with his
subject. He possessed the power of a pleasant, easy flow of words, and
of producing tears, if not from other eyes, at any rate from his own. He
drew a picture of the little ship amid the storm, and of God's hand as
it moved in its anger upon the waters, but of the cause of that divine
wrath and its direction he said nothing. Then, of the suddenness of
death and its awfulness he said much, not insisting, as he did so, on
the necessity of repentance for salvation, as far as those two poor
sinners were concerned. No, indeed; how could any preacher have done
that? But he improved the occasion by telling those around him that they
should so live as to be ever ready for the hand of death. If that were
possible, where then indeed would be the victory of the grave? And at
last he came to the master and lord whom they had lost. Even here there
was no difficulty for him. The heir had gone first, and then the father
and his brother. Who among them would not pity the bereaved mother and
the widow? Who among them would not remember with affection the babe
whom they had seen at that font, and with respect the landlord under
whose rule they had lived? How pleasant it must be to ask those
questions which no one can rise to answer! Farmer Gubbins, as he sat by,
listening with what power of attention had been vouchsafed to him, felt
himself to be somewhat moved, but soon released himself from the task,
and allowed his mind to run away into other ideas. The rector was a
kindly man and a generous. The rector would allow him to inclose that
little bit of common land, that was to be taken in, without adding
anything to his rent. The rector would be there on audit days, and
things would be very pleasant. Farmer Gubbins, when the slight murmuring
gurgle of the preacher's tears was heard, shook his own head by way of a
responsive wail; but at that moment he was congratulating himself on the
coming comfort of the new reign. Mr. Fielding, however, got great credit
for his own sermon; and it did, probably, more good than harm--unless,
indeed, we should take into our calculation, in giving our award on this
subject, the permanent utility of all truth, and the permanent injury of
all falsehood.

Mr. Fielding remained at the parsonage during the greater part of the
following week, and then there took place a great deal of family
conversation respecting the future incumbent of the living. At these
family conclaves, however, Fanny was not aske