ship, "this
very day; attend me to-morrow, and you shall know the
result." The Curate took bis leave, and in the course of the
morning the would-be Rector made his appearance. "O!"
exclaimed his Lordship, entering directly into the business,
"I have had a humble suitor with me to-day,--the Curate of
the late incumbent whom you are desirous of succeeding; he
wishes to continue in the Curacy; the poor man is burthened
with a large family, and hitherto has been very inadequately
rewarded for his labour in the productive vineyard of which
you anticipate the possession and emolument. Suppose that
you constitute the happiness of this worthy man, by giving
him a salary of one hundred pounds per annum; he will have
all the duties to perform, and you will pocket a surplus,
even then, of seven hundred a year, for in fact doing
nothing!" This would-be was astonished; he had never before
heard of a Curate in the receipt of one hundred pounds per
annum; besides, he had already engaged a person to do the
duty for twenty-five pounds. Fired with indignation at the
inhumanity and arrogant presumption of this callous-hearted
Clergyman,--"What!" exclaimed his Lordship, "and so you
would turn the poor Curate out of doors, and abridge the
miserable pittance of his successor, and all this before
you've got the living! John, shew this fellmo down stairs!"
Gladly would this Incumbent, by anticipation, have conceded
every point required; but it was too late; the die was cast,
and he found himself in the street, unknowing how he got
there, whether on his hands or his lucls! Next day the
Curate was announced. "I have not been able to succeed,"
said his Lordship,--"the new Incumbent has engaged a person
who will do the duty for twenty-five pounds per annum." His
Lordship paused, and the unfortunate Curate looked the
personification of Despondency. "Cheer up, man!" exclaimed
his Lordship, "If I have not influence sufficient to
continue you in possession of the Curacy, I can, at least,
give you the Living!" putting into the hands, at the same
time, of the amazed Curate, the presentation to a Rectory
worth eight hundred pounds per annum!! Here we must draw the
Grecian painter's veil,--the gratification on either side
may be conceived, but cannot be expresse