THREE years after the events recorded in the last chapter, Charles went to Cambridge, and was standing in Deighton's shop, when a gig drove up. Who should be there but the Rev. Mr. Highley! The pleasure of meeting was reciprocal; and there seemed to be so mysterious an inte- ››› rest in one party, that Mr. Highley wished him to go with him; and they drove into the country to his house! "I am glad to find," said Charles, "that our sprightly friend Godfrey, is become at length all we wished! Oh, I watched his progress; he frequently called to walk with me, and we used to discuss questions of religion. I recommended him books, and among the rest Scott's Commentary on the B Bible. I asked him one day if he thought of entering the ministry. "Not," he said, "till my soul is in a fit state to seek the glory of God and the good of men!" After waiting for a year and a-half, he resolved to take holy orders; and, as you know, he engaged in the curacy of L, under the celebrated Mr. R, in order to begin his career in a scene of great exertion under the first clergyman of the age. Yes," he said, "I will go into the battle at once, and I will preach my first sermon in your pulpit. Ere the day arrived, he went round to all

his brother fox-hunters and gay companions, and invited them to come to hear him; saying, he had something very interesting and important to tell them. They came to hear him-the church was filled from end to end, and such a faithful sermon he gave, that it astonished some, impressed others, and was the means of converting some from their evil ways, and it was a source of edification to all. "Ah, my dear friend, Godfrey," said Highley, "is as warm and earnest in religion as he was when our hero in the pursuits of folly! I was astonished to see him turn, and become a new light; but he declared we would be friends still: he took lodgings in the village where I resided, and we have been constant companions." "And I am glad to learn," said Charles, "that you are now of one heart in the ways of God! Ah! Highley, I have often thought of your abrupt dismissal by Martha! Perhaps the desire to be what she would have you, led you to thought, reflection, reading, and prayer." "No! by no means," said Highley; "I thank God Martha had nothing to do with it, or I should suspect my religion! No! I hated religion as the cause of our separation; and hated all religious characters for her behaviour. Blessed be God! I became religious in spite of my prejudices, and, I may say, in spite of Martha !" "Well, how did this wonderful change," Charles inquired, "come to pass?" } "It was greatly owing," answered Highley, "to her brother's judicious and cautious manner of introducing to me the subjects of religion, and leading me into the society of religious characters. One day we were riding near the house of the Rev. Mr. Thomason. He wished me to call with him, saying, I should find him a very pleasant man ; and there I met with another very pleasant, intelligent clergyman, for whom I conceived a great fancy; we discoursed awhile on religious subjects; I heard him with

attention, was delighted with his vivacity and power of reasoning, till I was rivetted by him to the topics of dis.. cussion. Godfrey avoided mentioning his name, and had, given his friend the hint not to discover it, knowing that my prejudices would have made me fly off in a tangent. I subsequently met him there; found Mr. Thomason a delightful companion, and often called; and it was not till I was attached to the unknown clergyman that I found he was no other than one whom I had often ridiculed, and should have avoided, had I heard his name. It was the notorious, but now to me esteemed, REV. CHARLES SIMEON! Thus was I led in paths that I knew not' to dedicate myself to God!" "Well then," said Charles, "as you and Martha now think alike, what should forbid your renewing acquaintance, and uniting your hands?" "Oh! Į should not dare to think of it," said Highly; "it would be too great a happiness! I am thankful, however, now, that I was prevented marrying her at the time I wished; I should have been guilty of downright idolatry; I am sure never man was so attached as I then was, and still am. I dare not indulge the happy anticipation of such an union; but if it should please the Lord that so joyous an event should take place, it would now be a union of piety as well as | passion—I should love her as the gift of God, and the co-heir with me of the grace of life, and prize her as a true help-meet and fellow-labourer in the vineyard of the Gospel." "You shall have her!" said Charles. "On my return I will wait upon her, introduce the business, and I venture to predict that before a month is over, you shall shake her by the hand, and in a month after lead her to the altar!"

On his return to Northam, Charles went to take tea with his friend Martha. He introduced among other topics his late interview with Mr. Highley, and part of the con

versation that had passed." And now," said Charles, "what should prevent two hearts, once so united, from be coming one again? your sentiments are now the same; the same divine Spirit has enlightened his mind which has enlightened yours; the causes for separation are removed,

why, therefore, should not you renew your suit?” “Oh, said Martha, "I have resolved to lead a single life!!I have my Sunday-school to attend to, and so many good plans to carry on in this large town; the sick to visit the tracts to distribute-besides the management of our domestic arrangements, that I cannot think of breaking them up to go away with any one.""Very well," said Charles; "but suppose I can prove that you will be more useful in a parish you can call your own, as the wife of the Rector, where you might do equal or greater good, with greater authority and weight, what would you then say?" "Why if you can prove that, then I might consider it." Charles then drew up to the contest all his corps de reserve→ his troops of arguments, proofs, and examples, and brought them to bear so strongly against her objections, that one by one he overturned them all, and demanded a surrender of the flag of resistance. But she refused to acknowledge herself conquered, or to grant her permission to write to Highley. But under that feint negative, Charles thought he could discern a smile of pleasure when he declared he would write to his friend on the subject.

In tender accents, faint and low,
Well pleas'd he heard the whispered No!'
The whisper'd 'No'-how little meant!
Sweet falsehood, that endears consent!
For on those lovely lips, the while,
Dawns the soft relenting smile;

And tempts, with feign'd dissuasion coy,
The gentle violence of joy.""

COLERIDGE.

Charles fulfilled his promise the next day, in writing a full account of his interview; and added

Chill'd by the night, the drooping rose of May
Mourns the long absence of the lovely day;

Like day returning at the promised hour,

Your presence will revive your favourite flower."
COLERIDGE.

Within a month Highley met his Martha with renovated affection, of which he found a reciprocal return; and within another month, to make up for the loss of three years, he led her a willing, an affectionate bride, to the altar, where their hands and hearts were joined, amid the joyful tears of Mr. and Mrs. Haddock. I will, here add, that Charles had the opportunity to observe their useful and happy course for a series of years in several important stations in the church; at length they retired to a living presented him by their friend, Mr. Simeon, who was so useful an instrument in the hands of the Lord for his conversion. There Mrs. Highley found as large a sphere of usefulness as at Northam-there she founded a Sundayschool of considerable extent, a sick society of great importance, and distributed tracts, and became truly a help-meet and fellow-labourer in the Gospel to her beloved husband. She was, indeed, not only the mother of some sons and daughters, who are walking in her steps, but a mother in Israel; she would meet the women and young maidens of the parish, and exhort and pray with them. At length, after upwards of thirty years' union, Highley, beloved by all around, after a tedious illness, departed, full of hope and joy-his mind unclouded with a single doubt or fear— to the assembly of the just made perfect, to meet the many whom he had turned from sin to righteousness by the grace of God, and to be welcomed by them into everlasting habitations. His widow, left with an ample for