conversation; hearing or aiding the musical performances; looking over, and expatiating upon those other rational and elegant amusements of life, to which the pen and the pencil so much contribute, or partaking in such games of recreation and pastime as agreeably exercise the mind, without calling into action, in the remotest degree, any passions or excitements derogatory either to humanity or religion,

66

THE SICK PENITENT.

DR. FREEMAN had been requested by a friend who had suddenly become very unwell, and to whom he was in the habit of frequently rendering assistance, to undertake the duty of his Church, which was situated at the distance of an hour's walk from the town. He had been preaching an excellent and effective sermon on procrastination, in which he had pointed out the danger of delay in "the things which belong to our peace," when on coming out of the Church he was accosted by a woman, whose garments, though neatly clean, indicated great poverty. She had been seated during the service on a bench directly facing the pulpit, where he had frequently before observed her but her uncommon earnestness and attention to what he that day delivered had caught his notice. She now requested, in the absence of the Vicar, that he would have the goodness to accompany her

on a visit to her husband, who, she said, was then stretched on the bed of sickness, and feeling in himself the little probability of ever again rising from it, she had caught at the wish he now expressed of calling in the counsel of the clergyman. To appeals of this kind, the Doctor lent a ready ear; and though somewhat fatigued by the exertions of the day, he readily followed her to a mud-hovel, situated alone in a further corner of the village. Here poverty was depicted in strong colours. Low and narrow was the entrance, through a door liable to be blown open by any gust of wind, into a room too large in its rude imperfect state to afford much comfort; and scanty were the articles of furniture, which were here and there seen in this apartment. The apertures for light, for they could scarcely be called windows, answered the description so correctly drawn by Crabbe:"Where one dull pane, that, coarsely patch'd, gives way "To the rude tempest, yet excludes the day."

It was, indeed, altogether a scene from which, if it could have stooped so low, Pride might have derived a goodly lesson, to mortify its vanity, improve its heart, and modulate to a more equal pitch its high-strung feelings.

But, besides this cheerless room, there was another of equal dimensions, in which the poor man was stretched upon "his matted flock." The wasting of a slow but deep consumption had thrown over his sharp and pointed visage an unearthly cast; whilst a livid hue, the result of mental inquietude, had given a deep shade to his countenance, which alternately exhibited despair and constrained cheerfulness. The teasing of a short cough either prevented his taking any rest, or when exhausted nature for a short time sank into the appearance of repose, soon

broke the deathlike calm.

On a three-legged table were placed a small broken tea-pot, which contained the liquid with which he occasionally moistened his parched and withered lips; a Bible, a Prayerbook, and a few misnamed "Religious Tracts," which the pertinacious hardiness of itinerant pedlars imposes upon the poor and ignorant. Aided by these hot-bed productions of perverted intellect and inflated spirituality, they had been zealously trying, as they termed it, within the last few days, to enlighten his understanding, to open his eyes to faith and grace, and to convert his sinful soul. And although they had not succeeded

so far as to make him one of their own that

is, one who groans loudly, makes much pretension, and talks incoherently of what he does not understand they had confused his ideas,

and unhinged his tranquillity.

Here then was an object worthy the Christian pastorage of our kind Rector; one who needed the guiding voice of a good shepherd to direct his wandering and uncertain thoughts to their true channel, and give them their necessary stability; who, though not a notorious sinner, was a stranger to God, and had yet to learn how sweet and pleasant it is to know the Lord."

After the Doctor had ascended into this miserable loft, by a rickety course of rough-hewn blocks of wood, in the shape of stairs, he looked upon the dejected dying man, with emotions of pity and kindness.

"Well, my friend," said he, "how do you find yourself? I am come at the request of your wife to see you, and I hope you will approve of my visit."

"Oh, Sir!" he replied, "I am indeed very weak in bodily health, and have long wished to