. He redeemed many poor from prison; helped
many a poor scholar; and employed a trusty servant or a discreet friend
to distribute his bounty where it was most needed.
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