again, as if ashamed of his seriousness, he attempted a jest, saying, "If good works are to be shown up at the last examination, I fear more of our best scholars will be then plucked than they now think for."

Come, Mr. Bonville," said Mr. Dalben gravely," this is my hour. Will you take your place in the window? Kitty will prevent all interruptions. And since we have accidentally touched upon a very important doctrine, let us follow it up. Henry Milner, what I am about to say, will interest you; you shall therefor join our party, and we will seriously consider the sort of college allusion which Mr. Bonville has chosen to bring forward to elucidate an awful doctrine."

"As you are to be an Oxonian, Henry, I have no objection to point out to you that the cant phrase of plucking in our universities, is perfectly correct in its analogy to the types and emblems, as applied by Scripture. Most animals have by nature some sort of covering supplied or produced by their own body. Man, as an animal, is, in this respect, less provided than birds and beasts. His hair, indeed, is a beautiful crown, but he especially needs an imputed covering; and it is the work of the Holy Ghost to teach him where to obtain that covering, and how to

make it his own; but, as I said before, many animals have a natural covering-wool and hair, and fur and scales, and feathers. Sheering, fleecing, and plucking, are therefore a very appropriate emblem of depriving any creature of his peculiar honours ;—and, taking birds as the type of spiritual or intellectual beings, depriving them of their feathers describes very appropriately the process which an unhappy youth endures when robbed of his fame, and rejected by his Alma Mater."

"Oh!" exclaimed Edgar, "it makes me shudder with cold, like a plucked goose, even to think of it."

"It is better to think of it beforehand, Edgar," said Mr. Dalben, "than to endure the chance of suffering it; but before I dismiss the subject, you must permit me to add, that, from this process, which we call plucking, and which consists in depriving a man who, in examination, is found unworthy not only of all the credit he expected to obtain, but of all which he enjoyed before, we may understand somewhat of that which all human beings, whose works are imperfect, must endure at the last, when brought before the tribunal of omnipotence, omniscience, and perfect holiness; for none can escape the

PART III.

power of omnipotence;-none can deceive the all-searching eye of omniscience; and even the angels are not pure in the sight of perfect holiness; and yet, Mr. Bonville, to use your college phrase, we are all bound, it seems, from scripture, to show up our works in the last great day; and, to carry on your analogy, if these our works are not perfect, we are certain to be rejected"

"That is, plucked," said Edgar, somewhat lightly.

66

Well, if you please, plucked," returned Mr. Dalben ; 66 or, to use the words of scripture, 'from him that hath not, shall be taken even that which he hath.""

"At that rate," remarked Edgar," we are all in a poor way; for surely, Mr. Dalben, you do not think that there is any person whose works are quite perfect ?"

"I

"And yet," replied Mr. Dalben," I do hope and trust to present works faultless, and without spot, before the throne of my God."

Mr. Bonville smiled, and said, "I know you to be a good man, Mr. Dalben, and that you have been very charitable, and given away a vast deal of money, and lived a very innocent life; but, you must excuse me,-I can hardly

think it even of

you, that you have never done any thing wrong. There is no man on earth I could think that of."

66

suppose

Really," said Mr. Dalben, smiling, “you must have a strange opinion of mankind; and that you should that I ever do wrong, is a sort of presumption that I should hardly have expected from you; but, seriously speaking, I can assure you, that as far as I am myself concerned, I venture to assert, that I never once, through all my life, performed one faultless action, or spent one hour of innocence, unless it might be in the days of infancy. I therefore solemnly declare, that I shall not presume to present one action of my own before the tribunal of justice, lest it should be weighed in the balance and found wanting. No, I desire to cast away all my own righteousness as filthy rags; and yet I hope to present works which are faultless, and without blemish, before the throne of God, that is, I trust that through my union with Christ, his righteousness may be imputed to me, and his works made mine; and being provided with these, I shall stand without fear in the presence of Omniscience."

Mr. Dalben was not quite sure that Edgar understood him; however, he felt that he had associated some ideas with his college phrases,

which would not fail to present themselves again to his mind when these phrases recurred; and being satisfied with this, he dismissed Henry, and commenced his regular course of biblical instruction with Edgar, carrying him successfully through the hour.

This hour was hardly concluded, however, when Thomas, appearing without the window, which was open, said, "Sir, they be coming again—at any rate, two of them blades, gallopping as if old gooseberry was behind them, and I reckon he a'ant far off them, at any rate. They will be here in a trice-I seed their heads over the hedge there, at the turning. They does not think small beer of themselves by the manner of them, or I am more mistaken in them than I commonly be in such chaps."

"Very well, Thomas," said Mr. Dalben, "that is enough-you may go; and do you, Edgar, leave them to my management," added the old gentleman, with some authority of manner "If you retire to your room, you will not encounter them."

"But, perhaps," returned Edgar, " I might"

"As you please, Mr. Bonville," replied Mr. Dalben.