118 THE VINE. 



in his soul, furnished her with many appropriate 

 remarks, calculated to awaken my dear brother's 

 interest on subjects quite new to him. 



Sweet shades of Barley Wood ! how lovely they 

 looked to my gladdened eye, as we strolled among 

 them — how delicious to my soul were the remarks 

 made by my companion on their blessed owner — 

 and with what pleasure did I observe the mutual 

 cordiality of their greeting, when he again seated 

 himself opposite to her, leaning over her little table, 

 and perusing the venerable countenance which 

 really shone with maternal love towards him. I 

 would record it among the many instances ol her 

 Christian spirit, that she endured, even to serious 

 inconvenience, the fatigue of a most prolonged in- 

 terview, for the sake of following up a manifest ad- 

 vantage with one in whose sight the Lord had given 

 her unlooked-for favour ; and I trust that is en- 

 rolled among her abundant labours in her Master's 

 cause. 



But the vine ? Well, I was seated just oppo- 

 site the window, and counted as grapes of Eschol, 

 the clusters before me ; for I thought that my bro- 

 ther was now obtaining a glimpse of the product of 

 that good land, concerning which unfaithful spies 

 had brought him an evil report. Neither did I 

 overlook the typical fitness of the plant to grace 

 Hannah More's favourite corner ; for truly she, 

 among woman was as that vine among the shrubs 



