flourishing business. My salary had been increased; and I thought that to furnish a couple of rooms and to marry would greatly increase my comfort, and not involve much more expense than lodging. Perhaps the heart had more to do with this than the judgment; but that is an old tale, and need not be enlarged upon. The decision was taken. My loved one was sent for. We were married.

My chief anxiety after marriage sprang from the impression, that possibly the plans of my youth, and the purpose of riper years, must be frustrated. Nevertheless, the deed was done, and I bless God for it, as that which I thought a barrier proved an unexpected and mysterious facility. We were happy in each other's company. Our wants were moderate. I had married a gentle and economical wife, and my evenings were times of home-peace. I had less to do with public meetings, and more with the pleasures of domestic quiet.

For a long time I had attended a Sabbath-morning prayer-meeting, in the fellowship of several young men, who employed themselves on that day in various spheres of Christian usefulness. In addition to my Sundayschool labours I frequently preached in rooms in the town, and in villages around. I heard of instances of good done, which greatly cheered me, and I felt that I must persevere. Business, as I said before, was discharged rather as a duty than a pleasure. Every spare shilling was laid out in books. I purchased a Greek grammar and lexicon, and resolved to study that language. To read the New Testament in the original I felt to be desirable, not that it is at all essential to the correct understanding of the gospel, or to clear and consistent exposition; but it affords facilities, both in reading and study, which none but those who understand the language can appreciate. I persevered and succeeded; and I found myself amply rewarded for the

ECCENTRIC EDITOR.

113

labour by the pleasure I derived from reading, though imperfectly, in the Greek Testament.

By frequent correspondence with the newspapers on ecclesiastical and literary subjects, I acquired considerable facility in composition. On one occasion, about three months after my marriage, among the "Notices to Correspondents" in a certain newspaper, was a request that the writer of some articles which had appeared anonymously in its columns would favour the editor with a call, at his private residence. What this foreshadowed I knew not, and conjecture was useless, especially as the editor had the notoriety of being a learned eccentric. I went, as reqested, and found him sitting in bed with a small writing-desk on his knees, a pen in his hand, a curious, aristocratic-looking night-cap mounted on his head, and the bed and the table at its side covered with newspapers, books, slips, and proofs, in admirable disorder.

"Good morning, Sir," exclaimed the learned editor; "you find me in a regular pickle! It is a case of 'pie, to use a professionalism. Perhaps you will ask, with the immortal Will, 'How cam'st thou in this pickle?' The fact is, I have got a villainous headache. The cause of 'the people,' most of them scoundrelly ingrates, threatens to put Finis' to my career. Did you read my last article on our magnificent ministry? What do you think of it?"

This was the first time we had met; and as the circumstances, together with these pithy sayings, were sufficiently ridiculous, I laughed, and replied—

"It is well written, but somewhat severe."

"Severe-yes! Ah, ha! Spice is up in the market ! Nothing else will go down with the mad Rads. Besides, the imbeciles who disgrace office at present must be held up to richly-deserved contempt. I am greatly obliged by your able contributions; but I wish you would turn your pen to politics. I want some first-class articles on

114

A TEMPTING OFFER.

the present state of parties. There is a conspiracy against my paper. It must be exposed, braved, trampled under foot! By-and-by we shall be able to pay handsomely for your services. What d'ye say ?"

Here was a revelation which suggested caution; and I replied, briefly, that though sincerely attached to the cause of the people, and anxious for the prosperity of the country, I had no taste for political excitement.

"Ah! Here are the sheets of a pamphlet on the corn laws, which I mean to get out next week. I wish you would look over them, and suggest such alterations as may strike you, as I wrote in violent haste."

I complimented his ability-and with great sincerity -on that subject, as greatly superior to mine; and said that I entertained no doubt the pamphlet would do without revision.

Finally, he intimated that his paper would speedily become valuable property; and asked whether I would invest some money in it, for which I might calculate on six per cent. at least, and enter into literary partnership with him.

The affectation of wealth, in the case of a poor man, is one of the most despicable exhibitions of human pride. As I have always felt this, I at once undeceived the worthy editor, and said that whatever I might have thought of his proposition-for which I was obliged -under other circumstances, it was out of my power to advance money for any purpose whatever. After some further conversation we separated; and thus ended my interview with a man of singular intellectual ability, which, had it been balanced and controlled by something still nobler, would probably have raised him to eminence, and given him a name among the literary nobles of his fatherland. His career has ended. His dust lies in a quiet country churchyard. Peace to his memory!

One morning, shortly after this, we were all startled

by the mournful intelligence that the head of the firm had died very suddenly. Not long subsequently, in consequence of losses in India, the house stopped payment, the clerks were discharged, and the premises were closed.

CHAPTER V.

CLOUDS AND SUNSHINE.

"God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform:
He plants His footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

"Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill,

He treasures up His bright designs,
And works His sovereign will.

"Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain."

Storm at Sea,
P. 126.

lead men?

Cowper.

HADE of "the stricken deer that left the herd," if, in these days of spirit-journeying, thy calm felicity is ever interrupted by a transitory visit to England, and if thou art capable of hearing the words of mortal lips, accept my thanks for these pathetic lines, whose poetry is equal to the sentiment it clothes, and whose sentiment is strength to the faith of men led by God!

"Led by God!" Doth GoD Sad is the history of humanity, gloomy the retrospect of six thousand years; but the one were sadder, and the other far

more gloomy, if He did not! In that case, if war, pes