world already regards as "of more importance" than the author of THE TASK. It is not much to be regretted, that Cowper was an idle lawstudent nor at all, that Grahame left his profession, had he done so at a period when health and hope might have borne him through the toils and anxieties which attended his new destination; for by this time his health was much impaired, and he had passed the meridian of life.

Having left Edinburgh, Grahame went with his family to Annan, Mrs Grahame's native place, where he spent the winter of 1808-1809, zealously preparing himself for taking orders. From thence he went to London, and on the 28th of May was ordained by the Bishop of Norwich. The writings of Grahame bear testimony that no one could enter on the sacred office more deeply sensible of its duties and importance. It had been his early and his constant wish. His appearance, voice, and manner, as well as his talents and his piety, shewed that his natural place was the pulpit.

Some time after his ordination, Grahame obtained the curacy of Shipton, in Gloucestershire, at which place he settled with his family. There could be nothing in the local circumstances of this situation very captivating to the mind of either the poet or the preacher conscious of superior talent. He never could have supposed the English peasantry Arcadians-nor would he have wished to find them so; but he might have fancied a closer resemblance to his own 66 gray-haired man, the fa

ther and the priest." His situation is described by himself, in a letter written soon after his settlement; and we regret that more of his letters have not been preserved.

"I am now but beginning," says he, "to feel at home. At first the wandering backwards and forwards through the prayer-book puzzled me sadly; but now it comes quite easy to me. I never, except the first minute or two of the first day, felt any embarrassment in the pulpit. This parish is small, so that the duty is rather easy. As to the people (the labouring classes I mean), they are rather good, I think; but they are a dull race, and deplorably ignorant. Hardly one in twenty can write, and more than the half cannot read. The poor are wretchedly poor indeed, though the rich are liberal, and the poor-rates by no means light. In religion they are far behind us (the Scotch); they want warmth of devotion. Few of them join in the psalms, and in many churches there is no singing at all. This lukewarmness of the people I ascribe very much to the inefficiency and supineness of the clergy. There are here and there excellent and zealous ministers, but the majority of them are lazy, stupid, and worldly-minded. In the neighbourhood there are two or three young men who, in the course of a few years, have done much good. In short, the harvest only wants labourers. With respect to the gentry, they are both good and agreeable. They read a good deal; they have excellent and large collections of books; they are clever and intelligent; but to me there is a want about them; they want fire and variety! they are, in short, too rational.

"I am here as happy as I can be at a distance from my friends. Our temporalities are not great, but we have many comforts a tolerable house, two gardens, and a small paddock, besides seven acres, for which we pay rent. The church is very ancient and crazy. In the steeple there are three sweet-toned bells and an owl."

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The duty of Grahame, in the parish of Shipton Moyne, was thus naturally less pleasing to him individually, than if his lot had been cast among "his own people." It is related by one of his friends, in an interesting little notice of his life, that some time before he left the bar, looking in a fine summer evening with elighted complacency on the little kirk of Borthwick, not far from his retirement on the Esk, he said, “I wish such a place had fallen to my lot ;" and when it was remarked, that retirement might become wearisome, 0, no," he replied, "it would be delightful to live a life of usefulness among a simple people, unmolested with cares and ceremonies!" The reader of THE SABBATH and the BIRDS OF SCOTLAND must be convinced that these were his genuine sentiments; nor is it easy to imagine a picture of human beatitude more touching and complete than the author of THE SABBATH," the Poor Man's Bard," living surrounded by his family, the pastor of 66 a simple people," in one of the glens of his own romantic land. But such was not his fate.

Family affliction, of a nature peculiarly trying, compelled him to come to Scotland in 1810; but this cause of distress was happily removed; and being again in want of an appointment, he was persuaded by his friends to become a candidate for St George's chapel, in York Place, Edinburgh. The preacher is chosen by a kind of popular election ; and, on the final trial, and after all the heart-burnings and torture attending such an exhibition and canvass to a mind of any delicacy, another candi

date was successful. The disappointment was more felt by the friends and admirers of Grahame, who had hoped to secure his residence among them, than by himself. If left to his own choice, he would probably have preferred the humble flock in the kirk of Borthwick to the fashionable and critical audience of St George's chapel; and his warmest admirers need seek for no deeper revenge on this congregation, than that with the power of having the author of THE SABBATH for their preacher, his name is not found on their records.

During the canvass for St George's chapel, and in the preceding months, the health of Grahame, which had long been delicate, was much affected. He was now arrived at that period of life when every man wishes to realize his ultimate prospects; and a young family were springing up around him, on whom he must often have thought with tender anxiety. He went to Durham with his wife and children, and obtained the temporary appointment of sub-curate of St Margaret's in that city. The parish was populous-the church deserted. Animated by the zeal of duty, and the consciousness of powerful talent, he devoted himself manfully to his task, and soon attracted the most numerous and cultivated audience in the city, subduing the pride of learning and the vanity of fashion to the power of the gospel. He was now become what is called a popular preacher; and he was, in the best sense of the word, a faithful pastor, exemplary in life, and sound in doctrine, affectionate and zealous for the spiritual improvement of his flock.

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Grahame's style of preaching, like his poetry, had more of the purity and sweetness of the gospel, than of the terrors of the law. His tone of mind was in all things more attuned to the whisper of the "still small voice" of mercy, than to the thunders of Sinai. Unfortunately the brief duration of his engagement at St Margaret's dissolved the tie which held him to his newly-gathered flock, and, while it suspended his useful labours, left him once more to seek a home. One of the best informed of his biographers states a circumstance which reflects small honour on any friend of religion who had the power of rewarding the labours of such a man as Grahame, and who was officially intrusted with patronage, which is understood to be employed only for the good of the church, and never for the gratification of private feelings, whether of friendship or hostility. Grahame applied for a minor canonry in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of Durham, and was refused; though the Dean, it is mentioned, suffered the situation to remain vacant during the remainder of the poet's life, after having it twice rejected by favourites of his own. Another account, which for the honour of religion we hope may be accurate, states, that Grahame was refused the minor canonry because it had been previously promised away-though it is not easy to reconcile this statement with the fact of the canonry remaining vacant for months afterwards.

The friendship of Mr Barrington, nephew of the late venerable Bishop of Durham, at this time procured for Grahame the curacy of Sedgefield, a rural