was so much discomposed by what you said. Wher I think by what a perverse spirit I was actuated, it cuts me to the heart. Impute it to my ignorance, and forgive me. But I can assure you, I never parted with one I loved so much, since I have seen into the pride and presumption of my wicked heart. [Mr. Lovegood being quite overcome by the address, could make no answer, but retired out of the room."] Wor. [To Lovely.] Sir, your conversation acts too powerfully on the feelings of that good man. Lov. Yes Sir. And it was but a little time ago that I was jealous and suspicious of every word he said. And what pains I took to persuade my dear wife to leave your house, that I might have her at a distance from hearing those blessed truths, which I now leave with such regret! But I cannot express what I feel in being deprived of such an instructor, just as I have discovered how ignorant and ill-instructed I have been all the days of my life. This painful circumstance affects me more than I can express. And what a scene will be exhibited before me, if I find my old uncle on this side of the eternal world, while I feel myself so incapable of instructing him, and he at the same time, so unfit to die! Wor. Oh Sir, as you must go post, and as your servant is to follow you with your vehicle, he will have room to carry some of the publications of our good old divines with him, such as Hall, Davenant, Usher, Leighton, and others, who were the real advocates of the doctrines of the reformation, authors, not less eminent, though less dignified; and let these, dear Sir, be your instructors, till we see you again; I will go into my library, and pick you out some of them-But I am sorry, that you have cause to apprehend so much, as it respects the state of your uncle's mind. Lov. O Sir! I should be ashamed to tell all I know or think of him. [To his wife.] My dear creature, what shall we say to him, should we find him alive? Oh what would I give, if that dear man, who has now left the room, could but go with us? Wor. An excellent thought my dear Sir; for though we are always very sorry to part with Mr. Lovegood; yet, for the good of others, I should suppose such an event is by no means impracticable ; and I dare say, if Mr. Lovegood can but procure the assistance of Mr. Goodman, who is at present disengaged, having been turned out of his curacy by his Rector, he on his own part will have no objection. Mrs. Lov. Dear Sir! what a joy it will be to us both, to be favored with such a companion! As we are all of us but slender, and as we must travel post, we shall find quite sufficient room in the chaise. Lov. Oh Sir! if this plan can be accomplished, how happy it will make us! Perhaps Mr. Saveall, the Rector of Grediton, might lend him his pulpit. I cannot think there are a set of people upon the earth that want such preaching more than they do; the town is full of the most wretched worldly-minded misers that ever existed; excepting my dear wife's father, who is not a native, and a very few more, they are almost all alike. Mrs. Lov. Why you know my dear, if Mr. Saveall will not let Mr. Lovegood preach, your father may succeed with Doctor Nescience, though he would not have so large a congregation in the village of Fairfield. But oh how happy should I be! if the people in our parts were but to hear what we have heard, since our visit to Brookfield! Lov. Ah my dear! instead of talking about getting pulpits for Mr. Lovegood, we must first see if we can get him to go with us. We shall have no time to accomplish such a plan, unless we set about it directly; for though the days are long, yet we have a journey of above sixty miles before us. Wor. Then Sir, we must make the more speed, that we may see what can be done; perhaps we may settle matters in less time than you think for. [Mr. Lovegood is again immediately called in.] Wor. Come Sir, wipe your eyes, and hear the proposal we have to make to you. Loveg. Sir, I cannot stand it, if Mr. Lovely addres ses me in such a manner. Wor. Well Sir; but he is going to address you on another subject, and in another manner. Lov. Will you my dear Sir, go with us to Grediton? Mrs. Lov. O dear Sir! don't say no. I beseech you, come with us! Loveg. But what must I do about my Church? And then there is poor Mrs. Lovegood, and her little ones. Wor. Oh Sir! there is Mr. Goodman, I dare say he is still disengaged; I will send a note to him, if you will write it, and order a man and horse to go with it to Mapleton directly. And as to Mrs. Lovegood, we will be sure to pay her due attendance till your return.-Nothing can make these dear young people so happy, as to be favored with your company: you must go with them. Loveg. Really Sir, such a hasty proposal quite staggers me. Still I feel much inclined to go, but I wish to consider a little. Wor. O Sir! for the present you must put consideration quite out of the question. These dear young people will want a friend and an adviser with them, and there is no one that can do so well-But I must not say too much before your face. Loveg. Sir, you know I cannot be absent above a week or ten days. Wor. [To Mr. Lovely.] Sir, that Mr. Lovegood may not interrupt time by his talk, you write a note directly to Mr. Goodman, and request him, in the name of us all, to serve Mr. Lovegood's church next Sunday: you know him, as he dined with us on Friday last, but be sure it does not fall into the hands of Mr Dolittle, or Mr. Spiteful. [They all smile.] Loveg. Dear Sir, you press matters very close upon me. But will it be worth while to take so long a journey for so short a time? Wor. Why, suppose you were to be absent two Sundays instead of one, if Mr. Goodman can supply for you though we are sorry to part with you, yet you can never do good but at one place at the same time. If I had your old honest friend Mr. Slapdash here, I should not have had half the trouble to have persuaded him to take the same journey, under the same providential calls. Loveg. Ah Mr. Slapdash! Dear honest man, I know how I want his constitutional zeal. And I love him for what I have not got. Wor. Then borrow some of mine; you know at times, a rapid fit overtakes me. Come, come, go home directly to Mrs. Lovegood, pack up your little matters, and by that time my servant will have returned with an answer; and depend upon it, that all is right in a way of providence, if Mr. Goodman can supply for you till your return; if he cannot, I shall agree with you, that your parochial situation povidentially prevents the journey. Lovelys. [Both together.] Oh do, do, dear Sir, go home directly, and prepare for the journey; we do not care if we travel all night, if we can but have you with us. Loveg. Well, well, I find I must submit. I will go home and return as soon as I can. The Lord direct us! The dialogue thus concluded. A copy of Mr. Lovely's note to Mr. Goodman, shall be laid before the reader. 66 DEAR SIR, "If you can shew the greatest instance of your truly Christian affection, to a poor bewildered youth, who begins to find his way out of a labyrinth of errors, through the blessing of God on Mr. Lovegood's preaching and conversation, may I humbly request you to serve his church for him, while he favors me with his presence, and pious advice to Grediton, where I am called immediately to attend, by a letter directed to be written to me, by the dying request of my great uncle. Dear Sir, accept this small token* of respect, as you have suffered so much from your virtuous, and steady conduct, on behalf of our blessed Redeemer's gospel. I am Sir, With real esteem, Your affectionate friend, Matters were thus speedily settled, Mr. Goodman engaged to supply for Mr. Lovegood, whereby he seemed fully satisfied that he should take the journey. This greatly softened many painful sensations, respecting the separation. A few sympathetic tears were indeed dropt between Mrs. Lovely and Miss Worthy, who began to feel themselves as much united, as though they had been sisters; and after all things were thus completely settled, a very appropriate, though short prayer, was offered up, and the following parting hymn was sung, which Mr. Lovegood, being possessed of a ready knack of rhyming, gave out as an extempore production on this occasion: Holy Savior! Israel's guide! Call'd by thine unerring hand, * The present was a five-pound not... |