Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

neatness, and cleanliness, and a style proportioned to his age and his position in life, never above it, but rather below it. Whatever is more than this, cometh of evil.

On the following day, the great hall at Athelling was crowded with guests. Speeches came on, and Examinations, and the whole routine. The Masters paid attention to the parents who were present, and all the guests united in due eulogy of the Doctor, who had raised the School so much, in so short a period.

Then followed the distribution of prizes. It was as follows.

[blocks in formation]

When Barrow approached to receive the second prize, every eye was turned upon him, and very few had ever seen a face which struck them so much. There was such a union of deep thoughtfulness, with cheerful kindness, of elegance combined with gravity and firmness, in his whole countenance and manner, as belong to no ordinary character. His face was scarcely flushed, and his whole manner was calm and collected, when he

put forth his hand to receive the first volume of But the colour rushed into his

his second prize. cheeks, when the Doctor desired him to stop, as he was retiring. And he looked somewhat anxiously, when he saw Dr. Wilson preparing to speak, either about him or to him.

There was a dead silence. The Doctor rose from his chair, and said,

"Mr. Barrow, I have the pleasure of informing you, that you are elected to the Lonsdale Exhibition, now vacant. I have the still greater pleasure of thanking you, in the name of the Governors of this School, and in my own name, for your conduct both as a junior boy, and as Captain. I wish to say to our guests, and to every boy in the School, that in parting with Mr. Barrow, I am losing not only a scholar beyond his years, but a true Gentleman, and a sincere Christian. You have now a model before you, boys. You have only to imitate it. I fear, Mr. Barrow, I am giving you pain, as well as pleasure, but it is right to say what I do, for the sake of others. For yourself, I know that you need no other stimulus in the path of distinction now opening before you, than that high sense of duty, which has been the rule of your actions, ever since I have known you.” The Doctor's voice faltered

towards the end, and Barrow was as pale as ashes. He uttered a few words of thanks, and retired quickly behind the curtain.

The remainder of the day was spent in riotous breaking up, by the rest of the boys; but Barrow and Davenant were at Doctor Wilson's, and the happiness and sorrow of that evening, dwelt long in Godfrey's mind. When the coach took up Barrow on the following morning, Godfrey felt as if he had lost his great stay and security, but he also had a far journey before him, and this, with the remembrance how painful it would be to Barrow, to know that his friend relied on human aid for support, helped him to throw off these thoughts, and to obtain that cheerfulness, which his mother had a right to expect of him, on his return to her, and to his sisters.

197

CHAPTER XVI.

Renewed Temptations.

Sovereign masters of all hearts,
Know you, who hath set your parts;
He Who gave you breath to sing,
By Whose strength ye sweep the string;
He hath chosen you to lead

His Hosannas here below;

Mount and claim your glorious meed,
Linger not with sin and woe.

CHRISTIAN YEAR.-Palm Sunday.

It might seem at first sight that both Dr. Wilson and Barrow, excellent as they were, had been of little use at Athelling. But it was not so. The good which they effected did not show itself immediately, but the good seed was surely sown, and a better class of boys was springing up, and was taking the place of the now small remnant of the old set.

When Barrow went to Oxford, the eyes of all

the Doctor's friends there were fixed upon him. He was the first fair specimen of his system. Others had gone to the University yearly since his mastership began, but none so entirely formed and trained under him as he was.

Shelley was now head boy. He had been at Athelling longer than Barrow; but clever as he was, he had been surpassed and beaten by him. He was partly of the old set and partly of the new, and brilliant as were his talents, he was scarcely a good specimen of either. At first he exercised no influence over Davenant, who was now second. Barrow's power was too strong upon him, and he was not disposed to like any fellow who did not revere his admirable friend. Besides this, the Doctor was particularly kind to Godfrey, taking him out with him, and endeavouring to prevent his feeling Barrow's absence, either by sorrow or by the want of a kind adviser. Still Shelley won on Godfrey by the sharpness of his wit, and his poetical taste and powers. His recital of Byron's verses was faultless to Godfrey's ear, and could scarcely fail of gradually winning a romantic and unsteady mind like his, to the feelings and notions of that poet. The result of all this was, that Godfrey's flighty tendency was again strengthened, and his religious principles

« AnteriorContinuar »