ving your Grace the present trouble.

'The bearer (my son) is desirous of offering himself candidate for
deacon's orders at your Grace's ensuing ordination; the first, on the
25th instant, so that his papers could not be transmitted in due time.
As he is now fully at age, and I have afforded him education to the
utmost of my ability, it would give me great satisfaction (if your
Grace would take him, and find him qualified) to have him ordained. His
constitution has been tender for some years; he entered the college of
Dublin, but his health would not permit him to continue there, or I
would have supported him much longer. He has been with me at home above
a year, in which time he has gained great strength of body, sufficient,
I hope, to enable him for performing the function. Divine Providence,
assisted by liberal benefactors, has blest my endeavours, from a small
income, to rear a numerous family; and as my time of life renders me now
unfit for much future expectancy from this world, I should be glad to
see my son settled in a promising way to acquire an honest livelihood
for himself. His behaviour, so far in life, has been irreproachable; and
I hope he will not degenerate, in principles or practice, from the
precepts and pattern of an indulgent parent. Your Grace's favourable
reception of this, from a distant corner of the diocese, and an obscure
hand, will excite filial gratitude, and a due use shall be made of the
obligation vouchsafed thereby to

'Your Grace's very dutiful and most obedient Son and Servant, ROBERT
WALKER.'

The same man, who was thus liberal in the education of his numerous
family, was even munificent in hospitality as a parish priest. Every
Sunday, were served, upon the long table, at which he has been described
sitting with a child upon his knee, messes of broth, for the refreshment
of those of his congregation who came from a distance, and usually took
their seats as parts of his own household. It seems scarcely possible
that this custom could have commenced before the augmentation of his
cure; and what would to many have been a high price of self-denial, was
paid, by the pastor and his family, for this gratification; as the treat
could only be provided by dressing at one time the whole, perhaps, of
their weekly allowance of fresh animal food; consequently, for a
succession of days, the table was covered with cold victuals only. His
generosity in old age may be still further illustrated by a