RESIGNATION TO GOD'S WILL.

49

seem that there came men from them to Leipsic fair, who brought this intelligence. They were trading in Cashmere shawls. . . . I will let you know more of this when I hear further concerning it. I am to dine with Mr. Drummond this day week, to settle who are to be of the Albury Conference. He seems to think that we must select with more caution, as some of the people last year have not been very faithful. I hope it is only malicious report. Oh, that we were filled with the love and the life of Christ! I have had but a restless night, and I write this fasting. It is just striking twelve upon the Somers-town church, which is almost right opposite my window, with a green grass park full of milch cows between, which I overlook on this sweet autumnlike morning. My dear brother! oh, my brother! how oft, on such mornings, have we rejoiced in our childhood together; and behold thy visible part moulders in the dust far away, and mine abideth here still. May we meet at the throne of the glory of God! This is not a prayer for the dead, but for the living. Miss Macdonald is to come at twelve to write. What excellence is wrapped up in that name-right-hearted, tender-hearted woman! Thou art, indeed, a comfort to me in the absence of my wife and children,-worth many sisters. Farewell, my dear Isabella; make no tarrying to return; our time may be short together, let it be sweet. I bless the children in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." "15th August.

"God hath enabled us, my dear wife, to be in perfect resignation to. His will, and in much affliction to say, 'Thy will be done!' His actings in Providence are the declarations of His sovereignty, and our receiving them with thankfulness is our thankful acknowledgment of the same. Therefore, to me and mine be it according to the will of God. I did rejoice exceedingly when I found that He had been pleased to shine on us with His face, and I trust He will continue to do so more and more. It is very sweet to me to receive your letters, and to bear the share of your burdens. I have thought

*This description will startle the present inhabitants of that crowded and busy district.

50

ARRANGEMENT ABOUT HIS TRINITY SERMONS.

it might conduce to your health and the children's to try the air of Monimail, and, if that did not recruit you, might it not be advisable to try the very mild air of Annan or Moffat? But act in this matter as you judge best. I think our desires are equal, to be separated no longer than is absolutely

necessary.

"Your prayers concerning my books have been answered, in one respect already, that yesterday and to-day I have been directed, I think, in great wisdom, and delivered from great perplexity. You know how the book for the Church hath passed to three volumes. It is now my purpose to make it three complete volumes, and not to burden the Church with the risk, but to give them Mr. Drummond's book*, which I think will come into immediate and wide circulation, the expense being already provided for. And now, having the other work on my hand, I propose adding to the first part another discourse upon the Method of the Incarnation,' which will complete the whole doctrine. . . . and this done, I offer the thousand copies to any bookseller in Edinburgh, being resolved to bring it out in the heart of my Mother Church, as containing the whole doctrine on which she is become so feeble, and containing, besides, much prophetic matter, and much natural and ecclesiastical, which may prepare the way for the other work, upon which I find I must at least spend a diligent winter. This, therefore, I intend immediately to arrange for, by means of my friend, Mr. Bridges, to whom I will write, and ask him to negotiate with the booksellers for me. This I think a very great deliverance, and humbly trust to see prosperous unto the Church of Christ and the glory of God. The additional discourse will bring the first volume up to the size of the other two, being 400 pages; and I will distinctly state the reason of it to be my becoming aware of the existence of the heresy in the Church. Be of good cheer: the Lord is not raising a controversy about these things for naught.

"I am now sleeping at Mr. Hamilton's, but working here

* By "Mr. Drummond's book," Irving evidently means the Last Days, Mr. Drummond, it would appear, having specially suggested or approved it.

THE BISHOP OF CHESTER.

51

with my most faithful fellow-workman; and I trust attaining to deeper and deeper insight into the mystery of God, as also is my flock. To-night we begin Ezekiel at Mr. Tudor's, and I trust the Lord will be with us. Mr. Marsh intends to be of our party. And Miss Macdonald has consented to accompany me Mr. Drummond told us that the new London College was an idea of the Archbishop's, thrown out to the King, without thinking he would approve it. But he did at once, and the Archbishop pledged the Bishops, who were invited to Lambeth, knowing not wherefore, as a Bishop told Mr. When they were come together, the Archbishop told them he had pledged them to the King. They were loath, but could not draw back, and consented, in the hope it might come to nothing. The Lord leads men blindly; it is now come to 100,000l., and will go on, I hope, to the defeat of the infidel, or to the showing out the Dissenters as the opposers of religion established, and the preferrers of infidelity un-established, and the establishers of it. Dr. Sumner, now Bishop of Chester, was in Hatchard's, and said to a clergyman whom he met there, I have a note here to wait upon the Duke of Wellington. Tell me where he lives.' He went, was back in about ten minutes, and the clergyman was still there. You have soon got your business over.' 'Yes, and in so short a time I am promoted to the see of Chester. I was shown into a room, -in came the Duke: Are you Dr. Sumner? I am commanded to offer you the bishopric of Chester. Do you accept it or not? Yes? Then put down your name here. Good morning.' And so he left him. This is from good authority, Mr. Drummond says. send it to amuse you and your father....

you and my children, and all your house."

The Lord bless

"18th August.

you,

conclud

"I am glad to-day to have no accounts from ing that dear Samuel is recovering, and that the mild weather will be blessed to the speedy restoration of your strength; yet, while I thus hope and pray, I desire to submit myself and mine to the great Sovereign Disposer, who ordereth all according to the pleasure of His own will. I feel that this is, indeed, to feel and to act upon my election of God, to surrender

52

CONTRACT WITH PUBLISHERS.

....

all things unto Him as a righteous and tender father, in which I know you labour along with me. By the blessing of God I continue equal to my duties. I am, indeed, very anxious that you should remove before those cold winds, which proved in God's hand fatal to our dear Edward. Whenever you do propose it, you should begin to have preparations made for your removal in such time as to leave you nothing to do for a day or two before, but to take leave of your family and step into the carriage or the boat. You may think this is shooting far ahead, but I am, indeed, desirous that you and my children should be with me as soon as is consistent with health and safety;-for I dread these east winds, and I long to be your nurse, if not in bodily, at least in spiritual matters.

"I have signed a contract with Seeley for the three volumes, to the first of which I intend to add a fifth sermon, demonstrative of Christ's true humanity. I take all the risk, pay the printers, and have a guinea for each copy, allowing him 5l. per cent., which, if they sell, will leave me 1000l., and the expenses of printing, &c., will be about half of it. It is provided that I may have separate agents for Glasgow and Edinburgh, with whom (Collins and Oliphant, I propose, with your judgment) I will make a similar contract for those which they may sell. Miss Macdonald has already pressed upon me 300l., which she has no use for at the bankers, to pay the printing. It is a book for much good or evil, both to the Church and myself, I distinctly foresee. I intend to read it all over with the utmost diligence, and correct it with the greatest care. The other book is proceeding fast-we are now about the 350th page; it will be about 450. I have the sweetest testimonies, both from Ireland and from Mr. Maclean, to my book on Baptism - or rather, I should say, yours for to you, I believe, the thoughts were given, as to you they are dedicated. My little tale is now completed, about eighteen pages, and I have asked a revise, that I may send it to you under cover. We have had a pro-re-nata meeting of Presbytery, and I am much exhausted. I shall now close with my blessing; the blessing of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost be upon the head of my dear wife, and my two children, for ever and ever."

TALE OF THE MARTYRS.

63

53

The "little tale" here referred to was a quaint and graceful little narrative, entitled a Tale of the Times of the Martyrs, which his countryman, Allan Cunningham, then engaged in the arduous occupation of editing an Annual, had persuaded him to write. The Annual in question was the Anniversary, a publication which, I believe, lived and died in one appearance. Irving's story is a fine piece of writing, in the same style of minute and simple narrative as his journals, but is chiefly remarkable as his only attempt in the lighter form of literature, excepting, indeed, another brief narrative, equally minute, quaint, and melancholy, entitled The Loss of the Abeona, which appeared in Frazer's Magazine nearly about the same time. Both are true, detailed, and simple to the last degree, and convey the reader into a primitive world of heightened, but profoundly reserved, Scotch imagination, very remarkable and impressive in its way. How he could have found time for such elaborate, minute cabinet pictures, amid all his great labours and studies, is more than one can understand.

His next letters are occupied with a project of visiting Harrogate, which Mr. Drummond had proposed to him. Irving's health was shaken at the time; at least he was in such a condition of discomfort, as the strongest frames, shut out from external nature, and pursued by an incessant flood of thought, are naturally liable to. His doctor told him that, "as my complaints proceed rather from an excess of health and disarrangement of the functions through much thought, they (the Harrogate waters) would be of little good or evil to so robust a person;" yet, tempted by Mr. Drummond's