CHAPTER IX.

THE OAK-STUMP.

block was destined to serve for some generations among those to whom its uses were various and important. The kitchen range did not appear more completely naturalized in its appointed station; nor, apparently, was the iron which composed it more effectually divorced from its parent mine, than was its neighbour, the heart of oak, from its brethren of the forest.

One fine moist spring, however, pro

SOMETHING of recent occurrence has recalled to my mind a circumstance, which, at the time amused me greatly, and furnished not a few subsequent reflections. I can and do vouch for the truth of the incident; it really happened: but to render it less incredible than it might ap-duced a singular effect on the block: sevpear to an English reader, I must observe eral delicate young leaves were seen to that in sundry districts of Ireland they do sprout from its side. It was remarked as not always carry the finish of a kitchen a curious circumstance by some of the so far as we do, in country houses of even servants, but the leaves soon being chiphigh respectability, and of the most sub-ped off little notice was taken. The folstantial description. That part of the fit-lowing year it exhibited more conspicuous ting most frequently dispensed with is the floor. Boards or bricks are little known, in some places; and where a few flags are laid down, so many portions become detached in process of time, or sink unequally into the soil, that the pavement is but a partial, irregular affair. I do not mean this as a general description: but I have often seen it so in houses of large dimensions, and possessing luxurious accommodations; while, either from a stretch of hospitality on the part of the servants, or as a security against nightly depredation, the fowls were admitted snugly to roost among the long rafters, or other conveniences, beneath the warm and sheltering roof. This sketch may furnish a hint to unravel the mystery which, had it occurred in a well-bricked or dry-boarded apartment, would have been altogether too marvellous for the grasp of any rational credulity.

It was in the very spacious kitchen of a fine old family mansion, embowered in venerable oaks and elms of mighty growth, that the servants requiring a stout block for culinary purposes, had obtained it from the lower part of a stately tree, recently felled; and fixing its spreading base on the kitchen floor-so they called it, though of flooring that quarter was perfectly destitute-they used it for several years, in the capacity aforesaid. Many a hard blow had the block sustained; many a time had its stubborn surface turned the edge of a hatchet and saw, sending the grumbling operator to the grindstone. Nobody doubted but the

tokens of vegetation: the shoots were many and of vigorous growth; while the servants agreed to preserve them, pleased to behold their ancient friend in so respectable a livery of national green. Towards autumn, its appearance became so striking, that the report was carried into the parlour; and the master of the family found on inspection so fine a development. of root, striking deep into the soil of the kitchen, that for the sake of experiment he caused it to be very carefully dug up, without stripping those young roots; and placed in the natural ground, near an ancient avenue of its own kindred. He was not disappointed: for in a year or two the bushy honours of this kitchen block furnished one of the finest specimens of oak foliage to be found on the demesne.

I was in the neighbourhood at the time of this singular transplantation, and ridiculed very freely the idea of any other result than the speedy withering both of root and sprout: alleging that the atmospheric change from a culinary hothouse to the chill damps of closing autumn, with winter's succeeding blight, would alone suffice to extinguish the feeble essay of vegetation. But I wronged the noble plant: or rather the hardihood with which the Creator has endowed that majestic race of trees. It shamed my confident predictions, and became an ornament to the place.

Such a type has afforded me many pleasing illustrations, both on national and personal subjects; but one case is at this moment present to me, which follows it

out, I think, with peculiar truth. It regards avocations, from among the ungodly, and the solitary survivor of a family that once placed him in the midst of those who flourished in the courts of the Lord: until, knew and feared His name. Until then, one by one, they were removed to a better H. had made no open profession, and it country, and this youth remained, cut off was a matter of painful conjecture with from every external tie that had formerly his new associates, and of profane jests united him to the people of God. Thrown and foolish bets with the old, as to how he among worldlings, he became altogether would appear in this situation. A very as they he served their master, and he little time sufficed to delight the one party served them, in all the drudgery of sin. as much as the others were astonished The world, the busy, noisy, abject world, and chagrined. If ever a young man' became his element: in their daily toil he boldly professed the name of Christ, and partook, and from the scenes of nightly rev- beautifully adorned his doctrine, such a elry he was never absent. No more resem- man was H. Rooted and grounded in blance could be traced between H. and his the faith, he stood, a tree of the Lord's departed relatives, than between the low planting, bearing fruit abundantly, that he and greasy block in a butcher's stall and the might be glorified. I may speak freely of noble stem that throws the canopy of its ver- the departed, and H. is gone to his rest: I dant branches over a wide expanse of shel- never beheld more vigorous growth than tered sod. The most sanguine of Christ's in him: or a richer adorning of those gifts followers dared not to surmise of poor young and graces which the Lord alone can beH. that a principle of spiritual life existed stow. within, lying dormant thus from year to year.

Yet so it was: I had the story from himself, that the first motions of that divine vegetation arose in his soul without the intervention of any other means than a vague and confused recollection of what he had heard in very early life. It was in the midst of as busy and bustling a throng as ever had congregated around him that these thoughts stole over his mind, gradually absorbing it to such an extent, that the forms which flitted past him were but as the shadows of clouds, and their merry or earnest voices as the murmur of running streams to the contemplative recluse. Hours had thus elapsed, ere he became sensible of their flight; and he hastened into retirement with feelings incomprehensible to himself, there to brood over the sweet and awful theme.

Unquestionably there is a blessing connected with the steady observance of family religion, far greater and more extensive than our unbelief is willing to admit. I could fill a volume with the brief enumeration of instances coming within my own knowledge, and I do verily think that the Lord conceals from us many a work of grace in the souls of our dearest connexions, because of our slowness of heart to believe the immutability of His exceeding great and precious promises. It is very generally allowed that the miracles of healing performed on diseased bodies by the blessed, Jesus were typical of what He is ever waiting to do for our sin-sick souls. We often find the leper, the blind Bartimeus, and the Syro-phenician woman, brought forward with striking commentaries, as furnishing invaluable encouragement to come, and be saved: His experience was even from this mo- but I think we are not equally willing to ment a remarkably happy one: convic- lay hold on the case of the man whose tions he had, deep and powerful, of in- friends let him down through the roof-of dwelling and of actual sin: but the mani- the centurion so successfully pleading on festation of redeeming love was too vivid behalf of his sick servant, and of the father for the long continuance of any cloud. who brought his poor possessed child to Fruits soon appeared, extraordinary the Saviour immediately after His transenough in the sight of his ignorant com- figuration. All these are told with such panions, but passed over by them as the emphasis of application-why do we so effect of momentary caprice. After a overlook them? The last-named instance while, however, the Lord, who was thus is peculiarly forcible: does not conscience mightily working in and for him, directed tell us that we are very much in the habit his removal, even in point of professional of bringing our unconverted friends before

the Lord with an "If thou canst"? It is | through the appointed means of your

his family on the British throne. Days that are past! what retrospect can I take, that will not fill me with shame and confusion of face on behalf of my besotted country-made drunk, indeed, as it was, with the wine of the wrath of that cup which the great harlot fills for the destruction of all who approach her!

very fact of being drawn out to pray for king, with reluctant anguish of spirit, rethose dear to us, is a token that a migh-nouncing the very principles that placed tier power is working within: and we ought not to restrain it, or to check the filial petition with ignorant surmises as to what may be the will of God. "Oh that Ishmael might live before Thee!" cried Abraham, when the full tide of divine promise was flowing towards Isaac. "And as for Ishmael I have heard thee," was the gracious reply. God has, more blessings to bestow than we can muster claims to put in. Let us not impute niggardliness to Him who when He ascended up on high, leading captivity captive, received gifts for men, even for the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell among them.

CHAPTER X.

WILLIAM III.

I will not dwell upon the period itself, when with prayers and tears, and fastings, I besought the Lord, night and day, to avert from my loved country the guilt of this alliance with his anti-Christian foe. Conscience bears me witness, that in every possible way before God and man I recorded the solemn PROTEST which, though weighing but as a grain of sand in the mountainous bulk of divided opinions, was yet both a secret sigh and an open cry against the abomination that was done.* I will not recount my thoughts and feelings, when, on St. George's festival following, the name-day of the reigning king, the day when the fatal new law first came actively into operation, I found myself right

establishment, its gorgeous silken folds hanging listlessly down the flag-staff; and poor Erin's pictured harp actually resting on the ground. I stood and wept in the bitterness of national feeling; until a sudden breeze arose unfolding what was once

Our glorious semper eadem, the banner of our pride. and as the magnificent breadth of that banner was flung to the playful winds, I turned away with one word only bursting from my lips-"Ichabod-Ichabod !"

By how trivial an event is the strong current of thought sometimes turned out of the smooth channel wherein it is peace-opposite the royal standard of England, fully flowing, into some other, through displayed in honour of the Sovereign, on which it is compelled to hurry on, like a the rampart of a great national military foaming torrent dashing its troubled waters against rock and stone, or murmuring through shades of darkness and dismay! This is my present case: I was preparing to think on paper, and think 1 cannot, just now, on any other topic than the one brought before me. A dear little lad, who well knows the habitual bent of my feelings, came to me in breathless haste to exhibit a prize that he had secured while making some purchase at a toyshop-it was a farthing, displaying in high preservation the effigies of William and Mary; and on the reverse, the Irish harp: bearing date 1693. And this, thought I, as I gazed on the simple relic, this is the 13th of April, 1836, the seventh anniversary of that day when a king of the house of Hanover put his royal hand to the act of undoing what this humble coin commemorates! A day, indeed, this is to be remembered but not with joy: an event that showed the most undaunted warrior of the age yielding to intimidation, the most consummate statesman of his time egregiously outwitted, and a Protestant VOL. II. 33

But the effigies of William and Mary have sent me farther back, to the days of my sojourn in the great battle-field of Protestantism, Ireland. In the metropolis of that country there is one spot of rare, and, in the estimation of many, unparalleled architectural beauty. It is that where the spectator stands facing Carlisle Bridge, the Dublin University on his right hand; a little in advance to the left, that splendid structure over the Senate House, now the National Bank of Ireland, with its two fronts, the one looking on College Green,

* See Ezekiel ix.

the other on Westmoreland Street, while the royal mandate for the admission of the gracefully rounded sweep, destitute Green, and defending their Protestantism of any sharp angle, rather unites than even to the point of forcible ejection by divides those spacious openings. Onward the soldiers of their treacherous prince: across the bridge, towers the monumental pillar of Nelson, surmounted by his statue, which marks the centre of Sackville Street, a noble continuation of that of Westmore land. This lie of buildings is one of the most simply grand, in width and uniformity of any in Europe. It terminates in the great Rotunda, behind which arises the trees of Rutland Square.

Among the visions of by-gone days, how vivid were those that would crowd on my view, when slowly pacing that remarkable spot, I have glanced from the light and exquisitely finished building that once contained the stormy parliament, to the sombre and plain, yet stately edifice That memorial is gone; the hand of of Trinity College-famous in Irish an- ruffian violence, guided by the principle nals for the stern intrepidity wherewith of implacable hatred against Protestantits inmates withstood alike the fraudulent ism, has perpetrated a deed at which civdevices and despotic decrees of James ilization may blush. By cowardice and and his unprincipled minion Tyrconnel. treachery, under cover of night, the beauThe archives of that college contain a tiful monument has been destroyed. An noble testimony to their fidelity, resisting act it is worthy to be chronicled together