The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-29 00:00:00

SPORT AND EARNEST.

A bad but eager sportsman, Lord Eldon used to blaze
away at his partridges and pheasants with such uniform
want of success that Lord Stowell had truth as well as
humour on his side when he observed, " My brother has
done much execution this shooting season; with his gun
he has killed a great deal of time." Having ineffectually
discharged two barrels at a covey of partridges, the Chan-
cellor was slowly walking to the gate of one of his En-
combo turnip-fields when a stranger of clerical garb and
aspect hailed him from a distance, asking, " Where is Lord
Eldon 2" Not anxious to declare himself to the witness of
his ludicrously bad shot, the Chancellor answered eva-
sively, and with scant courtesy, "Not far off." Displeased
with the tone of this curt reply, the clergyman rejoined,
"I wish you'd use your tongue to better purpose than you
do your gun, and toll me civilly where I can find the Chan-
cellor." " Well," responded the sportsman, when he had
slowly approached his questioner, "here you see the
Chancellor-1 am Lord Eldon." It was an untoward in-
troduction to the Chancellor for the strange clergyman who
had travelled from the North of Lancashire to ask for the
presentation to a vacant living. Partly out of humorous
compassion for the applicant wke had offered rude-
ness, if not insult, to the person whom he was most
anxious to propitiate; partly because on inquiry he
ascertained the respectability of the applicant ; and partly
because he wished to seal by kindness the lips of a man
who could report on the authority of his own eyes that
the best lawyer was also the worst shot in all England,
Eldon gave the petitioner the desired preferment. "But
now," the old Chancellor used to add in conclusion, when-
ever he told the story, " see the ingratitude of mankind.
It was not long before a large present of game reachedme,
with a letter from my now-made rector, purporting that
ho had sent it, because from what he had seen of my shoot_
lay he supposed I must be badly off for game. Think of
turning upon me in this way, and wounding me in my
tenderest point."

• Here is auother agreeable glimpse of the same
Chancellor :

AN OLD PROMISE.

The Chancellor was sitting in his study over a table of
papers when a young and lovely girl—slightly rustic in
her attire, slightly embarrassed by the novelty of her posi-
tion, but thoroughly in command of her wits—entered the
room and walked up to the lawyer's chair. "My dear,"
said the Chancellor, rising and bowing with the old-
world courtesy, " who are you ?" " Lord Eldon,"
answered the blushing maiden, "I am Bessie Bridge of
Weobly, the daughter of the Vicar of Weobly, and papa
has sent me to remind you of a promise which you made
him when I was a little baby, and you were a guest in his
house on the occasion of your first election as member of
Parliament for Weobly." "A promise, my dear young
lady ?" interposed the Chancellor, trying to recall how he
had pledged himself. " Yes, Lord Eldon, a promise.
You were standing over my cradle when papa said to
you, ' Mr. Scott, promise me that if ever you are Lord
Chancellor when my little girl is a poor clergyman's
wife, you will .give her husband a living;' and you
answered, ' Mr. Bridge, my premise is not worth half-a-
crown, but I give it, wishing it were worth more.' " En-
thusiastically the Chancellor exclaimed, "You are quite
right. 'admit the obligation. I remember all about it ;"
and then, after a pause, archly surveying the damsel,
whose graces were the reverse of matronly, he added,
" But surely the time for keeping my promise has not yet
arrived? You cannot be any one's wife at present?'"
For a few seconds Bessie hesitated for an answer ; and
then, with a blush and a ripple of silver laughter, she re-
plied, "No, but Ido so wish to be somebody's wife. lam
engaged to a young clergyman ; and there's a living in
Herefordshire near my old home that has recently fallen
vacant, and if you'll give it to Alfred, why then, Lord
Eldon, we shall marry before the end of the year." Is
there need to say that the Chancellor forthwith summoned
his secretary, that the secretary forthwith made out the
presentation to Bessie's lover, and that, having given the
Chancellor a kiss of gratitude, Bessie made good speed
back to Herefordshire, hugging the precious document the
whole way home.

A delightful instance of just retribution is thus re-
corded. A clergyman had applied to Lord Thur-
low for a living

TURNING THE TABLES.

Sustained by Queen Charlotte's personal favour and
intercession with Thurlow, the clergyman in question
felt so sure of obtaining the valuable living which
was the object of his ambition, that he regarded his
interview with the Chancellor as a purely formal affair. "I
have, sir," observed Lord Thurlow, "received a letter
from the curate of the parish to which it is my intention to
prefer you, and on inquiry I find him to bo a very worthy
man. The father of a largo family, and a priest who has
laboured zealously in the parish for many years, he has
written to me—not asking for the living, but modestly en-
treating me to ask the new rector to retain him as curate.
Now, sir, you would oblige me by promising me to employ
the_ poor man in that capacity." "My lord," replied
Queen Charlotte's protegé, "it would give me great
pleasure to oblige your lordship in this matter, but un-
fortunately I have arranged to take a personal friend for
my curate." His eyes flashing angrily, Thurlow answered,
" Sir, I cannot force you to take this worthy man for your
curate, but I can mike him the rector; and by ho
shall have the living, and be in a position to offer you the
curacy." And forthwith, to the applicant's inexpressible
surprise and chagrin, the Chancellor's words were carried
out.

We might add largely to these specimens of legal
" Mirth," but we have said enough to demonstrate
the very attractive character of this Book about
Lawyers, in which our readers will find ample
materials for occupying many a pleasant and not
unprofitable hour.

Archbishop Whateley.