The Mafter Bleeth the Poor Scholars.

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feemed greater-the feniors more folemn, the juniors more humble-than your restless innovators approve, the very nature of the teaching wakened in the generous heart feelings far more akin to the parental and filial.

When Effex entered, the mafter was in the act of bleffing-and in a very apoftolic manner-fome poor youths who, their exhibitions being at an end, were now about to enter holy orders. To one he had given a letter of commendation to the good Bishop of Worcester, Dr. Whitgift ; to another a book of Common Prayer (the first, remember, of King Edward); and to a third, who halted fomewhat in his gait, a ftout walking-staff, on which, he vouched, had some time leaned the martyr-bishop, Dr. Nicholas Ridley, Dear little relics thefe, to be treasured hereafter as their household gods and heirlooms! To each of them he gave kind wishes and many words of comfort. All, too, received a little balance after their "battels" had been deducted, and a small purse, the voluntary bounty of the fellows. They were weeping, these poor scholars! Oh, founders and benefactors! how many grateful hearts have blessed your pious memories!

Effex approached the master. "Sir," faid he, with

difficulty preferving the college ftate, "I have come to thank you—for many acts of special goodness. You have been almost a father to me: and-I have not words to

speak my duty."

"You have shewn it, Effex, in your acts. Were all fo diligent and tractable, our labour would be blessed even in the doing."

"I am very happy in your praise, dear fir."

"May you be fo hereafter! But, my young lord, the world before you craves a care. And, though they are best fit to rule who have been moft obedient under government, I fear me you are yet young for the court. Haply you will have fome charge in state affairs: and that all too speedily. I need not fay, Be honourable and juft, courteous and kind. These you are already perfect in :-know not their oppofites. But you have not yet learned to know yourself. That which your book tells is the problem of life: mark it and ftudy it. I pray you, watch, and patiently, your growing humours. For from our best qualities often spring our groffeft faults: therefore be most severe upon yourself. Judge every thought ere you exprefs it. Ponder each act; and ask yourself why you would or would

:

not. Take care your spirit approve what your heart dictates. Beware of friends, fuch as your state will bring about you. You will find those (and many) who will proffer love. Hold not forth your hand to fuch; nor unadvisedly brook familiarity. Affect their company whom you find to be worthiest and not partially think those worthiest whom you affect. Truft your own confcience: not other men's. Ufe their judgments, not their paffions. School your own heart, dear boy; an you be wrong 'twill fet you right. 'Twill be true to you; do you be true to it! Our late master, Bishop Whitgift, gave me much promise of you. I fhall tell him (and that shortly) how 't has been fulfilled. It remains that you fulfil my hope. When do'ft go to court?" "Sir, I am not refolved. I would not

"No? I thought the Earl of Leicester had ruled you should to court this fummer, or at least

"So it had been, fir! But I fent letters to my lady mother, humbly defiring fhe would leave me for a while to mine own contentment."

**"Where, then, do you go?”

"First, to Sir Thomas Cheney's; then on to Llanfrey; afterwards Sir Edward Waterhouse expects me."

VOL. I.

D

"Good! Sir Thomas and Sir Edward both were the

late Earl's friends, I think."

"Yes, my dear father loved and trufted them; configned me to their love. They have been to me all he could have wished."

"A father's friend is twice a friend! The great Earl of Suffex was your father's friend?”

"He was, indeed!”

"You will find a friend, indeed, in him!"

"So I am affured. He wrote me once to trust his love;

and willed me to come to him at Newhall; but my mother would not then have it fo."

"Belike she will not check you now."

"I do not mean fhe fhould. Ere I go to court, I have concluded to acquaint myself with all my father's friends."

""Tis wifely thought, and dutiful! The Countefsand here the converfation ceased. Several of the recent graduates, and amongst them Cheney, came to take a leave, more or less formal and gracious, as their dispositions taught them. The good mafter, however, held Effex's hand between both his own; looking on him the while with a

melancholy interest, in which there was yet much of hope

fulness.

"Remember you see the Earl of Sussex!

"I will not fail."

"God take you to his holy keeping! now, farewell!"

With a heavy step Effex left the worthy maffer. A strong sense of loneliness, of isolation of heart-nay, of irrefolution-came -came over the fatherless boy as he hurried to his chamber to hide his tears. In earliest life the fleeting nature of feelings and of opinions-the unimportance of events-together with the conftitutional buoyancy of that age, happily conceal from the judgment a lofs which, at that time, is only appreciable by the affections. But with the college cap and gown, childhood-nay, youth-must be laid afide; and, as the state of dependency ends, the fenfe of helplessness comes on. Effex felt this now. He was without a purpose an object-in life. There was none to point to one; none to direct him. Whatever views and hopes he had hitherto entertained, had, for the time at least, been dafhed by Cheney's hints. He could not now go to Wanftead; for there Leicefter's counfels, joined with his mother's authority, would overrule his conduct. He had