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it is a horrible fact, that in their profane imitations of the LORD's Supper, wine is not employed."

"With respect to Father Matthew," said Sir John, "I believe him to be a well meaning man, but his line of conduct is about as void of every due feeling for episcopal pre-eminence (allowing, for the sake of argument, his Church to be the true Church), as ever was displayed by Presbyterian or Independent. A simple Priest, he exercises a kind of hyperepiscopal function in every diocese where it may suit his fancy or convenience to go: he invents a kind of ceremony for the occasion, and seems to think that the efficacy of the pledge depends, not in the intrinsic virtue of an oath, but on the hands by which it is administered. To my mind, there is much in this that looks like vanity, hiding itself (perhaps unconsciously) under the cloke of doing GOD service."

"that

"We are to remember, too," added his son, after all, this is but a new heresy revived; so true is it, that there is nothing new under the sun.

"To what heresy, Mr. Morley, do you allude?" asked Sir Thomas Underby.

"That of the Hydroparastatæ, if you recall the name," answered the other.

"I had forgotten their existence," replied Sir Thomas. "Certainly, it is singular enough that a new antidote to vice should turn out to be an old heresy."

"One might perhaps find it to be the case in more instances than this," said Sir John Morley. "We may take it for granted that there is no royal road to virtue, any more than there is to science. Shall we go up into the drawing-room?"

CHAPTER II.

Lament, lament, old abbeys,
The fairies' lost command:
They did but change poor babies,
But some have changed your land;
And all your children sprung from thence
Are now grown Puritanes;

Who live unchanged ever since

For love of your domains.

BISHOP CORBET.

"Now that you are going to settle down with us, Robert," said Sir John Morley to his eldest son, a few days after the return of the latter to Teynton Park, and as they were on their way to Ayton Priory, "I hope we may be able to make one or two alterations for the better in the village. My time is so much taken up by my duties as a magistrate and by county business, and your brother is so much afraid, and it shows well in him to be so, of doing any thing which may seem to anticipate our worthy Vicar's removal, that in many respects you will be able to effect more than either of us. I wish we could put a little more energy into good

Mr. Wallis; as it is, I fear we must be content with getting his approval to our plans."

"I can assure you," replied Robert Morley, "I mean to sit down to the acquirement of a knowledge of my new profession, with as hearty good will as ever I did to Mathematicks when I was a freshman. But what is there which you think my help could be serviceable in, just at present?"

"I will tell you one thing," replied his father, “which has long weighed upon my mind. I have hitherto refrained from mentioning it to you, because it is a subject of importance, and I wished you to be in a condition to form an unbiassed judgement on it. I do not want you to give me a hasty answer; take your own time, if you feel any difficulty in making up your mind. You know well that the great tithes of Monk Teynton have been in our family for nearly sixty years. They were originally appropriate to Ayton Priory, and were not separated from that. estate till your great-grandfather bought them from the Jolliffes, then its owners. Till lately, I had never bestowed much attention on the subject; or, if I ever felt a momentary scruple at enjoying a revenue which had once been solemnly appropriated to the service of God, I quieted my conscience by the thought that so long possession conferred a right, and that probably most estates were acquired, at some period or other, in a manner not perfectly just. Still, I must confess that I was not satisfied to see Mr. Wallis undertaking the duties

of a large parish for £400 a year, while I, from an estate originally intended for his maintenance in the cure, derive an equal income, and do nothing for it. Shortly after I came into possession of the estate, I offered, if he wished for the aid of a curate, to find the funds this he declined, on the ground of being able to take the whole duty himself; but partly influenced, I imagine, by the desire of having things entirely his own way, and avoiding all interference."

"He made no difficulty, I think, when you proposed that George should become his curate, did he?” asked Robert Morley.

"On the contrary, he seemed very well pleased with the offer: but then the management of the parish was obviously getting beyond his strength. Had he had any family, it was always my intention to help them forward in the world in any way that he might wish; but as this was not the case, and as his expenses in the way of parochial charity were next to nothing, since he always had carte blanche from me, in relieving such cases as he might consider deserving, I did not feel called upon to offer any addition to his income. The rather as he has a tolerable private fortune."

"It seems to me," said the other, "that Mr. Wallis, however willing he might be to increase his income, is better off than the larger part of our parish clergy, and certainly no one can blame you for having acted in any way ungenerously towards him."

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