generally led him to avoid the society of his kind monitor. Yet, as the sequel will show, Philip Stapylton was to be held up, in the sight of all men, pious and impious, as the grand reformer of every ill to which human flesh is liable, as the man without whose presidency all goodness must languish and die; in short, he was to be the purifier and regenerator of his country both in church and

state.

At this time, also, the Rev. Reginald Armitage happened to be staying for awhile at home, as were also other younger members of the family, for Sir John Armitage could number fourteen living children, some of them now scattered in various parts of the world. There was Herbert, the eldest son, and Arthur, the young counsellor; Edward, holding a civil appointment in India, and Robert, the young midshipman, besides Reginald and John, who were both in holy orders.

Reginald was the only son at this time at home, and he was engaged partly in the library, and partly in writing in the morning

room, where his sisters and young Stapylton usually sat. He had been educated at Eton and Oxford, and was a young man of considerable parts, but of a reserved and bashful demeanour. Those who knew him intimately, loved him as their own souls; and he had a strong troop of firm friends both at Eton and Alma Mater. He was not intended originally for the Church, indeed he had kept his full terms at the Temple; but he conceived a strong presentiment that the Bar was not the profession suited to his retiring disposition; and having taken up some strong views in regard to religion, he at once resolved on consulting his father as to the propriety of taking holy orders. This, after much consultation, was agreed to, and he commenced the office of a deacon in a sweet countryvillage, and, as might have been expected, with the greatest zeal and devotion, producing an entire revolution in the sentiments and habits of his flock. His charity knew no bounds, and thus he won the hearts of the poor; while his name and station introduced

him into the best society of his neighbourhood. It may be as well at once to say, that he coincided entirely with those views which, for some years past, have been distinguished by the name of "evangelical" in the church of England: in other words, he was "Calvinistic in doctrine," albeit not in discipline.

His natural sweetness of disposition, with his freedom from narrowness of feeling and opinion, led him rather to imitate the evangelicals in their zeal and earnestness, than in the promulgation of their peculiar and modern doctrines. Still, he commenced his profession with rather an abhorrence of what are called high-church principles; and generally preferred the works of Scott and Henry, Venn, Newton, and Simeon, and, perhaps, even some of the Puritan divines, to those of our old Anglocatholic standards of example and doctrine. It cannot be said that he belonged to any party or faction in the church, for he worked alone in his little vineyard. His one aim was to promote the glory of God in a know

ledge of Christ crucified for rebellious man; and he would have shuddered at the thought of using the Divine Word for the furtherance of any earthly design, such as the mere advancement of party must necessarily be. His discourses from the pulpit were of a truly original kind, and free at once from any of the cant expressions, or confined notions, that too often demonstrate a style of degenerate imitation, rather than of an individual conviction emanating from a diligent study of Holy Writ, and an extended acquaintance with the best models among the works of British divines. He never preached for effect, or sought popularity; but still his quiet, earnest, sincere style, like the speaking of Sir Samuel Romilly, was not only acceptable but extremely captivating to his congregation, and his church was always well filled; for, at this time, he gave a general invitation to all men to come and hear the gospel, never thinking of that courtesy and deference which were due to the apostolic preachers in his neighbouring parishes. And every day during the

week was one of painful parochial labour, a rigid system of visitation from house to house; in which respect he seemed fully to adopt Luther's motto of "Labour here, and rest hereafter," perhaps only in this respect having anything really in common with the vulgar and violent hero of the Reformation. And here, the following paragraph from a provincial newspaper will best give an idea of the esteem in which his parishioners held their young pastor, after an acquaintance of four years, at which period he was compelled to seek the aid of a mild climate, and more repose, in order that his health might be re-established. The paragraph runs thus:

"On Sunday last the Rev. Reginald Armitage preached two farewell sermons to his beloved and bereaved flock, and such an affecting scene was scarcely ever witnessed before. Nearly a thousand persons were crammed into the small church of Sella, or were standing at the door; every pew, the anti-chapels, gallery, altar, and aisles, were closely filled; and the congregation presented one universal