ll_ work at any rate," said Julian; "indeed I _must_."

"But may I ask why you have determined on going up as sizar?"

"Oh yes, sir. I am far too grateful for all your many kindnesses to me,
not to tell you freely of my circumstances."

And so, as they walked on that beautiful summer evening over the green
fields, Julian, happy in the quiet sympathising attention of one who was
not only a master, but a true, earnest, and affectionate friend, told
him some of the facts to which we shall allude in the retrospect of the
next chapter.

CHAPTER THREE.

A RETROSPECT.

"Give me the man that is not Passion's slave,
And I will wear him in my own heart's core,
Yea, in my heart of hearts."
_Shakespeare_.

Julian's father was Rector of Ildown, a beautiful village on the
Devonshire coast. As younger son, his private means were very small,
and the more so as his family had lost in various unfortunate
speculations a large portion of the wealth which had once been the
inheritance of his ancient and honourable house. Mr Home regretted
this but little; contentment of mind and simplicity of tastes were to
him a far deeper source of happiness than the advantages of fortune.
Immediately after his university career he had taken holy orders, and
devoted to the genial duties of his profession all the energies of a
vigorous intellect and a generous heart.

During his first curacy he was happy enough to be placed in the diocese
of a bishop, whose least merit was the rare conscientiousness with which
he distributed the patronage at his disposal. Whenever a living was
vacant, the Bishop of Elford used deliberately to pass in mental review
all the clergy under his jurisdiction, and single out from amongst them
the ablest and the best. He was never influenced by the spirit of
nepotism; he was never deceived by shallow declaimers, or ignorant
bigots, who had thrust themselves into the notoriety of a noisy and
orthodox reputation. The ordinary Honourable and Reverend, whose only
distinction was his title or his wealth, had to look for preferment
elsewhere; but often would some curate, haply sighing at the thought
that obscurity and poverty were his lot for this life, and meekly
bearing both for the honour of his Master's work, be made deservedly
happy by at last attaining the rewards he had never sought. Few,
indeed, were the dioceses in which the clergy worked in a more hopeful
spirit, in the certainty that the good bish