The nineteenth-century cabinet maker William Lovett on the development of his literary and intellectual interests after joining 'The Liberals', a literary and debating association, during a period of residence in London: '"I [...] became seized with an enthusiastic desire to read and treasure up all I could meet with on the subject of Christianity [...] often have I sat up till morning dawned reading and preparing myself with arguments [for use at Liberals meetings] in support of its principles."'