ness of the priestly office, he could temper the gravity of his demeanour with a pleasantness of address that won the confidence of thofe he would fain bring "into captivity to the obedience of Chrift." The revelation of the Gospel is from the God of Love, and they who preach its myfteries fhould exhibit in their lives its correfponding qualities. All the vifible perfections of His creatures, all the tender fympathies implanted in the heart of man, fpeak of His attribute of Love. The very angels, notwithstanding their nearer view of His perfections, yet sympathize with the weaknesses of their "fellow-fervants." Was not the love of our compaffionate Saviour exemplified in His whole life on earth? He fet that example which St. Peter recommends for our imitation: "be pitiful, be courteous." His ineffable dignity was tempered by fo divine a condefcenfion, His exalted presence by a graciousness fo meek and gentle, that He exhibited the harmonious perfection of His two-fold Nature in their highest attributes of Majesty and Love.

The learned and charitable Dr. Hammond used to fay, "he delighted to be loved, not reverenced; thinking that when there was much of the latter, there could not be enough of the former; somewhat of reftraint and distance attending on the one, which was not well confiftent with the perfect freedom requifite to the other."*

George Herbert alfo acted on the fame principle. He fays,

"The Country Parson is generally fad, because he knows nothing but the cross of Chrift; his mind being defixed on it

* Fell's Life of Hammond.

with those nails wherewith his Mafter was.

Or, if he has

any leisure to look off from thence, he meets continually with two moft fad spectacles, fin and mifery; God dishonoured every day, and man afflicted.-Nevertheless, he sometimes refresheth himself, as knowing that nature will not bear everlafting droopings, and that pleasantnefs of difpofition is a great key to do good: not only because all men fhun the company of perpetual severity; but also for that, when they are in company, inftructions feafoned with pleafantness both enter fooner, and root deeper. Wherefore he condefcends to human frailties, both in himself and others; and intermingles some mirth in his difcourfes occafionally, according to the pulfe of the hearer.”*

In the fame spirit, Ken confidered himself a meffenger of the Gospel of love; his experience of human nature taught him that men were to be allured, rather than driven from the tranfitory objects of this lower life, to fublime and spiritual affections. He did not think it unbecoming his holy office to draw their regard to himself personally, if by contemplating the features of a Christian character they might be led to place their higher love on God.

Being in attendance on Bifhop Morley, thefe and his other qualities brought him to the notice of the King. Winchester, from its healthy fituation, its extensive downs, and facilities for sporting, often attracted Charles II. to its neighbourhood. He made frequent progreffes there with his Court, either when going to Portsmouth, or when he was engaged in hunting excurfions in the New Forest. His brother, the Duke of York, afterwards James II., accom

* Herbert's Country Parfon, chapter 27: "The Parfon in mirth."

panied him, which probably fometimes gave Ken the fociety of his friend, Francis Turner, the Duke's efpecial favourite and Chaplain.

But the prefence of the Court, as we shall fee, became an occafion of trial to the self-denying inmates of the Bishop's palace. Splendid pageants, luxurious feasts, the concourse of attendants, the busy carefulness and anxious waiting for the funfhine of royal favour, had no charms for Ken. His heart afpired to higher objects: the faving of precious fouls, and the training them for the court of the King of kings, was the one absorbing idea that pervaded his ardent mind. The Court at this period was scarcely lefs profligate and luxurious than that of France. In his exile at Bruffels, Paris, &c., even when his father was fuffering the bitterness of perfecution, and his death on the fcaffold caused England to be an astonishment and a bye word to the nations, Charles II. had been given up to low fenfual pursuits. After his Restoration alfo, by a diffolute life, he fet the worst of examples to his people, and bequeathed to them a fearful legacy of profaneness and license, that spread like a contagion to after times. Many volumes of private histories and memoirs of his life, and correfpondence of the time, exhibit debauchery, drunkenness, gaming, profuse oaths, and infidel wit, as the common and fashionable vices of the Court. The hardihood with which he blazoned forth his profligacy to the world may be understood by the fact, that of his numerous natural children, born of many mothers, he raised fix to the title of Duke. He gave himself up to the pursuit of selfish and debafing pleasures, falfely fo

called, that eat out as a canker the better affections of the heart. He feemed to want all fenfe of the folemn refponfibility of a nation's welfare entrusted to him, and to forget that kings hold a divine commiffion which is to be exercised for the glory of God, and the good of their people.

CHAPTER VI.

Ken makes the Tour of Italy with Izaak Walton's fon-At Rome in the year of Jubilee-Returns home-His attachment to the Church of England confirmed.

NEW and refreshing scene opens before us, as we turn from the fearful picture of Charles's Court to the personal hiftory of Ken. Having given to the Winchester scholars a Manual of prayers

to fuftain their devotion, he prepared himself for a journey through Italy, at that time (towards the end of 1675) the wealthiest and most populous country in Europe. Fertile in the various productions of the earth, and abounding in the rare works of ancient and modern art, the nurse of mufic, of poetry, painting, and fculpture, and illuftrious for men of science and literature, Italy formed the natural point of attraction for those whose tafte impelled them to enlarge their experience beyond their own country. The houses of English noblemen, even in this our luxurious age, cannot vie with the stately palaces of Doria, Farnefe, Medici, Pitti, Colonna, Aldobrandini, Pamfili, Barberini, Borghefe, and others. Their marble halls and galleries were decorated with unrivalled pictures and ftatues, frescoes, and museums of precious ornaments and jewels, many of which are now defpoiled and scattered abroad.