Visit To Stratford-On-Avon And Its Vicinage.

buy ten gowns for ten poor people ; and £ 100 to be let out to fifteen poor tradesmen of the borough , from three years to three years , at the rate of 50 s . per annum , which increase was to be distributed to the inmates of the almshouse—adding upon his tomb , in large letters , vxnri / s POST rrccEKA TIVAT . But , spite of all this , sjiite of thus charging on his tomb only tivo aud a-half instead

of ten per cent .: spite of this emblazonment in marble . and gold before . the eyes of all churchgoers , the wittywords of tlie poet , scattered only on the winds , not merely survive , but are in everybody ' s heart and mouth ; all round Stratford , and will be till the day of doom . " From my " meditations among the tombs" I was

roused by poor old Kempe ( whose patience I am afraid I sorely tried ) , who was anxious to show me the grotesque figures curiously carved beneath the seats in the chancel . I rather fancy to Kempe ' s taste these were the gems of the church . What is Shakspere to him , and to many more at Stratford , save that he draws visitors ? " What's Hecuba to him , or he to Hecuba' ?" Doubtless the bright hazel eyes of Shakspere have speculated on these quaint carvings " many a time and

oit" m his boyhood ; and in each of these old stone seats in the chancel wall , erst intended for the priests , has he sat him down , before the Gothic doorway was walled up , which in his day led into the channel house . Methinks in his boyhood he has looked towards that doorway , and shuddered at the thoughts of human bones being dragged from the quiet to be ranged on

grave , ; shelves like playthings , or rudely thrown in heaps—as if they " cost no more the breeding , but to play at loggats with them ! " * Having seen as much -sf the interior of the church as my brain seemed capable -. if making good use of at one ¦ visitold Kempe and j m ranted up on to the top of

, the church ; but though , the landscape was very lovely , it was also very limited , from the low situation in which the church is built . It was something , however , to see my Shakspere ' s native river , as his own Julia says" Giving a gentle kiss to every sedge

He overtaketh in his pilgrimage ; And so , by many winding nooks , he strays , With willing sport , to the wild ocean . " —Two Gentlemen of Verona , act ii ., scene 7 .

We reached the belfry , and I would fain have tried the prospect from the top of the tower , for I am as fond of a church steeple as any jackdaw can be ; but old Kempe thought the rieketty old ladder was very unsafe , and ten to one would break with me , so I allowed myself to be dissuaded from the attempt ; but not without wondering for the hundredth time wh y the roads to church

towers , which ought always to be passable enough for young or old , are generally almost unusable . I would have them all made good , even though it cost a few parishes a farthing in the pound to do it . Having descended into the church , I took a farewell glance at the monument of Shakspere ; and , as I did so , that beautiful sonnet of brave John Milton ' s rang through my brain : —

"What needs my Shakspere , for his honoured bones , The labour of an ago in piled stones , Or that his hallow'd relics should be hid Under a stary-pointed pyramid ? Dear son of memory , great heir of fame , What need ' sfc thou such weak witness of thy name 1 Thou in our wonder and astonishment

Hast built thyself a live-long monument . For whilst to the shame of low-endeavouring arfc fk y easy numbers flow , and that each heart Hath from the leaves of thy unvalued book

These . Delphic lines with deep impression took , Then thou our fane } ' of itself bereaving , Dost make us marble with too much conceiving ; And so sepulchred in such pomp dost lie That kings for such a tomb would wish to die . " Old Kemp was at the other end of the church , and I was alone beside the ashes of Shakspere . Laugh at

me , reader , if thou wilt , but I could uot hel p reverentl y kneeling on his grave , and beseeching tho Almighty and Eternal God , tlie Architect and Ruler of the Universe , at whose creative fiat all things first were made , anel without whose blessing all human efforts are unavailing , to bless my humble endeavours to spread abroad a better

knowledge of "Shakspere , his Times and Contemporaries , " amongst the millions of my fellow-countrymen ; and that , as a true Mason , I might so dedicate and devote my life to the service of the Most Hi gh , that in word and deed , in thought and action , I might be useful to my fellow-creatures in their passage through the valley

of the shadow of death , aud that I mi ght be endowed with such a competency of his Divine wisdom , that both in my life and my writings I might tlie better be enabled to display the beauties of true godliness , to the honour and glory of his holy name . Never did I feel the frailty of all human nature more

than in meditating by Shakspere ' s grave . " A man may read a sermon , the best and most passionate that ever was preached , " says the good Bishop Jeremy Taylor , " ' if he shall but enter into the sepulchres of kings . " But to the literary man it is still more impressive to stand by the grave of a king of thought , a monarch in the realms of mind , —and most of all , to stand by the grave of Shakspere !

THE CHAPLAIN AND THE NUNCIO . — Everybody , at first sight , agrees that experience in society is the only good way to acquire the polish it demands . True , may he ; hut if it demands that polish in you , hoiv ivill it take you Avithout it ? HOAV can you ohfcain the entree into good society , when , on the very threshold , you are found deficient m its first yules ? How , if you succeed in pushing your way into sets ivhich yon "believe to constitute good society , can you he sure that they will tolerate there till have learned

you you your lesson , which is not one to be knoivn in a day p Youi- failure , indeed , may he painful , and end in your ejectment for ever from the circles you have taken so much trouble to press into . I remember an instance of such a failure ivhich occurred many years ago in a distant European capital . The English residents had long been Avithout a chaplain , anil the' arrival of an English clergyman was hailed with such enthusiasm that a deputation at once attended

on him and offered him the post , which he accepted . AVe soon found that our course was a mistaken one . Slovenly in his dress , dirty in his habits , and quite ignorant of the commonest rules of politeness , our neiv chaplain would have brought little credit to the English hierarchy even had his manner been retiring and unobtrusive . They ivere precisely the reverse . Hy dint of cringing , flatter ! ' , and a readiness to serve in no matter what undertaking , he

pushed himself ; by virtue of his neiv position , into some of the highest circles . One evening it happened that the neiv chaplain and the Pope ' s nuncio were at the same evening party . The pontifical legate went out hut little , and the lady of the house had used great exertions to procure his presence . The contrast betiveen the representatives of the tivo Churches was trying for us . The cardinal , grave , dignified , and courtly , received the advances of those who were introduced to him as his dueThe chaplainin a frayed and

. , dirty shirt , with holes in his boots , and ill-combed hair , AA-HS sneaking up to the grandees and doing his best to gain their attention by smiles and ( lattery . He had heard somewhere that no introductions Avere needed in continental sedans , and you can imagine onr surprise when ive saw him slide sideways up to the red-stockinged nuncio , tap him familiarly on the shoulder , and with a full grin exclaim" 'Wellmy lordIIOAV did you leave tho Pope ¦ "' The

, , , cardinal boived and smiled , hut could not conceal his astonishment . The familiarity ivas not indeed a crime , but ifc proved that the offender AA-SIS not fit for the society into AA'hich he had pushed himself ; and the legate , glad to have a story against the Protestants , made the most of it , and repeated it until the IIOAV chap lain found his entree to the draiving-rooms ofthe great was generally cancelled —Habits of Good Society .