certain appointed days, to the Cathedral Church in Salisbury; and at his return would say, That his time spent in prayer, and Cathedral Music, elevated his soul, and was his Heaven upon Earth. But before his return thence to Bemerton, he would usually sing and play his part at an appointed private Musick meeting; and, to justify this practice, he would often say, Religion does not banish mirth, but only moderates and sets rules to it.

And, as his desire to enjoy his Heaven upon Earth. drew him twice every week to Salisbury, so, his walks thither were the occasion of many accidents to others; of which I will mention some few.

In one of his walks to Salisbury he overtook a Gentleman, that is still living in that Čity; and in their walk together, Mr. Herbert took a fair occasion to talk with him, and humbly begged to be excused, if he asked him some account of his faith; and said, I do this the rather, because though you are not of my parish, yet I receive tithe from you by the hand of your Tenant; and, Sir, I am the bolder to do it, because I know there be some Sermon-hearers that be like those fishes, that always live in salt water, and yet are always fresh.

After which expression, Mr. Herbert asked him some needful Questions, and having received his answer, gave him such rules for the trial of his sincerity, and for a practical piety, and in so loving and meek a manner, that the Gentleman did so fall in love with him, and his discourse, that he would often contrive to meet him in his walk to Salisbury, or to attend him back to Bemerton; and still mentions the name of Mr. George Herbert with veneration, and still praiseth God that he knew him.

In another walk to Salisbury, he saw a poor man with

a poorer horse, that was fallen under his load: they were both in distress and needed present help; which Mr. Herbert perceiving, put off his canonical coat, and helped the poor man to unload, and after to load his horse. The poor man blessed him for it, and he blessed the poor man; and was so like the good Samaritan, that he gave him money to refresh both himself and his horse; and told him, That if he loved himself, he should be merciful to his beast. Thus he left the poor man: and at his coming to his musical friends at Salisbury, they began to wonder that Mr. George Herbert, which used to be so trim and clean, came into that company so soiled and discomposed; but he told them the occasion. And when one of the company told him, He had disparaged himself by so dirty an employment, his answer was, That the thought of what he had done, would prove Musick to him at midnight; and that the omission of it would have upbraided and made discord in his conscience, whensoever he should pass by that place : for if I be bound to pray for all that be in distress, I am sure that I am bound, so far as it is in my power, to practise what I pray for. And though I do not wish for the like occasion every day, yet let me tell you, I would not willingly pass one day of my life, without comforting a sad soul, or showing mercy; and I praise God for this occasion. And now let us tune our Instruments. Life of George Herbert

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Portrait of John Donne

E was of stature moderately tall; of a straight and equally proportioned body, to which all his words and actions gave an unexpressible addition of comeliness.

The melancholy and pleasant humour were in him so contempered, that each gave advantage to the other, and made his company one of the delights of Mankind.

His fancy was inimitably high, equalled only by his great wit; both being made useful by a commanding judgement.

His aspect was chearful, and such as gave a silent testimony of a clear knowing soul, and of a Conscience at peace with itself.

His melting eye showed that he had a soft heart, full of noble compassion; of too brave a soul to offer injuries, and too much a Christian not to pardon them in others.

He did much contemplate (especially after he entered into his Sacred Calling) the mercies of Almighty God, the immortality of the Soul, and the joys of heaven; and would often say in a kind of sacred ecstasy, Blessed be God that he is God, only and divinely like Himself.'

He was by nature highly passionate, but more apt to reluct at the excesses of it. A great lover of the offices of humanity, and of so merciful a spirit, that he never beheld the miseries of Mankind without pity and relief.

He was earnest and unwearied in the search of knowledge, with which his vigorous soul is now satisfied, and employed in a continual praise of that God that first breathed it into his active body; that body, which once was a Temple of the Holy Ghost and is now become a small quantity of Christian dust:-But I shall see it reanimated.

Life of John Donne

134

The Judicious Hooker makes an

Injudicious Marriage

ND by this [marriage] the good man was drawn from

the tranquillity of his college; from that Garden of Piety, of Pleasure, of Peace, and a sweet Conversation, into the thorny wilderness of a busy world; into those corroding cares that attend a married priest, and a Country Parsonage; which was DraytonBeauchamp in Buckinghamshire, not far from Aylesbury, and in the diocese of Lincoln; to which he was presented by John Cheney, Esq.-then patron of itthe 9th of December 1584, where he behaved himself so as to give no occasion of evil, but as St. Paul adviseth a Minister of God-in much patience, in afflictions, in anguishes, in necessities, in poverty, and no doubt in long-suffering; yet troubling no man with his discontents and wants.

And in this condition he continued about a year; in which time his two Pupils, Edwin Sandys and George Cranmer, took a journey to see their tutor; where they found him with a book in his hand (it was the Odes of Horace) he being then like humble and innocent Abel, tending his small allotment of sheep in a common field; which he told his Pupils he was forced to do then, for that his servant had gone home to dine, and assist his Wife to do some necessary household business. But when his servant returned and released him, then his two Pupils attended him. unto his house, where their best entertainment was his quiet company, which was presently denied them; for Richard was called to rock the cradle; and the rest of their welcome was so like this, that they stayed but till next morning, which was time enough to discover and pity their Tutor's condition; and having in

that time rejoiced in the remembrance, and then paraphrased on many of the innocent recreations of their younger days, and other like diversions, and thereby given him as much present comfort as they were able, they were forced to leave him to the company of his wife Joan, and seek themselves a quieter Lodging for next night. But at their parting from him, Mr. Cranmer said, Good tutor, I am sorry your lot is fallen in no better ground, as to your Parsonage; and more sorry that your Wife proves not a more comfortable Companion, after you have wearied yourself in your restless studies. To whom the good man replied, My dear George, if saints have usually a double share in the miseries of this life, I, that am none, ought not to repine at what my wise Creator hath appointed for me: but labour, as indeed I do daily, to submit mine to his will, and possess my soul in patience and peace.

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Life of Richard Hooker

Sir Henry Wotton

E yearly went also to Oxford. But the Summer before his death he changed that for a journey to Winchester College, to which school he was first removed from Bocton. And as he returned from Winchester towards Eaton College, said to a friend, his companion in that journey: How useful was that advice of a holy Monk, who persuaded his friend to perform his customary devotions in a constant place,. because in that place we usually meet with those very thoughts which possessed us at our last being there !! And I find it thus far experimentally true, that at my now being in that School, and seeing that very placewhere I sat when I was a boy, occasioned me to