Sentence:  Jones ... was easily prevailed on to satisfy Mr Dowling's curiosity, by relating the history of his birth and education, which he did, like Othello. ... Mr Dowling was indeed very greatly affected with this <WSD>relation</WSD>; for he had not divested himself of humanity by being an attorney. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  The act of relating a story.