never a mention throughout all the parish work of a Confirmation nor of a visit from a Bishop.
The Dean of Wells was for the time prejudiced by his attorney, who declared that the ladies taught "French principles," and who was employed by Barrow to take legal measure against them for teaching without a licence.
Of course, this came to nothing. Old Bishop Moss, who was nearly ninety, used to say, "When I hear it is Miss Hannah More, I know it is all right." But this had little effect. An opposition school was started at Wedmore, and the children driven to it by the parish officers. The poor clung closely to their benefactresses, and on the obnoxious master being removed, and a mistress sent in his place, things began to mend. But the signal had been given for revolt, and a still worse opposition broke out at Blagdon, whither the Misses More had been so urgently invited by the rector, Dr. Crossman, who lived at Bath, and the curate, Mr. Bere, who was rector of Butcombe, it having been apparently the habit of the clergy to live anywhere but in their own parishes.
The disturbance began in the winter of 1799-1800, while the sisters were wintering at Bath. Mr. Bere had adopted Socinian opinions, and preached a sermon which shocked Young, the schoolmaster, who had been removed from Nailsea for imprudent zeal. He
