spirit of honor and
manliness that makes you so ready to resent every little insult. In the
life of the only perfect Man that ever lived, our great Example and
Master, we do not see this impatience of contradiction: 'When He was
reviled, He reviled not again;' and if He, the Lord of all, could
condescend to endure such contradiction of sinners against Himself,
shall it be too much for us to bear a little with the contradiction of
our fellow-creatures? My boy, if we do not strive to bear a little
of the burden and heat of the day, we are not worthy to bear the noble
name of Christians."

"I am very sorry, sir," said Reginald, quite softened by the earnest
manner of his master; "I am very sorry I have been so hasty and wrong.
I dare not make any promises for the future, for I know I cannot
certainly keep them, but, with God's help, I hope to remember what
you have so kindly said to me."

"With His help we may do all things," said Dr. Wilkinson; "you may by
this help overcome the stumbling-stone of your violent passions, which
otherwise may become an effectual barrier in the way of your attaining
the prize of eternal life; and remember that 'he that is slow to anger
is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that
taketh a city.'"

There was a minute's silence, which Reginald broke by asking if he
might attend on Frank until he was well.

"Can I hope that you will be gentle," said the doctor; "that you will
remember he is in invalid--one of your making, Mortimer; and that if he
is impatient and fretful, you are the cause?"

"I will try, sir, to make amends to him," said Reginald, looking down;
"I hope I may be able to be patient."

"I will give orders that you may go to him," said the doctor; and after
a pause, he added, "another offence of this kind I shall visit with the
heaviest displeasure. I am in hopes that the anxiety you have undergone,
and the present state of your cousin, may be a lesson to you; but if
I find this ineffectual, I shall cease to consider you a reasonable
creature, and shall treat you accordingly."

Dr. Wilkinson then rose and left the room. Reginald lingered a few
minutes to compose himself before joining his school-fellows; his heart
was very full, and he felt an earnest desire to abide by his master's
counsel, as well as grateful for the leniency and kindness with which
he had been treated, which made him feel his fault much more deeply
than the severest punishment.