which be was one of the chief promoters. But
he is strengthened to endure (see Psalm Ixvi.
12). And, besides, we have reason to believe
that he will ultimately get the money back
again. There was a sale of furniture, plate,
carriages, horses, pictures, &c. &c. &c., begun
at Bramley Manor on Tuesday last. Many
influential families here—members of papa's
congregation—have expressed strong objections
to the publicity with which the whole affair
was managed. There was no attempt, they say,
to make the best of things before the eyes of
the world. A sale by private contract would, I
have reason to believe, have been soothing to
the feelings of many of our wealthiest
merchants. G. and C. have so long stood at the head
of our Hammerham mercantile world, that the
blazoning forth in broad day of all these painful
details—as if G. and C. had been little
huckstering tradesmen, who, of course, naturally
must (according to the inscrutable decrees of
an overruling Providence) be sold up now and
then—has caused a good deal of annoyance.
I went as soon as I heard the first whisper of
misfortune, to offer my services, as a friend and
as the daughter of a minister of the Gospel.
Mrs. C. declined to see me. Why, I am entirely
at a loss to imagine! The excuse she alleged
was, that in the first days of her terrible
bereavement, she did not feel strong enough to see
me. But that, of course, is obviously absurd.
P. C. I did see. Also C. C. and W. The latter
is much softened by misfortune. May it be
blessed to him! I left him a suitable tract.
P. is as hard as ever. At least she seems so,
but it is not for us to judge (Matthew vii. 1).
But what can one expect of a person who abandons
her own parish church, where the Word is
preached in all its purity, to seek after strange
idols with coloured glass and candles (I have
been told they are lighted on saints' days. But
this I do not believe), and sermons that only
last fifteen minutes? I attended the sale at
B. M. the first day, from motives of duty, and
inspected everything. I suffered a good deal
the next day from swelled feet, not having sat
down for more than four hours. I grieved—I
deeply grieved—over the evidences of profusion
and worldly vanity, apparent in the most trifling
matters. Of course, my dear Mrs. Dawson, I
do not object—nor does papa—to the due and
fitting expenditure of wealth on articles which
add to the comfort of life according to our
station. But what do you think of having
patent spring mattresses on all the servants'
beds? Every one of them. And the sheets
linen. Coarse, I am willing to admit
(Heaven forbid that I should bear hardly
on my fellow-creatures), but all linen, every
thread. I made a calculation when I came
home of the sum that could have been gained
by the difference between the price of these
linen sheets and good unbleached cotton ones;
and I found that five annual subscriptions to
the Christian Reminder, and a life governorship
in Duckrell schools, might have been got
with the money! And then think of the souls
of the poor servants! What can they make of
their catechism, when they are accustomed to
such extravagance? C. C. has, I hear, accepted
a situation as clerk, or something of the kind—
managing man, some say, but he has managed
his own affairs so shockingly that I should think
that was not likely—to a builder's business in
London. He might have got something to do
here; but the family shrank from remaining in
Hammerham. And no wonder! They leave
tomorrow. I endeavoured to worm out their
address from P., but in vain. Ah, my friend,
the nether millstone is soft compared with the
hardness of the unregenerate heart! I hope
you have good news of my Christian friend,
Augusta. Jane was much attached to her. It
would be very agreeable for all parties if, when
the Reverend Malachi and his wife return to
England, Jane could stay with them for a time.
She is ordered a little change of air in the
spring. We are all going away (D. V.) from
Hammerham for a short excursion; but we are
seven, exclusive of papa, and it would be
convenient for us to get even one member of our
party disposed of elsewhere. Augusta would
find it a great boon to have my sister Jane with
her; especially if the Reverend Malachi's parish
is a large and populous one. I believe I have
answered all your questions. It will give me
great pleasure to hear from you at any time;
and to be the recipient of any charitable donation
you may choose to make to the good cause.
The Infant Bosjisman Baptism Mission is at the
present moment in want of funds. Papa
desires his kind regards to you; and
                            "I am,
                 "My dear Mrs. Dawson,
                 "Yours in all Christian sincerity,
                                                   "H. FLUKE."

         AN EPISODE OF FOX.

IN the year 1802, Fox* paid a visit to Paris.
He was in the zenith of his fame. The object
of his visit was to ransack the archives of the
French Foreign Office, with a view to the
completion of his history of James the Second. He
was well received by Bonaparte (then only first

* The Right Hon. Charles James Fox was the
youngest son of the Right Hon. Henry Fox, after-
wards first Lord Holland, and Lady Georgiana Lennox.
He was born in 1749, was educated at Eton and
Hertford College, Oxon; he was member of parliament
for Midhurst (1768), as a supporter of the Duke
of Grafton's administration. He was Lord of the
Admiralty under Lord North (1770-1772); Lord of
the Treasury (1773-1774), in opposition to Lord
North during the American war. He was returned
for Westminster in 1780. In 1782 he was appointed
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, under Lord
Rockingham, and resigned on his death. Under the
coalition ministry of 1783 he resumed office as
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. He resigned
on the defeat of the India bill in 1783; he headed
the opposition to Pitt's ministry, and withdrew from
parliament in 1797. In 1802 (the year of his visit
to Paris) he was returned for Westminster. On
Pitt's death, in 1806, he again took office as Secretary
of State for Foreign Affairs.