THE REV. JOHN RUSSELL. 83 



glass of brandy-and-water to be mixed forth- 

 with, "hot and strong for the bishop." 



Again his lordship positively declined the 

 stimulant, and endeavoured to explain the object 

 of his visit ; but Froude, apparently not hearing 

 a word he had uttered, cut him short by saying, 

 " It's my only doctor, my lord, is a drop of 

 brandy ; and if I had but taken it when I got 

 mv chill I shouldn't now be as I be, deaf as 

 a haddock, and nursing this fire like an old 

 woman." 



The bishop would hear no more ; but making 

 him a grave bow, took his leave, entered his 

 carriage, and returned whence he came. In 

 ten minutes from that time, so goes the story, 

 Froude was seen to mount his horse and trot 

 away in company with his hounds. 



"I cannot tell how the truth may be; 

 I say the tale as 'twas said to me." 



Russell, however, who knew Froude's sayings 

 and doings better than any man living, and 

 was wont, like Yorick, " to set the table on a 

 roar" when throwing his tongue on that lively 

 subject, maintained that if the bishop had in- 

 vaded Froude's domain a dozen times the result 

 would have been precisely the same ; but that 

 he only went once to Knowstone, and then, 

 being admitted for a few minutes, beat a hasty 

 retreat, and escaped from the house much faster 

 than he entered it. 



