Here is an interesting extract from his diary for April 20th, 1831: "Rose this morning at about half-past five, and much enjoyed my walk round Rockstone Lane; the spring opening so beautifully, and again clothing the fields with verdure; the lark pouring forth its morning notes, and the slowly passing stream of Northam, had a pleasing effect, and afforded ample material for reflection. The opposite shore reminded me of Dr Watts, as he contemplated the same scene:

'Sweet fields beyond the swelling flood
Stand dressed in living green:
So to the Jews old Canaan stood
While Jordan rolled between.'

That verse, of course, is taken from Isaac Watts hymn of heaven, "There is a land of pure delight, where saints immortal reign." Isaac Watts is viewing the countryside around Southampton Water, the beautiful country scenes of the New Forest and then the Isle of Wight in the far distance. He views this and meditates upon the Children of Israel and their crossing the Jordan:

"Could we but stand where Moses Stood
And view the landscape o'er
Not death nor Jordan's sullen flood
Could fright us from that shore."

Rockstone Lane is at the southern end of The Avenue. No longer are there fields, nor does the lark ascending sing its morning notes, but now there is the densely urbanised area that resounds to the hum of traffic.

In those far off days, the way for a young man to make his way in the world was to go to London. So to make his fortune, Doudney left Southampton in 1832 and commenced working for Jowett & Mills, printers of Bolt Court, Fleet Street, London (it is interesting to note that it was also in Bolt Court, Fleet Street that Thomas Bensley had his printing office, and it was from the presses of Thomas Bensley that Huntington's works were issued). However, he soon set up in business on his own behalf as The City Press, firstly in Holloway and then in Long Street, Aldersgate. In 1840, Doudney purchased the copyright of The Gospel Magazine.

The Gospel Magazine has been commenced in January 1766 as a journal: "To promote the study of the sacred Scriptures, to spread the knowledge of true divinity, and to make the streams of heavenly wisdom flow down from this pure and inexhaustible fountain of all spiritual instruction; that Zion may be more plentifully watered...."&c.

The title page of the ninth volume states that it is "The Gospel Magazine or treasury of Divine Knowledge designed to promote Experimental religion." The magazine was launched in the period of the Evangelical Awakening. It was unashamedly Calvinistic and its contributors included such men as John Newton who wrote under the name of Omicron. Its editors included Erasmus Middleton, the author of Biographia Evangelica or Evangelical Biography; Augustus Montague Toplady, the author of the Hymn, Rock of Ages; Walter Row, the Toplady's friend and executor. Walter Row edited the magazine for 44 years. When he was nearing the end of his life a prominent evangelical clergy-man approached him. Bagnall Baker sought to take over the magazine. Such were Bagnall Baker's High Church (High Church as opposed to Anglo-Catholic) principles that Walter Row said to him, "You conduct the magazine! why, if you had it, you would not retain it for six months." He did manage to obtain the copyright after Row's death and managed to keep it for 5 months which is hardly surprising as Baker held the view that "All Dissenters were in the condemnation of Korah, Dathan and Abiram." This view being reflected in the pages of the Gospel Magazine, its circulation immediately fell and the copyright was soon offered to Doudney. Doudney commenced his editorship in 1840 and did not lay down his editorial pen until he did so in death in 1893, some 53 years later.