same, mentioning you Sir, [To Mr. Brightman] as the object of our choice, and that we shall not regard any extra expence, provided we can but see you comfortably settled among us.

Bri. Can there be a probability of that sort? There is not a man more careless and unconcerned about religious matters than he is said to be. I have been turned out of two curacies already, and I shall soon be dismissed from the third; perhaps for decency sake, I may be permitted to stop a Sunday or two, and then be discharged.

Loveg. Ah Sir! you have but the common lot of all faithful Curates, who have ungodly Rectors, but from the carelessness and indifference of old Mr. Merryman, and his pot companion Mr. Tugwell; I draw a contrary conclusion; they will not care who serves the Church, provided they can be left at their ease, and Mr. Tugwell can enjoy the tythes.

Wor. And we sha'nt mind paying his Curate for him, provided he will keep at a distance.

Bri. But wo'nt Squire Madcap do all he can to prevent it?

Spri. He is so wicked, wild, and foolish, that no one minds him. There is therefore very little harm to be dreaded from that quarter. But if he, or any one else of the same stamp should be sent among us, we must provide for ourselves.

Wor. I shall help you immediately to see to that, by beginning with a donation of five hundred pounds, and shall give an annual subscription towards the support of the place, as soon as it is established, and there is no law against reading the liturgy of the established Church, which we all admire.

Spri. O Sir! a thousand thanks for your encouraging offer. I hope we shall all be eager to lend an helping hand, surely the many prayers our dear departed Minister offered up, that the gospel might be continued among us will, somehow be answered for our good.

Loveg. I am sorry I shall be debarred from taking an active part in this work, if the gospel is to be turned out of the Church. But I really have no patience with the absurdity of those, who tell us, we should be contented without the gospel in the pulpit, as we are sure to have it in the reading desk, while the grand efficient means, which God is pleased to bless, is the preaching of the word. Something therefore must be done, and the Lord give wisdom and zeal that it may be properly, and wisely done.

Just then the disconsolate widow and Mrs. Worthy re-entered the room, this naturally gave another turn to the conversation, but in a few days the reader may expect a joyful termination of this melancholy event.

DIALOGUE XLII.

THE HAPPY TERMIMATION OF THE MELANCHOLY EVENT OF THE DEATH OF MR. MERRYMAN.

MR.

R. Brightman and Mr. Sprightly having come over to Brookfield, principally to assist in the settlement of Mrs. Merryman's affairs, were under the necessity of continuing at Brookfield Hall, till near the conclusion of the week.

While the family were assembled at the tea-table on the Thursday evening following, a purpose messenger came from Sandover, with a letter directed to The Rev. John Brightman. The letter being put into his hands, he read it.-Immediately the agitation of his mind became so very considerable, that it even fetched a tear of surprise from his eyes: insomuch that Mr. Lovegood asked the question :

Loveg. Dear Sir, What is the matter? I hope there is no more bad news from Sandover.

Bri. O no Sir ! but the contents of the letter have quite overcome me. Contraryto all my expectations I am actually appointed Curate of Sandover.

Wor. You don't say so!

Bri. Yes Sir, I am. The letter is from Mr Tugwell himself. He tells me the presentation was sent to him yesterday: the patron at the same time requesting that I might be nominated to the curacy, by the dying request of his Nephew, and especially as VOL II

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her spirits, the news of your appointment to the cu racy, would at least have created one cheerful look.

Bri. O Sir! the loss is irreparable: I cannot wonder at all she feels. But the appointment to be the successor to such a man, makes me tremble.

Loveg. Yes Sir, and if we all trembled more at the vast importance of the work in which we are engaged, it would be just so much the better for our hearers.

Bri. Sir, it seems impossible for me, if I imitate, that I can ever equal that lively and lovely zeal, he adopted in all he did. Though I trust I shall aim at doing my best, yet what a comparative distance will be felt between him and me! My style of preaching, I now find, has been too discussional, cold, and phlegmatic. His was always animated, affectionate, and warm. My preaching hitherto, though I trust consistent with divine truth, has been like the light of the moon, clear, yet cold. His like that of the sun, at times brilliant, and even if intervening clouds intercepted its brighter rays, yet still the warmth was felt, and its fertilizing effects were evident.

Loveg. But dear Sir, you do not want either erudition or mind. The improvement of these Mr. Merryman sadly neglected in his thoughtless days; but afterwards the change in every point of view, was to the astonishment of all. Let your superior human acquirements then, be put upon the altar of a warm and affectionate heart, fully devoted to God; and then if the people do not forget Mr. Merryman, yet they will soon find that he is no longer wanted as a minister, if God should teach and animate a Brightman, as he taught him.

Bri. Ah Sir! what are all human abilities and acquirements, when compared to such spirituality and devotedness to God, as he possessed!

Loveg. I am glad you think so. Though all other qualifications without holy zeal to set them at work for the promotion of the glory of God, can be of no avail; still it is acknowledged, that wisdom and spi

ritual understanding, are at all times necessary to guide this useful machine aright.

Bri. Ah Sir! there was my mistake. I have been treating religion more like a dry, speculative science, than as a divine reality between God and the soul: while the strange enthusiastic reveries of Mr. Whimsy and his friends, might have driven me further into the contrary extreme, if the Lord, in his kind providence, had not directed me into these parts.

Loveg. Well Sir, the scriptural style of preaching, we shall always find to be the best; for none of the first Apostles had the ability to dress their preaching in the forced, and false style of human eloquence : and when the Apostle Paul was sent forth “ as one born out of due time," we know what he says of his own style of preaching: "And I brethren, when I came unto you, came not with excellency of speech and of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified; and I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling; and my speech and my preaching was not with the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit, and of power." (And that for this astonishingly wise reason;) "lest your faith should stand in the wisdom of man, and not in the power of God."

Spri. What an astonishing sermon Mr. Merryman preached from the last clause of those words, about a month before he was taken ill.

Loveg. I dare say he did. "The demonstration of the spirit and power of God upon the soul," was the grand subject that seemed at all times to occupy his mind, and warm his heart.

Spri. Yes, and almost every sermon he preached, he was sure to bring to bear upon that essential point, and at all times with so much tender and affectionate zeal for our eternal good. No wonder his ministry was such a blessing among us-And that dear man, we are now to hear no more for ever!