LETTER XI.

HOUGHTON, Auguft.

I PROCEED in my transcriptions from my

penciled note-book; which, both at home and abroad, I have considered as the vehicle in which I place the unassorted ears I gather in the fields of observation; a plan which has the advantage of collecting my stores from the spots where they grew, and allows the opportunity of selecting and separating, winnowing and preserving, at more leisure, after my growing stock is housed. But, though I always perform these several tasks to the best of my judgment, not only before I carry the grain to the public market, but before I send my detached sheaves to you, my judicious friend, in the way of sample, I can no more promise you, that I do not, from oversight, send you some

times a poppy with the corn, sometimes an idle weed with the balmy herbs, and sometimes a useless flower with the verdant loads, than the farmer can undertake to warrant his hay, or his wheat free from a thistle, a weed, or a wormbite. Neither of us can do more than aver, that no pains are spared to prevent these intermixtures becoming objects of weight or consequence in the general bulk of our commodity; and, as to myself, I may fairly be allowed to observe, that it has all along been, and will continue to be, my custom, to submit my gatherings to the inspection of some of our most approved judges in the quality of all sorts of literary grain, from the most golden ear of intellectual wheat, to the minutest blade of grass, and simplest flower in the abundant garden of nature, previously to my conveying them to you. Thus guided by their judg

ment in the first instance, and assisted, in the second, by yours, I think I may be permitted, in the language of our English merchants, to

hope you will find the accounts correct, errors excepted."

Immediately on entering the chapel, Jarvis went hastily to the part of the aisle where the ashes of his master were deposited. "Here he lies, Sir Stranger," said he, pointing to the plain stone that covered the remains: "here he isI help'd to put him down with my own handsand mine were not the only tears that dropt upon his coffin as it was lowering: if it had been all night in the dew it could not well have been wetter. I don't often cry, but I did then like a beat baby and the thought on't often makes a child of old Jarvis still." It does honour to his memory, and to your own feelings at this moment, my good Jarvis, said I, perceiving his eyes were filling. "And here," cried Jarvis, "is the great Sir Robert - there his

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first lady here his second- and there Lord Horace - and I put HIM in too."

As I moved a few steps to inspect the marble of the latter, my foot slid insensibly on the stone sacred to Lord George-" Don't tread upon him, Sir Gentleman," said Jarvis, suddenly, but very gently plucking my coat"Its foolish enough, you'll say, but I never set

foot on it myself if I can help it - but then to be sure I was but his serving-man

yet, I be always so bold to keep off strangers when I can; and many's the douse I have given the boys and girls, whose fathers and mothers he gave house and home to, when somever I have seen them run and scuttle over it, as if it was the grave of one of my Lord's greyhounds; or as if it held the bones of such a fellow as his humble servant, Jarvis.”

The most natural testimony of the speaker's full heart followed this expression. He bowed at every word he uttered of the last line, and it was precisely such a bend, both of the head and body, as a comparative sense of situations betwixt master and servant, excites in a grateful and respectful domestic and I am convinced it was just the sort of reverence which Jarvis had often paid in the life-time of his Lord for the features, the air, and the accent, of a dutiful adherent all harmoniously accorded. At the end of a very long pause which ensued, he shook his head, and in a sigh-retarded articulation, exclaimed-" Little and great must all

go, to be sure; but I wish I could have got cleverly at the speech of you before you loft yourself, Lord George, just to have heard you say- Jarvis, I don't think any more of your sauce! or that you could but know how I have mop'd about it since may be, though, you Do know it, for 'twill be a bad job for other folk's souls, if yours, Lord George, an't in heaven." The head continued shaking till the owner of it arrived at this consolatory close, when, seeming to be inspired with the cheering influence of the sentiment, he lifted up his drooping figure, and cried" "Tis nothing but dust, Sir Stranger, that lies here, and a man loses his time in moaning thus for a heap of bones, which, to be sure, we are all born to be, gentle and simple, you and I! So now let me tell you something about this fine old affair a little farther on."

He pointed to a stone coffin. "That, too, is a Walpole," added he; " part, you see, broke: eleven years back I got a piece of his rib. He was taken up in Brumsthorpe churchyard, and brought here was one of the Nor