w retreated to a parish in a remote county, which
henceforth might be considered in the light of an honourable exile.

One Sunday, then, in the depth of a rainy winter, I set off on my
horse, with my canonicals strapped before me in a valise, to commence
my clerical duties. On entering my parish, for want of a more
respectable asylum, I put up at a public-house, where I changed my
dress, and came forth, for the first time, in the character of a
Divine, walking towards my church, where I met with an unusually large
congregation assembled to hear "the new parson."

Notwithstanding my lamentable deficiency of self-possession, I got
through the service without any distressing error--I ought not to have
read the Absolution, that being restricted to priests, nor should I
have upset the cushion on which I was kneeling, for, not having
sufficient confidence to replace it, I was forced to hang on by my
elbows to the reading-desk for the remainder of the Litany. As for my
sermon, I knew it by heart, and it went off very well. I think, at all
times, if my sermon was a good one, I used to get along well enough,
for, as I proceeded, I became interested in it. On the other hand,
when it was considerably below the average, I became even more so,
labouring to gain the conclusion, like a wounded partridge to reach
the adjoining enclosure.

Having accomplished the service, I fondly concluded that my little
devoir was finished for the day, and that I might now retire to
collect my agitated nerves in quiet, but at the porch I was requested
to visit an old woman who was lying in the poor-house, in the last
stage of a dropsy. The only entrance to her chamber, or rather, her
loft, was by an upright ladder fixed against the wall, the two upper
steps of which were broken away. After a little manoeuvring in
consequence of this difficulty, I entered the place in the attitude of
Nebuchadnezzar in the act of grazing, "meekly kneeling on my knees."

Like all other invalids in humble life, she was anxious that I should
become impressed with the full extent of her suffering, and to this
intent was irresistibly importunate in her entreaties that I would
grasp her arm, and, to my horror, the next moment I saw the impression
of my fingers deeply, and, to all appearance, permanently stamped upon
her flesh! With this ordeal she appeared satisfied, and having read
the prayers for the sick, I really suspect a little impressively,
owing to my feelings as