A CONVERSAZIONE. (Concluded from page 408.)

HE period arrived when Sophia,

sumption about a year after her marriage-G- is gone back to his regiment in the East Indies; and there he carries in his bosom a sorrow that no

insult, but now the wedded object of honourable love, was about to be introduced as the wife of that man's adopted heir, from whose illicit persecutions she was constrained to fly as from a being whom virtue commanded her to regard as the bitterest enemy of her peace. It was nearly dusk when the chaise drove up to the door. They were ushered into the drawing-room with an intimation from the servant that his master would attend them immediately. The lights were not yet brought when the Colonel entered. With an extraordinary degree of cordiality, which the Captain but little expected from the temper in which be left him the preceding evening, the Colonel took the hand of both-"My dear G, and you, Madam, accept my hearty-Good GOD! Sophia! Whence how is this? G-, you must come with me into my study; my astonishment is too much for me-Madam,-Sophia, I entreat you will allow it; here you may command; the servants will attend you; our absence will be short."-The Colonel hurried G out of the room. He sate down to recover himself." G-,” said he, "I have not to ask forgiveness of you for conduct which, before you knew Sophia, has been the cause of your possessing the most virtuous, the most amiable of her sex; but you must plead and obtain her forgiveness for me. You have behaved nobly under circumstances with which this letter acquaints me; and Sophia has acted in a manner no less admirable than yours. This letter I found addressed to me by my wife, to be read by me after her decease. It fully explains the reasons for your absenting yourself so unaccountably from Grosvenor-square. 1 am overjoyed at so fortunate a co-operation of events, by which the happiness of two persons most richly deserving of it has been brought about. Henceforward you are my son, and Sophia my daughter; come, let us rejoin her-this is as it should be." Now," said the Lecturer, "comes the worst part of D's extraordinary tale. Happiness, you know, is never secure in mortal possession-poor Sophia lived but to become a mother, and died of a conEurop. Mag. Vol. LXX. Dec. 1816.

Colonel is left in charge of a lovely boy, the endeared pledge of a union which was formed in the most refined principles of honor and affection, was avowed under the most auspicious promise of happiness; and, alas! was in one short year, dissolved by that relentless hand which spares neither virtue for its purity, nor youth for its engaging qualities, nor beauty for its charms. The Lecturer having finished the Painter's tale, which, however extraor dinary, D took upon him to say at the time of relating it, was in all its circumstances a relation of fact, I was reminded by an incipient yawn, which I could scarcely suppress in compli ment to the narrator, that it was high time for me to bend my steps homeward; I rose to depart just as the watchman startled us both with the news that it was past two o'clock."But," said my kind host, you have not yet heard my history of the Poet, and the Common Councilman, and the other worthies of our last evening's party however, come and take a bachelor's dinner with me at four on Tuesday, and I'll finish the whole group before we rejoin them in Maiden-lane." This I readily acceded to, and, taking my leave, I returned to my lodgings, where, on my reading desk, I found a letter left for me during my absence It contained an application for my in terest in behalf of the writer, a clerical friend, who was canvassing for the va cant lectureship of the parish in which 1 lived. The contents were as follow:

66 MY DEAR S.

"I am a candidate for a morsel of

bread which is to be given away by the inhabitants of the parish in which you reside. The Afternoon lecturer of St. bas lately succeeded to a better thing in Gloucestershire, by the interest of his father, who was land stew, ard to Lord P. I have already canvassed half the parish, and in my progress.I called at your rooms, to beg your, assitance personal and relative; for though you have no vote, not being a housekeeper, yet you have much influence among your neighbours; and if you would prevail upon yourself to accompany me in to-morrow's rounds, 2 R

I promise myself no small success Dr. Nis my opponent-you know he is rich enough without it-and you know also, that he is far enough north for me to dread his hyperborean perseverance; besides, he is an experienced canvasser, and knows too well how to tack and tack about. I must, there fore, keep a sharp look out upon my cruise. You'll allow this metaphor from a former naval chaplain, and I hope will join convoy at nine o'clock. I have seen the churchwardens, both of whom are dissenters, and they told me that my competitor, although a minister of the church, was a gospel preacher. These soi-disant custodes of the pastoral interests of nearly five thousand souls, have appointed the next sunday for the probationary sermons; and as they had by some lucky bit discovered that L came before N in the criss-cross-row, I am to undergo my ordeal in the morning and Dr. his in the evening. I rely upon your friendly exertions in my behalf, and shall be with you at breakfast. Te duce nil desperandum.

N

"I am, dear S.

Your's, truly, W. L.” My friend was with i me at his hour, accompanied by two of the most respectable householders. As we were all aware that we had a pretty tough job in hand, we prepared ourselves for the task by an ample dejeuné. We started directly after breakfast, and as it was carried nem. con. that we must be most mindful of the dignity of office, we entered the Upper Warden's shop first, where we found his brother officer, and two or three more of the select vestry in close gossip upon the approaching election. "Mr. Church warden," said I, "give me leave to ask your vote and interest for my friend here, who I understand has already in formed you of his intentions to become a candidate for the vacant lectureship." "Yes, Sir." replied this guardian of the steeple, " yes, Sir, but I really cannot say any thing to it. My brother Churchwarden and myself are resolved to act impartially, and we hope the parish joners at large will do the same." "Aye! aye!" exclaimed the others, "we shall not promise our votes before we have heard the candidates. Dr. Nand his friends have been before you, Gentlemen; but we all said the same to them-although we have heard the Doctor often at Chapel, and

we all think him a faithful Teacher." "Well, Sir," said my friend, "you sea how respectably I am attended, and should you think me worthy of the office I solicit, I shall be happy to number you, and your worthy colleague and these gentlemen among my friends.” I can't promise, Sir, I make a rule never to say that I will, let who will ask me. Mr. C——————, how do you do ?” addressing himself to one of the two gentlemen who accompanied us, “you'll be at church on Sunday, I supposewe have appointed your friend to preach his probationary serment in the morn ing, and Dr. Nhisn in the evening." Then turning to a customer, “what can I do for you?" said he; "I want a penny candle," replied the woman. As we took the great man's hint not to hinder the course of his business, we wished him a good morning, and proceeded on to the Deputy's house. After knocking twice, we were let in by a decrepid old woman, and put into a little parlour, until she should go up to her master to let him know "some people wanted him;" "but," said she,

if you are come about a lecturing, it will be of no use; for Dr. N― was here yesterday, and my master dearly loves to hear the truth from the pulpit." While we waited until the Alderman's adnoun could admit us to an audience, I took up a little book that was thumbed, and so besmeared with snuff, as to indicate that it was in constant use. It was a ready calculator, with tables of interest, and opened of itself at 7 per cent. There was a picture of Hogarth's Apprentice, with the glass broken; another of Lord Mayor Staines, hanging most precariously by a single nail over the mantle piece, and tarnished with the smoke of the chimney. Next to this was a vote of thanks passed at the Wardmote, to J. K. Esq. Citizen and Skinner, and Deputy of this Ward," for his eminent ser vices, and his polite attention on all occasious to the inhabitants thereof." This was embellished with the Deputy's coat of arms emblazoned, and framed and glazed in all due splendor; placed just above an old walnut-tree bureau, and under, a portrait of the double chin, rubicund cheeks, and peeping eyes of J. K. Esq. The door opened, and the original presented himself. "Well, Gentlemen, what's your business, pray?" was this polite man's salu tation; at the same time taking out

we

mind yet, and the least said, you know is soonest mended-Mr. E. let me speak a word to you." Our companion told us to go on, and he would join us in a few minutes. "I think," said he, " may set this down as a certain vote." We left this gentleman to make his way, and going out of the shop, overheard one of the red cloak ladies say to the rest," this Mr. L, I suppose, is a new set-up distiller, and wants an order; but I'll drink none of his stuff, Booth for my money." Our next call was at a beef shop. "Mr. Steer," said I, "this is the Rev. Mr. Lwho pays his respects to you as candidate for the vacant Lectureship. "Why, Sir," replied Mr. Steer, I hardly know how to act; Dr. N was here with his friends three days ago, and ordered a round of beef to the Falcon for their committee on Monday, and the Doctor has been with me this morning, having heard that I had said I should vote for Mr. L; he told me, that if such was my determination, I had no occasion to send the beef; so I said, Well, Sir, it wont be lost, I shall send it then to Mr. L's committee; and so, Sir, I think you must have my beef and my vote together.", We had just expressed our thanks to this liberal purveyor of luncheous, when our brother canvasser joined us from the gin shop with a smile upon his countenance, from which we drew a good augury. "So," said he, "our reverend friend was engaged in the Stock Exchange Hoax;" we all stared with surprise, and begged an explanation. "Why, would you believe it, the man of gin has been persuaded by some of our opponent's friends, that Mr. L, because his name is similar, was the same person as he who was Lord Cis associate in his late hoax. So my good Sir, I really congratulate you upon having escaped the promotion of the pillory, for which this good man would have given you his vote much sooner than for the Lectureship: however, he is convinced of his error, and you may put down his name in your list. After a canvass of varied success for five hours, during which our jaded candidate had to run the gauntlet of such questions as these: "Do you preach with or without book?-There is one book which is sufficient for ministers and people without the help of a black leather case!-Are you faithful? dare you tell poor hell-deserving

sinners the jeopardy of their precious souls?-Are you a friend to Bible Societies?-Have you read Huntingdon's Bank of Faith? – What's your opinion of Mant on Baptismal Regeneration?" with many other inquiries, which it would have taken up half a man's life to answer, our party reached the house of J. S. Esq. an intelligent, liberal, and manly character, who was too honest to enrich himself by his profession-he was a lawyer-but had hearty detestation of the artifices and obliquities of the practice as any client could possibly have, who had suffered by them. I confess I rejoiced when we turned from the vulgar impertinencies of beings of “brief authority"-from retailers of rush lights, sprats, and gin, from the spiritual questionists of the lap-stone and the loom-to rest our weary bodies and brains under the roof of a man who had too much wisdom to insist upon being wiser than other people, and too much honorable sentiment and liberal-mindedness, to presume upon his power of granting a favor, as giving him a right to offend the feelings of him who asked it. We were instantly ushered into the family sitting room-refreshment was brought us-and the following conversation ensued. "Mr. L, I am glad to see you and your friends; and I heartily wish you success. You have a strong and subtle party to contend with, who are not very scrupulous as to means, and indefatigable in their use of them. Sorry am I, that the establishment should be so perniciously committed as it universally is by these popular elections. They are altogether contrary to the constitution of our church, and in themselves subversive of the very point they are designed to secure.

But, Mr. S," I observed, "the people think that they ought to have the choice of their minister; that, as the bishop disposes of the living to whom he pleases, the lectureship, which is totally independent of the ecclesiastical right of presentation, should be placed in their disposal." "All this is more plausible than just, he replied," "for if the right of election in the church, comprehends a due consideration of the eligibility of the person chosen, which I

presume, will not be denied, those only ought to elect, who are best able to decide upon that eligibility; and how many of those think you, possess this judgment, whom you have this mora