subscribe my guinea annually: and I am ready, if it is really needed, to put down my ten pound note towards the hospital fund."

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"O, sir! no one for a moment doubts your liberality whenever a sacrifice is called for: but at present the case is different. We have hit upon a plan which involves no personal sacrifice, and which will benefit the institution more than any individual could. Nevertheless, you take a different view of the subject: well-that's all perfectly fair-you your way, I mine-that's true liberty. If you have any objection to supporting our festival, I am sure you will do me the favour to accept a ticket. You will be very much pleased: the professionals are all first rate and our own singers muster pretty strong. I should be sorry any old friend of mine should be excluded from so inviting an opportunity, which will probably never occur again."

"Come, Mr. Parker, fine words butter no parsnips. You have found out that, with or without a ticket, I have a right to come. Come, sir, confess

it."

"Really, sir, you have such an odd way of looking at things. I can assure you that I have the greatest pleasure in offering you this ticket; you know it would be perfectly out of the question for you to think of getting in without it; may I hope you will make use of it?"

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'Well, sir, I am obliged to you. I to be there?"

What time am

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Perhaps you will do me the favour of breakfasting with me previously. I expect a few friends whom you will be pleased with."

"Well, sir, I shall have great pleasure in doing so. What time shall we say?"

"It must not be later than half-past eight; for we begin at ten, and there will be a good deal to settle in the church first."

And after a few more parting words, Mr. Parker left the house, and made a flattering report of his success to his colleague and to Mr. Fortescue.

We must now take a glance at the affairs of Monk Teynton, which we may seem to have forgotten.

The

To describe the surprise of Mr. Wallis, when Sir John Morley acquainted him with the design he had formed for restoring the impropriation, would be quite impossible. He seemed to doubt whether he heard aright; and when assured of the fact, his expressions of astonishment and of gratitude were mingled together in a most ludicrous manner. letter from the Bishop was in the same dignified strain of praise as that in which Archbishop, then Bishop Williams, acknowledged a similar good act on the part of Mrs. Ferrar, the mother of Nicholas Ferrar. The deeds were placed in the lawyer's hands; the technical difficulties respecting the foundation of a church at Ayton were met; and the whole affair put in progress. Much conversation took place from day to day on the arrangement and

design of the new church: and it was determined, with the consent of the Bishop, that the ceremony of laying the foundation stone should be attended with some fitting expression of Church feeling. Of course, the opinions of the neighbourhood were different as to the merit of the work; but while most (with the exception of Messrs. Tomkins, Jupp, and their congregations, and Mr. Trenton, who thought, as he phrased it, that "the demand for religious instruction in that spot did not authorize the production of the article") agreed that the design itself was excellent, all condemned the principle on which Sir John acted. To surrender his impropriation, because it was an impropriation, seemed to them little short of madness: and Col. Abberley observed to some gentlemen who stood up in favour of the proceeding, "Never tell me, sir, about the man's duty! why, what should I do then with my abbey?"

In the mean time, the musical festival approached rapidly. Tuesday evening came: the "celebrated light post coach" to Studham deposited the principal singers at the Bull and Gridiron; galleries of all kinds were erected in the church; Mr. Tappet, the upholsterer, had given his final touches to the arrangements in which he was concerned; the churchwardens had pronounced the whole "a splendid combination of taste, elegance, and economy." Mr. Fortescue suggested one or two alterations, which were promptly attended to: and all the persons principally concerned retired to rest with the happiest anticipations,

and with the knowledge that almost all the tickets had been disposed of.

At half past nine on the following morning Mr. Parker, with his breakfast party, among whom was our friend Mr. Wingfield, went into the church.

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Sweetly pretty indeed!" said one of the ladies, whose talents were soon to "electrify," as the County Herald phrased it, the numerous visitors: "sweetly pretty, really, Mr. Parker, that arrangement," pointing to the orchestra, which projected half way down the church. "But don't you think that curtain will deaden the voice a little? I'm not particular-but I really must trouble you to have it removed."

"Certainly, with the greatest pleasure. Dickson, will you step up and see to that?"

“I say, Parker, this bench will never do," cried a gentleman in the gallery. "Your carpenter has fixed it so near the front, that I can't sit down without breaking my knees."

"It shall be altered, sir, directly. If there is any other change any lady or gentleman can suggest, I am sure I shall be most happy to attend to it?"

"A most energetic person, Mr. Parker, is he not, sir?" inquired the first speaker of Wingfield. "In the whole of my professional experience, I never saw so much talent combined with industry and perseverance; and the energy with which he devotes himself to the cause of your most admirable charity, is praiseworthy in the highest degree."

"Humph! All's grist that goes to the mill," replied the party addressed.

"What a strange old gentleman that is!" whispered the other to one of her lady friends.

"I'm sure I don't know: but Mr. Parker asked me as a favour to be particularly civil to him; so I suppose he is some one of importance. I will try him again.

"It must be very gratifying to you to see the support which your friend's design has received from the gentry of Studham, sir."

"The support, ma'am, will be greater than you think for," replied Wingfield.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen," cried Parker, "you had perhaps better come into the vestry. It is close upon ten o'clock, and the doors will be thrown open presently."

Into the vestry the party accordingly went; which, being of considerable size, was partitioned off into two rooms, so as to accommodate the ladies with a separate retiring apartment.

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Dickson," said Parker, "how comes it there is no table?"

"Beg your pardon, sir," said Dickson: "it entirely escaped my memory. What had I better do?" "Why, I don't know," replied the Churchwarden: "what do you think, Ross?"

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Why," said Ross, "there's the Communion Table: -no one wants it—why not bring in that?"