When first I saw the Lord?
Where is the soul-refreshing view
Of Jesus and His word?

"The peaceful hours I once enjoyed
How sweet their memory still!
But they have left an _aching void_
_The world can never fill_."

For the next fortnight the singing class was indefatigable, and owing
to the cultivated taste of Louis and Reginald, and the superior musical
education of one or two others, among whom Mr. Witworth and Frank were
not the least in importance, the members at length considered themselves
competent to exhibit before an audience.

Accordingly, after Dr. Wilkinson had been favored with a specimen
of their skill, his permission was obtained to invite such of their
friends as they chose.

Tickets of admission, which had been prepared before-hand, were then
sent out in various directions, accompanied by notes of invitation.
As soon as Mrs. Paget's arrived at its destination, a most kind answer
was dispatched to Louis as president, adding a request to be allowed
to provide refreshment for the performers; and, as her proposal was
hailed with three cheers, and gracefully accepted by Louis, on the
morning of the eventful day came grapes, peaches, biscuits, and wine,
which were very elegantly set out in the class-room by the committee.

The concert passed off as propitiously as could be wished. Hamilton,
who, from utter want of ear, was totally incapacitated for singing,
acted the part of steward with Trevannion, Meredith, and one or two
others, with great decorum, and actually stood near Mrs. Paget during
part of the performance, listening quietly to Louis' praises with such
evident interest, that a few words of commendation he uttered quite
won the lady's heart, though she had certainly been prejudiced against
him before. It was remarked by some, that the doctor did not seem much
pleased with Louis' manners on this occasion; for, when Mrs. Paget,
between the parts, began to praise Louis' extraordinary musical
talents (as she was pleased to call them), and to relate how much
he pleased the company at her house, Dr. Wilkinson coolly replied,
that he considered he had been well taught, but doubted his having
more than an average good taste and general ability; and as his eye
turned upon Louis, who was moving rather affectedly and conceitedly
from rank to rank on his way to the refreshment-room, his forehead
wrinkled ominously, and his lips became more tightly compressed. H