tels he who had damned himself into wealth, whipped by conscience, brought his ill-begotten thrift, his money earned from human sufferings, to solace, if not too late, human affliction. The stateharlot, whose cheeks, now touched by shame, outblushed the rubies, the purchase of her guilt,—she who had haunted the pillow of besotted vice, and worn her infamy as a robe of honour, brought her jewels, to offer them on the altar of human agony.-These were the common malefactors-the gilded mob of wicked luxury and unjust might these were they who enriched their fortunes from the marrow of the poor, and cemented their palace stones with the heart'sblood of the multitude. This body was known by a banner carried in the midst, whereon appeared in characters of fire-' I said to corruption, THOU ART MY FATHER!'

"Oh" cried Puck, speaking in his elfin person-it a was glorious employment for me to weave such a dream—it was a fine task even to fancy such a moral revolution-to see vice dashed upon the stonesto lift the brave man from the dust-to imagine the discomfiture of the lordly and the tyrannous, and the triumph of the desolate and poor.It was the conquest of good over evil-it was the rejoicing of right, the jubilee of virtue. All the webs of state sophistry, all the cunning meshes which ensnare and prison the defenceless-all the weapons which make man the deadly enemy of man were rent apart and broken, and human nature was no more the bondsman to human craft. Even-handed justice gave bread to all-there were no longer two classes-the bloated and the bloodless. Though a spirit and free from human cares, I was enamoured of my handy-work.

-

"The crowd clustered about Exeter Hall. Thousands entered the building-all, urged by compunction, were intent upon one purpose to clothe the naked, and give victuals to the hungry. The place was crowded. There were hundreds who disgorged their ill-got thrift; and having made the restitution, seemed to gain a sudden tranquillity. Many made long confessions of the feelings which had urged them to repent. I could not slumber on down, the purchase of by-gone craft and subserviency,'-cried a penitent pensioner'whilst thousands of my fellow-creatures were wasting in the clutch of famine. For the first time, I felt for human nature in the aggregate-for the first time, I ceased to look upon a people as the mere instruments of selfish ambition.-I own, I enjoyed what is called a virtuous private character-and though I gave my voice-and was richly paid for it-to enslave millions, to grind many of them to the dust, and to gild and aggrandize the few-though my whole life was an untruth, my every thought, a scheme, a lime-twig to catch the humble and defenceless-yet my private character' was unflawed and irreproachable. I was a despot and a marauder everywhere but in my own house-I voted for an unjust and sanguinary war-but then I never rated my servants-I legislated to tear the last farthing from the poor-but then I gave my butler liberal wages.-Conscience hath, at length, aroused me. For these ten nights, my sleep has still been broken by hideous dreams. Hundreds of pale, ghastly faces, with staring eyes, and scornful lips, have stared at my bedside-my couch has been of thorns and nettles-I have writhed in

anguish,—and my voice has died in my throat-I have started from the horrid sleep, with shrieks of bread,'' bread '-' we die-we perish,' ringing in my ears. Now, I make restitution—now I render to the poor-the things that belong to the poor!' Saying this, the speaker made his offering, and was silent.

"It were long to repeat the many confessions made by the subscribers. Many had erred from ignorance-many from crafty ambition-many, nursed in the lap of wealth, had deemed themselves of a lordlier nature than the dull thousands whose heritage was toil,— whose charter' was suffering. However, there was one brazen and callous enough to question the existence of a great calamity— 'might not the picture be overcharged-was it not some design upon their sympathies-had they not better wait for further news?-Thus spoke the Hon. Bloodly, whose father had purchased a title out of the Slave Trade-a twinkling my lord,' from the manacles of stolen blacks. The Hon. Bloodly doubted the existence of such calamity.' At this instant, I noticed a sudden change: the walls, the ceiling of the Hall showed a million human faces, haggard and famine-worn as instinct with life, they worked their lean jaws, and rolled their lurid eyes upon the assembly-the multitude seemed to pant, scorched and withered under the fiery glances of the spectres. A wild, and general yell-as from the damned-told the conviction of the multitude!—and, by degrees, the eyes became dim, and the faces faded away, and the walls and the roof became as before.

"At this instant, a shout was heard in the street. Two or three of the assembly looked out and beheld a blessed spectacle. Oh, it was a sight enough to win grateful drops from the eyes of charity herself it was a great, a glorious show. The whole bench of bishops, deans, archdeacons, deacons, and pluralists innumerable, were in the street; but not as heretofore in their carriages, and in all the pomp, pride and circumstance of hierarchal splendour. It is true, their golden coaches were there, their prancing steeds, with their skins bright enough to mirror the looks of famine-their rich embossed caparisons; all, all were there-but on coach, steed and housing, were pinned labels- For sale:' to which notification was subjoinedIf thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven!'

"The sons of orthodoxy entered the hall. Their appearance was lovely and saint-like: there were no looks of low earthly desires, no arrogance in the eye, no contempt in the lip, no protuberance of paunch, no ruddiness of cheek-but the carnal man was dead; spirit alone was there, and that was attuned and sanctified by the holiest of purposes-charity and love for all men! They came among the multitude as the abstract principle of benevolence; and, disdaining all lip-compassion, treating mere precept as beneath them and their sacred office, they sought by practice to emulate the divine acts of their great Master. They knew there was human misery, and they came to alleviate it. Their presence inspired the general multitude with veneration and love each felt his heart newly opened as he gave ear to the tuneful accents of

"The Bishop of Milk-and-Honey, who rose, and in a voice soft as a sweet air of music, addressed the assembly :— - Dearly beloved brethren; it is the peculiar beauty of our blessed religion to inculcate forgiveness towards our enemies-to pray for those who despitefully use us.' Now if such conduct be required of us towards those who would injure and oppress us--if we are called upon to love an evil-doer, how much more onerous is it upon us to succour and preserve those who, so far from having injured us, it may be we have iniquitously dealt with. If multitudes are in rags, may it not be from the superabundant luxury of our clothing-are not the trappings of ostentation torn from the vestments of the poor? If there be thousands of mouths strangers to a morsel of bread, to what feasts and revels of the vain-minded and the selfish do they owe such destitution? What, then! shall man use man as a bond-slave and a beast of burthen-shall he swathe himself in the filthy folds of his avarice and craft, whilst his fellow is naked and famishing? Is it by such conduct that we are to obtain peaceful days and nights on this earth, and a blessed rest in the world to come? Oh, my brethren, believe it not; trust not to the deceitful whisperings of a heart made stony by indifference: let your ears be opened to the voice of misery -let your tongues give thanks that you have the wherewithal to lessen it. I exhort you to do this! I ask you, what patent can you show, what right do you possess, what privilege plead, for holding wealth, when a portion of that wealth is called for by your fellow? Human nature is a holier thing than titles and orders-to save and soothe a human heart is better than to win a star! I exhort you to save your fellow-beings, lest that they perish. But I were unworthy of my function, did I work but with my tongue. No; these these are reproaches to me, whilst my kindred flesh is withering with famine.'-Saying this, the Bishop of Milk-and-Honey took out his banker's-book, and having written a cheque for the whole balance, threw it on the pile of offerings, and despoiled his fingers of their rings and his fob of his watch. He gave all; and as he threw the last offering down, his face was suffused with a divine light, and his whole frame seemed to expand and thrill with love.

"All the bishops followed the glorious example of the dignitary of Milk-and-Honey. The pluralists forswore monopoly, and made offerings of the tithes that, with Briarean hands, they had taken from several counties. The multitude, worked upon by the great example of the sons of the Christian church, made further subscriptions; and all was joy, and harmony, and brotherly love. Each churchman directed his horses and equipage to be taken to Tattersall's; and the modern apostles, with primitive simplicity and meekness, which they had never exhibited before, wended their way from Exeter Hall amidst the rejoicings and benedictions of the multitude. "As the crowd proceeded on their way, the

"But here, may it please your Majesty, the door was opened."

I.

1 Bishop of Cloyne.

* The boys in certain "forms" are privileged to show themselves to the headmaster on Sundays, and so procure an immediate dismissal to their own rooms.

The Harrow boy numbers among his beautiful remembrances, the names of the ever glorious priest and poet carved upon the walls of the great-hall. Lord Byron says, in a letter to Moore, speaking of Sheridan,-" Don't forget that he was at school at Harrow, where, in my time we used to show his name-R. B. S. 1765.— as an honour to the walls."